Concept of

Sustainable
Development
Dr Shafiq Qurban
 • Until two decades ago the world looked at economic
status alone as a measure of human development.
• Thus countries that were economically well developed
and where people were relatively richer were called
advanced nations while the rest where poverty was
widespread and were economically backward were
FROM called developing countries.
UNSUSTAINABLE • Most countries of North America and Europe
which had become industrialized at an earlier stage
TO SUSTAINABLE have become economically more advanced.
DEVELOPMENT • They not only exploited their own natural resources
rapidly but also used the natural resources of
developing countries to grow even larger economies.
• Thus the way development progressed, the rich
countries got richer while the poor nations got poorer.
poorer.
 However, even the developed world has begun to realize that their
lives were being seriously affected by the environmental
consequences of development based on economic growth alone.

 This form of development did not add to the quality of life as the
environmental conditions had begun to deteriorate.

 By the 1970s most development specialists began to appreciate the

fact that economic growth alone could not bring about a better way
of life for people unless environmental conditions were improved.

 Development strategies in which only economic considerations

were used, had begun to suffer from serious environmental
problems due to air and water pollution, waste management,
deforestation and a variety of other ill effects that seriously affected
peoples’ well being and health.
 Sustainable Development
• Present type of economic development is not
sustainable, as it depletes natural resources and
increases pollution.

• If continued on the same path, the Earth will run

out of natural resources, and pollution destroy
the ecology of the Earth.
Definition of Sustainable Development
• Gro Harlem Brundtland first
introduced the concept of sustainable
development in 1987. He was then the
Prime Minister of Norway and
chairman of the World Commission on
Environment and Development.
 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.
It also looks at the equity
between countries and
continents, races and classes,
gender and ages.
It includes social development
and economic opportunity on
one hand and the
requirements of environment
on the other.
 Concepts of Sustainable Development
The concept of sustainability consist of Two Main Keys Concepts
I. The concept of “Needs” in particular the essential needs
of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should
be given.
II. The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology
and social organization on the environment's ability to meet
present and future needs.
Thus the goals of economic and social development must be
defined in terms of sustainability in all countries developed or
developing, market-oriented or centrally planned. Interpretations
will vary, but must share certain general features and must flow
from a consensus on the basic concept of sustainable development
and on a broad strategic framework for achieving it.
It was also realized that these were not simple issues.
Indira Gandhi said in the Stockholm Conference in
1972 that poverty was the greatest polluter.

This meant that while the super rich nations had

serious environmental problems, the under-developed
in Asia, Africa and South America had a different set of
environmental problems linked to poverty.

Developing countries were suffering the consequences of

a rapidly expanding human population with all its
effects on the over utilization of natural resources.
Thus increasingly the world began to see the need for a more equitable use of earth
resources.

The control over natural resources and the wealth that it produces also begins to create tensions
between people that can eventually lead to both strife within a country and wars between
nations.

This is also a major cause for the loss of quality of

life.

It has become obvious that development must begin to change from aiming at short term
economic gains to a long term sustainable growth that would not only support the well
being quality of life of all people living in the world today but that of future generations as
well.
 Evolution of SD
 The landmark event in the evolution of the concept of
sustainable development had been the 1972 Stockholm
Conference on the Human Environment convened by the
United Nations, the report of the World Commission on
Environment and Development (WCED),
 Our Common Future and the 1992 United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED) or Rio Earth Summit as it is commonly
referred to. The many activities between successive
landmark events sought to build on the outcome of the
previous event, to clarify issues, and to provide inputs
into the preparatory process of the following events
 Continue
The UN established the Commission on Sustainable Development
(CSD) in December 1992 to ensure an effective follow-up of UNCED
and to monitor and report on the implementation of the Earth Summit
agreements at the local, national, regional, and international levels
A (Rio+5) Special Session of the General Assembly, held ion June
1997, adopted a comprehensive programme for further implementation
of Agenda 21 as well as the work programme of the CSD for 1997-2002.
The Kyoto Protocol adopted in December 1997 and the Conferences
of the Parties (COPs), held over the years, have made some advances
relating to clarification of various aspects of financing and
implementing sustainable development globally.
United Nations and Sustainable
Development
• 1987: Brundtland Commission/Report coined the term sustainable
development
•1992: United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development
established to follow-up the Earth Summit in Rio
• 1996: CSD ( Commission on Sustainable Development ) indicators
published
• 2001 and 2005: CSD indicators revised
The CSD Indicators of Sustainable Development serve as reference for
countries to develop or revise national indicators of sustainable
development.
Earth Summit
Conference- United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Rio de Janeiro, 3-
14 June, 1992
Principal themes- Environment and sustainable development

