What is sustainable development?

There is no explicit answer to the question 'What is sustainable development'. Countless definitions exist - each one focusses on different aspects or takes a different perspective on the issue.

The term 'sustainability' is a static construct, whereas 'sustainable development' is used to describe a process, something that is dynamic and constantly changing.

One of the most well-known definitions that we refer to is the following, which was stated in the Brundtland Report:

“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

“In essence, sustainable development is a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development; and institutional change are all in harmony and enhance both current and future potential to meet human needs and aspirations.”

~ World Commission for Environment and Development, „Our Common Future“, 1987

The question of how sustainable development, in consideration of planetary boundaries, should be shaped in present and future, is subject to countless discussions and controversies and requires further, especially interdisciplinary, research.

The 17 „Sustainable Development Goals“, which were introduced as part of the “Agenda 2030” by the United Nations in 2015, offer an orientation framework and structure the relevant issues. The SDGs are further specified into various targets.