Sustainability describes a state. Sustainable development describes how you get there while still meeting people’s needs today. In 2015 every UN member state agreed on what that should look like — seventeen goals, and a deadline of 2030.
📘 What you need to know
Sustainable development balances economic, social and environmental factors to meet present needs without compromising future generations.
The concept gained wide recognition through the Brundtland Report (1987) by the World Commission on Environment and Development.
The Newfoundland cod fishery collapse is the named case study of unsustainable resource use.
The UN SDGs were created in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda: 17 goals and 169 targets.
SDG uses: common ground for policy, global relevance, galvanising the international community.
SDG limitations: insufficient ambition, top-down approach, ignoring local contexts, data deficiency.
What sustainable development means
Sustainable development aims to balance economic, social and environmental factors so that the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
DefinitionSustainable development — development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
The concept gained wider recognition with the Brundtland Report, published in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development. It introduced sustainable development by insisting that social and economic issues be addressed alongside environmental concerns rather than separately.
Achieving it requires a long-term perspective and a commitment to understanding the highly complex interactions between the economic, social and environmental aspects of growing societies. It is an ongoing process needing cooperation from individuals, organisations and governments at every level.
Three worked examples
Renewable energy — using wind, solar or hydropower instead of non-renewable fossil fuels.
Sustainable agriculture — techniques that minimise agriculture’s environmental impact, such as crop rotation, soil conservation and reduced use of pesticides and fertilisers.
Sustainable urban planning — creating cities that are more liveable, efficient and environmentally friendly through public transport, green spaces such as parks and green roofs, and energy-efficient buildings.
Environmental aspects
Social aspects
Economic aspects
Renewable energy
Cultural diversity
Economic growth
Waste management
Social stability
Developing nations
Water treatment
Education
Cost of urban infrastructure
Reduce, reuse and recycle
Healthcare
Energy-efficient buildings
Nature reserves
Crime
Economic policies
Urban wildlife
Personal freedom
International trade
Ecosystem services
Gender equality
Labour market
What unsustainable use looks like
Unsustainable exploitation of natural resources threatens both ecosystems and human wellbeing. When resources are overused or mismanaged, the result can be irreversible damage and ecosystem collapse.
Use this case study whenever a question asks why economic sustainability depends on environmental sustainability. The causal chain does the arguing for you.
The Newfoundland cod fishery off Canada’s east coast was once one of the most productive in the world, supporting thriving communities. Decades of intensive fishing pushed cod populations to unsustainable levels:
Overfishing. In the mid-20th century, advances such as factory trawlers and sonar let fishermen catch far more cod than ever before, so fish were harvested faster than they could reproduce.
Ecosystem impact. Cod were both predator and prey, so their decline unbalanced the marine ecosystem, affecting other species and disrupting ecological processes.
Economic fallout. Tens of thousands of jobs were lost and whole communities faced economic hardship, with ripple effects through industries from fishing to tourism.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, United Nations member states committed to a shared plan for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, called the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the set of social and environmental objectives established as targets for that agenda: 17 goals and 169 targets.
The model recognises that ending poverty must go hand in hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality and generate economic growth — all while tackling climate change and preserving ecosystems such as oceans and forests. The SDGs provide both a target for sustainable development and a metric for measuring progress.
The colour grouping is a learning aid, not part of the official model. It helps you see that the SDGs cover social goals as heavily as environmental ones.
Uses of the SDGs
Common ground for policymaking. They give governments, NGOs, IGOs and communities a shared agenda for developing policies and initiatives.
Global relevance. They apply to developed and developing countries alike, encouraging a universal approach.
Galvanising the international community. They encourage collaboration and collective action on economic and social inequalities.
Limitations of the SDGs
Insufficient ambition. Critics argue they do not go far enough given the scale of global challenges.
Top-down approach. They can be bureaucratic and fail to involve local communities in decision-making.
Ignoring local contexts. They may overlook the socio-cultural, economic and environmental particularities of different regions.
Data deficiency. A lack of comprehensive, accurate data makes progress hard to monitor and evaluate.
You do not need to memorise all 17 goals. You do need to explain some strengths and weaknesses, and it helps to know one implementation example — the UK government incorporates the SDGs into national policy. Notice too that the last limitation, data deficiency, connects directly to the indicators page later in this sub-topic: you cannot manage what you cannot measure.
Worked examples
WE 1
Defining sustainable development
Define sustainable development and give two examples. (3 marks)
Step 1: the definition
Development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, balancing economic, social and environmental factors.
Step 2: first example
Using renewable energy sources such as wind, solar or hydropower instead of non-renewable fossil fuels.
Step 3: second example
Sustainable agriculture, using crop rotation, soil conservation and reduced pesticide and fertiliser use to limit environmental impact.
Meeting today’s needs without borrowing from tomorrowcrediting the Brundtland Report (1987) shows extra knowledge
WE 2
Unsustainable resource use
Using a named example, explain the consequences of unsustainable resource use. (4 marks)
The example and cause
The Newfoundland cod fishery collapsed after advances in fishing technology — factory trawlers and sonar — allowed catches far larger than before.
Consequence 1: the resource
Cod were harvested faster than they could reproduce, so the population fell to unsustainable levels.
Consequence 2: the ecosystem
Cod were both predator and prey, so their decline unbalanced the marine ecosystem, affecting other species and disrupting ecological processes.
Consequence 3: society and economy
Tens of thousands of jobs were lost and coastal communities faced hardship, with ripple effects through industries from fishing to tourism.
The resource, the ecosystem and the economy all collapsed togethercovering all three pillars is what turns this into a full-mark answer
WE 3
Evaluating the SDGs
Evaluate the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for sustainability. (4 marks)
Strength 1: shared agenda
They give governments, NGOs and communities common ground for policymaking, and apply to developed and developing countries alike.
Strength 2: collective action
They galvanise the international community, encouraging collaboration on economic and social inequalities, and provide a metric for measuring progress.
Limitation 1: ambition and approach
Critics argue they lack ambition given the scale of the challenge, and that the top-down approach is bureaucratic and excludes local communities.
Limitation 2: context and data
They can overlook local socio-cultural and environmental contexts, and a lack of accurate data makes progress hard to monitor.
Valuable as shared direction, weaker as a delivery mechanismtwo strengths, two limitations, then a judgement — that is the shape of an evaluate answer
💡 Exam tips
Learn the definition word for word, including “without compromising future generations”.
Credit the Brundtland Report, 1987 when defining the term.
Keep Newfoundland cod ready for any unsustainable-use question.
For the cod case study, cover the resource, the ecosystem and the economy.
You need SDG strengths and limitations, not the list of 17 goals.
⚠ Common mistakes
Confusing sustainability with sustainable development. One is a state, the other is the process of getting there.
Trying to memorise all 17 SDGs. The syllabus does not require it.
Dating the SDGs to 1987. That is Brundtland. The SDGs are 2015.
Giving only environmental consequences for the cod collapse. The social and economic fallout carries marks too.
Listing SDG strengths without limitations. Evaluation needs both.
Treating sustainable development as anti-growth. It balances growth with social and environmental limits.
Up next: Environmental Justice and Equity. Sustainable development promises to meet everyone’s needs. The next page asks a harder question: who currently carries the environmental costs, and who gets the benefits.
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