The Importance Of Sustainable Development

The Brundtland Report (1987) identifies sustainability as 5 different things; Holistic planning, one should have a right to be involved in any planning; Ecological processes

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).

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are global initiatives in which countries all over the world are entitled towards achieving. Out of the 17 SDGs, Sustainable goal number 5 takes about the achievement of gender equality (Kumar & Vivekadhish, 2016). Gender issues have always been experienced ever since the beginning of man. Women do not have the same rights and opportunities as men in society and this why this goal number 5 was developed. Egypt, a North African country, has yet to fully attain this SDG. The following study will discuss some of the challenges in which Egypt as a nation is facing towards the achievement of this goal. The paper will also outline some solutions in which Egypt has adapted and solutions that can be used to achieve this goal. Gender should be perceived on a spectrum, not as two opposing sets of ideals.

The first event is the publication of the Brundtland Report in 1987, which is commonly known as Our Common Future. Through this Report, the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) made a decisive statement in support of sustainable development (WCSD 1987). The Brundtland Report is considered to be central to ecological modernization such that Mol and others (2010) argue that ecological modernization theory can be understood as the social scientific elaboration and formalisation of the undergirding philosophy pertaining to environmental reform enunciated in Our Common Future. Among other things, the Brundtland Report aimed to overcome the North-South divide on questions

In general, this report discusses the successes and failures overall, analyzes sustainable development, institutional gaps, and also a call to action. Both Lomborg and The Brundtland Report agree that “...infant mortality is falling; human life expectancy is increasing; the proportion of the world’s adults who can read and write is climbing; the proportion of children starting school is rising; and global food production increases faster than the population grows.” (Brundtland 93) In conjunction with all the positive actions being taken; there are also environmental trends that threaten to radically alter the planet, that threaten the lives of many species upon it, including the human species. There has also been a growing realization in national government and multilateral institutions that it is impossible to separate economic development issues from environmental issues. Nevertheless, “humanity has the capability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Brundtland 95) Furthermore, the goal for sustainable development and the integrated nature of the global environment/development challenges pose problems for institutions. “There is a growing need for effective international cooperation to manage ecological and economic interdependence.” (Brundtland 97) Last but not least, “To achieve the needed changes, we believe that an active follow-up of this report is imperative. It is with this in mind that we call for the UN General Assembly, upon due consideration, to transform this report into a UN Programme on Sustainable Development.” (Brundtland 99) There are many environmental issues occurring to our beautiful planet right now and will

Sustainability may then be characterized as keeping up Well-being over a long, maybe even an uncertain period. This spreads generally the ecological measurement of the triple main concern, yet environment and Sustainability are not synonymous. From one viewpoint, a few types of ecological corruption are both generally effectively turned around and exceedingly harmful in the present—numerous types of air and water contamination, for example. These have a solid prosperity perspective. Undoubtedly, in the EU Guidelines for Impact Assessment they seem both under the ecological and the social measurement. Then again, what we pass on to future eras likewise incorporates social legacy: workmanship and social scenes and also foundation, innovation and organizations.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental sustainability is “to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.” (“Learn About Sustainability”, 2016) Although this is an American agency, the definition fits what the European Union is trying to accomplish which is to meet the demands of the present without sacrificing those needs of future generations. By practicing environmental sustainability, one is preserving the environment for future generations to enjoy and use.

Globally, terrestrial biodiversity is projected to decrease by a further 10% by 2050. As with biodiversity, the planet has also experienced major losses in the services derived from ecosystems. During the last century, for example, the planet has lost 50% of its wetlands, 40% of its forests and 35% of its mangroves. Around 60% of global ecosystem services have been degraded in just 50 years.

“Sustainable development is development that meet the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”(World Bank,2001) All the choices and the actions that we make today will cause effect in the future. Sustainability is closely related to corporate social responsibility. It can effect the companies’ development and reputation. As a result, more and more companies are pay attention to sustainability when they doing activities to developing the companies. These represent activities have a direct impact on society, environment and economic performance. The conflicts between the social, economic and environmental need to be balanced to ensure sustainability. “Sustainability accounting is a

The concept of sustainable development is generally understood in two similar but differing perspectives. The first of these is the 'social-scientific ' definition explicated most frequently in relation to the 1987 report of the Brundtland commission.1 This report defines sustainable development as our “...ability to make development sustainable—to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”2. The second perspective of sustainable development is that of the 'ecological ' definition, which holds that it is a necessity to maintaining healthy, thriving ecosystems in order to facilitate concurrent healthy and thriving human societies.3 Thus both of these definitions are propounding a pragmatic normativity, albeit from slightly differing outlooks: the former concerned more with socio-economic factors, and the latter more with environmental considerations.4

The progressive degradation of the natural environment that has taken place over the last few decades has led to a reflection on the state of the environment and further directions of development of mankind. The idea of sustainability and sustainable development appeard at the World 's first Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. The most widely used definition of sustainable development, after Brundtland Report 1987 state, "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

The health of the earth degrades with the destructive activity of human beings. A recent study by a group of scientists looked at twenty four different services that the earth’s ecosystems provide for humans, ecosystem services, and found that fifteen of them are in need of desperate help (Gazette 31 March 2005). These services are vital to the survival of both human and nonhuman life and include filtering water and providing nutrient rich soils and ocean waters. Many of the members of these various ecosystems are also decreasing in numbers. In a British survey of bird populations found that in the 200 birds of Britain tracked there was about a 54% population decrease between the 1968-1971 tacking period and the 1988-1991 tacking period. In two other surveys of 254 native plant species from the same area there was a decrease of about 28% during the past 40 years. Humans are pushing the sixth mass extinction (Gazette March 19, 2004).

In this essay I will discuss what sustainable development means? I will also discuss weak and strong approaches to sustainability and how this is related to sustainable development. Finally I will discuss how Isaac Construction in Christchurch has adopted sustainable development practices.

The simplest definition of sustainable development was given by the World Commission on Environment and Development: “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Un.org 1987).”

The concept of sustainable development was introduced by the publication of the Brundland report having a basis of meeting the needs of the current situation while considering the upcoming generations in meeting their needs too (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). While the concept is true, achievement of the sustainable development has no clear and definite route (Becker, Jahn, Stiess, & Wehling, 1997; Walker & Kubisch, 2008).