Sustainable development is an approach to growth andhuman development that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.[1][2] The aim is to have a society where living conditions and resources meet human needs without underminingplanetary integrity.[3][4] Sustainable development aims to balance the needs of theeconomy,environment, and society. TheBrundtland Report in 1987 helped to make the concept of sustainable development better known.
Sustainable development overlaps with the idea ofsustainability which is anormative concept.[5]UNESCO formulated a distinction between the two concepts as follows: "Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), whilesustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it."[6]
TheRio Process that began at the 1992Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro has placed the concept of sustainable development on the international agenda. Sustainable development is the foundational concept of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs).[7] These global goals for the year 2030 were adopted in 2015 by theUnited Nations General Assembly (UNGA). They address the global challenges, including for examplepoverty,climate change,biodiversity loss, and peace.
There are some problems with the concept of sustainable development. Some scholars say it is anoxymoron because according to them,development is inherently unsustainable. Other commentators are disappointed in the lack of progress that has been achieved so far.[8][9] Scholars have stated thatsustainable development is open-ended, much critiqued as ambiguous, incoherent, and therefore easily appropriated.[7]
Therefore, it is important that there is increased funding for research on sustainability in order to better understand sustainable development and address its vagueness and shortcomings.[10]
Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains two key concepts within it:
The concept of 'needs', in particular, the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and
The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.
Scholars note that sustainable development is understood in many different ways.[7] They also highlight inconsistencies in the current market-driven system of social, economic and political organization. Efforts toward global sustainability must consider the diverse challenges, conditions, and choices that affect prospects and prosperity for all, everywhere.
Sustainability means different things to different people, and the concept of sustainable development has led to a diversity of discourses that legitimize competing sociopolitical projects.[12]
Following the publication ofRachel Carson'sSilent Spring in 1962, the developing environmental movement drew attention to the relationship between economic growth andenvironmental degradation.Kenneth E. Boulding, in his influential 1966 essayThe Economics of the ComingSpaceship Earth, identified the need for the economic system to fit itself to the ecological system with its limited pools of resources.[14] Another milestone was the 1968 article byGarrett Hardin that popularized the term "tragedy of the commons".[16]
The direct linking ofsustainability and development in a contemporary sense can be traced to the early 1970s. "Strategy of Progress", a 1972 book (in German) by Ernst Basler, explained how the long-acknowledgedsustainability concept of preserving forests for future wood production can be directly transferred to the broader importance of preserving environmental resources to sustain the world for future generations.[17] That same year, the interrelationship of environment and development was formally demonstrated in a systems dynamic simulation model reported in the classic report onLimits to Growth. This was commissioned by the Club of Rome and written by a group of scientists led byDennis andDonella Meadows of theMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Describing the desirable "state of global equilibrium", the authors wrote: "We are searching for a model output that represents a world system that is sustainable without sudden and uncontrolled collapse and capable of satisfying the basic material requirements of all of its people."[18] The year 1972 also saw the publication of the influential book,A Blueprint for Survival.[19][20]
In 1975, anMIT research group prepared ten days of hearings on "Growth and Its Implication for the Future" for theUS Congress, the first hearings ever held on sustainable development.[21]
In 1980, theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature published a world conservation strategy that included one of the first references to sustainable development as a global priority[22] and introduced the term "sustainable development".[23]: 4 Two years later, the United NationsWorld Charter for Nature raised five principles ofconservation by which human conduct affecting nature is to be guided and judged.[24]
Since theBrundtland Report, the concept of sustainable development has developed beyond the initial intergenerational framework to focus more on the goal of "sociallyinclusive and environmentallysustainable economic growth".[23]: 5 In 1992, theUN Conference on Environment and Development published theEarth Charter, which outlines the building of a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. The action planAgenda 21 for sustainable development identified information, integration, and participation as key building blocks to help countries achieve development that recognizes these interdependent pillars. Furthermore, Agenda 21 emphasizes that broad public participation in decision-making is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving sustainable development.[25]
The Rio Protocol was a huge leap forward: for the first time, the world agreed on asustainability agenda. In fact, a global consensus was facilitated by neglecting concrete goals and operational details.
