Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
Sostenible versus sustentable (desarrollo)
English translation:
Sustainable (development) (identical meaning in English)
Added to glossary by
Toni Castano
Aug 22, 2020 15:19
3 yrs ago
57 viewers *
Spanish term
sostenible v. sustentable?
Homework / test
Spanish to English
Other
Environment & Ecology
Funding application to European Partnership for Responsible Minerals
This is from a funding application to the EPRM for a project called: Improvement of Working Conditions in Small-scale and Artisanal Mining" and is part of my final ITI mentoring exercise. The lead applicant is IIGE (Instituto de Investigacion Geologico y Energetico - Ecuador) and the partners are, among others, FairTrade, Global Environment Facility and the UN Evironmental Program. The problem sentence appears in the introductory description of the IIGE and its responsibilities:
"...Entre sus atribuciones estan realizar estudios relacionados a los riesgos geologicos, mineros y metalurgicos; promover el desarrollo *sostenible y sustentable* de los recursos minerales..."
'Sostenible' is fairly straightforward, but 'sustentable'? I think I've just about grasped the difference between the two but am struggling to find a neat translation for the latter - any thoughts?
Many thanks in advance for your help. I may have one more question on this later...
"...Entre sus atribuciones estan realizar estudios relacionados a los riesgos geologicos, mineros y metalurgicos; promover el desarrollo *sostenible y sustentable* de los recursos minerales..."
'Sostenible' is fairly straightforward, but 'sustentable'? I think I've just about grasped the difference between the two but am struggling to find a neat translation for the latter - any thoughts?
Many thanks in advance for your help. I may have one more question on this later...
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Aug 27, 2020 13:25: Toni Castano Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+2
5 hrs
Selected
sustainable (development) (identical meaning in English)
Let me say from the start that if no distinction had been made in the translation into Spanish of the English expression “sustainable development”, a notion basically coined in the Brundland Report of 1987 (title: Our Common Future), this discussion would not be necessary now. The confusion originated probably then, back in 1987, but consolidated in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1992, also known as the Rio Summit. “Sustainable development” was translated into Portuguese as “desenvolvimento sustentável”, which helped originate the Spanish expression “desarrollo sustentable” (as a translation from Portuguese), basically a rendering provided by Latin American translators.
In contrast to Latin American translators, Spanish European translators opted for “desarrollo sostenible” from the very beginning, and this rendering coexisted from 1992 onwards with the other one, “desarrollo sustentable”, clearly preferred in Latin America since the Rio Summit.
From the semantic point of view there is a “sustainable debate” :-) regarding the meaning of both expressions in Spanish. Most scholars and experts say there is a subtle difference between the two being this the following:
https://getupandgoals.es/que-es-desarrollo-sostenible-y-desa...
¿Qué es el desarrollo sostenible?
Cuando hablamos de desarrollo sostenible estamos haciendo referencia a un tipo de desarrollo o crecimiento que consume los recursos naturales por debajo de la tasa de regeneración.
¿Qué es el desarrollo sustentable?
Un desarrollo sustentable sería algo distinto a sostenible, sustentable quiere decir que se necesita a alguien o algo que lo sostenga o mantenga para poder funcionar. Cuando hablamos en términos ecológicos, lo normal es referirse al desarrollo sostenible.
This opinion is also maintained by this author, a Chilean expert on the matter:
https://www.induambiente.com/opinion/desarrollo-sustentable-...
¿Desarrollo Sustentable o Sostenible?
Claudio Zaror
(…)
El término original en idioma inglés es “Sustainable Development”, lo que fue traducido por traductores europeos como Desarrollo Sostenible; sin embargo, la mayoría de los traductores latinoamericanos lo tradujeron como Desarrollo Sustentable, quedando incorporado, en muchos de los cuerpos legales de regulación ambiental.
(…)
Los documentos oficiales del Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente (PNUMA) son escritos originalmente en inglés y, posteriormente, traducidos por los equipos traductores, donde la presencia latinoamericana es mínima en la actualidad.
