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Sustainability

About

Literally, sustainable development means maintaining development over time. According to one of the most popular definitions, development may be considered sustainable when “it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” (WCED 1987, Our Common Future, p.43). Ideas of sustainable development have a long history in the literatures of both development and environmentalism. It is widely accepted as a desirable policy objective amongst many institutions.

Concept

Sustainable development introduced a new paradigm: The economy, the natural environment and society are clearly intertwined and economic activity passed from being seen as the dominant factor, to being directly and vitally dependant of the state of nature and the social network. The externalities the market economy produces must now be dealt with and internalised.  
The reason it has become such an important policy issue is because the industrial revolution and modern society are having grave impacts on the planet and people’s lives. Deforestation, desertification and soil erosion, toxins, air and water pollution, species extinction, water scarcities, resource exhaustion, climate change, ozone depletion, and the list continues…

Since the age mankind started using fossil fuels to power its activities, production and consumption of new products and services has increased in the same pattern. This means we are continuously extracting resources and producing waste in order to satisfy new needs. It has been demonstrated that the carrying capacity of the planet is not sufficient to support the frequently called “western” living standards for all people living on the planet. If water and energy demand and consumption continue on the path we are now on, we will exceed the carrying capacity of the planet, destructing ecosystems and the climate, eradicating species, polluting water bodies and soils and ultimately also deteriorating human health and quality of life.

At the same time, even though current generations’ living standards in many parts of the world are spectacularly better than previous ones, huge disparities exist among different parts of the world. Therefore, sustainable development aims to combat poverty and social injustice, promote cultural diversity and protect the environment.

History

During the early 1970s many scientific documents were released regarding the negative impacts on the environment of industrialisation and modern society. Such warnings can be found even at the beginning of the century but little attention was drawn to them at that time. The degradation of ecosystems and resources however was growing more and more evident, mobilising many parts of society and raising awareness on issues that were formerly unknown and rarely discussed.  
The UN offered the setting for such discussions and meetings, where sustainable development was established as a policy. The international conferences and summits served to bring attention and diffuse information about pollution and degradation, poverty and injustice. At each conference more groups and actors participated and more subjects were addressed. Apart from the Declarations, direct and specific regulation or agreements were rarely made. But their positive result was the influence they had on national policy making. They also served as a meeting point and an opportunity of network building. They also paved the road for the adoption of agreements and protocols the years following each conference, while the number of institutions and research centres has multiplied.

Today, governments and citizens, international organisations, NGOs and other associations are increasingly working towards sustainability. Sustainable development, climate change and the environment have climbed up the political agenda and are the key issues of the time.

World Summits

In 1972 in Stockholm, Sweden the environment was introduced into the international agenda and UNEP (United National Environmental Program) was founded so as to serve as the main international institution for the environment. In this occasion not only were the main problems identified, but the developing world also had its chance to emphasise the fact that the western industrialised countries had much to account for and could not burden the developing countries with equal responsibility. The majority of agreements at this stage however regarded problems faced by the industrialised countries.

Ten years later in Rio the new buzz-word emerged – sustainable development. Protecting the environment and succeeding economic growth was no longer incompatible under this new wave. Environmental issues were discussed while keeping in mind free trade and the industrialisation of the developing world. Environmental problems must be resolved but without impeding economic development. Economic development for the poor countries could mean rising hygiene, health, nutrition and education standards.

At Rio the agenda became wider, favouring the multidisciplinary character of environmental issues and it also marked the beginning of the mobilisation and participation of a great number of NGOs. The Agenda 21 action plan and the Millennium Development Goals was published, offering some more specific and quantifiable targets. In the meantime, principles and objectives are outlined in the “strategic imperatives” of the Report of the Brundtland Commission which came to formally introduce the concept of sustainable development (WCED 1987, Our Common Future).

Until 2002 in Johannesburg, expectations had not been reached and results were not satisfactory. The main debate was around the Kyoto agreement and the urgency to start dealing with climate change. But still no true advances could be made if the main polluters do not contribute to this effort. However, the fact that many resources are now dedicated for lobbying in every conference or summit by a variety of actors, including the private sector, demonstrates how the environment has worked its way up the agenda of international politics. For every new project, the natural environment needs to be taken into account, while pollution and climate change are now daily discussion subjects.

Many international directives do not have a binding quality, but are rather suggestions, and the signing of agreements is frequently voluntary, while non-compliance does not carry heavy sanctions. However, dealing with environmental issues requires firm, global rules, control and regulation. The key prerequisites for a successful environmental policy seem to be general recognition of the issue by the majority of the scientific community and society, the participation of the principle states contributing to the problem (or the most powerful/influential states at the moment), equal and proportional distribution of the burdens and benefits of the impacts of the policy and the availability of the necessary technology to make the change.

A clear example was the CFCs elimination, DDT, sulphur emission reductions, acid rain, etc. On the other hand, greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, water and energy management, waste and pesticide reduction, have yet to be effectively approached. These issues lack the support of major states and international actors and involve much more profound, global socioeconomic changes. In addition, there is much uncertainty and insubstantial predictability concerning the impacts of pollution. Depending on the will for action, this can be overridden based on the precautionary rule or can be held up as an obstacle to further progress.