Whilst the discussions about (ordiscourse of) sustainable development are highly influential in global and nationalgovernance frameworks, its meaning and operationalization are context-dependent and have evolved over time. This evolution can for example be seen in the transition from theMillennium Development Goals (years 2000 to 2015) to theSustainable Development Goals (years 2015 to 2030).[26]
The most comprehensiveglobal governance framework for sustainable development is the2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).[26] This agenda was a follow-up to the Millennium Declaration from the year 2000 with its eightMillennium Development Goals (MDGs), the first comprehensive global governance framework for sustainable development.[26] The SDGs have concrete targets (unlike the results from the Rio Process) but no methods for sanctions.[27][28]: 137 They contain goals, targets and indicators for example in the areas ofpoverty reduction,environmental protection, human prosperity andpeace.[26]
Scholars who are investigating global environmental governance have identified a set of discourses within the public space that mostly convey four sustainability frames: mainstream sustainability, progressive sustainability, a limits discourse, and radical sustainability.[12] First,mainstream sustainability is a conservative approach on both economic and political terms. Second,progressive sustainability is an economically conservative, yet politically reformist approach. Under this framing, sustainable development is still centered on economic growth but human well-being and development can only be achieved through a redistribution of power to even out inequalities between developed and developing countries. Third, alimits discourse is an economically reformist, yet politically conservative approach to sustainability. Fourth,radical sustainability is a transformative approach seeking to break with existing global economic and political structures.[12]
Three visual representations of sustainability and its three dimensions: the left image shows sustainability as three intersecting circles. In the top right, it is a nested approach. In the bottom right it is three pillars.[29] The schematic with the nested ellipses emphasizes a hierarchy of the dimensions, puttingenvironment as the foundation for the other two.Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist onEarth over a long period of time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time.[30][29] Sustainability usually has three dimensions (or pillars): environmental, economic, and social.[29] Many definitions emphasize the environmental dimension.[31][32] This can include addressing keyenvironmental problems, includingclimate change andbiodiversity loss. The idea of sustainability can guide decisions at the global, national, organizational, and individual levels.[33] A related concept is that of sustainable development, and the terms are often used to mean the same thing.[34]UNESCO distinguishes the two like this: "Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), whilesustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it."[35]
Sustainable development, likesustainability, is regarded to have threedimensions: the environment, economy andsociety. The idea is that a good balance between the three dimensions should be achieved. Instead of calling themdimensions, other terms commonly used arepillars,domains,aspects,spheres.
SustainabilityVenn diagram, where sustainability is thought of as the area where the three dimensions overlap
Scholars usually distinguish three different areas of sustainability. These are the environmental, the social, and the economic. Several terms are in use for this concept. Authors may speak of three pillars, dimensions, components, aspects,[36] perspectives, factors, or goals. All mean the same thing in this context.[29] The three dimensions paradigm has few theoretical foundations.[29]
Countries could develop systems for monitoring and evaluation of progress towards achieving sustainable development by adopting indicators that measure changes across economic, social and environmental dimensions.
Sustainable development requires six central capacities.[38]
Six interdependent capacities are deemed to be necessary for the successful pursuit of sustainable development.[38] These are the capacities to measure progress towards sustainable development; promote equity within and between generations; adapt to shocks and surprises; transform the system onto more sustainable development pathways; link knowledge with action for sustainability; and to devise governance arrangements that allow people to work together.
During the MDG era (year 2000 to 2015), the key objective of sustainable development was poverty reduction to be reached througheconomic growth and participation in theglobal trade system.[26] The SDGs take a much more comprehensive approach to sustainable development than the MDGs did. They offer a more people-centered development agenda. Out of the17 SDGs, for example, 11 goals contain targets related to equity, equality or inclusion, and SDG 10 is solely devoted to addressing inequality within and among countries.[26]
An unsustainable situation occurs whennatural capital (the total of nature's resources) is used up faster than it can be replenished.[39]: 58 Sustainability requires that human activity only uses nature's resources at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally. The concept of sustainable development is intertwined with the concept ofcarrying capacity. Theoretically, the long-term result ofenvironmental degradation is the inability to sustain human life.[39]
Important operational principles of sustainable development were published byHerman Daly in 1990: renewable resources should provide asustainable yield (the rate of harvest should not exceed the rate of regeneration); for non-renewable resources there should be equivalent development of renewable substitutes; waste generation should not exceed the assimilative capacity of the environment.[40]
As global population and affluence have increased, so has the use of various materials increased in volume, diversity, and distance transported. By 2050, humanity could consume an estimated 140 billion tons of minerals, ores, fossil fuels and biomass per year (three times its current amount) unless the economic growth rate is decoupled from the rate of naturalresource consumption.[47]
