[5], The first time the term ‘sustainable’ was used “in the modern sense” was as part of the Club of Rome, in 1972. Though the notion of sustainable development typically enjoys positive attention on a global level, there have been various points of criticism and some complications that have developed over time. A similar concern is addressed by the UN’s Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform: Despite the growing international interest in green economy, negotiations between Member States on the concept in the lead up to Rio+20 were challenging. Another notable international protocol designed to guide the international community towards sustainable development, in this case particularly environmental, was the Kyoto Climate Agreement in 1997. Further information » Since the report of the Brundtland Commission in 1987, the idea of ‘Sustainable development’ or ‘Sustainability’ has become increasingly prominent across the globe, applied and discussed at a trans-national, international, national, regional and community level. Broadly speaking, the global economy has a neoliberal bent to it. Shortly after the passage of NEPA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened its doors in 1970, promoting protection of the environment through research, standard-setting, and monitoring. [2] Around the same time, and as a result of the same push towards great concern for the environment, arrived the Clean Water Act, the Water Quality Act, the push to ban DDT, and the institution of the National Wilderness Preservation System. This conference “brought the industrialized and developing nations together to delineate the ‘rights’ of the human family to a healthy and productive environment. This timeline captures some of the key events. A short history of the concept of sustainable development could begin with the US government’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. For the first time “sustainable development” was defined establishing links between social, economic, cultural and environment issues. [1] http://www.sustainabledevelopmentinfo.com/history-of-sustainable-development/, [2] http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/hcarson.asp, [3] http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-history, [4] http://www.uncsd2012.org/history.html, [5] https://rio20.un.org/resolutions-more, [6] https://rio20.un.org/resolutions-more, [7] http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/oi.nsf/Sustainability/History, [8] https://rio20.un.org/resolutions-more?page=1, [9] http://www.sustainabledevelopmentinfo.com/history-of-sustainable-development/, [10] http://globalsolutions.org/blog/2009/11/Problem-Sustainable-Development, [11] http://www.gatescambridge.org/news/detail.asp?ItemID=13922, [12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya_Sen#Books, [13] http://www.greeneconomist.org/page.php?pageid=capitalism, [14] http://www.greeneconomist.org/page.php?pageid=capitalism, [15] https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/greeneconomy, understood but how about sustainable development at now, Your email address will not be published. Another large focus in the sustainable development movement has been on freeing peoples in parts of the developing world from the bonds of poverty and starvation. History of SD. Sustainable development is a concept that appeared for the first time in 1987 with the publication of the Brundtland Report, warning of the negative environmental consequences of economic growth and globalization, which tried to find possible solutions to the problems caused by industrialization and population growth. This report, published in 1987 by the United Nations World Commission o… Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. are empty benefits, not of much use unless the society provides its citizens “functionings,” such as education, transportation to voting locations, access to food, etc. Although the Committee on Incorporating Sustainability in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was not specifically tasked to provide an historical overview, this history is useful in providing context for the rest of the report. Brief History of Sustainable Development. Les Objectifs de développement durable (ODD) ont vu le jour lors de la Conférence de Rio sur le développement durable, en 2012. In sum, the lack of clarity and cohesion regarding these terms and their implications seems to be causing some internal discord within organizations working towards sustainable development. The remit of the Brundtland Report was to investigate the numerous concerns that had been raised in previous decades, namely, that human activity was having severe and negative impacts on the planet, and that patterns of growth and development would be unsustainable if they continued unchecked. The objective was to produce a set of universal goals that meet the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges facing our world. Since January 2005 the Division for Sustainable Development at the Ministry of Environment has been responsible for coordinating SD (until 2006 the Ministry was even called the … The summit marked the first international attempt to draw up action plans and strategies for moving towards a more sustainable pattern of development. Perhaps the biggest conflict seen regarding sustainable development is economic in nature. Key works that highlighted this thinking included Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962), Garret Hardin's Tragedy of the Commons (1968), the Blueprint for Survival by the Ecologist magazine (1972) and the Club of Rome's Limits to Growth report (1972). From its inaugural edition in 1997 to the present, the Sustainable Development Timeline has been prepared by Heather Creech, Director, Global Connectivity and staff and associates. History. Sustainable development was adopted in 2003 as an overall objective of Government policy. In environmental policy: History of environmental policy making From the late 1980s, sustainable development— (i.e., the fostering of economic growth while preserving the quality of the environment for future generations—became a leading concept in environmental policy making. Cet ensemble d’objectifs universels a été élaboré en vue de relever les défis urgents auxquels notre monde est confronté sur le … Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Its goal was to reduce the emissions of its signatories, with more emphasis placed on those developed countries which were responsible for most of the air pollution and its subsequent consequences. About fifteen years after the Club of Rome’s publication came another large step forward in this movement, at least according to most mainstream sources. