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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION
With new developments and advancements in technology, the world has also witnessed
constant exploitation of nature which has led to alarming problems like global warming,
ozone depletion, climate change, pollution, deforestation and many other environmental
threats. It is important for us to take immediate action for preserving our planet and
sustainable development is the answer to a better environment and secure future.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In 1987, the United Nations released the Brundtland Report, which included what is now
one of the most widely recognised definitions: “Sustainable Development is
development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs (from the World Commission on
Environment and Development’s (the Brundtland Commission) Report ‘Our Common
Future’.
According to the same Report, the above definition contains within it two key concepts:
1. the concept of ‘needs’, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor; and
2. the idea of limitations imposed by the state on technology and social organization
on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs
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SAILENT PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The principle of sustainable development which received international recognition as a
result of Brundtland Commission Report (1987) was overwhelmingly supported by all
the nations. Some of the salient principles which underlie the concept of sustainable
development were spelled out in the Rio Declaration, 1992 and Agenda 21. Therefore,
these principles have got to be necessarily followed in order to achieve the objective of
sustainable development. These principles are as follows:
1. Inter-generational equity
This principle states that every human generation has the right to benefit from resources
of past generations and the responsibility to preserve them for future generations. This
principle focuses on the conservation of biodiversity and renewable resources. This
sustainable development principle has originated from the 1st and 2nd principles of the
Stockholm Declaration, 1972 wherein the environment is the resource basis for the
survival of the present generation.
In A.P. Pollution Control Board v. M.V. Nayudu, the Apex Court observed that where
the State Government makes an attempt to balance the need of the environment and
need of the economic development, it would not be proper to prohibit it from doing so. In
such a case, it would be safer to apply the ‘protective principle’ and the ‘principle of
polluter pays’, keeping in mind the principle of sustainable development and the
‘principle of inter-generational equity!
2. Use and conservation of natural resources
This principle has been accepted and adopted in the form of Principles 8 and 23 of Rio
Earth Summit Declaration 1992. According to this sustainable development principle,
natural resources must be used, keeping in mind the need to conserve them for future
generations. These resources are depleting quickly due to overpopulation, urbanization,
and industrialization.
Due to this exhaustion of resources, it is important to find alternative technologies, such
as renewable energy, to conserve them for long-term use. This principle is founded on
the theory that the present generation must remain modest with the use of natural
resources to secure them for future generations.
The Supreme Court applying the principle of careful use and conservation of natural
resources, observed in the case of A. Jagannath v. Union of India, that activities of the
industries violative of this principle and of, environmental legislations must be
discouraged.

In Indian Handicrafts Emporium v. Union of India, the indigenous ivory or ivory articles
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were prohibited from being exported as it impugned Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and
was also against the moral claims embodied under Article 48-A of the Constitution and
principle of conservation of natural resources.
3. Environmental protection
To ensure sustainable development in the most effective manner, it is important to
protect our environment. Countries must enforce laws so that natural resources can be
utilized for the long term without any harm to the environment. For its protection,
countries must regulate the laws for agriculture, industries, energy, and power since
these sectors directly impact our environment. In India, the Environment (Protection) Act
of 1986 is in effect to prevent the environment. Along with this, there are anti-pollution
laws in the country.
So far India is concerned, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is the central
legislation. Besides, there are some other pollution control and prevention laws and
States have also framed their own anti-pollution laws according to their local
requirements. The ultimate object is to ensure sustainable development for protection of
environment from being degraded or polluted
4. The precautionary principle
‘Prevention is better than cure’, - This is the sum and substance of the concept. As per
this principle, decision-makers must adopt preventive measures when they get hold of
scientific evidence about human or environmental hazards. While the principle suggests
taking preventive measures even in the absence of scientific proof of this danger, it is
applied in parts after assessing the accuracy of the evidence. As per the Principle 15 of
Rio Declaration, 1992:
whenever there is a threat of serious or irreversible environmental damage, a lack of full
scientific certainty should not be considered a reason to postpone precautionary
measures to prevent environmental degradation.
Vellore Citizens’ Welfare Forum v. Union of India case
5. The ‘Polluter Pays’ principle
‘Guilty should be punished’ is the gist of this principle. It is essential to incorporate the
principle of ‘Polluter Pays’. This principle of sustainable development discourages the
existence of those subsidiaries that are detrimental for trade. It is an important principle
that ensures the conservation of environment in industrial societies.
This principle has been accepted by the European Community in its Action Programme
on Environment in Article 130 R (2). As per this principle:
 Preventive action is preferable to remedial action
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 Polluter must pay the cost for preventive measures taken to preserve the
environment
 Damage to the environment must be rectified at the source
The principle is incorporated as Principle 16 of Rio Declaration of Earth Summit, 1992. It
was also included as the Principle 4 of the Stockholm Declaration in 1972 but gained
declaration in Rio Declaration in 1992.
The Supreme Court in M.C. Mehta v, Kamal Nath, observed that ‘polluter pays principle
has been recognised as fundamental objective of Government's environmental policy to
prevent and control pollution. The Court in this case observed that the calculation of
environmental damages should not be on the basis of claim put forward by the party,
but it should be on the basis of examination of the situation by the Court, keeping in
view the factors such as deterrent nature of the award.

