The concept of carrying capacity is fundamental to sustainable development. It refers to the maximum population size of a species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the available resources. In the context of human development, it implies limits on resource consumption and waste generation to ensure that ecological systems can regenerate and continue to support future generations. Social justice, inclusive growth, and globalization are important aspects that can contribute to or be influenced by sustainable development, but carrying capacity directly addresses the ecological limits inherent in the definition.