The word Sustainocracy was introduced in 2012 in the Netherlands. It was sensed as semantically neeeded to differentiate between the many interpretations of the word `sustainability`. When we asked ten people about their views about sustainability we would get ten different answers. 

Q1: What is your own interpretation of the word `sustainability`? Please write down your answer on a piece of paper. 

In 2014 an Italian student named Catarina Dadá did research about the interpretation of the meaning of the word `sustainability` in the countries around the Mediterrean sea. She shared her findings with us in the Netherlands. The word itself, dissected in the different languages of these countries, had  a diversity of meanings to it, each representing a distinct emotional sentiment to the word itself. In Dutch the word is `duurzaamheid`. This is difficult to translate into English. Its literal translation would be something like `long-last-ability`. But for the interpretation of the word one could ask oneself: "what would we want to make long lasting?". The practical application of the word would coincide with many of the others, refering often namely to the availability of natural resources and the continuity of our wellbeing. 

This shows the general awareness that the resources provided by our planet Earth are reaching their limits. But often the sentiments refer to a conservative desire to sustain the economy without interruptions because of shortages. We tend to consider the continuity of availability of building materials, energy supplies, primary resources for our manufacturing processes, etc. 

Q2: Does this coincide with your own interpretation of the word? And the way your country, your government or business environment relates to it? Please write down your findings.

Caterina also noted similarities in the interpretation of the word. Every association, for example, agrees on the fact that the present generation has responsibilities towards the coming generations. Another common point is that sustainability concerns the environmental sphere as well as the economic and social one. Finally, all the associations of the Mediterranean area link sustainability with the promotion of local regions and with community engagement.

Q3: Do you agree? Does this also coincide with your own look at things? 

The big question then arises: "How can we take that responsibility?", and "Who should take such responsibility?".

Q4: What would you respond? And in what condition: As a citizen? A business owner? Government? As a scientist? Please write down your own answers from your private or professional perspectives. And do the same for what you would expect from the other pillars within society?

One of the most difficult ideas in this evaluation about sustainability is the aspect of "the present generation having responsibilities towards future generations". 

Q5: How do we translate this responsibility into concrete commitments or actions? What is it that we need to do for our future generations? And how are we supposed to do that if we look at the way we interpret the word `sustainability` throughout society?

If we consider that this discussion has been initiated already more than fifty years ago, when the Club of Rome started to warn about the "finite resources", what have we achieved till now? 

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