agenda

INTRODUCTION Sustainable development

A development that satisfies the wants of the present without
hampering the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs. It is all about creating a balance between meeting
developmental goals and sustaining the ecosystem of the
economy and the society by large. Sustainable communities
that put the environment and civil society first are becoming a
rarity today.
Reaching the targets for sustainable development requires
actions on all fronts-businesses, governments, and
societies. People across all classes have a role to play.
Sustainability goals address well known global challenges
like poverty, inequality, climate change, and
environmental degradation.

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Sustainable development can be visualized in three
dimensions: economy, environment, and society. In
2015, all the governments of the major economies
adopted the 17 sustainable development goals and
signed the Climate Agreement in Paris.
Sustainable development was first institutionalized
with the Rio Process initiated at the
1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In 2015 the
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted
the Sustainable Development Goals (2015 to 2030)
and explained how the goals are integrated and
indivisible to achieve sustainable development at
the global level. The UNGA's 17 goals address the
global challenges, including poverty, inequality,
climate change, environmental degradation, peace,
and justice.
Every action no matter how small leaves an impact on the world. For
example, the unplanned development across Asia has damaged the
ecological balance resulting in the contamination of rivers and
reduced forest cover

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Here are some key concepts within
sustainable development:
1. Environmental Sustainability: This
involves ensuring that natural resources
are used in a way that does not deplete or
harm ecosystems, and that pollution and
waste are minimized.
2. Social Equity: Sustainable
development emphasizes fair
distribution of resources, opportunities,
and benefits among all people,
regardless of factors like race, gender,
or socioeconomic status.
3. Economic Viability: It's important that
economic development is pursued in a way
that is financially sustainable over the long
term, promoting prosperity without
exhausting resources or causing harm to
people or the environment.
4. Interconnectedness: Sustainable
development recognizes the complex
interconnections between social,
economic, and environmental systems.
Actions taken in one area can have wide-
ranging impacts across all sectors.
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5. Resilience: Building resilience is crucial
for sustainable development, enabling
communities and systems to adapt to and
recover from shocks and stresses, such as
natural disasters or economic downturns.
6. Biodiversity Conservation: Protecting
biodiversity is essential for maintaining
ecosystem health and resilience, as well as
providing essential ecosystem services like
clean water, pollination, and climate
regulation.
7. Community Engagement: Involving
communities in decision-making processes
ensures that development initiatives are
responsive to local needs and preferences,
and helps to build support and ownership
for sustainable actions.
8. Long-Term Perspective: Sustainable
development requires taking a long-term
view and considering the impacts of
decisions and actions on future
generations, rather than focusing solely on
short-term gains.
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9. Technology and Innovation: Embracing
new technologies and innovative
approaches can help drive progress
towards sustainability by enabling more
efficient resource use, reducing pollution,
and finding new solutions to complex
challenges.
10. Global Cooperation: Many
sustainability issues, such as climate
change and biodiversity loss, are global in
nature and require international
cooperation and collaboration to address
effectively.

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Sustainable Development: Minimizing the Ecological and Economic
Impact

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Benefits of Sustainable Development

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