Climate change and global warming are not the only environmental issues that can have a negative impact or influence on society. The underlying principles of sustainable development should therefore be highlighted. The past 20 years have seen a growing realisation that the current model of development is unsustainable. In other words, we are living beyond our means. From the loss of biodiversity with the felling of rainforests or over fishing 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.
A widely-used and accepted international definition of sustainable development is:
Development which meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Globally we are not even meeting the needs of the present, let alone considering the needs 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.