Sustainable use of materials has targeted the idea ofdematerialization, converting the linear path of materials (extraction, use, disposal in landfill) to acircular material flow that reuses materials as much as possible, much like the cycling and reuse of waste in nature.[48] This way of thinking is expressed in the concept ofcircular economy, which employsreuse,sharing, repair, refurbishment,remanufacturing andrecycling to create a closed-loop system, minimizing the use ofresource inputs and the creation ofwaste, pollution and carbon emissions.[49] TheEuropean Commission has adopted an ambitiousCircular Economy Action Plan in 2020, which aims at making sustainable products the norm in the EU.[50][51]
It has been suggested that because of therural poverty andoverexploitation, environmental resources should be treated as important economic assets, callednatural capital.[52] Economic development has traditionally required a growth in the gross domestic product. This model of unlimited personal and GDP growth may be over. Sustainable development may involve improvements in the quality of life for many but may necessitate a decrease inresource consumption.[53] "Growth" generally ignores the direct effect that the environment may have on social welfare, whereas "development" takes it into account.[54]
As early as the 1970s, the concept of sustainability was used to describe an economy "in equilibrium with basic ecological support systems".[55] Scientists in many fields have highlightedThe Limits to Growth,[56][57] and economists have presented alternatives, for example a 'steady-state economy', to address concerns over the impacts of expanding human development on the planet.[58] In 1987, the economistEdward Barbier published the studyThe Concept of Sustainable Economic Development, where he recognized that goals of environmental conservation and economic development are not conflicting and can be reinforcing each other.[59]
AWorld Bank study from 1999 concluded that based on the theory of genuine savings (defined as "traditional net savings less the value ofresource depletion and environmental degradation plus the value of investment inhuman capital"), policymakers have many possible interventions to increase sustainability, inmacroeconomics or purely environmental.[60] Several studies have noted that efficient policies for renewable energy and pollution are compatible with increasing human welfare, eventually reaching a golden-rule[clarification needed] steady state.[61][62][63][64]
A meta review in 2002 looked at environmental and economic valuations and found a "lack of concrete understanding of what "sustainability policies" might entail in practice".[65] A study concluded in 2007 that knowledge, manufactured and human capital (health and education) has not compensated for the degradation of natural capital in many parts of the world.[66] It has been suggested that intergenerational equity can be incorporated into a sustainable development and decision making, as has become common in economic valuations ofclimate economics.[67]
TheWorld Business Council for Sustainable Development published a Vision 2050 document in 2021 to show "How business can lead the transformations the world needs". The vision states that "we envision a world in which 9+billion people can live well, withinplanetary boundaries, by 2050."[68] This report was highlighted byThe Guardian as "the largest concerted corporate sustainability action plan to date – include reversing the damage done to ecosystems, addressing risinggreenhouse gas emissions and ensuring societies move to sustainable agriculture."[69]
There are many reasons why sustainability is so difficult to achieve. These reasons have the namesustainability barriers.[33][70] Before addressing these barriers it is important to analyze and understand them.[33]: 34 Some barriers arise from nature and its complexity ("everything is related").[71] Others arise from the human condition. One example is thevalue-action gap. This reflects the fact that people often do not act according to their convictions. Experts describe these barriers asintrinsic to the concept of sustainability.[72]: 81
Other barriers areextrinsic to the concept of sustainability. This means it is possible to overcome them. One way would be to put a price tag on the consumption of public goods.[72]: 84 Some extrinsic barriers relate to the nature of dominant institutional frameworks. Examples would be where market mechanisms fail forpublic goods. Existing societies, economies, and cultures encourage increased consumption. There is a structural imperative for growth incompetitive market economies. This inhibits necessary societal change.[73]
Furthermore, there are several barriers related to the difficulties of implementing sustainability policies. There are trade-offs between the goals of environmental policies and economic development. Environmental goals include nature conservation. Development may focus on poverty reduction.[70][33]: 65 There are also trade-offs between short-term profit and long-term viability.[72]: 65 Political pressures generally favor the short term over the long term. So they form a barrier to actions oriented toward improving sustainability.[72]: 86
Barriers to sustainability may also reflect current trends. These could includeconsumerism andshort-termism.[72]: 86
Conflicts, lack of international cooperation are also considered as a barrier to achieve sustainability.[74][75] 61 scientists, includingMichael Meeropol,Don Trent Jacobs and 24 organizations includingScientist Rebellion endorsed an appeal saying we can not stop the ecological crisis without stoppingoverconsumption and this is impossible as wars continue becauseGDP is directly linked to military potential.[76]
The concept of sustainable development has been and still is, subject to criticism, including the question of what is to be sustained in sustainable development. It has been argued that there is no such thing as sustainable use of anon-renewable resource, since any positive rate of exploitation will eventually lead to the exhaustion of earth's finite stock;[77]: 13 this perspective renders theIndustrial Revolution as a whole unsustainable.[78]: 20f [79]: 61–67 [58]: 22f
The sustainable development debate is based on the assumption that societies need to manage three types of capital (economic, social, and natural), which may be non-substitutable and whose consumption might be irreversible.[80]Natural capital can not necessarily be substituted by economic capital.[58] While it is possible that we can find ways to replace some natural resources, it is much less likely that they will ever be able to replaceecosystem services, such as the protection provided by the ozone layer, or the climate stabilizing function of the Amazonian forest.
