INTRODUCTION

The urgent need to plan and prepare for the future has been made clear by the alarming pace of
climate change. The 21st century requires an urgent and sensible discussion about what the
future will need of us. The viewpoint may be regarding the relationship between causes and
effects of changes in the global environment, development, and economy. There is a need to
examine how the expansion of the global economy is harming the environment. The construction
must be sustainable, ecologically friendly, and people centered. Based on its balanced approach
between economic growth and environmental sustainability, sustainable human development,
also known as people-centered development, has received growing popularity over the past
several years. Due to the rising urbanization and globalization, there are several unforeseen
obstacles waiting to be overcome. Cities are acting as powerful magnets drawing in large
populations, which is greatly complemented by tremendous challenges like worsening pollution,
vivacious use of natural resources, and mass exploitation of energy sources. Cities are becoming
focal points of major developments and mighty opportunities.

When the Cocoyoc Declaration on Environment and Development was released in the early
1970s, the phrase "sustainable development" was first used. Since then, it has developed into a
trademark of a global organization devoted to achieving positive development. But the
Stockholm Declaration of 1972 included the concept of "Sustainable Development" for the first
time. After that, in 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development (commonly
known as Brundtland) presented its report, titled "Our Common Future." The commission was
presided over by G.H. Brundtland, the Norwegian prime minister, and an effort was made to
connect environmental preservation with economic growth. The Rio Declaration on
Environment, which is recognized as a crucial and landmark document, established a new
agenda and defined the concept of sustainable development in 1992. The Stockholm statement
from 1972 gave rise to the concept of "Sustainable Development." "Man has the fundamental
right to freedom, equality, and appropriate circumstances of existence, in a setting of a quality
that enables a life of dignity and wellness, and he carries a grave obligation to safeguard and
develop the environment for current and future generation," the declaration had declared.

When critical changes in the way the environment functions and has an impact were identified,
the requirement of sustainable development and its implementation became clear. Disasters
followed by changes served as a warning about what the future could contain; this knowledge
laid the groundwork for the idea of sustainable life and development. It was stated that if people
continue to pursue their separate interests in an autonomous manner, it won't be long before all
the resources run out from overuse. Therefore, it was believed that humanity needed to adapt its
practices and veer toward a sustainable growth path.

PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT -

All the countries largely backed the notion of sustainable development, which gained acceptance
on a global scale because of the Brundtland Commission Report (1987). The Rio Declaration of
1992 and Agenda 21 both outlined some of the key tenets that support the idea of sustainable
development. To attain the goal of sustainable development, these principles must thus be strictly
adhered to. The following are these guidelines:

 Intergenerational equality.
 Use and conservation of natural resources.
 Environmental preservation.
 The precautionary principle.
 The "polluter pays" concept.
 The obligation to aid and cooperate principle.
 The eradication of poverty.
 "Public trust" principle.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS -

The United Nations approved sustainable development objectives in 2015 as a global initiative to
combat poverty and pollution by the year 2030, safeguard the environment, and provide
prosperity to all people. They are a collection of 17 objectives with 169 targets that serve as the
global blueprint for a brighter and more sustainable future for everybody and reflect the post-
2015 development agenda.

The three primary objectives of sustainable development are -

  Economic growth.
 Environmental protection.
 Social inclusion.

In terms of content and practicality, the sustainable development objectives have surpassed the
millennial development goals. The preceding objectives were criticized for being overly limited
in scope and shallow in their implementation. The millennial development goals put a greater
emphasis on global development through ties between nations and their assistance in the
development of other nations. The recently developed sustainable development objectives
offered a far larger context and a framework for development that was considerably more
inclusive and independent of the relationships between the countries. They had a stronger
foundation because they were developed by the largest United Nations programme and were
more broadly applicable.

The sustainable development goals are -

 No Poverty: By 2030, all people worldwide will be free from terrible poverty.
 By 2030, Zero Hunger aims to eradicate hunger, ensure food security, and enhance
nutrition.
 Good Health and Well-Being: By 2030, ensure that everyone lives a healthy life and
promotes well-being for all ages.
 By 2030, all girls and boys must have had a free, egalitarian, and high-quality primary
and secondary education.
 To achieve gender equality and to give all women and girls more power.
 Clean Water and Sanitation: By 2030, make sure that everyone has access to sustainable
water and sanitation management.
 Inexpensive and Sustainable Energy: By 2030, make sure that everyone has access to
modern, sustainable, and affordable energy.
 Encourage steady, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth to achieve decent work.
 Infrastructure, Industry, and Innovation: By 2030, develop inclusive and sustainable
industrialization while fostering innovation.
 Reduced Inequality: By 2030, cut back on inequality both inside and between nations.
  Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable is key to
creating sustainable cities and communities.
 Responsible Production and Consumption: Make sure you follow sustainable production
and consumption habits.
 Take immediate action to stop climate change and its effects.
 Life Below Water: Use marine resources wisely and responsibly to promote sustainable
development.
 Life on Land: Stop biodiversity loss, fight desertification, and promote sustainable use of
terrestrial ecosystems.
 Promote inclusive, peaceful societies for long-term growth and ensure that everyone has
access to the legal system.
 Goal-achieving partnerships: bolster mechanisms of execution and rekindle international
cooperation for sustainable development.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS AND MOVEMENTS -

UNECE - To further integration among its member countries, the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe was founded in 1947. It aids nations in achieving the SDGs by giving
different governments a forum to interact and work together in accordance with existing norms
and agreements. It uses a multispectral method that enables more integrated problem solving
when addressing interconnected difficulties.

