Development has raised incomes and lifespans, and it has also used resources and changed the environment, as you saw in human-environment interaction. Sustainable development asks how to keep improving lives without running down what future people will need.
Key idea
Sustainable development is "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (the Brundtland Commission, Our Common Future, 1987). It has three pillars: environment, economy and society. In 2015 all UN members adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with 169 targets for 2030.
| Goals | Theme |
|---|---|
| 1 No poverty; 2 Zero hunger; 3 Good health; 4 Quality education; 5 Gender equality | People |
| 6 Clean water and sanitation; 7 Affordable and clean energy | Basic services |
| 8 Decent work and economic growth; 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure; 10 Reduced inequalities; 11 Sustainable cities | Prosperity |
| 12 Responsible consumption and production; 13 Climate action; 14 Life below water; 15 Life on land | Planet |
| 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions; 17 Partnerships for the goals | Peace and partnership |
Why it works
Why tie the environment to poverty and education in one list? Because they depend on each other. Farms need healthy soil and water; schooling and health care raise incomes; growth pays for cleaner technology. A plan that helps one pillar while ruining another does not last. People do debate priorities and costs, such as how fast to change energy systems and who should pay, and the goals leave each country to choose its own path.
Worked example: Which goal?
A city builds a bus rapid transit line and plants trees to cool hot neighborhoods. Which SDG does this serve most directly?
- It is about making a city work better for its people and environment.
- That is Goal 11, sustainable cities and communities.
Answer: Goal 11, sustainable cities and communities.
Worked example: Count the years
The SDGs were adopted in 2015 with targets for 2030. The Millennium Development Goals ran from 2000 to 2015. How long was each period?
- SDGs: $2030 - 2015 = 15$ years.
- MDGs: $2015 - 2000 = 15$ years.
Answer: 15 years each.
Common mistake
Thinking sustainability is only about the environment. The UN goals also cover poverty, health, education, equality and jobs. A sustainable plan has to work for all three pillars at once.