(…)
Si bien las diferencias, desde un punto de vista semántico, pueden ser importantes ya que uno parece enfocarse más a la intervención humana, mientras que la otra definición se inclina hacia una idea de autosuficiencia, ambos términos se usan como sinónimos cuando nos referimos a la responsabilidad social con el medioambiente. Lo cierto es que en Europa se prefiere “sostenible”, mientras que en América Latina se utiliza más “sustentable”.
Conclusion: As the Chilean expert says, when strictly referred to environmental issues, both expressions can be considered synonyms and no distinction is necessary. And my very personal opinion on this is that human intervention is present in both the “desarrollo sostenible” and “desarrollo sustentable”, but it is just a personal view.
This being said, I just need to add that in English ONLY “sustainable development” is used to mean “desarrollo sostenible” and “desarrollo sustentable”. The reason for that is already explained. Since your query is clearly related to environmental questions, I would not distinguish between them both: “Sustainable development” should suffice. In English the idea of “sustainable development of mineral ressources” is by the way backed by hundreds of thousands of entries.
I also took a look at the Ecuadorian legislation on mining, where I paradoxically found the following:
https://vlex.ec/vid/ley-45-ley-mineria-643461381
Ley 45. Ley de Minería
ARTÍCULO 10 Instituto nacional de investigación geológico, minero, metalúrgico.
(…)
El Instituto Nacional de Investigación geológico, Minero, Metalúrgico, tiene personalidad jurídica, autonomía administrativa, técnica, económica, financiera y patrimonio propio; está adscrito al Ministerio Sectorial y tiene competencia para generar, sistematizar, focalizar y administrar la información geológica en todo el territorio nacional, para promover el desarrollo sostenible y sustentable de los recursos minerales y prevenir la incidencia de las amenazas geológicas y aquellas ocasionadas por el hombre, en apoyo al ordenamiento territorial.
La organización y funcionamiento de este instituto, deberá guardar conformidad con las disposiciones de la presente ley y sus reglamentos.
I do not know why they use “sostenible y sustentable” (only once!) in this law. In other sections of this same law, only “desarrollo sustentable” is used, which is just puzzling. If there is a reason for this distinction, it is unknown to me.
In contrast to Latin American translators, Spanish European translators opted for “desarrollo sostenible” from the very beginning, and this rendering coexisted from 1992 onwards with the other one, “desarrollo sustentable”, clearly preferred in Latin America since the Rio Summit.
From the semantic point of view there is a “sustainable debate” :-) regarding the meaning of both expressions in Spanish. Most scholars and experts say there is a subtle difference between the two being this the following:
https://getupandgoals.es/que-es-desarrollo-sostenible-y-desa...
¿Qué es el desarrollo sostenible?
Cuando hablamos de desarrollo sostenible estamos haciendo referencia a un tipo de desarrollo o crecimiento que consume los recursos naturales por debajo de la tasa de regeneración.
¿Qué es el desarrollo sustentable?
Un desarrollo sustentable sería algo distinto a sostenible, sustentable quiere decir que se necesita a alguien o algo que lo sostenga o mantenga para poder funcionar. Cuando hablamos en términos ecológicos, lo normal es referirse al desarrollo sostenible.
This opinion is also maintained by this author, a Chilean expert on the matter:
https://www.induambiente.com/opinion/desarrollo-sustentable-...
¿Desarrollo Sustentable o Sostenible?
Claudio Zaror
(…)
El término original en idioma inglés es “Sustainable Development”, lo que fue traducido por traductores europeos como Desarrollo Sostenible; sin embargo, la mayoría de los traductores latinoamericanos lo tradujeron como Desarrollo Sustentable, quedando incorporado, en muchos de los cuerpos legales de regulación ambiental.
