By Pacific Institute Staff

Advancing sustainability entails developing economic strategies that preserve ecosystems, minimize and mitigate impacts on society, and address social disparities and injustice. Jobs and wealth are intimately entwined with the use of water, other natural resources, and local populations. Achieving sustainable management of these resources and increasing economic justice requires specific attention to understanding how current economic systems can be fundamentally transformed and developing integrated strategies to do so.

The Pacific Institute carries out research and analysis to understand and enhance strategies that lead to more sustainable and just economies. Its programs focus on understanding how tools such as voluntary sustainability standards are transforming the “business as usual” approach, and developing strategies that improve water conditions and lift communities out of poverty.  Projects on sustainability standards focus on understanding the role that sustainability standards play to meet sustainable development objectives, while those related to strategies that improve water conditions and lift communities out of poverty identify best practices, quantify costs and benefits, map activities and impacts, and analyze the opportunities for public institutions, businesses, and communities to achieve better outcomes