The concept of sustainable development has been criticized from different angles. While some see it as paradoxical (or anoxymoron) and regard development as inherently unsustainable, others are disappointed in the lack of progress that has been achieved so far.[8][9] Part of the problem is that "development" itself is not consistently defined.[28]: 16 [81]
The vagueness of the Brundtland definition of sustainable development has been criticized as follows:[28]: 17 The definition has "opened up the possibility of downplaying sustainability. Hence, governments spread the message that we can have it all at the same time, i.e. economic growth, prospering societies and a healthy environment. No new ethic is required. This so-called weak version of sustainability is popular among governments, and businesses, but profoundly wrong and not evenweak, as there is no alternative to preserving the earth's ecological integrity."[82]: 2
Scholars have stated thatsustainable development is open-ended, much critiqued as ambiguous, incoherent, and therefore easily appropriated.[7]
Sustainable development is the foundational concept of theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Policies to achieve the SDGs are meant tocohere around this concept.[7]
The2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by allUnited Nations (UN) members in 2015, created 17 worldSustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim of these global goals is "peace and prosperity for people and the planet"[83][84] – while tacklingclimate change and working to preserve oceans and forests. The SDGs highlight the connections between the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development.Sustainability is at the center of the SDGs, as the termsustainable development implies.
These goals are ambitious,[according to whom?] and the reports and outcomes to date indicate a challenging path. Most, if not all, of the goals are unlikely to be met by 2030. Rising inequalities, climate change, andbiodiversity loss are topics of concern threatening progress. TheCOVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to 2023 made these challenges worse, and some regions, such as Asia, have experienced significant setbacks during that time.
There are cross-cutting issues andsynergies between the different goals; for example, for SDG 13 on climate action, theIPCC sees robust synergies with SDGs 3 (health), 7 (clean energy), 11 (cities and communities), 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 14 (oceans).[85][86]: 70 On the other hand, critics and observers have also identifiedtrade-offs between the goals,[86]: 67 such as between ending hunger and promoting environmental sustainability.[87]: 26 Furthermore, concerns have arisen over the high number of goals (compared to the eightMillennium Development Goals), leading to compounded trade-offs, a weak emphasis onenvironmental sustainability, and difficulties tracking qualitative indicators.
Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a term officially used by theUnited Nations. It is defined as education practices that encourage changes in knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to enable a more sustainable and just society for humanity. ESD aims to empower and equip current and future generations to meet their needs using a balanced and integrated approach to sustainable development's economic, social, and environmental dimensions.[88][89]
Agenda 21 was the first international document that identified education as an essential tool for achieving sustainable development and highlighted areas of action for education.[90][91] ESD is a component of measurement in an indicator forSustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG) for "responsible consumption and production". SDG 12 has 11 targets, and target 12.8 is "By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature."[92] 20 years after the Agenda 21 document was declared, the 'Future we want' document was proclaimed in the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, stating that "We resolve to promote education for sustainable development and to integrate sustainable development more actively into education beyond the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development."[93]
One version of education for Sustainable Development recognizes modern-day environmental challenges. It seeks to define new ways to adjust to a changing biosphere, as well as engage individuals to address societal issues that come with them.[94] In the International Encyclopedia of Education, this approach to education is seen as an attempt to "shift consciousness toward an ethics of life-giving relationships that respects the interconnectedness of man to his natural world" to equip future members of society with environmental awareness and a sense of responsibility to sustainability.[95]
ForUNESCO, education for sustainable development involves:
integrating key sustainable development issues into teaching and learning. This may include, for example, instruction aboutclimate change,disaster risk reduction,biodiversity, andpoverty reduction andsustainable consumption. It also requires participatory teaching and learning methods that motivate and empower learners to change their behaviours and take action for sustainable development. ESD consequently promotes competencies like critical thinking, imagining future scenarios and making decisions in a collaborative way.[96][97]
The Thessaloniki Declaration, presented at the "International Conference on Environment and Society: Education and Public Awareness for Sustainability" byUNESCO and the Government of Greece (December 1997), highlights the importance of sustainability not only with regards to the natural environment, but also with "poverty, health, food security, democracy, human rights, and peace".[98]
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