1 Sustainable development

1.1 Consumption patterns and the environment

The past 20 years have seen a growing realisation that the current model of development is not sustainable and that we are living beyond our means. From the loss of biodiversity with the felling of rainforests, or overfishing to the negative effect our consumption patterns are having on the environment and the climate, our way of life is placing an increasing burden on the planet. The increasing stress we put on resources and environmental systems such as water, land and air cannot go on indefinitely, especially as the world's population continues to increase. This is not sustainable.

The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of future generations.

Unless we start to make real progress toward reconciling these contradictions we face a future that is less certain and less secure. We need to make a decisive move toward more sustainable development. Not just because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is in our own long-term best interests. It offers the best hope for the future. Whether at school, in the home or at work, we all have a part to play. Our small everyday actions add up to make a big difference.

Activity 1

Explore the UK government’s view of sustainable development at the website of its Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

1.2 Defining sustainable development