“Since the classical definition provided by the Brundtland Commission in 1987, the term ‘sustainability’ has become the dominant Leitmotiv for shaping international environmental and developmental relations. Notwithstanding these efforts, there is still no commonly accepted definition of the term and it often remains unclear what sustainability actually means. This holds particularly true in the conservation, development and international environmental law communities. What we need is a more complete understanding of the meaning of sustainability and how it is perceived by various actors. A good starting point would be the international conventions applicable to marine spaces. How have they dealt with the sustainability principle and which institutions are involved in implementing it? The central challenge is: How can sustainability be conceptualized in the context of a limited understanding of ocean change?“

Dr. Ulrike Kronfeld-Goharani