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. Sustainable development is the organizing principle for meeting human development goals while simultaneously sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. This came to the fore as a part of the publication of Limits to Growth, a report that described a particular state in which the global population would achieve balance or equilibrium. The term was popularised 15 years later in Our Common Future, the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, which included what is deemed the 'classic' definition of sustainable development: "development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The concept of sustainable development formed the basis of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. A Short History of Sustainable Development. Essentially, Our Common Future confirms the ability of humanity to change the course of history by taking a different development path that this time would be sustainable. You’ll investigate and interpret the past, focusing your interests on Early Modern (1500-1750) and/or Modern history (1750 onwards). Already in 400 BCE, Aristotle referred to a Greek concept in talking about household economics. With regard to sustainable development, “ the tenets of neoliberal economic agenda such as commodification, deregulation, privatisation and cuts in government expenditure may in some context undermine the attainment of sustainable development by increasing poverty and inequality. The Commission's report came in 1987 and is published as a book … History . Through advocacy, advice and appraisal, we help put sustainable development at the heart of Government policy. Your email address will not be published. This Timeline captures some of the key events. At this conference, an agenda called Agenda 21 was adopted, which “recognized each nation’s right to pursue social and economic progress and assigned to States the responsibility of adopting a model of sustainable development.”[8] The Secretary Genearl of UNCED regarded Agenda 21 as a “program of action for a tolerable future for the human family and an initial step toward making sure the world will change into a more just, secure and wealthy habitat for all humanity.”[9] The focus, then, had become broader than when the EPA was first established. Required fields are marked *. In response to my piece this summer about the hubris among some sustainable design leaders ("A Darker Shade of Green"), a reader Tweeted that "no one outside of field knows what you mean by sustainable" [sic]. toward sustainable development. It was not until the Rio Summit, however, that major world leaders recognised sustainable development as the major challenge it remains today. [1] This act came largely in response to the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, which had a devastating impact on wildlife and the natural environment in the area. Sustainable development was the solution to the problems of environmental degradation discussed by the Brundtland Commission in the 1987 report Our Common Future. It was attended by over 100 Heads of State and representatives from 178 national governments. The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith Gilbert Rist Snippet view - 2002. One point of contention has arisen as a result of the differences in power and responsibility between some developing and developed countries. But really, we started in Eastern Europe. Complications and Criticisms of the Sustainable Movement. We are the UK Government’s independent adviser on sustainable development. This lecture looks into the essence of the 'Sustainable Development' over decades, from an academic point of view. “Describing the desirable “state of global equilibrium”, the authors used the word “sustainable”: “We are searching for a model output that represents a world system that is: 1. sustainable without sudden and uncontrolled collapse; and 2. capable of satisfying the basic material requirements of all of its people.”[6]. This in turn increases the exploitation of environmental resources, such as forests, as a result of poverty-induced constraints. The concept of sustainable development received its first major international recognition in 1972 at the UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm. Neoliberal economics can be harmful to the environment, and to the standard of living for various groups of people – particularly the poor. WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT? Further to the political left of Amartya Sen’s work lies the opinion of many NGOs and academics who view the world system of capitalism to be incompatible with sustainable development progress. The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) was tasked by the Secretary General of the UN, in 1983, to “re-examine critical environmental and development problems around the world and formulate realistic proposals to address them.”[7] This culminated in the 1987 Bruntland Report’s publication of “Our Common Future”, which established a suggested path for sustainable development on a global level and served to bring the concept of sustainability into the foreground on an international level. The history of the concept of sustainability is however much older. History We started in Vermont. That assumption stands in stark contrast to the prevailing view of many radical academics and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that there are profound (and possibly unmanageable) contradictions which demand a completely different world order.[13]. The concept of sustainable development formed the basis of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. However, as a contemporary buzzword ‘sustainable development’ has become rather overworked. She brought along her policy advisor, George Hamilton, and the trip introduced them to the environmental health challenges of Eastern Europe. Center for Communication and Civic Engagement, http://www.sustainabledevelopmentinfo.com/history-of-sustainable-development/, http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/hcarson.asp, http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/oi.nsf/Sustainability/History, https://rio20.un.org/resolutions-more?page=1, http://globalsolutions.org/blog/2009/11/Problem-Sustainable-Development, http://www.gatescambridge.org/news/detail.asp?ItemID=13922, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amartya_Sen#Books, http://www.greeneconomist.org/page.php?pageid=capitalism, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/greeneconomy, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Center