Bahá’ís recognize that the world is undergoing rapid socio-economic transitions that make the protection of the environment and sustainable development both critical and challenging. Bahá’ís believe that only an integrated, balanced and all-embracing world view with a belief in a divine creator and unity of purpose will resolve environmental, economic, and social development and sustainability challenges. For example, when science and technology do not serve a divinely ordained purpose, they will actually contribute to the erosion of the planet’s biodiversity. Materialistic civilization that replaces the idea of the `citizen’ with the `consumer’ cannot concern itself with the long-term viability of life on earth. The topic Environmental Sustainability, Economic Sustainability and Social Sustainability provides further discussion of Bahá’i views on Sustainability.
