Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment, so that these needs can be met not only in the present but also for future generations to come. It means different things to different people, but the most frequently quoted definition is from the report Our Common Future (also known as the Brundtland Report), stating that “sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Sustainable development is not a new idea. Many cultures over the course of human history have recognized the need for harmony between the environment, society, and economy. What is new is an articulation of these ideas in the ...