Sustainability refers to the capacity to endure and maintain processes or systems over time without exhausting resources or harming the environment. In an environmental context, it means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainability encompasses ecological balance, economic viability, and social equity.
The concept of Sustainable Development emerged in response to the environmental degradation caused by unchecked economic growth. The origins trace back to the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, which marked the first major international gathering to address environmental concerns.
However, the most cited definition comes from the Brundtland Report of 1987, formally titled Our Common Future, published by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). The report defined sustainable development as:
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
The term gained global prominence during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro (1992), where Agenda 21 was adopted. This outlined action plans for global sustainable development.
The origins of sustainable development are grounded in the integration of economic, environmental, and social objectives. Early conservation movements, concerns over population growth (as in the Limits to Growth report by the Club of Rome in 1972), and the recognition of planetary boundaries all contributed to shaping this multidimensional concept.