EVS

Sustainability and Sustainable Development

Assignment - 1

JUNE 30, 2021

Submitted by - Gauri G. Waikar
SEM - 9 | Year - 5
Roll no. – 23
Submitted To – Ar. Aamod Karmaksh
1. Define Sustainability, Sustainable Development and differentiate
between them.

- Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
needs. The concept of sustainability is composed of three pillars:
economic, environmental, and social—also known informally as
profits, planet, and people. Increasingly, companies are making public
commitments to sustainability through actions like reducing waste,
investing in renewable energy, and supporting organizations that
work toward a more sustainable future.
- Sustainable development is the idea that human societies must live
and meet their needs without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainability Sustainable development

1. Sustainability is the ability to 1. Sustainable development is a
endure or hold on strategy to achieve development
without compromising with the
ability of our future generations to
fulfill their needs
2. Sustainability looks at saving 2. Sustainable development focuses
the environment as the primary on development of infrastructure,
objective keeping the environment clean, to
achieve growth
3. Sustainability is the ability to 3. sustainable development is a
sustain and hence the desired end growth strategy to minimize carbon
product of a lifestyle. footprints to leave the planet for
the use of future generations.
 2. Write note on pillars of sustainable development.

- Environmental Pillar of Sustainable Development

The environmental pillar of sustainable development is
commonly known as the ‘planet’ pillar and refers to minimising
our impact on the environment to preserve it for future
generations. Herman Daly, an early pioneer in environmental
sustainability proposed three fundamentals of being environmentally sustainable:

1. For renewable resources: That the rates of harvest should not exceed the rate
of regeneration – sustainable yield.
2. For pollution: That the rates of waste generation from a project should not
exceed the capacity of the environment – sustainable waste disposal.
3. For non-renewable resources: that the depletion of non-renewable resources
should require comparable development of renewable resources in lieu.
- Social Pillar of Sustainable Development
The social pillar of sustainable development is a focus on ‘people’. Sustainable
businesses have the support of their employees, customers, stakeholders and the
community in which they operate. In practice, modern-day businesses need to be
increasingly aware of how their actions reflect on those around them in order to
be a good neighbour both locally and globally.

- Economic Pillar of Sustainable Development

The economic pillar or ‘profit pillar’ is one that most businesses are familiar with.
In essence, it’s ensuring a business remains profitable throughout its operations.
However, profitability for a business cannot come at all costs, and when it does
the social and environmental pillars are in turn affected.

The economic pillar of sustainable development is thus more than just about
ensuring a business remains profitable, but rather that a business practices
proper governance, risk management and compliance. While there are governing
bodies in Australia overseeing corporate governance, this is not necessarily the
case on a global scale. For a business to succeed in the economic pillar, it’s
management must align with the interests of both shareholders and stakeholders
as a whole.
• Social + Economic Sustainability = Equitable
• Social + Environmental Sustainability = Bearable
• Economic + Environmental Sustainability = Viable

3.Explain briefly about sustainable development goals.

GOAL 1: NO POVERTY
Economic growth must be inclusive to provide sustainable jobs and promote
equality.

Despite considerable progress in the fight against poverty since 1990, over
800 million people, 70% of whom are women, still live in extreme poverty.
The new Sustainable Development Agenda will now aim to eradicate
extreme poverty by 2030.

Besides aiming to eradicate extreme poverty, Goal 1 takes a comprehensive

approach to poverty as a whole by including a target on relative poverty
based on national definitions. The poor are particularly vulnerable to
economic and political crises, loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services,
and natural disasters and violence. To ensure that people who have escaped
poverty do not fall back into it, this goal also envisages measures to
strengthen livelihood resilience, including the establishment of social
security systems.

GOAL 2: ZERO HUNGER

The food and agriculture sector offers key solutions for development, and is
central for hunger and poverty eradication.

Although the situation has improved in numerous countries, many people

still suffer from hunger and malnutrition around world. Undernourishment
affects nearly 800 million people worldwide – most of them women and
children. The aim of the 2030 Agenda is to end hunger and all forms of
malnutrition around the world within the next 15 years. In view of the
rapidly growing global demand for food, it is estimated that food production
worldwide will need to have doubled by 2050. Some 70% of people who are
undernourished rely directly or indirectly on agriculture for their livelihoods,
hence it is smallholder farmers who are at risk of undernourishment.

