ABSTRACT
The concept The term sustainable development became popular after it was used by the Brundtland Commission in its 1987 report ‘Our Common Future’, which defined sustainable development as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. Sustainable development integrates economic, social and environmental objectives. It recognises that economic growth is necessary, but not sufficient for development. The concept of sustainable development was integrated in the Agenda 21 and other key documents produced at the 1992 Rio Summit1 and further elaborated in other global development documents (see Table 4.1). The final declaration of the UN Millennium Summit, the Millennium Declaration, adopted in 2000 and signed by 189 countries, reaffirmed the Agenda 21 and outlined the international agenda for development. The Millennium Declaration lists eight interdependent MDGs to be achieved by 2015, including the eradication of poverty and environmental sustainability (see Table 4.2).
