Has sustainable development come of age?

It is said that human ideas and concepts,like living beings,come of age,sooner or later. In our history,we find many examples to support this notion. It would be interesting to see whether it is also true about the concept of Sustainable Development.

This concept was born out of a challenge—the challenge of shaping our common future so that interests of the present as well as the future generations are safeguarded. In other words,it was born out of a mandate for change. The World Commission on Environment and Development not only gave birth to this concept and christened it in 1987,it also defined it succinctly. In June 1992,when this ‘child-prodigy’ was five years old,it received a hearty welcome at the UN Conference on Environment and Development at Rio,popularly known as the Earth Summit. The Summit,while recognising its great potential,also designed a suitable medium – the Agenda 21 – for its future progress. Since then,this impressive ‘child’ has become the talk of the town across the world. Workshops,seminars and conferences have been organised to discuss its achievements. There has been a continuous stream of views and counter-views,newspaper reports,and TV talk shows.

And now when the ‘child’ is 25 years old,naturally the question that comes to mind is what impact it has had so far in changing the world-view about ‘development’. Sustainable development is not only about planting trees,or reducing pollution,combating climate change or about keeping our cities clean and green. It is primarily about keeping our individual and collective consumption-patterns within sustainable limits.

It is about social justice and equity. Just to give one example,it is about switching-off some air conditioners in our houses and shopping malls in order to allow the use of a simple electric fan to the common man.

It is said a book is a success when people who haven’t read it,claim that they have. Obviously it’s not true about concepts. We can’t say that the concept of sustainable development is a success,when people who haven’t really understood it claim (or in all honesty,but mistakenly,believe) that they have!

ARWIND BONDRE

(The author is an entrepreneur and Founder Trustee of Arbutus,a leading NGO working in Education for Sustainable Development)