A geospatial approach to sustainability study

This article approaches sustainability study via geospatial analysis. By mapping two sustainability datasets (Ecological Footprint, 2003 and Environmental Sustainability Index, 2005) the article first assesses the current state of sustainable development world wide. The incompatible pictures presented by the two datasets imply their conflicting views on sustainability. To comprehend the conflicts, the article applies a series of thematic maps to further analyse them from the perspective of governance and GDP. It is found that the current condition of sustainable development is worrisome, especially from the view of bio-capacity. This condition is rooted in an unfortunate fact that both governance and GDP are negatively connected with our ecological footprint.