Scientists’ Warning: Sustainability from an Ecological Perspective
Humanity has never faced such a great challenge: the vulnerability of ecological systems, climate change, the rapid decline of biodiversity, and the degradation of ecosystems have reached such a serious level that scientists have now issued a “warning to humanity” for the third time.
The two growth models of population theory: exponential (biotic potential) and logistic curve. The green area between the two curves represents environmental resistance, which limits population growth up to the carrying capacity (K) of the environment.
The comprehensive study published in the Discover Sustainability journal (Montefalcone et al., 2025) makes a sharply critical appeal from an ecological perspective for a true, systemic interpretation of sustainability.
Why is sustainability ecologically based?
According to the authors, sustainability is not just an economic or social issue. In ecological terms, the essence of sustainability is that a process or state adapts to the carrying capacity of the natural system, preserving the stability and resilience of living systems in the long term.
It’s particularly worth highlighting that Assistant Professor Klára Hajnal (University of Pécs, 2006) formulated this ecologically based definition of sustainability in Hungary nearly two decades ago, emphasizing:
“Ecological sustainability means the adaptation of social and economic processes to the carrying capacity of the natural environment, while maintaining the stability and resilience of biological systems.”
Klára Hajnal’s work is outstanding even in an international context, as it foreshadowed the paradigm shift that is now becoming increasingly established in the global scientific community.
According to the analysis, instead of the three-pillar approach (economy-society-environment), we need a paradigm where environmental health itself is the foundation of human well-being. All social and economic processes can only be truly sustainable within these ecological frameworks.
Overloaded ecosystems and irreversible damage
The study shows through detailed examples how the stability of an ecological system can collapse. Particular emphasis is placed on the deterioration of marine habitats – such as Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. Research along the Ligurian coast shows that as a result of human interventions (port construction, tourism, pollution), these crucial habitats have shrunk to half their size over the past century.
This shows that conservation measures and economic prosperity are not necessarily contradictory – but in the long term, the two can only work together if the carrying capacity of nature truly sets the boundaries.
Balance, resilience and shared responsibility
The article also addresses the importance of resilience (recovery capacity). An ecosystem is resilient if it can regenerate after a disturbance, but if interventions are too frequent or too large, this restorative capacity can be lost. The example of the Mediterranean seabed shows that the restoration of some habitats (such as seagrass planting) is very costly and uncertain in outcome, so damage must be prevented rather than just treated afterwards.
The authors emphasize: sustainable development works when it is realized with social justice, intergenerational responsibility, and within ecological frameworks – this is called the eco-civilizational paradigm.
What does this mean for Hungarian readers?
In Hungary too, carbon farming, nature-based solutions, or support for carbon market programs like OurOffset are becoming increasingly important. The message is clear: any project can only be considered truly sustainable if it can be ecologically justified that it does not endanger the carrying capacity of nature.
ClimeNews’ mission is to inform society as widely as possible about this – because without healthy nature, there is no sustainable economy and no safe communities.
László A. Rampasek
Further explanation of the figure
The figure shows two possible paths of theoretical population growth: exponential growth (biotic potential), determined by reproductive capacity, and logistic growth, limited by the carrying capacity (K) of the environment. The green band between the two represents environmental resistance: these natural limits – such as resource scarcity, diseases, pollution – slow down growth. This model also well illustrates the consequences of human overpopulation.
Source: ClimeNews – News Portal
