Limitations Of Sustainable Development

1. Sustainable Development and its diversity of definitions. The best-known definition for Sustainable Development (SD) was established in 1987 by the Brundtland Commission, where SD was defined as: ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’, with the concept of ‘needs’, related to essential needs of the world’s poor that should be prioritised and, the concept of limitations on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs imposed by the state of technology and social organization (WCED, 1987). The popularisation of the concept of SD has continued since then, driven by the intensification and visibility of the debate on environmental issues.

The company that is in favour of the principles of sustainability must still be socially responsible, assuming that it is immersed in a social environment in which it influences at the same time that it is influenced. Whether it is through a process of consciousness to take a proactive posture, or through the pressure of the market itself and of governmental laws, there is already segment of companies that considers that it is important to assume in their guidelines the concern with of

By providing basic needs to the human life, energy plays a big role on improving social and economic well-being, and it is crucial to most industrial and commercial wealth generation (IAEA, 2005). A future based on sustainable energies is the great challenge of the 21st century. Some of the issues derived by the unsustainable use of energy are mentioned:

• Society is heavily dependent on coal, oil and gas, which account for 87% of total of primary energy in the world. (Randers, 2013).

• Geopolitical problem and high fluctuation of prices because oil is mainly produced in politically unstable countries.

• Environmental pollution and climate change, like greenhouse gases emission, air pollution acid rain. (Wuebbles and Jain, 2001)

• The supply of fossil resources is intrinsically finite and if the rate consumption remains the same without any increase for our growing population, the known oil deposits will be gone by 2052. (Ecotricity, 2015)

• The risk of the rising cost of competition for energy resources distributed irregularly. Basic energy services are currently not available to one third of the world 's people and more energy will be essential for a sustainable and equitable development (IAEA,