What does weak sustainability assume about natural and manufactured capital?

Weak sustainability operates on the premise that natural capital (the world's stocks of natural assets) and manufactured capital (the resources and infrastructure created by humans) are substitutes for one another in contributing to societal well-being. This approach suggests that as long as the overall value of capital is maintained, it is acceptable to deplete natural resources provided that equivalent or greater value is created through manufactured capital.

This implies that investments in technology, infrastructure, or other forms of manufactured capital can compensate for the loss or degradation of natural capital, thus allowing for a continued improvement in societal well-being. The philosophy behind weak sustainability promotes the idea that it is possible to trade off natural resources for human-made goods, under the assumption that technological advancements will provide solutions to environmental challenges over time.

This perspective contrasts sharply with strong sustainability, which asserts that natural capital cannot be substituted or depleted without significant implications for future generations, and therefore must be preserved in its own right.