Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development & Resource Use

To start, let's define what a sustainable world look like. There are simply 3 pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic and social.

Environmental Sustainability

Ecological integrity is maintained, all of earth’s environmental systems are kept in balance while natural resources within them are consumed by humans at a rate where they are able to replenish themselves.

Economic Sustainability

Human communities across the globe are able to maintain their independence and have access to the resources that they require, financial and other, to meet their needs. Economic systems are intact and activities are available to everyone, such as secure sources of livelihood.

Social Sustainability

Universal human rights and basic necessities are a attainable by all people, who have access to enough resources in order to keep their families and communities healthy and secure. Healthy communities have just leaders who ensure personal, labour and cultural rights are respected and all people are protected from discrimination.

To provide context for the drive towards sustainability, the starting point is a clear understanding of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals
GOAL 1
"End poverty in all its forms everywhere"
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GOAL 2
"End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture"
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GOAL 3
"Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages"
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GOAL 4
"Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all"
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GOAL 5
"Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls"
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GOAL 6
"Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all"
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GOAL 7
"Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all"
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GOAL 8
"Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all"
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GOAL 9
"Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation"
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GOAL 10
"Reduce inequality within and among countries"
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GOAL 11
"Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable"
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GOAL 12
"Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns"
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GOAL 13
"Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts"
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GOAL 14
"Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development"
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GOAL 15
"Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss"
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GOAL 16
"Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels"
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GOAL 17
"Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development"
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Sustainable Development in Practice

This section sheds light on sustainable practices across various critical sectors, including agriculture, construction, energy, development, industry, transport, solid waste management, and water management. Furthermore, dedicated pages explore unique topics such as leveraging blockchain technology for advancing SDGs, addressing plastic pollution, and building smart cities.

For every sustainable practice, you can access details about relevant targets, indicators, progress milestones, and supporting data. These insights are enhanced by videos illustrating the practices in action and featuring up-to-date global sustainability news. Furthermore, if you are interested to find out about the latest innovations in sustainable practices you can also look up patents relevant to Sustainable Development Goals for each sector.

Sustainable development is that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The Brundtland Commission

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© 2025 Patrick Reynolds