| The concept of sustainable development emerged in the
early 1970s as a response to economic development that
failed to consider its impact on natural resources or
the environment. The Brundtland report was the first
well-documented research paper to highlight the three
fundamental components of sustainable development:
environmental protection, economic growth and social
equity. Ultimately, sustainable development means
improving people’s quality of life in a way that
maintains the capacity of the planet over the long term.
Human security, prosperity and wellbeing depend on a
healthy and abundant environment. The sustainable use of
natural resources, pollution prevention, and
conservation of natural habitats are central to
alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life.
To help make development sustainable, international
processes have been initiated to produce synergy from
the efforts of the international community and the
countries themselves. The Rio Earth Summit in 1992
resulted in a global plan of action for sustainable
development: Agenda 21. Ten years later Johannesburg
2002 provided an opportunity to adopt concrete steps and
identify quantifiable targets to better implement Agenda
21.
While international cooperation will set the
framework for action, much of the work needs to be
implemented at the national and local levels by
individual countries. Recommendations have been made for
developed and developing nations regarding sustainable
development strategies for energy, clean air and water,
water supplies, land use, housing, waste treatment,
transport and health care. Following through requires a
concerted and coordinated approach to policy making.
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