Our Environment Contents

5. Sustainability

Sustainable development: economic, environmental and social principles

The most widely cited definition of environmentally sustainable development remains that of the Brundtland Commission: "development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." It is about ensuring a decent quality of life for everyone: now and for generations to come. Environmentally sustainable development strategies will recognise the need to achieve acceptable standards of living, while at the same time protecting the environment. The latter is important not just for its own sake, but because a damaged environment will hold back economic growth and lower the quality of life. Moreover, truly sustainable development principles seek to ensure that the economic and environmental benefits are available to everyone, not just those in privileged positions.

What is the Brundtland Commission's definition of environmentally sustainable development?