At the start of the twenty-first century, the problem of global sustainability is widely recognised by world leaders, and a common topic of discussion by journalists, scientists, teachers, students and citizens in many parts of the world. The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD, 2002) confirmed that the first decade of the new century, at least, would be one of reflection about the demands placed by humankind on the biosphere.
The idea of sustainability dates back more than 30 years, to the new mandate adopted by IUCN in 19693. It was a key theme of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 19724. The concept was coined explicitly to suggest that it was possible to achieve economic growth and industrialization without environmental damage. In the ensuing decades, mainstream sustainable development thinking was progressively developed through the World Conservation Strategy (1980), the Brundtland Report (1987), and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio (1992), as well as in national government planning and wider engagement from business leaders and non-governmental organisations of all kinds.
Over these decades, the definition of sustainable development evolved. The Brundtland Report defined sustainable as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. This definition was vague, but it cleverly captured two fundamental issues, the problem of the environmental degradation that so commonly accompanies economic growth, and yet the need for such growth to alleviate poverty.
The idea of sustainability dates back more than 30 years, to the new mandate adopted by IUCN in 19693. It was a key theme of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 19724. The concept was coined explicitly to suggest that it was possible to achieve economic growth and industrialization without environmental damage. In the ensuing decades, mainstream sustainable development thinking was progressively developed through the World Conservation Strategy (1980), the Brundtland Report (1987), and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio (1992), as well as in national government planning and wider engagement from business leaders and non-governmental organisations of all kinds.
Over these decades, the definition of sustainable development evolved. The Brundtland Report defined sustainable as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. This definition was vague, but it cleverly captured two fundamental issues, the problem of the environmental degradation that so commonly accompanies economic growth, and yet the need for such growth to alleviate poverty.
Public awareness of environmental and social issues in development are in many cases now well developed. Citizens in almost all countries not only know the issues, but tend to feel that the quality of the environment is
important both to their own wellbeing and to the common good.
The ‘greening’ of business has grown to be a central issue in corporate social responsibility for many global companies, although for many it is still a boutique concern within wider relationship management, rather than
something that drives structural change in the nature or scale of core business.
There is a profound paradox here. On the one hand, the twenty-first century is widely heralded as the era of sustainability, with a rainbow alliance of government, civil society and business devising novel strategies for increasing human welfare within planetary limits. On the other hand, the evidence is that the global human enterprise rapidly becoming less sustainable and not more. Much has been achieved - but is it enough? Are global trends towards sustainability or away from it? Have the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development offered a coherent basis for change?
important both to their own wellbeing and to the common good.
The ‘greening’ of business has grown to be a central issue in corporate social responsibility for many global companies, although for many it is still a boutique concern within wider relationship management, rather than
something that drives structural change in the nature or scale of core business.
There is a profound paradox here. On the one hand, the twenty-first century is widely heralded as the era of sustainability, with a rainbow alliance of government, civil society and business devising novel strategies for increasing human welfare within planetary limits. On the other hand, the evidence is that the global human enterprise rapidly becoming less sustainable and not more. Much has been achieved - but is it enough? Are global trends towards sustainability or away from it? Have the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development offered a coherent basis for change?
Source:
The Future of Sustainability Re-thinking Environment and Development in the Twenty-first Century
Report of the IUCN Renowned Thinkers Meeting, 29-31 January 2006
No comments:
Post a Comment