The message reflected the complexity of the problems facing like poverty as well as excessive
consumption by affluent populations place damaging stress on the environment. Governments
recognized the need to redirect international and national plans and policies to ensure that all
economic decisions fully took into account any environmental impact.

And the message has produced results, making eco-efficiency a guiding principle for business
and governments as given below.
Patterns of production — particularly the production of toxic components, such as lead in gasoline,
or poisonous waste — are being scrutinized in a systematic manner by the UN and Governments
alike;
 Sustainable Development
Development involves a progressive transformation of economy
and society. A development path that is sustainable in a physical
sense could theoretically be pursued even in a rigid social and
political setting. But physical sustainability cannot be secured
unless development policies pay attention to such considerations
as changes in access to resources and in the distribution of costs
and benefits. Even the narrow notion of physical sustainability
implies a concern for social equity between generations, a concern
that must logically be extended to equity within each generation.
Sustainability broadly includes these three parameters for
sustainable development.
1. Environment
2. Social
3. Economic
Principle of Sustainable Development
Sustainable development means to take economic benefit which can
help to raise the living standard of the present generation without
affecting the need for future generation. It means to conserve resources
without affecting its quantity and quality. The main aim of sustainable
development is to balance among the population, various resources,
various aspects of environment and development.
 Aim
• Maximizing the probability of
achieving sustainable
development.
• Minimizing the chances of
environmental degradation.
Four Major
components
• The climatic
change.
• Nutrient cycles.
• Hydrological cycle.
• Bio-diversity.
Example of Sustainable Development
• SOLAR ENERGY The greatest advantages
of solar energy are that it is completely free
and is available in a limitless supply. Both of
these factors provide a huge benefit to
consumers and help reduce pollution. Replacing
non-renewable energy with this type of energy
is both environmentally and financially
effective.

• Wind Energy is another readily available Wind

energy source. Harnessing is the power of
wind energy necessitates the use of windmills;
however,
• due to construction cost and finding a suitable
location, this kind of energy is meant to service
more than just the individual. Wind energy can
supplement or even replace the cost of grid power,
and therefore may be a good investment and
remains a great example of sustainable
development.
• Crop Rotation
This farming practice is beneficial in several ways,
most notably because it is is chemical-free. Crop
rotation has been proven to maximize the growth
potential of land, while also preventing disease
and insects in the soil. Not only can this form of
development benefit commercial farmers, but it
can also aid those who garden at home.
Efficient Water Fixtures . According to the
EPA, it takes a lot of energy to produce and
transport water and to process waste water,
and since less than one percent of the Earth’s
available water supply is fresh water, it is
important that sustainable water use is
employed at the individual and societal level.

