Jagdish-Chandra-Rout

While the word “Development” is defined as “an event constituting a new stage in a changing situation”, it has also been defined as “a process that creates growth, progress, positive change or the addition of physical, economic, environmental, social and demographic components.”

As “the world is changing and changeable” and since it is “the go of the world”, the prized process of “development” is inevitable, and thus inches forth in tandem with the “cycle of change”.

Let’s now try to dissect the phrase “Sustainable Development” that is now a widely used term globally.

It reportedly came into existence in October 1987 in the wake of the commonly called “Brundtland Report” when the “United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED)” released the report named “Our Common Future” through the Oxford University Press.

It was reportedly in recognition of former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland who had then presided over the WCED as its Chairperson.

As mentioned in the Wikipedia, “Sustainable Development” aims at “meeting human development goals by enabling natural systems to provide necessary natural resources and ecosystem services to humans. The concept focuses on economic and social developments, and also environmental protection for future generations.”

Further elucidation on “Sustainable Development” states: “It is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The two key concepts within “Sustainable Development” are:

1) “The concept of ‘needs’, in particular, the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given.”

2) “The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.”

In a nutshell, “Sustainable Development, thus, tries to find a balance between economic development, environmental protection, and social well-being.”

Notably, the “17 Goals” of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) address “the global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.”

Further studies into “Sustainable Development” reveal that it requires “six central capacities”:

1) “Capacity to Govern Cooperatively” 2) “Capacity to Measure Progress” 3) “Capacity to Promote Equity” 4) “Capacity to Adapt to Shocks” 5) “Capacity to Transform Development Pathways” 6) “Capacity to Link Knowledge with Action”.

Moreover, the scholars have distinguished “three dimensions” of “Sustainable Development”, such as “Environment”, “Economy” and “Society”.

Thus, the United Nations Conference on Environment & Development – Earth Summit (1992) underlines: “Countries could develop systems for monitoring and evaluation of progress towards achieving sustainable development by adopting indicators that measure changes across economic, social and environmental dimensions.”

While the “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, also known as the “Global Goals”, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a “universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity”, the “17 SDGs recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.”

The “17 SDGs” are: 1) “No Poverty”, 2) “Zero Hunger”, 3) “Good Health & Well-Being”, 4) “Quality Education”, 5) “Gender Equality”, 6) “Clean Water & Sanitation”, 7) “Affordable & Clean Energy”, 8) “Decent Work & Economic Growth”, 9) “Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure”, 10) “Reduced Inequalities”, 11) “Sustainable Cities & Communities”, 12) “Responsible Consumption & Production”, 13) “Climate Action”, 14) “Life Below Water”, 15) “Life On Land”, 16) “Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions”, and 17) “Partnerships for the Goals”.

It may be concluded here that “Development” is akin to our “lifeblood/elixir of life”, but mustn’t spell doom nor have a catastrophic effect on our present and future ways of life.

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