Sustainable development (SD) is an approach to global policy that balances economic, social and environmental considerations – these three dimensions being known as SD’s three dimensions.
Governments can set and enforce regulations, raise awareness, educate citizens and collaborate internationally in an attempt to foster sustainability; but ultimately it requires everyone working towards SD for meaningful SD to become reality.
Environment
Sustainability refers to ensuring the long-term viability of people, economies, and ecosystems. This requires reconciling economic development with environmental stewardship and social inclusion – something first expressed in the 1987 Brundtland Report entitled “Our Common Future.”
Sustainable development rests on the principle that our natural resources are limited, and cannot sustain continuous expansion forever. Therefore, all development must fit within Earth’s “carrying capacity.”
To ensure sustainability is realized, businesses need to develop policies and set goals that are truly measurable, thus creating accountability between shareholders, employees, customers and the environment. Each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are divided up into specific targets with 169 indicators used by Eurostat’s annual report to compile trends of these indicators compiled and reviewed by national governments as well as stakeholders for policy decisions.
Economics
In order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, governments require efficient and effective economic policies. These must create synergies among goals while managing tradeoffs between them – such as increased use of fertilizers for agriculture production which can decrease food insecurity but may cause environmental pollution and result in adverse health impacts21.
Economic sustainability refers to production practices that fulfill current consumer consumption levels without depleting or exhausting natural resources required for economic expansion. This rethink of traditional economic postulates was spurred by growing concerns over non-renewable natural resources providing inputs for production activities.
Policymakers seeking sustainable economic development require policymakers to identify effective methods of balancing trade-offs and prioritizing goals based on each country or region’s specific characteristics and needs. While making sustainable transformation difficult, countries can improve economic sustainability by seizing available opportunities – for instance by making targeted investments in renewable energy or creating cost-effective industrial policies21.
Society
Sustainability encompasses human wellbeing as well as planet integrity and justice, yet many current plans and analyses treat people and nature separately, suggesting hard tradeoffs must be made, such as curbing global economic growth or switching to a vegan diet.
Sustainable development’s four pillars, commonly referred to as dimensions, domains, aspects or spheres, should be seen as interlinked and complementary elements. Promoting and upholding sustainable development principles at international, national and community levels require responsible human behavior and actions from humans themselves.
Attaining the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will require transformative change. However, due to rising inequality, climate change, biodiversity loss and conflict hindering progress towards its targets, reaching them may prove challenging. New partnerships, innovative technologies and collaborative financing arrangements – such as public-private partnerships – may be necessary in order to realise all countries’ sustainable development ambitions.
Population
Population growth poses one of the greatest threats to sustainable development, increasing demand for natural resources, intensifying deforestation and environmental degradation, as well as producing additional greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, its rapid global population expansion creates demand for quality education which SDG 4 (Quality Education) recognizes.
High fertility rates exacerbate challenges associated with inadequate funding of healthcare systems, preventable maternal deaths and restricted access to reproductive healthcare services in low-income countries. High levels of poverty, illiteracy and gender inequality contribute to unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions while perpetuating harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation.
Reducing population growth will ease pressure on natural environments and food systems while supporting more eco-friendly technologies and businesses. Furthermore, slowing population growth improves quality of life for women and girls and empowers individuals to reach their full potential; hence it is crucial that individuals have access to policies which enable this choice.