Introduction to Sustainable Development, G14

    Critical review- Definitions of sustainable development

“In principle, such an optional (sustainable growth) policy would seek to maintain an acceptable rate of growth in per capita real incomes without depleting the national capital asset stock or the natural environmental asset stock.”(Turner, 1988)

“Development that meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”(World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987).

Two definitions created by two different organizations are mentioned above about the sustainable development. In one definition it is said that sustainable development is maintaining the rate of growth without destructing the natural environment. And in the other one it is said that sustainable development is developing the present society while protecting resources to the future generation. When thinking from the surface we can say that these two has two different meanings. But if we think deeply we can see that both has the same meaning in which they have represented it in different manners. When we use resources without depleting them, they are preserved and it can be used by the future generations for their development. So we say that these two definitions are interconnected and both has the same idea.

When considering the views written by group members, we can see that the meaning they have given is same as the definitions. Everyone mentioned about the minimizing the depletion of own words. Other than these two main points they have also mentioned about the characteristics of sustainable material which are durable, recyclable, biodegradable, ecofriendly and reusable.

At last we can create a definition for sustainable development as,

  “Development which occurs in the present society while maintaining the growth rate in an acceptable manner without depleting the natural environmental assets and preserving them for the development of future generation.”

References:

Turner, R.K. (1988) Sustainable Environment Management, Belhaven, London.

World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), Our Common Future, Oxford          University Press, Oxford.