In Vellore Citizens’ Welfare Forum v. Union of India, the Supreme Court directed the
Central Government to constitute an authority under Section 3 (3) of the Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 and confer on this authority all the powers necessary to deal with
the situation created by tanneries and other polluting industries in the State of Tamil
Nadu. The authority so constituted shall implement the ‘precautionary principle’ and the
‘Polluter Pays Principle.’
6. Principle of liability to help and cooperate
This principle for sustainable development has been incorporated in Rio Declaration
(1992) as Principle 9. According to this principle, states must cooperate to strengthen
the indigenous capacity for sustainable development by improving scientific
understanding. To improve scientific understanding, it is important to exchange scientific
and technical knowledge.
It is also important to enhance the development and adaption of existing as well as
innovative yet useful technologies. As per the Principle 10 of Rio Declaration, the active
participation of all concerned citizens in a relevant manner is equally important. This
cooperation is important to promote economic growth and sustainable development in
every country. Principle 27 suggests cooperation and partnership from both state and
people for the development of international laws for sustainable development.
7. Poverty Eradication
Another crucial factor for practicing sustainable development is the eradication of
poverty. According to the late former Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, ‘of all
pollutants we face, the worst is poverty’. In 1992, the Earth Summit projected that the
elimination of poverty, especially in developing countries, is necessary to achieve
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sustainable development. It is important to adopt poverty alleviation programs to

eradicate poverty.
India being a developing country, its more than 30 per cent people are living below the
poverty line. Therefore, India needs cooperation and assistance from the developed
countries to help and support the poverty alleviation programme and maintenance of
wholesome environmental conditions.
8. Financial Assistance to Developing Countries
The people in the developing countries strain their natural resources and over exploit
them to meet their basic needs. The developing countries also do not have the finances
and modern technology to follow the path of development which is sustainable.
Therefore, the financial assistance and transfer of technology from the developed
nations to the developing nations is a must to achieve the goal of sustainable
development and environment protection. In Chapter 33 of Agenda – 21 it was provided
that the provision to developing countries of effective means, inter alia, financial
resources and technology, without which it will be difficult for them to fully implement
their commitment, will serve the common interest of developed and developing
countries and of human kind in general, including future generations. It is worth
mentioning here that the World Bank, in addition to various other international
institutions, has been playing a key role in response to the clarion call of sustainable
development at “Earth Summit”

