Sustainable development offers a way to improve human well-being while respecting the limits of the planet. This lesson introduces its widely used definition, its emphasis on present and future needs, and its three interconnected dimensions.
In 1987, the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development published Our Common Future, usually called the Brundtland Report. It described sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This definition became widely used because it connects human development with responsibility over time.
All flashcards
What is the Brundtland definition of sustainable development?
It is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs.
What are the two key concepts in the Brundtland definition?
The essential needs of people, especially the world's poor, and limitations shaped by technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet needs.
What is the Triple Bottom Line?
A way of describing the three interconnected dimensions of sustainable development: environment, economy, and society.
How does UNESCO distinguish sustainability and sustainable development?
Sustainability is often the long-term goal; sustainable development refers to the processes and pathways used to achieve it.
Why is equitable health access relevant to sustainability?
It supports fairness and human well-being and is identified as a pillar of social sustainability.
Quiz questions
What was the main emphasis of the Millennium Development Goals compared with the Sustainable Development Goals?Answer: The MDGs focused centrally on poverty reduction, while the SDGs address a broader range of interconnected challenges.
According to Agenda 21, what is a prerequisite for sustainable development?Answer: Broad public participation in decision-making.
What does natural capital refer to?Answer: Stocks of natural resources and systems that support life and human activity.
What is Daly's principle for harvesting renewable resources?Answer: Harvesting should not exceed the resource's rate of regeneration.
What is a central aim of a circular economy?Answer: Keeping products and materials in use through practices such as repair and reuse.