A common way of describing how these different dimensions are connected is through a Finance Chart where the three dimensions overlap. This model imparts a picture of sustainable development where all three dimensions are given equal weight and value.
An alternative way of describing sustainable development is in the form of a hierarchy where ecological sustainability is attributed to fundamental importance and is seen as a precondition for both social and economic sustainability. These two dimensions are also characterized by an addiction, where social sustainability is the basis for economic sustainability.