(…)
Los documentos oficiales del Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente (PNUMA) son escritos originalmente en inglés y, posteriormente, traducidos por los equipos traductores, donde la presencia latinoamericana es mínima en la actualidad.
(…)
Si bien las diferencias, desde un punto de vista semántico, pueden ser importantes ya que uno parece enfocarse más a la intervención humana, mientras que la otra definición se inclina hacia una idea de autosuficiencia, ambos términos se usan como sinónimos cuando nos referimos a la responsabilidad social con el medioambiente. Lo cierto es que en Europa se prefiere “sostenible”, mientras que en América Latina se utiliza más “sustentable”.
Conclusion: As the Chilean expert says, when strictly referred to environmental issues, both expressions can be considered synonyms and no distinction is necessary. And my very personal opinion on this is that human intervention is present in both the “desarrollo sostenible” and “desarrollo sustentable”, but it is just a personal view.
This being said, I just need to add that in English ONLY “sustainable development” is used to mean “desarrollo sostenible” and “desarrollo sustentable”. The reason for that is already explained. Since your query is clearly related to environmental questions, I would not distinguish between them both: “Sustainable development” should suffice. In English the idea of “sustainable development of mineral ressources” is by the way backed by hundreds of thousands of entries.
I also took a look at the Ecuadorian legislation on mining, where I paradoxically found the following:
https://vlex.ec/vid/ley-45-ley-mineria-643461381
Ley 45. Ley de Minería
ARTÍCULO 10 Instituto nacional de investigación geológico, minero, metalúrgico.
(…)
El Instituto Nacional de Investigación geológico, Minero, Metalúrgico, tiene personalidad jurídica, autonomía administrativa, técnica, económica, financiera y patrimonio propio; está adscrito al Ministerio Sectorial y tiene competencia para generar, sistematizar, focalizar y administrar la información geológica en todo el territorio nacional, para promover el desarrollo sostenible y sustentable de los recursos minerales y prevenir la incidencia de las amenazas geológicas y aquellas ocasionadas por el hombre, en apoyo al ordenamiento territorial.
La organización y funcionamiento de este instituto, deberá guardar conformidad con las disposiciones de la presente ley y sus reglamentos.
I do not know why they use “sostenible y sustentable” (only once!) in this law. In other sections of this same law, only “desarrollo sustentable” is used, which is just puzzling. If there is a reason for this distinction, it is unknown to me.
Note from asker:
Thanks so much, Toni. Indeed my first thought, before I started agonizing over it, was to leave out 'sustentable'; so having seen your response, I think I'll go with that. Best wishes, Mary. |
Peer comment(s):
agree |
neilmac
: "Todo, todo y todo"....
12 hrs
|
Thank you Neil. I wish I could be as sure as you are (have a nice Sunday).
|
|
agree |
Robert Carter
: I'm buying your thesis here. Even if a slight difference may have arisen between the two Spanish terms, the English "sustainability" covers both senses as far as I can tell, at least in environmental terminology. Saludos Toni!
3 days 7 hrs
|
Thank you for your confirmation, Robert.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
1 hr
Spanish term (edited):
sostenible v. sustentable
sustainable and equitable
Although they mean basically the same thing, the only thing I can think of to differentiate the terms is "equitable".
Sustainable | Definition of Sustainable by Oxford Dictionary on ...www.lexico.com › definition › sustainable
adjective · 'Equitable and sustainable development presumes that the natural resources will be used. · 'And we've got to deal with the environment, get a ...
Sustainable and equitable growth definition | English ...dictionary.reverso.net › english-definition › Sustainable+a...
Sustainable and equitable growth definition, meaning, English dictionary, synonym, see also 'stainable',sustain',sustained',sustainer', Reverso dictionary, ...
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Note added at 4 hrs (2020-08-22 20:14:26 GMT)
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Synonyms for "sustainable":
continuous/viable/feasible/unceasing/green/imperishable/renewable/
supportable/unending/worthwhile are but a few other options
Sustainable | Definition of Sustainable by Oxford Dictionary on ...www.lexico.com › definition › sustainable
adjective · 'Equitable and sustainable development presumes that the natural resources will be used. · 'And we've got to deal with the environment, get a ...
