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- Our
Common Future, the Bruntland Report in 1987 said that
sustainable development:
"is development that meets that needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs."
- The
first to have a say was probably Thomas Jefferson in 1789:
"Then I say the earth belongs to each generation during
its course, fully and in its own right, no generation
can contract debts greater than may be paid during its
own existence.
- John
Ruskin in 1849 said in The Seven Lamps of Architecture:
"God has lent us the earth for our life; it is a great
entail. It belongs as much to those who are to come after
us, and whose names are already written in the book of
creation, as to us; and we have no right, by anything
that we do or neglect, to involve them in unnecessary
penalties, or deprive them of benefits which it is in
power to bequeath"
- Barbara
Ward, is the person generally recognised as coining the
phrase introducing it at the 1972 UN Stockholm Conference
on the Human Environment when taking over the presidency
of the International Institute for Environment and Development
- http://www.oneworld.org/iied/, in 1973 she said that
the original Institute name be changed to include the
word "Development"
"without which the concept of preserving the environment
has no real meaning for the poorer two thirds of mankind".
- The
concept has been evolving over the last 25 years. There
are many different definitions. Most include something
like:
"indefinite survival of the human species, quality
of life beyond mere biological survival and persistence
of all components of the biosphere, even those with no
apparent benefit to humanity"
"constancy of natural capital stock and living from the
interest"
- The
Wuppeerthal Institute (1998) says:
"The very idea of sustainable development struck the
middle ground between more radical approaches which denounced
all development, and the idea of development conceived
as business as usual. The idea of sustainable development,
although broad, loose, and tinged with ambiguity around
its edges, turned out to be palatable to everybody. This
may have been its greatest virtue. It is radical and yet
not offensive".
- There
is a lot of academic debate about what it means. Spangenburg
says that:
Sustainability as defined in Agenda 21 is a complex
system of interacting targets in four dimensions: social,
environmental, economic and institutional (in wider sense
including preferences and habits). In the economic debate,
these are as well known four types of capital (man-made,
natural, human, and social capital), which all need to
be served with investments from the surplus generated
- Richard
Southwood Chair of the UK Round table on Sustainable Development
says:
Sustainable Development does not mean we stop developing, but we develop in a different way, like an army which breaks its step before going across a bridge. They get to where they want to go, but in a different way.
- Robert
Gilman President of the Context Institute came up with:
"Sustainability refers to the ability of a society,
ecosystem, or any such ongoing system to continue functioning
into the indefinite future without being forced into decline
through exhaustion of key resources"
- Forum
for the Future definition, 1996
Sustainable development is a dynamic process which
enables all people to realise their potential and to improve
their quality of life in ways that simultaneously protect
and enhance the Earth's life support systems.
- Tony
Blair said at the Second Environment Summit in New York
in 1997
"Our solemn duty as world leaders is to treasure the
precious heritage and hand on to our children and grandchildren
an environment that will enable them to enjoy the same
full life we took for granted"
- UNISON
Annual Conference Motion 1998 from Newcastle City.
"The principles of sustainability and social justice
lie at the heart of Local Agenda 21 and aim to ensure
that the resources of the planet are shared more equally
and used more responsibly by the present generation so
as not damage the environment and to ensure its preservation
for future generations"
- The UK Labour government said in 1999:
Sustainable development is a very simple idea. It
is about ensuring a better quality of life for everyone,
now and for generations to come. To achieve this, sustainable
development is concerned with achieving economic growth,
in the form of higher living standards, while protecting
and where possible enhancing the environment - not just
for its own sake but because a damaged environment will
sooner or later hold back economic growth and lower the
quality of life - and making sure that these economic
and environmental benefits are available to everyone,
not just to a privileged few.
- DEFRA
"Sustainable development is about ensuring a better
quality of life for everyone, now and for generations
to come. It encompasses environmental, social and economic
goals. It is about protecting and where possible enhancing
the environment, not just for its own sake but because
a damaged environment will sooner or later hold back economic
development and lower the quality of life. It is about
seeking to satisfy people's basic needs, such as providing
warm homes and safe streets and giving people the opportunity
to achieve their potential through education, information,
participation and good health. And it requires a robust
economy to create the wealth that allows needs to be satisfied,
now and in the future".
DETR Sustainable Local Communities for the 21st Century: Why and How to Prepare an Effective Local Agenda 21 Strategy.
- Maureen
says:
"It is taking care of the future"
- Longwalker,
a Native American Indian (on Jon Anderson "Toltec" CD)
"We are the gardener. And the gardener will not get
back his pay unless the garden is beautiful. And we have
a long ways to go to make our garden beautiful."
- Charlie reckons it is "how everybody can develop in an equitable and enduring way".
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