“sustainable development”

• Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present

without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
(CMMAD, 1987:24).

This concept had various antecedents such as the threat of ecological destruction, species
extinction, increased pollution, climate change, and damage to the ozone layer. The concept
of sustainable development emerged as an alternative to improve the sense of equity
without causing the deterioration of the environment.

In this way, sustainable development proposes the continuous satisfaction of present and
future needs, and allows for an equal distribution of resources and access to opportunities
for the most vulnerable communities.

This balance leads to economic growth with productive strategies that support social
progress.

These changes also generate benefits in education, new ways of thinking, implementation of
new models to promote environmental care, social welfare and a better quality of life for
people.
New initiatives have emerged, which allow us to achieve the objective of redirecting the
current development model:

Millennium Development Goals. Created during the United Nations Millennium Summit in
September 2000 in New York.

A total of 192 members of the United Nations agreed to achieve eight international
development goals by 2015. These goals are to reduce extreme poverty, reduce child
mortality, combat epidemics of diseases such as AIDS, and develop a partnership for
development.

In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly approved the 2030 agenda. This,
after a broad consultative process where the civil sector, private sector and academia
collaborated.

The Agenda includes 17 objectives of Sustainable Development. The objectives are

structured in 169 goals. The objectives of Sustainable Development are centered on people,
the planet, prosperity, and community participation.

The Agenda 2030 is universal and transformative. It is an ambitious action plan to redirect
the world towards a sustainable future. The agenda incorporates the Millennium
Development Goals, and is an opportunity to develop new procedures and intensify efforts.

Strengthening the Objectives of Sustainable Development requires several factors. Civil

society, governments, the private sector, and the education sector must develop public
policies to act urgently on the implementation of Agenda 2030.

Academic institutions also play a fundamental role as promoters of sustainable

development.

Thus, activities such as teaching and research are key to achieving a transition to a more
sustainable future. In this way, educational strategies and programs for the development of
secompetencies and the training of professionals must be incorporated. The next
generations will be more aware of the environmental problems and will be able to deal with
aspects related to thej achievement of the objectives of sustainable development.