Sustainable Development, Measurement of

Sustainable development is a complex, multidimensional concept that reflects a dynamic set of principles and measurements, thoughtfully prescribed to optimize the findings of variable bodies of accumulated data, which describe and predict how well people manage their world and integrate its multiple systems and resources. The needs and limitations of both present and future generations are primary operators that guide the policies and objectives adopted by global entities representing a broad spectrum of public and private interests. As a basic assumption for development, models of sustainable growth postulate that the sum of human activity is a finite universe bound by the integrated dynamics of global natural systems and resource management, economic incentives and accountability, measures of social well-being and inclusivity, and the models of governance ...