Sustainable and equitable growth definition | English ...dictionary.reverso.net › english-definition › Sustainable+a...
Sustainable and equitable growth definition, meaning, English dictionary, synonym, see also 'stainable',sustain',sustained',sustainer', Reverso dictionary, ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2020-08-22 20:14:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Synonyms for "sustainable":
continuous/viable/feasible/unceasing/green/imperishable/renewable/
supportable/unending/worthwhile are but a few other options
4 hrs
sustainable & durable
In the context given, I read sustentable as durable.
It would make sense also to read sustentable as affordable (sustainability and affordability) but my own feeling is that here you should read durable and sustainable development (...).
Sostenible/sustentable is used in reference to environmental balance in relation to human development (sustainable). Sustentable/sostenible might be used in this particular context to stress the need for a long lasting perspective (hence "durable").
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Note added at 8 hrs (2020-08-23 00:07:12 GMT)
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Sustainable & Affordable
As per Discussion, maybe Affordable rather than Durable -although both concepts are interrelated- is what Sustentable tries to convey.
It would make sense also to read sustentable as affordable (sustainability and affordability) but my own feeling is that here you should read durable and sustainable development (...).
Sostenible/sustentable is used in reference to environmental balance in relation to human development (sustainable). Sustentable/sostenible might be used in this particular context to stress the need for a long lasting perspective (hence "durable").
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2020-08-23 00:07:12 GMT)
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Sustainable & Affordable
As per Discussion, maybe Affordable rather than Durable -although both concepts are interrelated- is what Sustentable tries to convey.
+1
8 hrs
sustainable and renewable
Curiously, one of the definitions I found for "sostenible" is 'renewable'. The only translation for "sustentable" seems to be 'sustainable'. Still, I would reverse the order and put 'sustainable' first as it makes more sense.
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Note added at 9 hrs (2020-08-23 00:21:31 GMT)
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Example of 'renewable' for "sostenible":
Untitled - Energia sosteniblewww.energiasostenible.org › file
PDF
9 Renewable Regions: Life After Fossil Fuel in Spain. Josep Puig i ... public a study on 100 per cent **renewable electricity supply** for Catalonia. (Doleschek et al ...
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Note added at 9 hrs (2020-08-23 00:21:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Example of 'renewable' for "sostenible":
Untitled - Energia sosteniblewww.energiasostenible.org › file
9 Renewable Regions: Life After Fossil Fuel in Spain. Josep Puig i ... public a study on 100 per cent **renewable electricity supply** for Catalonia. (Doleschek et al ...
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Steven Huddleston
: I love this solution. It has the same emphasis as the Spanish source but without the hysterical redundancy.
10 hrs
|
Thank you for your kind compliment, Steven!
|
Discussion
Saludos.
Por señalar únicamente los ejemplos que me parecen más claros;
En el preámbulo y en el artículo primero:
... con los principios de sostenibilidad ambiental, precaución, prevención y eficiencia
O en el artículo 16:
La exploración y explotación de los recursos mineros estará basada en una estrategia de sostenibilidad ambiental pública
Sin embargo, la ley habla de desarrollo sustentable. Ver el ejemplo más claro en el artículo 6:
El Estado establecerá mecanismos de fomento, asistencia técnica, capacitación y de financiamiento para el desarrollo sustentable para la minería artesanal y pequeña minería.
Para mí aquí se está haciendo clara referencia a un desarrollo que se pueda sustentar, esto es, que se pueda mantener económicamente en el tiempo. Mientras que las referencias a sostenible/sostenibilidad parecen inequívocamente relacionadas con el medioambiente (sostenibilidad ambiental ).
I think we could simply say "sustainable development," without any real loss of meaning from the Spanish to the English. MHO -