Name – Kusum Sarsar

Course – B.com (H)

Semester – 1
Section – A
Roll No. BCH22054
Topic – Sustainable
Development
What is Sustainability ?
Sustainability means meeting our own needs without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs. In addition to natural resources, we
also need social and economic resources. Sustainability
is not just environmentalism. Embedded in most
definitions of sustainability we also find concerns for
social equity and development.

Three Pillars of Sustainability

Social Sustainability : Universal human rights and basic

necessities are attainable by all people, who have
access to enough resources in order to keep their
families and communities healthy and secure. Healthy
communities have just leaders who ensure personal,
labour and cultural rights are respected and all people
are protected from discrimination.
Economic Sustainability : Human communities across
the globe are able to maintain their independence and
have access to the resources that they require,
financial and other, to meet their needs. Economic
systems are intact and activities are available to
everyone, such as secure sources of livelihood.
Environmental Sustainability : Ecological integrity is
maintained, all of earth’s environmental systems are
kept in balance while natural resources within them
are consumed by humans at a rate where they are able
to replenish themselves.

What is Sustainable Development?

• ‘Development which meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.’
• This most widely accepted definition of
Sustainable Development was given by the
Brundtland Commission in its report Our Common
Future (1987).
 • Sustainable development (SD) calls for concerted
efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable
and resilient future for people and planet.

What are the Parameters of Sustainable Development?

i. Carrying Capacity
ii. Inter- generational Equity and Justice (Global,
Regional and Country levels)
iii. Intra- generational Equity and Justice (Global,
Regional and Country levels)
iv. Gender Disparity
v. Diversity ( Social, Cultural Knowledge, Bio)
Carrying Capacity : It is a concept which limits the
potential ability of natural resources and species to
withstand human intervention. It may be described as
a test of the ability of land, water and air to keep itself
usable and toxin- free despite pollution and effluent
discharges and harmful developments over it.
Inter- Generational Equity And Justice (Global, Regional
And Country Levels) : Intergenerational equity refers to
the use of earth’s resources between generation in a
manner that the present generation does not consume
it completely to its exhaustion. Intergenerational
equity is included in the substantive part of Article 3 of
the Climate Change Convention (CCC). It states that
‘Parties should protect the climate system equity and in
accordance with the their common but differentiated
responsibilities.’
Intra- Generational Equity And Justice (Global, Regional
And Country Levels) : Another concept of equity in
resource use is referred to as ‘ intra- generational
equity’, which is fairness in utilization of resources
among human members of present generations, both
domestically and globally.
It ‘qualifies’ present generations’ use of the
environment with the needs of future generations and
provides that ‘The freedom of action of each
generation in regard to the environment is qualified by
the needs of future generations.’
Gender Disparity : To achieve environmental
sustainability, policies have to reduce gender gaps
politically, economically and socially so that their
access to resources is protected. The Human
Development Report (2003) acknowledges that ‘gender
equality is at the core of whether the goods will be
achieved – from improving health and fighting disease
to reducing poverty and mitigating hunger, to
expanding education and environmental sustainability.’

Diversity (Social, Cultural Knowledge, Bio) : Preserving

indigenous territorial rights thus protects biodiversity
and the local culture, including knowledge and
resource- management skills with potentially wide
application. This summit recognized that ‘social
development is central to the needs and all sectors of
civil society.’ The following combination of factors can
help in approaching self- regulation:
• The scale of economy, which would generate
organisations harnessing technological potentials,
 eco- infrastructure, local money, cooperative
consumption etc.
• Participatory democracy leading to green
municipalism, participatory green city plans,
community indicators.
• A green regulatory structure, encouraging
bioregionalism, quality and community.
• Green market mechanism for ecological tax
system, account money, community currency and
green financial infrastructure.
• Knowledge as regulatory force via resource
inventories, eco- accounting, product information
and labelling and community indicators.

Goals of Sustainable Development:-

The 17 goals under the Sustainable Development Goals
are as follow:-
1. No Poverty: End poverty in all its forms
everywhere.
2. Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security
and improved nutrition and promote sustainable
agriculture.
3. Good Health and Well- being : Ensure healthy lives
and promote well- being for all at all ages.
4. Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable
quality education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all.
5. Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and
empower all women and girls.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and
sustainable management of water and sanitation
for all.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to
affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern
energy for all.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote
sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic
growth, full and productive employment and
decent work for all.
9. Industry and Innovation and Infrastructure: Build
resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and
sustainable industrialization, and foster
innovation.
10. Reduced Inequality: Reduce inequality within
and among countries.
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make
cities and human settlements inclusive, safe,
resilient, and sustainable.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production:
Ensure sustainable consumption and production
patterns.
13. Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat
climate change and its impacts.
14. Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably
use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for
sustainable development.
15. Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote
sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems,
sustainably manage forests, combat
desertification, and halt and reverse land
degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions:
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for
sustainable development, provide access to justice
for all and build effective, accountable, and
inclusive institutions at all levels.
17. Partnerships to Achieve the Goal : Strengthen
the means of implementation and revitalize the
global partnership for sustainable development.
Policies taken by the Indian Government to
maintain SDGs.
• Population Control Measures: India has
promoted various measures to arrest
population explosion. The various population
control measures include spread of awareness
and knowledge of birth control measures and
literacy.
• Use of Environmental Supportive Fuel: As the
fuels such as petrol and diesel emit huge
amount of carbon dioxide that leads to global
warning so, the Indian government has
promoted the use of CNG and LPG. These are
clean, eco- friendly fuels that emit lesser
smoke.
• Use of Solar and Wind Energy: India being a
moderate country is enriched with sunlight
and wind power. These are two free gifts of
nature that is non- exhaustible. It solves the
problem of economic growth with due focus
on sustainable development.
• Recycling and Ban on Plastic Bags: The
industrial and household wastes are
accumulated on daily basis. There is a need to
develop the habit of recycling of waste
products in order to sustain the environment.
 Household waste can be used ad manure for
organic farming. A very recent step taken by
the Indian government is banning the use of
plastic bags. This is a very good step as plastic
bags do not get decomposed easily and leads
to pollution while recycling.
• Pollution Tax and Fines: India government has
taken many steps to control pollution. Some
of the measures are regular vehicle checkups,
levying pollution tax on the industries emitting
smoke. These measures are coupled with
huge fines and even imprisonment for the law
breakers.
• Use of the Input Efficient Technology: The
input efficient methods have been devised
that not only increases the production and
productivity but also efficiency with which the
inputs are used. The efficient use of input, on
one hand, leads to lesser exploitation of the
natural resources and, on the other hand,
enhances the future economic growth
prospects of India.