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Chapter 1 Sustainable Development
1.1 Sustainable Development Concept Note
Sustainable development is a concept that first appeared in 1987 with the publication of the Brundtland
Report (World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) , 1987), which warned of the
negative environmental consequences of economic development and globalization and sought to find
possible solutions to the problems arising from the industrialization and growth of the population.
The Brundtland Report defined the concept as follows:«Sustainable development is development that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.»
Nowadays, the concept of sustainable development is largely framed under the UN 2030 agenda and the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), that are detailed in the next chapter and mark the common
international understanding of this concept.
1.2 Sustainable Development pillars
A sustainable economy is guided and constrained by ecological, social, and economic principles. In general
words, to achieve sustainable development, there must be economic progress, social justice and
preservation of the environment.
Therefore, sustainability is made up of three pillars: economy, society, and the environment. These
principles are also informally referred to as profit, people and planet.
