Principles of Sustainable Development
In 1987, the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development 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 concept of sustainability takes into account not only the social and economic needs of human beings, but also the need to ensure that the satisfaction of those needs does not adversely affect the environment that future generations will inherit. The economic, environmental, and social objectives that sustainable development looks to address are known as the ‘triple bottom line’ model. At the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, the governments of the world signed a document that committed them to embedding the principles of sustainable development into their domestic policies and legislation. This commitment was reaffirmed at the Johannesburg Earth Summit in 2002.
At the present time, humans are consuming the Earth’s resources at a rate that exceeds its ability to provide them. Our rate of consumption needs to be brought down to a sustainable level. This is an extremely difficult challenge. The global population currently stands at just under seven billion and some forecasts suggest that it could reach nine billion by 2050. The economic and social demands of population growth need to be reconciled with the need to preserve our planet. The key issues we must grapple with are:
- Use of Resources: We need to adopt sustainable patterns of resource extraction and use that do not inflict harm upon the natural environment.
- Energy Use: We must reduce the amount of energy that each of us uses and find cleaner and safer sources of energy to satisfy our needs.
- Transport Use: We should find cleaner and more energy efficient modes of transport and reduce the need for travel through better urban design.
- Water Use: We have to reduce water usage in developed countries and ensure the provision of clean, safe drinking water across the globe.
- Waste Management: We have to ensure that the waste products from human activities are predominantly recyclable and that they do not pollute the environment.
Furthermore, these five critical issues must be dealt with without compromising economic growth or social progress. A considerable challenge!
The need for sustainable development affects every person on the planet, but some of us have a more prominent role in formulating solutions than others. Those who are involved in property development have more responsibility than most given both the immediate impact of their activities and the long term effects of the use of their products. Those government agencies, property developers, building contractors, and other specialists who contribute to the development process, all need to be aware of the principles of sustainable development and incorporate them into their working practices wherever possible. Innovative solutions are required if we have to achieve the changes needed to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy prosperous and happy lives.
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Principles of Sustainable Development
Reducing Energy Usage of New Developments
Reducing Water Usage of New Developments
Encouraging Biodiversity on New Developments
Reducing Construction Waste
Land Use Planning and Sustainability
Becoming a Sustainable Business
ISO 14001 Accreditation
