What is sustainability?
There are many definitions in existence, including the widely adopted definition laid down in the Brundtland Report. Everyone will have his or her own definition and what it means to them.
Some people may lay more emphasis on aspects like:
- healthy people and futures
- regeneration of land and communities
- fighting poverty
- education and food for all
- human rights
- climate change and energy resources
- waste minimisation
- the environmental impact and performance of business
The existence and supply of water, energy, paper, petrol, food, travel, peace, health and wellbeing just to mention a few things, is very much taken for granted especially by those of us living in developed countries. It is easy to see how the non-existence or non-availability of one of these items can seriously impinge on the existence and wellbeing of another.
As a result of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, governments worldwide are having to face the stark reality that economic development and growth has had a high a price tag to pay - over consumption of energy and environmental destruction.
Two major problems in respect of this are:
- The depletion of natural resources
- The end of life disposal of consumer goods
As a result of the Rio Earth Summit, the governments of the United Nations around the world have signed up to Agenda 21 to stop this destruction of our natural environment and protect it from human impact. Look up: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/index.htm
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