Okuzeka
Economics vocabulary · Development and Inequality

Sustainable development

Meaning in economics, with examples

nounCommon term

In economics, sustainable development means: Economic and social progress that improves living standards today while protecting the environment and natural resources, so that future generations can also meet their needs.

In Turkish: sürdürülebilir kalkınma

How it is used

The idea became central after the Brundtland Report of 1987 and is now linked to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015. Governments, international organisations and companies use it in their reports and strategies.

Example sentences

  1. The plan aims to combine growth with sustainable development by investing in renewable energy.

  2. Clean water and quality education are among the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Common collocations

  • Sustainable Development Goals
  • promote sustainable development
  • sustainable development agenda
  • sustainable growth
  • developing countryA country with a lower average income, less industrial output and weaker infrastructure than the rich industrialised countries.
  • externalityA cost or benefit of an activity that falls on people who are not part of the deal and is not reflected in the market price.
  • human capitalThe knowledge, skills, health and experience of workers, seen as an asset that raises productivity and income in the same way as machines or buildings.
  • economic growthAn increase in the amount of goods and services an economy produces over time, usually measured as the percentage change in real GDP.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Development and Inequality

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not financial advice.