Sustainability and the primary extraction industries: theories and practice

This paper reflects on how sustainability is being interpreted both theoret ically and in practice for the primary extraction industries. Two contrasti ng perspectives can be adopted: one states that continued extraction of non -renewable resources is a necessary part of sustainable development, whilst the other states that extraction of these resources must be greatly reduce d or even eliminated. It is shown that these different approaches can be tr aced back to underlying, often unarticulated, assumptions about the accepta bility of trade-offs between different societal goals; attitudes towards un certainties in scientific analysis and the reliability of management system s; and the perceived appropriateness of system boundaries at different conc eptual scales. These assumptions are founded in the self-perception of orga nisations and individuals about their roles in society, and the cultural co ntext within which these organisations and individuals define their raison d'etre. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.