Sustainability and Sustainable Development

In the fight against pressing issues such as climate change and loss of natural resources, many organizations, countries, communities, and individuals have taken on the responsibility of advocating for sustainability and sustainable development.  

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However, information and education regarding both topics is not always accessible to everyone. In the same matter, while aligned with one another, both concepts are oftentimes deemed the same, but sustainability and sustainable development differ in definition and focus, offering different goals as well; both, however, just as important.

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Sustainability vs. Sustainable Development

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As defined by the United Nations (UN), sustainability is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This principle touches on various sectors such as environmental, social, and economic sustainability; however, each pillar represents a single interconnected system, one where the present and future society benefits from.

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Conversely, sustainable development is defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  

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Both principles might seem the same; however, sustainability describes the responsible management of resources in the present in order to avoid their depletion for future generations, while sustainable development focuses on the ways and processes society can improve long-term quality of life (the development) for both generations.

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Today, sustainability has become a prominent topic of conversation, in which multiple companies, countries, communities, and people have done their part in adopting economically, socially, and, most notably, environmentally sustainable habits. In fact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared that sustainability is necessary in order to “create and maintain conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony.” 

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In terms of the environment, sustainability is seen in everyday actions such as reusing, reducing, and recycling while also in more complex topics such as smart cities and renewable energy. 

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With this in mind, sustainable development, unlike sustainability, looks for rather “more developed” ways to make life more sustainable and just for all. 

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As a result, sustainable development should be an important part of every country’s future plans, for its social, economic, and environmental development. The way in which countries can make sure they implement efficient measures to develop sustainable practices is by following and working to complete the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

 

17 Goals for a Better Future

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In order to achieve a more sustainable future, in 2015, the UN established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for each country to adopt and implement. These goals, as established by the UN, are “the map to the world we seek.”

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The SDGs are meant to be a framework to reach balance, peace, and prosperity by 2030 for both the people and the planet, and in both the present and future. However, parting from accepting and adopting these goals, each country must collaborate in order to reach a better future by working on committing to improve aspects such as health and education, food security, reducing inequality, affordable and sustainable energy, mitigating climate change, and more. Currently, 198 countries have adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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“It (the agenda) is a roadmap to ending global poverty, building a life of dignity for all and leaving no one behind. It is also a clarion call to work in partnership and intensify efforts to share prosperity, empower people’s livelihoods, ensure peace, and heal our planet for the benefit of this and future generations,” as said by UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.

 

For more information about the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, click here.

 

Sustainability and Sustainable Development in Latin America

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Meeting the SDGs would pave the way to a more sustainable and harmonious world; for Latin American countries, the completion of this agenda is underway.  

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According to the UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the goals most targeted in the region are better health and well-being, and the implementation of stronger global partnerships for sustainable development.

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An example of the first goal can be seen in the implementation of measures and significant reduction of spread and impact of certain illnesses such as Malaria and HIV within the population of most of the 25 countries represented in ECLAC, as stated by the Commission.  

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It is also important to note that Latin America compares favorably when it comes to renewable energy. Around 13% of the global primary energy supply comes from renewable energy - Latin America’s renewable energy is roughly twice the global figure. 

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Moreover, of the 25 countries represented in ECLAC, most have taken initiatives to protect aquatic ecosystems and marine life, as well as forests and the biodiversity they harbor, among other actions that help achieve the SDGs, such as increasing sustainable land management and protection. 

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However, Latin America still has a long way to go in order to reach a more sustainable future and build resilient communities. Many of the SDGs have received limited attention from Latin American countries’ leaders which have therefore led to inconsistent results. For example, according to ECLAC, while extreme poverty reached its lowest in the region in 2014, the poverty rate for certain age groups reached the highest level it has seen since 2000 by 2019.

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Because of this and more, countries must continue to adopt and implement measures more relentlessly in order to combat unsustainable practices, cycles, and invest in providing accessible information/education on sustainability. 

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For instance, while the percentage of protected forests in the region has increased since 2000 chiefly in South America and The Caribbean, Central America has seen a loss of over 10 percent of this land. Likewise, forest area in The Caribbean has decreased during the last decade, while the rest of the region has seen limited improvement, as recorded by ECLAC.

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Additionally, greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions in Latin America, as a result of land-use, have increased by 42 percent since 2016, as well as an increase the same year due to the agricultural and industrial sectors, according to ECLAC. This represents a failure in the region to properly address human-driven environmental issues that directly contribute to the acceleration of climate change, to which come with detrimental local, regional, and global repercussions.

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Sustainable Development Must Be a Priority

 

It is necessary to recognize that sustainability and sustainable development, while evidently aligned with one other, seek to tackle different aspects - from social and economic to environmental. Because of this, both principles are tied to everything, as they are intersectional within society.

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For this reason, it is important to understand that sustainability and the sustainable development of society does not only regard the environment that surrounds people, but every process, cycle, injustice, and scarcity that are present.

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Therefore, in order to reach a more sustainable and equitable world, sustainable development and persistently addressing the SDGs must be a priority for all countries, entities, communities, and people. Sustainability should not be a luxury, it should be an unanimous and accessible lifestyle.

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What is your country or community doing to achieve sustainability?