What is Sustainable Development

There is no clear, uncontested, definition of sustainable development; however, the most commonly cited definition comes from the Brundtland Report (1987):

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

This definition captures the idea that development is required to meet human needs in terms of health, education, poverty reduction etc; however, this cannot be done in a way that harms the planet or has negative consequences for others, including future generations. 

Fundamentally, sustainable development is about justice. It involves removing the barriers and providing the supports that all people need to reach their full potential. To do this, economic, social and environmental issues must be addressed at a local, national and global level.

For development to remain sustainable, it ought to remain within planetary and ecosystem boundaries. These boundaries, such as climate change, ecosystem and biosphere integrity and ocean acidification, present limits which, if transgressed, may have harmful consequences for future generations. In her book Doughnut Economics, Kate Raworth suggests sustainable development occurs when we meet people’s needs (staying above the social foundation) without transgressing planetary or ecosystem boundaries (staying within the ecological ceiling). 

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