Sustainable Development: The Definition Of Sustainable Development

1. Definition:

Sustainable development can be defined in many ways though the latest definition taken from the Bruntland report, defining sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains two key concepts; (1) the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given and (2) the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organisation on the environments ability to meet present and future needs.”

2. Background:

Faced with over exploitation of natural resources that accompanied the growth of the economy, The Club of Rome which was founded in

Although putting these strategies into plan has been difficult due to the addressing of serious economic and political issues that are marked by a strong inertia. The aim of sustainable development is to define viable schemes combining the economic, social and environmental aspects of human activity. These areas must then be taken into consideration by communities, companies and individuals. The ultimate goal of sustainable development is to find a long lasting balance between the three aspects. Sustainable development is the outcome of a set of transformations in which the using of natural resources, the choice of type investment and orientation of technological and institutional modifications are in synch with present and future

Climate change and clean energy.

2. Public health.

3. Social exclusion, demography and migration.

4. Management of natural resources(including biodiversity)

5. Sustainable transport.

6. Global poverty and development challenges.

4.1Europe 2020:

Europe 2020 sets out a vision of Europe’s social market economy for the 21st century. It puts forward three mutually reinforcing properties:

1. Smart growth- developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation.

2. Sustainable growth- promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy.

3. Inclusive growth- fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.

The EU has headline targets for 2020 they include;

1. 75% of population aged 20-64 should be employed.

2. 3% of EU’s GDP should be invested in research and development.

3. The “20/20/20” climate/energy targets should be met(including increase to 30% of emissions reduction if conditions are right)

4. The share of early school leavers should be under 10% and at least 40% of the younger generation should have a tertiary degree.

5. 20 million less people at risk of