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Stockholm Declaration, 1972
Global inter-governmental action began with the United Nations Conference on the
Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972. This led to the ‘Stockholm Declaration’ and
an action plan with over 100 recommendations on environmental assessment,
management, and support [Link] Stockholm slogan was “Only One Earth”. The
environmental debate centred around the Club of Rome Report on the “Limits to
Growth”, and talk of economic development (the precursor of Sustainable
Development).The Report highlights the consequences of unrestrained growth and the
linkages between several global problems.
Brundtland Commission 1983
Post Stockholm concerns for the environment continued to grow. There was widespread
deforestation, industrial pollution and environmental degradation. The ozone hole, the
warming of the earth, increased carbon dioxide in the environment all added to the
growing environmental concerns. A need was felt to link environmental concerns with
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industrial development and growth. With this in mind, the United Nations, in 1983,
established the “World Commission on the Environment and Development” or as it is
commonly referred to as the “Brundtland Commission”. The Brundtland Commission
Report – ‘Our Common Future’ in 1987 defined ‘Sustainable Development’. As we have
discussed in the earlier sections -“development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
Rio Declaration 1992- Agenda 21
Twenty years after Stockholm, the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. ‘The Earth Summit’, as it was called
adopted the ‘Rio Declaration’ and an action plan of 40 chapters called Agenda 21 was
adopted by over 100 Nations. Agenda 21 was geared towards achieving Sustainable
Development in the 21st century. The ‘Rio Concept’ can be summarised as:
 Equal consideration of environment, society and economy;
 Intergenerational solidarity keeping in mind the needs of the future generations;
 A global consensus and political commitment at the national and international
levels;
 Involvement of the Non-GovernmentOrganisations (NGOs);
 Provides a blueprint for the governments to attain a balance between the
environment and the needs of the population; and
 A Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was established to follow up
the Rio agreements, and it monitors the agreements of the Earth Summit at the
local, national, regional and international levels

The Rio Summit Follow up

The Rio Summit was followed by several other Conferences to focus on ‘Sustainable
Development’. These include conferences like the “Global Conference. on Sustainable
Development of Small Island Developing States” in Barbados in 1994: “The World
Summit on Social Development” in Copenhagen in 1995: “The Fourth World
Conference on Women”, Beijing 1995; and the “Second UN Conference on Human
Settlements, Habitat II”, Istatbul in 1996.
The focus was on following the path of ‘Sustainable Development’ in all countries in all
parts of the ecosystem whether on land, water or air. The effort has also been an all-
inclusive development that reaches all sections of the population with a special focus on
the vulnerable sections like women, children or the marginalised.
A five year review of the progress of the ‘Earth Summit’ was held in 1997 by the United
Nations General Assembly. This was followed by a ten year review in 2002 by the World
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Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). The WSSD was held in Johannesburg,

South Africa. It urged the Nations to make progress in the formulation and
implementation of strategies for sustainable development and to begin implementing
them by 2005.

