Sustainable development: definition and examples

It is a concept that emerged for the first time in 1987 in the publication of the Brundtland Report , which created an alert about the negative consequences that were being generated in the environment due to economic development and globalization . Sustainable development refers to development that has the ability to meet the needs of the current generation through the consumption of natural resources without compromising their availability for future generations.

For example, cutting down trees can be considered a sustainable activity as long as their repopulation is assured. On the contrary, the consumption of oil is not currently an activity linked to sustainable development , since we cannot replace it relatively immediately for future generations, which is the case with a large part of human activities as they are developed today.

Although they may be very similar terms, they should not be confused. The sustainable development seeks to achieve sustainability or sustainability , so this is an objective of this type of development. Thus, this development aims to achieve an improvement in the environment and the quality of life of people without endangering the livelihood for the survival of future generations and the planet itself.

The sustainability ecology is known as the process by which biological systems species are in equilibrium with the resources of the environment they inhabit.

The sustainable development goals are included in the 2030 Agenda , approved by the United Nations. This document includes a series of measures through which to guarantee objectives such as:

• Eliminate poverty and hunger.
• Guarantee a healthy life and the well-being of people.
• Promote quality education and decent work for economic growth.
• Promote access to basic services, such as clean water and sanitation.
• Reduction of inequalities, such as gender equality.
• Access to affordable and non-polluting energy.
• Industry and infrastructure innovation to create sustainable cities and communities.
• Responsible production and consumption of resources.
• Take action on climate change to protect and maintain underwater life and life in terrestrial ecosystems.
• Achieve peace, justice and strong institutions.
• Forge alliances to achieve all of these goals.

Sustainable development has three fundamental pillars that, in a way, bring together the above objectives. These pillars are economic, social and environmental sustainability or environmental protection.

Economic sustainability

At the economic level , the idea that economic growth occurs in a manner consistent with natural resources is promoted, without overloading the capacities of nature. In addition, it seeks an investment and distribution of economic resources in an equitable way, eliminating poverty and promoting equality.

Social sustainability

In this area, the objective is to implement the idea of ​​equality where each citizen is able to access a good quality of life. For this, education and health policies can be promoted, the population is made aware so that they can participate in the processes used in the sustainable development of the resources of the cities and countries in which they live, or use policies that promote peace.

Environmental sustainability

The basic idea is that the resources that nature offers are not inexhaustible, so it must be a good that must be protected and rationed. Some examples of measures that can be taken to achieve this are the use of sustainable agriculture and rural development policies, the use of renewable energy, saving water, recycling, controlling deforestation or sustainable mobility.

There is a great variety of projects related to sustainable development that lead to a more rational use of resources creating less impact. Some of them are:

• Recycling of inorganic waste, since it can be subsequently transformed into reusable materials such as bags, bottles or containers.
• Recycling of biodegradable garbage to be used as compost in agriculture or gardening.
• Plants solar energy using sunlight to produce electricity.
• Wind farms that take advantage of the force of the wind for the production of electrical energy through wind turbines.
• Use of wave energy, which is also generated electrical energy from the force of the waves of the sea, in which there are floating buoys that take advantage of the movement of the waves to produce the hydraulic pressure that will later be converted into electricity. Along with solar and wind energy, it is considered a type of renewable energy.
• Use of rainwater by collecting and storing it.
• Ecological agriculture, which consists of the optimal use of natural resources to produce food while protecting soils, water and the climate, since it reduces the greenhouse effect.
• Ecotourism , which refers to a type of ecological tourism in which tourists experience the rural way of life, which also allows them to enjoy the natural environment without negatively interfering with it, causing the damage and pollution of traditional tourism.
• Sustainable mobility such as the use of electric cars powered by clean energy sources or solar “bike paths” that take advantage of solar energy during the day to light up at night, allowing movement by bicycles.

If you want to read more articles similar to Sustainable development: definition and examples , we recommend that you enter our Sustainability and Sustainable Development category .