Ideological adaptation of the sustainability concept: unlocking potential through system patterns?
Abstract
This article focuses on the theoretical and methodological adaptation of the sustainable development concept through implementing a more flexible and adaptive approach to management processes, harmonizing the relationship between government and market roles in promoting sustainability, maintaining balanced interests in multi-level interactions, and optimally unlocking the underutilized potential of human and social capital. The research aims to scientifically substantiate the possibility of rationally balancing the sustainability concept with national interests and using it as an integrative approach to constructing a new socio-economic model based on harmonizing self-regulation and management influence, which can accelerate metabolic and regenerative processes.
The author emphasizes that the fundamental principles of sustainable development –balancing economic growth, social justice, and environmental sustainability – remain extremely important and relevant to today’s challenges. Despite the fragmentation in practical implementation that undermines trust in sustainability as an optimal practical approach, there remains an opportunity to unlock untapped potential by relying on balanced system patterns and self-regulation mechanisms. The author notes that transforming management approaches through flexible adaptation of the concept with national interests and aligning practical management approaches with system patterns will allow countries and regions not only to overcome current challenges more effectively but also to establish a foundation for strategic resilience and competitiveness. The article reveals the theoretical-analytical and systemic-methodological foundations for implementing a flexible and adaptive approach to sustainable development management as an optimal model that enables: alignment of multi-level goals and values, combining today’s requirements (pragmatism and contextual orientation) with strategic principles of sustainability – optimality and rationality, adaptability and resilience.
Downloads
References
Agile Governance / supported by Hertie School. Geneva: WEF, 2024. URL: http://surl.li/pgpzaa
Anteil der Erneuerbaren Energien steigt. Official web page. URL: https://surl.li/pjapcb
APnews. The US has withdrawn from a climate agreement that helps developing nations, South Africa says. 2025. URL: https://surl.lu/yxiysl
Baker, S. (2016). Sustainable Development. 2nd Ed. London: Routledge.
Bharat, H.D. (2023). The New York Summit SDG 2023: Rescue Plan for 2030 Agenda as a Wake-up Call for the Decision Makers. Environmental Policy and Law, no. 53, 221–231.
Breuer, L.J. (2021). Horizontal Accountability for SDG Implementation: A Comparative Cross-National Analysis of Emerging National Accountability Regimes. Sustainability, no. 13, 1–23.
Bantekas, I., Akestoridi, K. (2023). Sustainable Development Goals, between Politics and Soft Law: The Emergence of “political Normativity” in International Law. Emory International Law Review, no. 37(4), 499–560.
Yadav, D., Yadav, A. (2023). Clean Environment as a Fundamental Right. Indian Journal of Law and Legal Research, no. 5(2), 1–18.
Mthembu, D.E., Nhamo, G. (2022). Aligning SDG 13 with South Africa’s Development Agenda: Adaptation Policies and Institutional Frameworks. Journal of Disaster Risk Studies,
no. 14(1), 1–11.
Department of Statistics South Africa. Sustainable Development Goals: Country report. (2023). URL: https://www.statssa.gov.za/MDG/SDG Country report.pdf
Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister of India. (2020). India’s Blue Economy:
A draft policy framework. URL: https://surl.li/enqnas
Erneuerbare Energien in Zahlen. Official web page. URL: https://surl.li/atjrfq
GGGI Technical Report No. 5. green growth index: Concept, Methods and Applications. October 2019. URL: https://surl.li/nuexql
Green economy progress measurement framework. URL: https://www.un-page.org/green-economy-progress-measurement-framework
Green growth and sustainable development. URL: http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth
ICAT (Initiative for Climate Action Transparency). (2020). Sustainable Development Methodology: Assessing the Environmental, Social and Economic Impacts of Policies and Actions /
eds. D. Rich, R. Song, K. H. Olsen. Washington D.C. : World Resources Institute; Copenhagen : UNEP DTU Partnership. URL: https://surli.cc/xqzlsi
ICAT (Initiative for Climate Action Transparency). (2020). Sustainable Development Methodology: Assessing the Environmental, Social and Economic Impacts of Policies and Actions /
eds. D. Rich, R. Song, K. H. Olsen. Washington D.C. : World Resources Institute; Copenhagen : UNEP DTU Partnership. URL: https://surl.li/mbuwye
IEA. Renewables 2020 Data Explorer – Analysis. (2021).
