Basic Concepts and Definitions - Introduction

It is important to consider some basic ideas concerned with social and economic change and sustainability.  These concepts include growth, development, sustainable development.  It is not easy to distinguish between each one, so rather than consider them in theoretical terms, it is easier to look at examples which illustrate their differences.

The activities in this section involve brief investigations about energy, population, economic development and social change.  This may seem a strange mixture of topics but they are used to highlight the differences between the concepts of growth development and sustainable development in quite different locations including your home area, the UK and Europe and parts of the Developing World.

Sustainability - Activity 6

The Brundtland Report

The report which brought the issue of global sustainability to the forefront is 'Our Common Future' (often called the Brundtland Report), produced by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987.  The Report is addressed to national governments, the business community, but above all the people whose well-being is the ultimate goal of all environment and development policy.  It gives a thorough survey of the major global environmental crises and also makes proposals concerning how those problems could be resolved.  The Report is probably the most useful text for you to read to accompany this Unit and is highly recommended.

The Brundtland Report (Summary) highlights six major global 'challenges' facing humanity.  These are:

	population and human resources
	food security
	species and ecosystems
	energy
	industry
	the urban challenge

Sustainability issues affect the whole world - both rich and poor societies.  Human greed and the rush for greater profits can be seen as the root causes of much of the world's unsustainable development. The industrialised world contains 20% of the world's population and consumes 80% of the world's resources.  Moreover, many unsustainable agricultural projects in the Third World have been stimulated by the 'debt crisis' - the poorest sectors of the world's population having to make sacrifices in order to pay off national debts to the rich banking nations of the world.

Working in a small team

Select one of the challenges mentioned above and produce a brief illustrated oral report for the rest of the group.  Your report should include:

- information on the global situation for the particular aspect of development

- relevant statistics

- highlighting the key issues related to the chosen challenge.

You may need a Summary of the Brandt Report

Working in a large group

Following the presentations, identify those policies and strategies which are necessary in order to create appropriate sustainable development.