Sustainable Development - A History

Sustainable Development was first recognised as an idea in the 1950's and 60's when scientists began to realise that our use of resources and other activities were damaging the environment. 

 

We rely on the environment to provide us with many things (like air to breathe and water to drink) so if it was damaged, we could all be affected.

The precise term Sustainable Development was used in 1987 for a United Nations Environment and Development Report, also referred to as the Brundtland Report.  The report's definition of Sustainable Development was:

In 1992 the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, (which was attended by 108 government leaders and 2400 Heads of non governmental organisations), a plan was created for the world to achieve Sustainable Development. This plan was called Agenda 21 and aimed to improve the quality of life for everyone and also help the environment so future generations could have as high a quality of life as we do now.

With each country already being at different levels of development (and even having different development in one country when Agenda 21 began), local authorities (which knew their communities needs best) were given responsibility to carry out Agenda 21 in the form of Local Agenda 21,  sometimes referred to as LA21.

Since the first definition in the Brundtland Report the world has become more aware of how we interact with the environment and how changes in the environment can effect us.  Definitions now identify the interactions of society, the environment and economy as vital parts of Sustainable Development.

 

One important factor about sustainable development is that it can occur on all levels of scale, you as one person can be more sustainable, it can apply to a community, region, nation and the whole world.

As Sustainable Development is dependent on the interactions of society, the environment and economy there are a range of issues it covers, from resource use like fossil fuels and water to climate change, social cohesion, wildlife and even good diet and exercise.