This is the technical definition. It doesn’t mean that we can’t mine minerals, just that they should not increase in concentration in the above ground environment that we live in. Eventually the environment will be saturated and respond negatively and we will run out of those resources.
Likewise there is a level of pollutants that the earth can get rid of but if we produce too many pollutants at too fast a rate the earth’s systems will not be able to keep up.
We can cut down trees and use natural plant products for a variety of purposes but we need to replace them or eventually they will run out.
All people need the basics of life for their well-being and lack of equity will lead to ever increasing disharmony. Without a better distribution of available resources it will be very difficult to solve some of the environmental issues contained in teh other three system conditions. Achieving system condition 4 has to be a global and local focus.