HUMAN DEVELPOMENT INDEX - Introduced in 1980, the Human Development Index

is a statistical instrument for gauging a nation's growth and accomplishments in both the social
and economic spheres. It covers factors including those related to health, education, sanitation,
the economy, security, and the environment. The ecological footprint is also measured by the
Human Development Index. The greatest amount of consumption per person that the Earth's
ecosystem can support is represented by an ecological footprint. Anything below the minimum
HDI ensures that human needs are met, while anything above it represents excessive resource
consumption and compromise for future generations.

MILLENNIUM ECOSYSTEM ASSESSEMENT - The United Nations launched its

four-year inquiry in 2001. The responsibility of evaluating the effects that ecological changes
have on human welfare fell to more than 1200 academics. According to the research's main
conclusions, the evolution of ecosystems has resulted in a significant and irreversible loss of
biodiversity, which has aided climate change and increased the risk of nonlinear changes
occurring because of the same.

ELEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION - With the help of a circular economy, the Ellen
MacArthur Foundation, a UK-registered charity, hopes to motivate a new generation to rethink,
redesign, and create a better future. A circular economy is founded on the ideas of minimizing
waste, renewing natural systems, and keeping goods and resources in use. By adjusting the
foundational elements of the goods, such as the manufacturing process and the designing
considerations, they seek to decrease waste and pollution. They assert that the items and
materials utilized by the economy should be reparable and reusable to keep them out of landfills.
They think that in addition to protecting, we should actively enhance and improve the
environment.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE - This United Nations

intergovernmental organization's mandate is to disseminate relevant, unbiased scientific data to
the globe to improve knowledge of human-induced climate change and its potential
environmental, political, and economic risks and repercussions. Through regular, yearly, and
special reports, the agency has been effectively supplying reported data and analysis. The most
recent studies, published in 2018 and 2019, analyzed changes in the cryosphere, seas, and land as
well as temperature rise. The research indicated that prompt action is required to avoid the
disastrous effects of an average temperature increase of more than two degrees Celsius.
Accelerating the decrease of carbon dioxide emissions is necessary.

ROLE OF INDIAN JUDICIARY VISE-VICA SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT -
The Supreme Court's role in utilizing constitutional provisions, particularly Article 21, to achieve
environmental justice will be assessed. The Constitutional Mandates of Environmental
Jurisprudence "Article 142 allowed the Supreme Court great discretion to frame its rulings in
order that total justice might be done," Justice Kirpal has said. 1 By ruling that environmental
deterioration in a variety of ways breaches constitutional requirements, it thereby established a
fundamental role in the Indian legal system governing the environment. The right to enforce
basic rights, which is also a fundamental right under Article 32 of the Constitution, is one of the
Constitution of India's most novel features. All subordinate Indian courts must abide by the
Supreme Court's rulings (Article 141 of the Constitution). Humans have a basic need for a clean,
healthy environment, which may be provided through ecological balance. The Indian courts,
particularly the Supreme Court and different high courts, have been proactive and foresighted in
achieving this goal. By embracing the theory of sustainable development, these court
declarations have given environmental protection new dimensions and jurisprudence.

ADVENT OF SUSTAINABILITY IN INDIA -

The Vellore Citizen Welfare Forum v. Union of India case served as the legal foundation for the
theory of sustainable development in India. The precautionary principle and the polluter pay
concept was found to be the cornerstones of sustainability in this instance. It was ruled in the
case of Narmada Bachao v. Union of India that development should only be done to the degree
that nature can support it with little to no mitigation. In a case called Indian Council for Enviro
Legal Action v. Union of India, it was decided along similar lines that although economic
progress shouldn't be done at the expense of ecological degradation, it also shouldn't be
hampered by it. According to a previous statement, ecological and economic growth should
coexist effectively.

INDIA’S INVOLVEMENT -

India had a significant role in the formulation of sustainable development. It was the only nation
to advocate for the beginning and implementation of national contributions that were set to track
and map the advancement of the sustainable development objectives. India has also shown a
strong commitment to financing the UN trust for the establishment of the SDGs. It was one of
the few nations to start preparing effectively for the fulfilment of the SDGs even before they
were fully formed. India became one of the first nations to take part in voluntary national
reviews (VNRs), which employ a variety of surveys to track the advancement of predetermined
targets and encourage the adoption of the sustainable development goals. India's participation has
a lengthy history that is built on three factors: institution, diplomacy, and ideation. The nation
has played a significant role in the development and application of international standards that
have been unanimously embraced by all members. In terms of diplomacy, India has worked with
the G77 countries to improve their cooperation with the established rules and has pushed to bring
the countries to consensus accords that benefit everyone. Institutionally, India has always worked
to expand the scope and objectives of the UN in relation to issues of economics, politics, and the
environment. India has actively participated in and promoted accords, influencing them to adhere
to identical concepts and rules even if they are not related to the UN.

CONCLUSION -

It is true that there must be sustainability between the environment and development if the
environment is to be improved and protected from contamination. The idea behind sustainable
development is that natural resources should be used for the benefit of both the present
generation and those to come. As we all know, the rise in industrial activity demands the
utilization of natural resources, which are rapidly running out. Additionally, it is true that the
importance of resource conservation, effective resource use, and environmentally friendly
company policies and behavior has gained international recognition. While being attentive to
global issues, the nation requires an environmental policy and planning that is focused on local
requirements. The world (developed and developing) must advance toward a new global order in
which new economic and technical regimes are integrated if sustainable development is to
progress beyond mere wishful thinking and slogan-mongering into a reality. Because poverty
and inequality are the weakest links in the chain of sustainable development, such an order must
be intended to help the poor. Finally, environmental protection may be maintained while a
nation's economy and industry are growing provided the principles of sustainable development
are followed.