Jann, W., Veit, S. (2021). Politics and Administration in Germany. Public Administration in Germany / eds. S. Kuhlmann, I. Proeller, D. Schimanke, J. Ziekow. Cham : Palgrave Macmillan, 145–161.
Khan. Can India Spearhead the Global South’s Blue Economy? (2023). URL: https://surl.li/wldnww
Konrad Adeanuer Stiftung India office, Energy and Resources Institute, National Maritime Foundation, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. (2022). Blue Economy: India’s pathway to sustainable, secure, and resilient economy. URL: https://surl.li/jrawgw
Kushal, І., Trunina, I., Zagirniak, D. (2019). An imitation model of the financial-economic mechanism of taking strategic decisions at the enterprise. SHS Web of Conferences. Beijing. PR China, vol. 61, no. 01027. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20196101027
Luhmann N. Essays on self-refererence. (1990). N.Y.: Columbia Univ. Press.
Bexell, M., Jönsson, K. (2021). The politics of the Sustainable Development Goals: Legitimacy, responsibility, and accountability. Routledge.
Butt, M. (2021). The Role of the International Law in Shaping the Governance for Sustainable Development Goals. Journal of Law and Political Sciences, no. 28 (3), 87–164.
Neumann, O., Kirklies, P.C., Schott, C. (2024). Adopting agile in government: a comparative case study. Public Management Review, 1–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2024.2354776
Next steps for a sustainable European future European action for sustainability. (2016). COM/2016/0739 final report. Brussels: EC.
Ruppel, O. (2022). South Africa: Climate Change, Responsibility and Liability–The Legal System, Public and Private Law Considerations. Climate change, responsibility and liability, vol. 1. Nomos, 215–216.
Oberoi Parul, Bhandari Jitender. (2024). Evaluating the Role of Economic Factors in Sustainable Consumption Behaviour. P. 23–32.
Pauletto, C. (2024). Public management, agility and innovation: The Swiss experience with the COVID-19 loan scheme. International Review of Administrative Sciences, no. 90 (1), 116–131.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208523221143280
Tausendfreund, R., Moraal, M., Campbel, L. (2024). US elections and European cohesion: Scenarios for green transitions and Transatlantic climate action. URL: https://surl.li/upknot
Tausendfreund, R., Moraal, M., Campbel, L. (2025). Trump 2.0, Green Transition, and Transatlantic Climate Action. URL: https://surli.cc/kliydj
Russel, D., Kirsop-Taylor, N. (2022). Handbook on the Governance of Sustainable Development. Edward Elgar Publishing, P. 139–141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781789904321
Shiwani et al. (2024). Transforming Urban Energy: Dynamics, Policies and Innovations in Suburban Energy Efficiency and Building Sustainability in India. P. 31–42.
Sustainable development in the European Union. (2020). Overview of progress towards the SDGs in an EU context. Eurostat.
The European Green Deal. COM (2019) 640 final. Brussels, 11.12.2019.
The Five Principles of Green Economy, Green Economy Coalition. URL: https://surl.li/siyadq
The Green Economy Indicator Guidance Manual. URL: https://surl.li/bqzkwv
The Integrated green economy modelling framework. URL: https://surl.li/ppjqet
The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE). Official web page. URL: https://www.un-page.org/
Trump will slow, but not stop, the energy transition. URL: https://surl.li/idpujd
UN. General Assembly Resolution 78/80-E/2023/64, “Progress Towards the Sustainable Development Goals: Towards a Rescue Plan for People and Planet, Report of the Secretary-General (special edition)». New York, 27 April 2023, para. 50. URL: https://surl.li/iqnoas
UN. (2016). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Volden, G.H., Andersen, B. (2018). The hierarchy of public project governance frameworks: An empirical study of principles and practices in Norwegian ministries and agencies. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, no. 11(1), 174–197.
Copyright (c) 2025 Pressing Problems of Public Administration

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.