In the last decade or so, the term sustainability has become fashionable not only among
scientists but also among the general public. While this undoubtedly demonstrates that public
awareness of environmental issues is increasing, it is also the case that the meaning of the
concept can be elusive for many. As has been highlighted earlier in this volume, the notion of
sustainability is something of a contested term quite aside from the idea of environmental
sustainability, which is a more specific component of the broader concept
