As a result of research for the Victorian State of the Environment (SoE) Report, a number of core principles of value to broad areas of management for sustainability were developed. These principles are: the fundamental dependence of human wellbeing on ecosystem services; the importance of measuring wellbeing; the value of addressing environmental problems via an aetiological approach; the importance of decoupling and understanding shifting baselines and tipping points; and the role that resilience and its elements must play in transitioning to a sustainable future. This article describes and explores the links between these transition principles. Using examples, it shows that the principles constitute a set of vital concepts that should underpin sustainability decision-making at all levels. Given its profile in decision-making for sustainability, the discipline of SoE reporting is likely to be well-suited for conveying the principles to a broader audience.