Green Space According to the UW-Madison

Department of Urban and Regional Planning,
advantages of green spaces include,
“helping regulate air quality and climate …
reducing
energy consumption by countering the warming
effects of paved surfaces … recharging
groundwater supplies and protecting lakes and
 What are the desired outcomes
of sustainable development?
• Clean water & air • Safety from poverty
• Fertile soil & & disease
good food • Social contact & a
• A livelihood & a sense of community
healthy • Work, rest
economy &
celebration
• An optimum
• Opportunities to
population size learn
23 • Halting global warming
CIDA’s Framework identifies
key features for the “pillars” of
sustainable development:
• Environmental sustainability
• Economic development
• Social development
• Cultural diversity
 Environmental
Protection

Ecosystem integrity
Biological diversity
Managed population size

25
 Environmental
Protection

Economic Development
Appropriate economic
policies Efficient resource
allocation More equitable
access to
resources
Increasing the
productive capacity of
the poor
 Environmental
Protection
Economic

Development
Social Development
Improved
income
distribution
Gender equity
Investing in basic
health & education
Emphasizing
participation of the
The principles of a sustainable society are
• Respect and care for the community of life.
• Improve the quality of human life.
• Conserve the Earth's vitality and diversity.
• Minimize the depletion of non-renewable resources.
• Keep within the Earth's carrying capacity.
• Change attitudes and practices.
• Enable communities to care for their own environments.
• Provide a national framework for integrating development
and conservation.
• Create a global alliance.
Sustainability Principles
 Reduce dependence
upon fossil
fuel,underground metals,
and minerals

Reduce dependence
upon synthetic chemicals and
other unnatural substances

Reduce encroachment
upon
 nature
Old and new approaches to
Meet human needs human use of the
fairly & efficiently. atmosphere
Sustainability issues are to be
analyzed at various levels
• Global level - Ozone depletion;
• Climate change; and
• Air pollution
• Regional, National or Area-level
Water pollution -Water depletion - Deforestation- Fisheries depletion
- Biodiversity- Desertification and Erosion.

• -Local level - a plot, a farm or a village

Soil losses - Loss of soil quality (chemical or physical) - Loss of
farm income
 WHAT IS OUR GOAL IN
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable development requires the active
involvement of all stakeholders : government,
NGOs, private sectors, but also civil society. It is
not just politicians, or policy makers who decide what
SD should be like.
 OUR GOAL
• You have to remind policy makers to make
decision to protect your future : you can remind
them that you want better jobs, cleaner cities,
more equitable resources distribution, and above
all, a guarantee that your future is secure, full
of opportunity, a pleasant world to live in and a
healthy planet.
 PROBLEMS
• Where poverty and
population
pressure
“intersect”
• Human and their
environment suffer.
Main Indicators of Sustainability
1. Poverty 1. Consumption and
2. Governance production
3. Health patterns
4. Natural hazards 2. Land
5. Economic
3. Education
development 4. Oceans, seas and
coasts
6. Atmosphere
5. Demographics
7. Global economic
6. Freshwater
partnership
SUJESTIONS
• We need to spread social awareness to
bring massive change in social attitude.

• Action must be taken against the

backdrop of serious inequities and their
impact on the environment.

• Environment mistakes of the past need

not to be repeated, as past patterns of
degradation are not inevitable.
There are many
always of
communicating what
sustainable
practice is…
However what is
most important is
to understand
the
connectedness of
each of these
areas.
 What is needed to Achieve Sustainable
Development
• Eco Friendly
• Present generation should aware for needs of presence and
future generation.
• And also ensure the productive assets available to future
generation are not.
• Such technologies need to be developed and implemented which
help to conserve resources,
• Prevent unnecessary pollution and help restore the environment
wherever appropriate
Sustainable Strategies
Low-Carbon Models
Adaptation to Climate Change as
a Social Cause
Economically Profitable
Approach
Technology Transfer
Low Carbon Models
Development of such technology which reduce the carbon
emission Examples-
HYBRID VEHICLES- A hybrid vehicle runs on twin powered engine (gasoline
engine and electric motor) that cuts fuel consumption and conserves energy. One of
the biggest advantage of hybrid car over gasoline powered car is that it runs cleaner
and has better gas mileage which makes it environmentally friendly.