Besides aiming to eliminate hunger, Goal 2 includes a target on ending all

forms of malnutrition. Food quality is just as important as food quantity.
Goal 2 also incorporates economic aspects, such as doubling the
agricultural productivity and income of small-scale farmers by 2030.
Furthermore, it features provisions on sustainable agriculture to prevent
increased food production from harming the environment.

GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential
to sustainable development.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have made a significant

contribution to improving global health, e.g. in the fight against diseases
such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. For example, the number of malaria
deaths has fallen by 60% since 2000. However, results have failed to meet
expectations in many areas, such as reducing child and maternal mortality.

The experience of the MDGs has shown that health problems need to be
viewed in context, not in isolation. Education and food security influence
the effectiveness of healthcare programmes. Goal 3 continues along the
same lines as the MDGs, for example with regard to child and maternal
mortality as well as communicable diseases such as AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis, while also including provisions on combating non-
communicable diseases such as diabetes and preventing traffic accidents
and narcotics abuse. All people should have access to good-quality
healthcare and medicines, including financial risk protection. Another
objective for 2030 is to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive
healthcare, including family planning, information and education.

GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION

Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and
sustainable development.

The international community has reaffirmed the importance of education

and good-quality training in improving the living conditions of individuals,
communities and entire societies. Drawing many useful lessons from the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the new sustainable development
goal 4 goes beyond children's primary education, highlighting in particular
the link between basic education and vocational training. Furthermore, it
emphasises equity and quality of education in a life-long learning approach,
two aspects which were not addressed in the MDGs.

Goal 4 aims to ensure that all children, adolescents and adults – especially
those most marginalised and vulnerable – have access to education and
training appropriate to their needs and the context in which they live. This
makes education a contributing factor in making the world more secure,
sustainable and interdependent.

GOAL 5: GENDER EQUALITY

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary
foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

Gender inequality is one of the biggest obstacles to sustainable

development, economic growth and poverty reduction. Thanks to MDG 3 on
gender equality and women’s empowerment, progress in enrolling girls into
school and integrating women into the job market has been considerable.
MDG 3 gave the issue of gender parity a lot of visibility, but its narrow focus
meant that it failed to address important issues such as violence against
women, economic disparities and the low participation of women in political
decision-making.
Goal 5 advocates equal opportunities for men and women in economic life,
the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, the
elimination of early and forced marriage, and equal participation at all
levels.

GOAL 6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in.

Access to drinking water and sanitation is a human right and, together with
water resources, a key determinant in all aspects of social, economic and
environmental development. The MDGs incorporated targets on drinking
water and sanitation but did not address other aspects crucial to
sustainable development, such as water resources management, waste-
water management, water quality and enhancing resilience to water-related
disasters.

Besides access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, Goal 6 thus

comprises additional targets such as protecting and restoring water-related
ecosystems (including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers and lakes). Goal
6 aims to improve water quality and reduce water pollution, especially the
type caused by hazardous chemicals. It also advocates cross-border
cooperation as the key to managing water resources in an integrated
fashion at all levels.

GOAL 7:
AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGYEnergy is central to nearly every major
challenge and opportunity.

Access to energy is an essential prerequisite to achieving many sustainable

development goals that extend far beyond the energy sector, such as
eradicating poverty, increasing food production, providing clean water,
improving public health, enhancing education, creating economic
opportunity and empowering women. At present, 1.6 billion people
worldwide have no access to electricity, while 2.5 billion rely on traditional
biomass as a source of energy.

Goal 7 thus advocates universal access to affordable, reliable, modern

energy services. Given that sustainable development hinges on climate-
friendly economic development, Goal 7 aims for a substantial increase in the
share of renewables in the global energy mix and a doubling in the global
rate of improvement in energy efficiency. Another target is to promote
research in renewable energy and energy efficiency as well as investment in
energy infrastructure and clean energy technologies.

GOAL 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create the conditions that
allow people to have quality jobs.

