Kestämättömät

Kestämättömät is a Finnish term used in sustainability discourse to describe practices, systems, or conditions that cannot be maintained in the long term without causing unacceptable environmental, economic, or social costs. The word functions as the plural form of an adjective meaning not sustainable, and it is used both attributively (kestämättömät käytännöt) and as a substantive plural referring to unsustainable matters.

In practice, kestämättömät refers to patterns such as energy production methods, consumption habits, land use, and business models whose current forms threaten resource availability, ecosystems, or social equity over time. Common examples include kestämättömät energiantuotantotavat, kestämättömät kulutustottumukset, and kestämättömät liiketoimintamallit. The term is often contrasted with sustainable (kestävä) approaches and with broader ideas of kestävyys and sustainable development.

The concept is widely used in policy debates, environmental journalism, and academic writing to highlight the need for change and long-term viability. It can, however, draw critique for being normative or overly broad, lacking precise metrics in some contexts. As a result, it is frequently paired with quantitative indicators such as carbon footprint, ecological footprint, or planetary boundaries to provide clearer assessment and track progress toward sustainability.

See also: kestävyys, kestävä kehitys, ympäristötutkimus.