for Communication and Civic EngagementUniversity of Washington, SeattleSeattle, WA. Established by the U.N. General Secretary and led by the former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland. Sustainable development: Meaning, history, principles, pillars, and implications for human action: Literature review Justice Mensah1* Abstract: Sustainable development (SD) has become a popular catchphrase in contemporary development discourse. At the same time, these new sustainable technologies entail more costs, which may be possible for developed countries, but not for many developing countries. I will describe a few below. The Sustainable Development Goals At the historic UN General Assembly Summit in September 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by the UN’s 193 member states. The emphasis was much more clearly on working towards a world where all peoples had access to the natural resources they needed to thrive. [12] Therefore, in order to promote sustainable development with the lives of people in mind, we must focus on economic policies that may hinder or promote well-being. The Agenda is a commitment to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development by 2030 world … ), a lack of clarity around what green economy policy measures encompass and how they integrate with national priorities and objectives relating to economic growth and poverty eradication, as well as a perceived lack of experience in designing, implementing and reviewing the costs and benefits of green economy policies.[15]. Sustainable development, a concept that emerged in the context of a growing awareness of an imminent ecological crisis, seems to have been one of the driving forces of world history in the period around the end of the 20th century. It might be noted that the US is the only developed country and one of the only two in general (the other being South Sudan) that has not ratified this protocol. A Short History of Sustainable Development A short history of the concept of sustainable development could begin with the US government’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. UNITED NATIONS TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD: THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT sustainabledevelopment.un.org A/RES/70/1 There seems to be some confusion in this camp, around expectations as well as around the terminology used and definitions understood. 'The origin of the "sustainability" concept dates back to less than 30 years ago' In 1798, Thomas Malthus published his ' An Essay on the Principle of Population' where he set out his famous 'theory of population'. This strategy gave rise to the often-cited definition of sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”21 Crucially, the satisfaction of these needs should give priority to the needs of the poor and recognize overall environmental limits, “imposed by the state of technology and social organization.”22 … [1] This act came largely in response to the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, which had a devastating impact on wildlife and the natural environment in the area. A Brief History Of 'Sustainability' 11/09/2016 03:13 pm ET Updated Dec 06, 2017 The word doesn't mean what many seem to think. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were born at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012. …there is an unspoken (and largely untested) assumption that there need be no fundamental contradiction between sustainable development and capitalism. Additionally, the regulatory capacity of environmental management provided by the state has been reduced mainly due to budgetary constraints imposed by the adoption of neoliberalism…”[11] In other words, the properties of the neoliberal economic system run counter to what many consider to be the goals of sustainable development. The term was not referred to explicitly, but nevertheless the international community agreed to the notion - now fundamental to sustainable development - that both development and the environment, hitherto addressed as separate issues, could be managed in a mutually beneficial way. Common terms and phrases. A ground-breaking step came in 1992 with the first UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. This was partly due to the lack of an internationally agreed definition or universal principles for green economy, the emergence of interrelated but different terminology and concepts over recent years (such as green growth, low carbon development, sustainable economy, steady-state economy etc. This chapter provides a brief history of the concept of sustainable development or sustainability. [3] The goals of the EPA concerned both human health as well as natural resource protection. For example, some go as far as to suggest that “A green economy cannot be a wasteful economy since we must reduce our consumption of the earth’s resources and so have to ensure that those we use are used efficiently,” which seems to be a rather simplistic, vague understanding of what a “green” future would look like.[14]. According to different sources, the concept of sustainability in the sense of a balance between resource consumption and reproduction was however applied to forestry already in the 12th to 16th century. But it was also the product of greater societal attention to the consequences of industrial pollution, awareness of which was promoted by the 1962 publication Silent Spring by Rachael Carson. According to the report ‘Our common future’ by Ms. Harlem Brundtland, sustainable development is defined as development that satisfies the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy theirs. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their 169 targets are part of this agenda. Though SD thinking is widely recognised to have its origins in the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment, SD as a concept began to gather momentum following the 1987 Brundtland Report, Our Common Future, and the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit. Sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The concept of needs goes beyond simply material needs and includes values, relationships, freedom to think, act, and participate, all amounting to sustainable living, morally, and spiritually. To study History and GSD is to ask these questions. In other words, one criticism is that developed countries have long benefitted from unsustainable practices and are now imposing their new-found sustainable values upon developing countries, for whom this transition is much more difficult and costly.[10]. 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