Sustainable development

How it is used

A policy term made popular by the Brundtland Report, published for the UN in 1987. It appears in national development plans, UN documents and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is usually described as balancing three pillars: economic, social and environmental.

Example sentences

1. The regional plan aims to combine tourism growth with sustainable development.

2. Clean water and sanitation are central to sustainable development in rural areas.

Common collocations

• promote sustainable development
• pillars of sustainable development
• sustainable development strategy
• UN 2030 Agenda

Related terms

• sustainabilityMeeting today's needs in a way that does not harm the environment, society or the economy for future generations. In companies it also means managing environmental and social impacts.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Seventeen global goals adopted by all UN member states in 2015, covering issues such as poverty, health, education, clean water, energy, climate and nature, to be met by 2030.
• just transitionThe idea that the shift to a low-carbon economy should be fair, protecting workers, communities and regions that depend on fossil fuel industries and sharing the benefits widely.
• circular economyAn economic model that keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair, remanufacturing and recycling, instead of making, using and throwing away.

This word in other fields

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

• sustainable development · Economics

More terms: Sustainability and Circular Economy

• environmentally friendly
• life cycle assessment (LCA)
• resource efficiency
• water footprint