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY- Appropriate technology is small-scale

technology. It is simple enough that people can manage it directly and on a local
level. Appropriate technology makes use of skills and technology that are available
in a local community to supply basic human needs, such as gas and electricity, water,
food, and waste disposal.
 Low Carbon Models

RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEM –

A renewable energy system can be used to supply some or all of your
electricity needs, using technologies like:
1)Small solar electric systems
2)Small wind electric systems
3)Micro-hydropower systems
4)Small hybrid electric systems (solar and wind).

GREEN BUILDING- Sustainable or “green” building design and construction is a

method of wisely using resources to create high-quality, healthier and more
energy-efficient homes and commercial buildings.
 Low Carbon Models
SMART CITIES
Smart Cities Mission, sometimes referred to as Smart City Mission, is
an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India
with the mission to develop 100 cities across the country making them
citizen friendly and sustainable.
USE OF ENERGY EFFICIENT EQUIPMENTS
Energy-efficient business equipment serves a business’s needs while
consuming less energy than standard equipment. Common examples of
energy-efficient business equipment include:
computers with sleep mode or power-down mode
copiers with sleep mode and double-sided copying
printers with sleep mode and double-sided printing
Adaptation to Climate Change as a Social
Cause
Climate change adaptation is a response to global warming (also
known as “climate change” that seeks to reduce the
vulnerability of social and biological systems to relatively
sudden change and thus offset the effects of global warming.
Even if emissions are stabilized relatively soon, global warming
and its effects should last many years, and adaptation would be
necessary to the resulting changes in climate.
Adaptation is especially important in developing countries since
those countries are predicted to bear the brunt of the effects of
global warming
Economically Profitable Approach

The concept of "economic profit" is included in the wealth

maximization and the theory of the firm and, to a larger extent,
within the theory of finance.
oAn economically sustainable system must be able to produce goods
and services on a continuing basis, to maintain manageable size of
government and external debt and to avoid sectoral imbalances
(maintain diversity)
Economic value added Approach
In corporate finance, economic value added (EVA) is an estimate of a
firm's economic profit, or the value created in excess of the required
return of the company's shareholders. EVA is the
net profit less the equity cost of the firm's capital.
Technology Transfer

The transfer of new technology from the originator

to a secondary user, especially from developed to
developing countries in an attempt to boost their
economies.
Technology transfer can involve the dissemination of
highly complex technology from capital- intensive
origins to low-capital recipients (and can involve
aspects of dependency and fragility of systems), it also
can involve appropriate technology, not necessarily
high-tech or expensive, that is better disseminated,
yielding robustness and independence of systems
 Barriers to Sustainability

Sectoral Barriers
With the absence of legal framework, it is difficult to bring processes to action,
technologies are either not developed at all for lack of a sufficiently profitable
market, or if developed, are not accessible to end-user needs. Too many Action
Plans to follow, not a single one that works.
Immediate steps are essential for the protection of the Nature. The primary
function of such attempts is to help stakeholders, for nature conservation and
protection. The government should have the will power to evict those who have
made damages. States do not have provisions for protection, a lot more needs to
be arranged to conserve the environment.
Sectoral Barriers
• We must accept consequences of our diversity,
Consequences of 73rd and 74th amendments,
• We must accept local political environment,
• We must accept our poverty,
• We must accept the astronomical gap in
present and desired parameters,
• We must accept the processes as they really
are.
Following needs to be done to Conserve the
Environment
1. Build human and institutional capacity
2. Develop and deploy improved scientific methods for
carbon inventory
3. Reference baselines, and actively engage stakeholders
4. All the components should be evolved simultaneously
to enable adaptive management.
Some principles of sustainable development are
as follows: -
1.Conservation of Ecosystem
The ultimate aim of sustainable development is to conserve the earth. It
is to make the ecological system durable. Preservation of terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystem is necessary for the purpose.

2.Sustainable Development of Society

Sustainability of society depends on the availability of healthy
residence, balanced diet, adequate health service, employment and
quality education. If these elements are developed and become
available to the people in society, it becomes a sustainable society. It
assists in developing their positive attitude towards nature and living
beings. The society is driven towards conserving the environment.
Thank
you