The concept of sustainable development: Roots, connotations and critical evaluation

The alarming degradation of finite environmental resources, spawned by industrialisation and factory production-the historical context that gave rise to the dichotomy of ‘development’ vs ‘environment', also carried in it the seeds of a new vision, encapsulated in the concept of ‘sustainable development'. As it was first defined in the World Commission on Environment and Development's Our Common Future, ‘sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. These ideas continue to dominate the discourse on development at the national and international levels. It is pointed out, in this context, that it is important to raise the issues of what kinds of needs are we talking about (survival needs or luxury needs) and more particularly, the issue of the needs of the have-nots, not only of future generations, but also of the present ones. The paper concludes by suggesting that a viable policy of sustainable development should envisage, among other things, a change in resource exploitative technology and extravagant life-styles, and the strengthening of democratic decision making, and good governance at all levels.