15 Jan 2025
Our needs and wants
As we pack away the holiday gifts it’s a good time to think about how much we consume and whether that is sustainable in the long term. Nearly 40 years ago the World Commission on Environment and Development [Brundtland Commission] warned we were consuming more than the planet could supply over the long term. “Sustainable global development requires that those who are more affluent adopt lifestyles within the planet’s ecological means…” the world experts wrote. It went to say: “Living standards that go beyond the basic minimum are sustainable only if consumption standards everywhere have regard for long-term sustainability.” My late mother put it more succinctly. When asked if she wanted more of something she would reply: “sufficient for my needs.”