Sustainability development is a guiding principle for addressing human development objectives while simultaneously ensuring the capacity of the ecosystems and natural systems to supply the essential ecosystem and environment services upon which the society and economy depend. It integrates development with the entire life experience, making it a lived concept that becomes a part of everyday life. The sustainability process also involves the creation of a global community of sustainable development leaders. These leaders work in collaboration with local, regional, and global partners to implement and maintain a sustainable development vision for development practices, policies, and objectives.
There are various approaches to sustainable development. A sustainable development strategy is a set of strategies and initiatives to enhance sustainability. These strategies may be developed based on socio-economic, economic, social and environmental needs. This is the key to developing a sustainable development model that can be applied globally and on a long-term basis.
In practice, sustainable development processes integrate the three components of development: human development, environment and economy. Human development refers to the ability and the time frame to undertake activities that contribute to economic growth and the well-being of people. The focus on human development has been growing and is now recognized as a primary element of sustainable development. The need for sustainable development in the context of these processes is imperative in terms of implementation.
Environment plays a crucial role in enhancing the human condition and in ensuring the sustainability of the society and the economy. Environmental programs and activities must be developed to ensure that the human development process takes place in an environmentally appropriate way. The implementation of an environmental program is part of the development strategy.
Creating a sustainable development approach that is inclusive of all three elements, as well as an integrated approach to employment generation, poverty and income distribution, will go a long way to assure that this type of development delivers what is desired. Stabilizing the environments, protecting ecosystems and promoting biodiversity are two elements that come hand in hand with sustainable development. The need for effective management and control over natural environments is unavoidable in today’s world. Strategies and plans must be put in place to protect the ecosystems and promote biodiversity. These must be coupled with economic and social strategies that address issues such as wealth creation, employment generation and consumption.
Stabilizing the environments and promoting the biodiversity of the planet cannot be done effectively if we only address one aspect at a time. Developing sustainable development must be viewed from three perspectives – individual, community and the whole planet. Within each of these perspectives, different approaches to sustainable development must be attempted. Developing sustainable individual and family economic strategies that work for the people closest to them is the most important. Community wise strategies that work for the entire community or the wider region are also important. The overall approach, though, must incorporate all aspects of a sustainable development approach.
Another aspect of sustainability development that must be examined is that of the relationship between environmental management and economic development. While both are intertwined in some ways, they do not simply go together. The growth of a country, its economy and population are closely connected, but they also have their own separate goals. Economic development does not necessarily support the goal of environmental management, nor can the two goals to be viewed as mutually exclusive.
Environmentally sustainable development, on the other hand, works towards protecting the environment for future generations. It works to minimize the impact of human activities on the environment while preparing for the inevitable effects of climate change and ensuring that current resources are used efficiently. Sustainability development entails a multifaceted approach that takes into account the multiple factors that affect an environment and work towards achieving synergies that create a sense of balance and equilibrium within the eco-system. A multifaceted and integrated sustainable development strategy thus plays a critical role in the achievement of the development goals.