Understanding 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. It is a development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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."

The field of sustainable development can be conceptually broken into three constituent parts: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and sociopolitical sustainability.

Objectives of Sustainable Development

The goal of sustainable development is to balance our economic, environmental and social needs, allowing prosperity for future generations. Sustainable development encourages us to conserve our resources and preserve the environment by changing the ways in which we develop and use technologies. Pollution prevention and reduction of global environmental threats such as global warming and climate change must be done. The use of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels should be used efficiently and the development of alternatives should be encouraged to help phase them out. Everybody has the right to a healthy, clean and safe environment creating a good standard of living, with better job opportunities.