According to current figures, over 200 million people around the world are
unemployed, especially young people. Employment and economic growth
play a significant part in combating poverty. The promotion of sustainable
growth and green business practices and the creation of sufficient decent
jobs, in a context of respect for human rights and planetary boundaries, are
of key importance not only for developing countries but for emerging and
industrialised economies too.

Goal 8 includes targets on sustaining economic growth, increasing

economic productivity and creating decent jobs. It envisages combating
forced labour and ending modern slavery and human trafficking by 2030.
Sustainable economic growth should not be to the detriment of the
environment, which is why Goal 8 also advocates improved global resource
efficiency in consumption and production and the decoupling of economic
growth from environmental degradation.

GOAL 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Investments in infrastructure are crucial to achieving sustainable development.
Investment in sustainable infrastructure and in scientific and technological
research increases economic growth, creates jobs and promotes prosperity.
Infrastructure projects costing billions are in the offing over the next 15
years, particularly in developing and emerging economies. Goal 9 therefore
aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote industrialisation and foster
innovation.

Increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and

environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes are necessary
to make infrastructure and industries sustainable by 2030. Goal 9 aims to
support technology development, research and innovation especially in
developing countries, provide small-scale industrial and other companies
with greater access to financial services including affordable credit, and
increase the integration of these companies into value chains and markets.
It also advocates providing universal and affordable access to the internet
in the least developed countries of the world.

GOAL 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES

To reduce inequalities, policies should be universal in principle, paying attention
to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations.

Global inequalities are massive and present one of the biggest obstacles to
sustainable development and the fight against poverty. Inequality within
many countries has been rising in recent years. Inequalities limit the
opportunities for social groups to participate in and make significant
contributions to social, cultural, political and economic life. Therefore, Goal
10 focuses on reducing inequality within and among countries.

In concrete terms, Goal 10 advocates delivering sustained income growth to

the poorest 40% of the global population and achieving empowerment and
social, economic and political inclusion for all by 2030. Goal 10 aims to
ensure equal opportunities through the elimination of discriminatory laws,
policies and practices, while facilitating orderly and safe human migration
and mobility via the implementation of sound migration policies for
example. It also envisages enhanced representation and a greater voice for
developing countries in decision-making within international economic and
financial institutions.

GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

There needs to be a future in which cities provide opportunities for all, with access
to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.

Urbanisation is one of the most significant developments of the 21st

century. More than half of the global population lives in cities, a proportion
that is expected to increase to 70% by 2050. Cities drive local and national
economies, as hubs of prosperity where more than 80% of global economic
activity is concentrated. Urbanisation also poses major challenges. Cities
have an enormous environmental footprint. They occupy just three per cent
of the world’s surface but are responsible for three-quarters of global
resource consumption and 75% of global emissions.

Goal 11 aims to reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of

cities, particularly in terms of air quality and waste management. It calls for
more inclusive and sustainable forms of urbanisation, based in particular on
a participatory, integrated and sustainable approach to urban planning. In
addition, it aims to ensure universal access to safe and inclusive green and
public spaces, especially for women and children, older persons and
persons with disabilities, and provide access to safe and affordable housing
and transport systems.

GOAL 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Responsible Production and Consumption

The world’s population currently consumes more resources than

ecosystems can provide. For social and economic development to remain
within the carrying capacity of ecosystems, fundamental changes are
necessary in the way societies produce and consume.

Goal 12 calls for the implementation of the UN’s ten-year framework of

programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns. It
advocates environmentally sound management of chemicals and all waste
as well as a substantial reduction in waste generation through measures
such as recycling. Goal 12 also aims to halve food waste, encourage
companies to adopt sustainable practices, and promote sustainable public
procurement practices.

GOAL 13: CLIMATE ACTION

Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, everywhere.

Climate change is a key challenge with regard to sustainable development.

The warming of the earth’s atmosphere is triggering changes in the global
climate system that threaten the livelihoods of large sections of the
population in less developed countries, while infrastructure and certain
economic sectors in particular are vulnerable to the risks of climate change
in developed regions. Furthermore, changes in precipitation and
temperature cycles are also affecting ecosystems such as forests,
agricultural land, mountain regions and oceans, as well as the plants,
animals and people that live in them. Global carbon dioxide (CO ) emissions
2

increased by over 50% between 1990 and 2012.

