“Sustainable Development”
Presented by
Engr. Md.Arafat Hasan
A
presentation on
Parent Construction & Consultancy Ltd.

History of Sustainable Development concept
 1980 World Conservation Strategy
 1987 Our Common Future (Brundtland)
 1992 Rio Earth Summit
 Agenda 21: global, national, local
 1996 Sustainability indicators
 1999 UK Strategy; updated 2005
 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable
Development

According to the World Commission on
Environment and Development, the
definition of Sustainable Development
(SD) is “development that meets the
needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own need”
(Our Common Future, 1987).
Definition of Sustainable Development

3 Dimensions

Sustainability - 3 pillars


 Social Goals
Sustains institutions , improves justice and encourages
participation
 Economic Goals
Ensures basic needs, equity and employment opportunities
 Environmental Goals
Maintains genetic diversity which maximizes productiviy and
renewal
5/27/2016 6
What makes SD

Global Society in
2005: Unsustainable
Sustainable Development is
the journey towards Sustainability
A Future
Sustainable Society
basic needs and life quality
provided; tolerable inequality; living
within the Earth’s limits
Sustainable
Development
inequality, much poverty left;
threat of decreasing quality of
life

Sustainable Society
Sustainable Development
Social Equity
Economic
Efficiency
Environmental
Responsibility
•Living conditions
•Equal opportunity
•Social cohesion
•International solidarity
•Maintenance of
human capital.
•Economic growth
•Efficiency and
competitiveness
•Flexibility and stability
•Production /
consumption
•Employment
•International trade
•Consumption of
resources
•Materials and wastes
•Risks
•Rate of change
•Natural and cultural
landscape

3 Approaches

Global Sustainability
Economic Development
•Sustain economic growth
•Maximize profit
•Expand markets
•Externalize costs
•Respect carrying capacity
•Conserve and recycle
resources
•Reduce waste
•Satisfy needs
•Increase self-reliance
Socialism Conservationism
Ecologism

The three core drivers of un-sustainability
 Consumption
 Use of resources beyond the reasonable limits set by nature
 Production
 Gross inefficiencies in production.
 Distribution
 Inequitable distribution e.g. distribution of global income between rich and poor

Metabolism like a cow

Global equity

Solution

“The significant problems we face cannot be
solved at the same level of thinking we were
at when we created them.” - Albert Einstein

Sustainability: SOLUTIONS
 Cyclical material use
– emulate natural cycles; 3 R’s
 Safe reliable energy
– conservation, renewable energy, substitution,
interim measures
 Life-based interests
– health, creativity, communication,
coordination, appreciation, learning,
intellectual and spiritual development

Conclusion
 Is a long journey towards SD
 End-point not definable
 Each country/region has different goals, based on economic circumstances,
population size, stage of development, resource endowment etc….

When the winds of change blow,
some people build walls and others
build windmills
(Chinese proverb)