Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while
preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for
future generations. The term was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has
become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that "meets
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs."[1][2]
Sustainable development ties together concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems with
the social challenges facing humanity. As early as the 1970s "sustainability" was employed to
describe an economy "in equilibrium with basic ecological support systems."[3] Ecologists have
pointed to The Limits to Growth,[citation needed] and presented the alternative of a “steady state
economy”[4] in order to address environmental concerns.
The field of sustainable development can be conceptually broken into three constituent parts:
environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and sociopolitical sustainability.
SCOPE AND DEFINATION
The concept has included notions of weak sustainability, strong sustainability and deep ecology.
Sustainable development does not focus solely on environmental issues.
In 1987, the United Nations released the Brundtland Report, which defines sustainable
development as 'development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs.'[8]
The United Nations 2005 World Summit Outcome Document refers to the "interdependent and
mutually reinforcing pillars" of sustainable development as economic development, social
development, and environmental protection.[9]
Indigenous peoples have argued, through various international forums such as the United
Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Convention on Biological Diversity, that
there are four pillars of sustainable development, the fourth being cultural. The Universal
Declaration on Cultural Diversity (UNESCO, 2001) further elaborates the concept by stating
that "...cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature”; it becomes
“one of the roots of development understood not simply in terms of economic growth, but also as
a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence". In
this vision, cultural diversity is the fourth policy area of sustainable development.
Economic Sustainability: Agenda 21 clearly identified information, integration, and participation

as key building blocks to help countries achieve development that recognises these
interdependent pillars. It emphasises that in sustainable development everyone is a user and
provider of information. It stresses the need to change from old sector-centred ways of doing
business to new approaches that involve cross-sectoral co-ordination and the integration of
environmental and social concerns into all development processes. Furthermore, Agenda 21
emphasises that broad public participation in decision making is a fundamental prerequisite for
achieving sustainable development.[10]
According to Hasna Vancock, sustainability is a process which tells of a development of all

aspects of human life affecting sustenance. It means resolving the conflict between the various
competing goals, and involves the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental
quality and social equity famously known as three dimensions (triple bottom line) with is the
resultant vector being technology, hence it is a continually evolving process; the ‘journey’ (the
process of achieving sustainability) is of course vitally important, but only as a means of getting
to the destination (the desired future state). However,the ‘destination’ of sustainability is not a
fixed place in the normal sense that we understand destination. Instead, it is a set of wishful
characteristics of a future system.[11]
Green development is generally differentiated from sustainable development in that Green

development prioritizes what its proponents consider to be environmental sustainability over
economic and cultural considerations. Proponents of Sustainable Development argue that it
provides a context in which to improve overall sustainability where cutting edge Green
development is unattainable. For example, a cutting edge treatment plant with extremely high
maintenance costs may not be sustainable in regions of the world with fewer financial resources.
An environmentally ideal plant that is shut down due to bankruptcy is obviously less sustainable
than one that is maintainable by the community, even if it is somewhat less effective from an
environmental standpoint.
Some research activities start from this definition to argue that the environment is a combination
of nature and culture. The Network of Excellence "Sustainable Development in a Diverse
World",[12] sponsored by the European Union, integrates multidisciplinary capacities and
interprets cultural diversity as a key element of a new strategy for sustainable development.
Still other researchers view environmental and social challenges as opportunities for
development action. This is particularly true in the concept of sustainable enterprise that frames
these global needs as opportunities for private enterprise to provide innovative and
entrepreneurial solutions. This view is now being taught at many business schools including the
Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell University and the Erb Institute for Global
Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan.
The United Nations Division for Sustainable Development lists the following areas as coming
within the scope of sustainable development:[13]
Sustainable development is an eclectic concept, as a wide array of views fall under its umbrella.
The concept has included notions of weak sustainability, strong sustainability and deep ecology.
Different conceptions also reveal a strong tension between ecocentrism and anthropocentrism.
Many definitions and images (Visualizing Sustainability) of sustainable development coexist.
Broadly defined, the sustainable development mantra enjoins current generations to take a
systems approach to growth and development and to manage natural, produced, and social
capital for the welfare of their own and future generations.
During the last ten years, different organizations have tried to measure and monitor the proximity
to what they consider sustainability by implementing what has been called sustainability metrics
and indices[14].
Sustainable development is said to set limits on the developing world. While current first world
countries polluted significantly during their development, the same countries encourage third
world countries to reduce pollution, which sometimes impedes growth. Some consider that the
implementation of sustainable development would mean a reversion to pre-modern lifestyles.[15]
Others have criticized the overuse of the term:
"[The] word sustainable has been used in too many situations today, and ecological
sustainability is one of those terms that confuse a lot of people. You hear about
sustainable development, sustainable growth, sustainable economies, sustainable
societies, sustainable agriculture. Everything is sustainable (Temple, 1992)."[15]

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What are the three pillars of sustainable development according to the text?

What are some areas that fall under the scope of sustainable development according to the UN?

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while

SCOPE AND DEFINATION

Economic Sustainability: Agenda 21 clearly identified information, integration, and participation

According to Hasna Vancock, sustainability is a process which tells of a development of all

Green development is generally differentiated from sustainable development in that Green

Others have criticized the overuse of the term:

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