What is Sustainable Development?
“A form of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
Brundtland Commission Report: ‘Our Common Future’
In recent years, sustainability has evolved to encompass social and economic factors as well as concern for the environment. While it is important to minimise adverse environmental impacts, projects must also meet social and economic needs in order to deliver lasting benefits. To create a truly sustainable development it is necessary to look beyond specific materials or technologies and consider the whole picture at a number of levels.
Click here to download a table illustrating the range of factors that need to be considered when creating a sustainable development (in pdf format).