Millennium Development Goals

In 2000, the largest-ever gathering of world leaders agreed to a set of timebound and
measurable goals for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental
degradation and discrimination against women, to be achieved by 2015. These are
called the ,Millennium Development Goals,. The following is a brief overview of some
significant decisions and agreements that were reached by the various countries:
 In 2004, Delhi Mandates the use of compressed natural gas in city buses and
auto rickshaws, responding to rising civil society pressure over air pollution.
 In 2005, Kyoto Protocol enters into agreement which legally bound the developed
countries to go for greenhouse gas emission reductions, and establishing the
Clean Development Mechanism for developing countries.
 In 2007, Montreal Protocol was signed on Substances that deplete the ‘Ozone
Layer’. Countries agreed to an accelerated phase-out schedule for
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). NASA has reported that the ‘ozone layer’ is
recovering, in part due to reduced concentrations of CFCs, phased out under the
‘Montreal Protocol’.
 In 2008, Green Economy ideas enter the mainstream. National Governments
allocate more funds to further stimulate environmental actions and green growth
becomes the new objectives for the future economy. Also in 2008,scientist’s
document says that the oceans are growing more acidic due to increasing levels
of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This they predict, would have disastrous
consequences for the earth’s ecosystem.
 In 2009, Copenhagen climate negotiations were held. However, the participating
countries failed to reach an agreement on new emissions reductions
commitments beyond 2012 (the end of the ‘Kyoto Protocol’ time frame). An
important outcome was that thrust now shifted towards national and regional
efforts to reduce emissions.
 In 2009,the G20 Pittsburgh Summit was held. Leaders called for making fossil
fuel like petrol and diesel more expensive in order to phase them out. They also
agreed to provide a targeted support for the poorest people.
 In 2011,climate change negotiations were held in Durban. The negotiations’
outcome was a step forward in establishing an international agreement beyond
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Kyoto. It was agreed to cut carbon emissions in all countries, including developed
countries and several major developing countries.
 In 2012, one of the first of the Millennium Development Goal targets is achieved,
in advance of the 2015 deadline. The percentage of the world’s people without
access to safe drinking water is cut in half.
 The 2012 United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in Doha. It was
agreed to extend the ‘Kyoto Protocol’ that was to end in 2012 to 2020. It was also
agreed to renegotiate the agreement reached in Durban by 2015 and to
implement it by 2020.
From the ‘Stockholm Declaration’ of 1972 to the latest Conference held in Doha in 2012,
more than forty years have passed. We are actively involved in greening the planet and
in developing clean energy solutions. The world as a whole is committed towards
combating hunger, disease, illiteracy, poverty, reducing inequalities and so on. The
target is to ensure that the benefits of development accrue to all sections of society and
not at the cost of the future generations

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Sustainable development goals were adopted in 2015 by all member nations of the
United Nations as a universal action to end poverty and pollution, thereby protecting the
planet and providing peace and prosperity to everybody by the advent of 2030. They
represent the post 2015 development agenda and are a set of 17 goals consisting of
169 targets globally set to be the blueprint towards a better and more sustainable future
for all.
The three primary objectives of sustainable development goals are:
 Economic growth.
 Environmental protection.
 Social inclusion.
The sustainable development goals are:

1. No Poverty: By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people

everywhere.
2. Zero Hunger: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition
by 2030.
3. Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-
being for all at all ages by 2030.
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4. Quality Education: Ensure that all girls and boys complete free,
equitable and quality primary and secondary education by 2030.
5. Gender Equality: To 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 by 2030.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable,
sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive and
sustainable economic growth.
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure,
promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster
innovation by 2030.
10. Reduced Inequality: Reduce inequality within and among countries
by 2030.
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, combat desertification and halt biodiversity
loss.
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Promote peaceful and
inclusive societies for sustainable development; provide access to
justice for all.
17. Partnerships to achieve goals: Strengthen the means of
implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable
development.

NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The world as a whole is steadfast in its commitment towards achieving a balance
between the environmental, economic and social development. The agenda of
‘Sustainable Development’ is also an all-inclusive growth. That means a pattern of
development that involves all sections of the community – the well off, the poor, men
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and women. Such a pattern of growth is based on the need to preserve the diversity of
the eco-system. Sustainable Development involves:
 Preservation of biological diversity in terrestrial, freshwater and marine systems;
 Sustainable use of resources and minimising the depletion of resources;
 Caring for the environment;
 Improving the quality of life including social and economic concerns;
 Conservation of natural capital both for renewable and non- renewable
resources;
 Conservation of natural and cultural diversity;
 Limits on natural resource utilisation and assimilation of wastes;
 Efficiency of resource utilisation by all societies;
 Social equity through poverty reduction and gender equity;
 Reduction of emission of greenhouse gases;
 Reduction in use of ozone depleting substances;
 Reduction in air pollution;
 Reduction in use of chemical fertilisers;
 Stopping desertification; and
 Stopping deforestation

CONCLUSION
In this fast pacing world where on one side we are reaching towards new heights of
advancement, it is essential for us as a global community to take conscious steps and
actions that will ample resources for the coming generation but nurse the issues that
might cause a difficult tomorrow. Sustainable Development is the modern and most
suitable solution for these problems, thus more efforts should be put in to reach the
goals of sustainable development.