Goal 13 calls on countries to incorporate climate protection measures in

their national policies and assist each other in responding to the challenges
at hand. It acknowledges that the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change is the primary international, intergovernmental forum for
negotiating the global response to climate change. Supplementing this
dialogue, Goal 13 advocates strengthening resilience to climate-related
natural disasters and reaffirms the commitment undertaken by developed
countries to mobilise each year USD 100 billion jointly from all sources by
2020 to help developing countries adapt to climate change.

GOAL 14: LIFE BELOW WATER

Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a
sustainable future.
Pollution and over-exploitation of our oceans are posing ever-greater
problems, such as an acute threat to biodiversity, ocean acidification and an
increase in plastic waste. Besides industrial fishing and the commercial use
of marine resources, climate change is placing marine ecosystems under
increased pressure. A continuously growing global population will be even
more dependent on marine resources in future.

Goal 14 advocates significantly reducing all kinds of marine pollution and

minimising ocean acidification by 2025, as well as sustainably managing
and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems by as early as 2020. It also
aims, by 2020, to regulate harvesting in an effective manner and to halt
overfishing by ending illegal and unregulated fishing and destructive
fishing practices. In addition, Goal 14 aims to prohibit specific types of
subsidy to fisheries.

GOAL 15: LIFE ON LAND

Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land
degradation, halt biodiversity loss.

The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are vital to social and
economic development as well as to humanity’s survival. However, there is
evidence of an ongoing decline in biodiversity along with a loss in forest
area that threatens human prosperity, with poor rural populations –
including indigenous and local communities – particularly affected.
Biodiversity and forests contribute to poverty reduction, for example by
underpinning food security and human health, providing clean air and
water, absorbing CO emissions and providing a basis for environmental
2

development.

Goal 15 calls for the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of

ecosystems, with the aim of halting deforestation, restoring degraded
forests and substantially increasing reforestation by 2020. It also advocates
combating desertification by 2030 and restoring land affected by
desertification, drought and floods. To protect biodiversity, Goal 15 calls for
urgent measures to end poaching and trafficking of protected plant and
animal species.

GOAL 16: PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

Access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable institutions at all
levels.

Evidence shows that without peaceful and inclusive communities and

effective governance, development cannot be sustainable. For example,
conflict-affected countries are the furthest away from achieving the MDGs,
whereas in many other countries the re-establishment of peace and
accountable institutions has contributed greatly to achieving the MDGs.

Goal 16 for 2030 therefore aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
As such, it advocates reducing all forms of violence, ending torture and
combating all forms of organised crime. In addition, Goal 16 envisages
significantly reducing corruption and bribery as well as illicit financial and
arms flows. To ensure that societies are peaceful and inclusive, Goal 16 also
aims to promote inclusive institutions and the rule of law, and guarantee
equal access to justice.

GOAL 17: PARTNERSHIPS

Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Successful implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals

depends on a comprehensive funding framework that goes beyond official
development assistance commitments. Alongside public and private
funding, the political sphere will also be expected to make a greater
contribution to achieving the goals in question. In July 2015, the
international community agreed to a new framework for financing and
implementing sustainable development – the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

Goal 17 calls on developed countries to renew their commitment to allocate

0.7% of their gross national income to official development assistance. It
aims for a greater mobilisation of domestic resources to reduce dependence
on foreign support, as well as enhanced international collaboration in
science, technology and innovation, and the promotion of an equitable
multilateral trading system. Goal 17 also advocates enhancing
macroeconomic stability and policy coherence in the interests of
sustainable development.

Conclusion - THE Goals, targets and indicators associated with the 2030 Agenda offer
increased opportunities to advance youth development objectives in the context of social,
economic and environmentally sustainable development efforts. When coupled with
strong policy frameworks for advancing youth development—incorporating both targeted
youth policies and the mainstreaming of youth issues—the new development landscape
offers innumerable opportunities for young people to thrive. For youth-related
development objectives to be realized, however, much more is needed in terms of
financial support, data collection and analysis, agreed standards of measurement, and
targeted interventions. In the areas of education and employment, persistent deficiencies
and disparities in data availability and development indicators are impeding progress on
the achievement of the objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda and complementary
frameworks.
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