Sustainable DEvelopment: The Key for Future Generations

The most commonly used definition of sustainable development is still that given in the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), i.e. sustainable development is ‘a process to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ Sustainable development is therefore about creating a better life for all people in ways that will be as viable in the future as they are at present. In other words, sustainable development is based on principles of sound husbandry of the world’s resources, and on equity in the way those resources are used and in the way in which the benefits obtained from them are distributed (Making Tourism More Sustainable, 2005).

Indeed, the Coca-Cola Company has committed to become water-neutral12 by 2020. They plan to give back to communities the same amount of water used in their finished beverage products. They are also investing in recycling programs and “PlantBottle”13 packaging to reduce the carbon footprint of the drink.

Sustainable development is defined as “Development that meets the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (IISD, par. 1 ).

Sustainable development means that the present generations should be able to make use of resources to live better lives in such a manner that it does not compromise the ability of future generations. For sustainable development to occur, there needs to be sustainable economic, ecological and community development. Society needs to be educated about ways in which they can use resources, especially natural, in such a manner that it does not cause harm to the environment and put future generations lives at risk.

In the 1987 Bruntland report, researchers defined sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” (Our Common Future 1987). This definition receives some criticism by scientists

For illustration, for more than half a century The Coca Cola Company had put its emphasis on protecting the environment. In 1956, The Coca Cola Company set a goal of protecting our world and environment. Since then the company conducts researches about environmental issues consistently, and is considered as a revolution maker in regards to environment and Sustainability topics. In addition, in 1991 the first beverage bottle was made from

That Sustainable development is a very simple idea. It is about ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come.

We estimate we have balanced 35 percent of the water used in our finished beverages

Sustainable development is a central concept within the environmental frame of thought and closely linked to the problem of global warming. The term sustainable development refers to the use of resources in a sustainable way, namely meeting the need of resources while not depleting them for future generations. The concept of sustainable development contains both needs and limitations, i.e. resources that are needed as well as technological and social limitations in responsible retrieval of those resources (World Commission on Environment and Development, 41).

I would like to start off with a saying by Gro Harlem Brundtland, the prime minister of Norway. She defines sustainable development as “the development which fulfills the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.”(1) This statement supports both economical and environmental development particularly for people with a low standard of living. When we talk about sustainable development, we also contemplate sustainable energy. Let’s see how this plays a vital role in sustainability.

Policymakers must consider a new development paradigm because it concerns public welfare. Future generations must be taken into account when creating these developments within the paradigm. Not only should the paradigm consider the interdependence of economic, social, and environmental dimensions, but also human needs must be met without compromising the future generation’s quality of life.

The concept of sustainable development has become a major topic among intellectuals from various fields. Sustainable development has gone through various changes in its definitions and at present does not have a commonly accepted definition. The origination of the concept of sustainable development is debatable. In 1974 at a conference on Science and Technology for Human Development by the World Council of Churches the concept of a “sustainable society” is believed to have been first noted. This early concept focused on equitable distribution of scarce resources and the need for democratic decision making. In 1980 the currently used term of sustainable development emerged in the

World Commission on Environment and Sustainability (Brundtland Commission, 1987), defines sustainable development as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. Further sustainability is defined as the achievement of policies and procedures which are environmentally sound, economically viable and socially just as per the description given by The University of Wisconsin

The most widely quoted definition of sustainable development is the one provided by the Brundtland Report, the report says that “sustainable development is development that meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” ( World Commission on Environment and Development,1987,p.43). According to Wall(1997) and Hunter(1995), two important ingredients are included in this statement: human needs and environmental limitations. For the World Commission, the major objective of development is to satisfy human needs and aspirations for a better quality of life for all people. In other words, sustainable development means long term economic sustainability within a framework of long term ecological sustainability plus

Ans:. Sustainable development refers to a mode of human development in which resource use aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come. The term 'sustainable development ' was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."