epäkestävän

epäkestävään is a Finnish adjective that translates to unsustainable or not durable. It describes something that cannot be maintained or supported over a long period without causing harm or depletion. The term is often used in discussions related to environmental issues, economic practices, and social systems.

In an environmental context, epäkestävään refers to practices that deplete natural resources, generate excessive pollution, or damage ecosystems to the point where they cannot recover. This can include unsustainable agriculture, deforestation, overfishing, and reliance on fossil fuels. Such practices are seen as jeopardizing the planet's ability to support life in the future.

Economically, epäkestävään describes business models or financial systems that rely on continuous growth without regard for resource limits or social equity. This might involve excessive debt, speculative bubbles, or production methods that create significant waste. The long-term viability of such economic approaches is questioned, as they are prone to collapse.

Socially, epäkestävään can describe structures or policies that create inequality, foster conflict, or fail to meet the basic needs of a population. This includes systems that perpetuate poverty, marginalize certain groups, or lack adequate social safety nets. These are considered unstable because they can lead to social unrest and breakdown.

The opposite of epäkestävään is kestävään, meaning sustainable. The concept of sustainability, therefore, involves finding ways to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, by ensuring environmental, economic, and social systems are resilient and balanced.