Scope and Definitions

The term sustainable development was used by Brundtland Commission which has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

The field of sustainable development can be conceptually divided into three constituent parts: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and social-political sustainability.

Sustainability is a process which tells of a development of all aspects of human life affecting sustenance. It means resolving the conflict between the various competing goals, and involves the simultaneous pursuit of economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity, of keeping the environment as pristine as naturally possible.

An “unsustainable situation” occurs when natural capital (the sum total of nature’s resources) is used up faster than it can be replenished. Sustainability requires that human activity only uses nature’s resources at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally.

Economic sustainability is not just about achieving economic growth year on year. It’s about understanding that economic growth is only sustainable if it is simultaneously improves our quality of life and the environment. Economic sustainability can be applied to individuals, families, small and large businesses, communities, governments or world wide organizations.

If environment protection is concerned with the preservation of our natural environment and resources, and economic sustainability is concerned with seeking durable growth solutions therein, then the social – political sphere can be thought of as representative of the more purely human element in the equation. Social-political sustainability too is very much concerned with physical and material standing of peoples, but further that it is concerned with the state of their civil society. Social-political development entails not only the engagement of institutional mechanisms, but also their modification and advancement. Social-political sustainability thus seeks pathways to durable social enrichment and development via the vibrancy and health of a society’s political process.

2. Match the halves.

1 1.	Sustainable development meets the needs of the present	a	when natural capital is used up faster that it can be replenished.
2 2	Environment protection is concerned	b	pathways to durable social enrichment and development via the vibrancy and health of a society’s political process.
33	An unsustainable development occurs	c	not only the engagement of institutional mechanisms but also their modification and advancement.
4 4	Social-political sustainability seeks	d	with the preservation of our natural environment and resources.
5 5	Social-political development entails	e	without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
6 6	Economic sustainability is not just about achieving economic growth	f	to individuals, families, small and large businesses, communities, governments or world wide organizations. world wide organizations.
7 7	Economic sustainability can be applied	g	it is about uderstanding that economic growth is only sustainable if it is simultaneously improves our quality of life and environment.

3. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations

an often-quoted definition; to meet one’s needs; constituent parts; economic

prosperity; competing goals; social equity; economic sustainability; physical

and material standing; durable social enrichment; social-political sphere;

social enrichment; via vibrancy and health of a society’s political process

Text 4

1. Read the text and discuss the questions given after it.