The concept of sustainability sprouted from the concepts of social justice, ecological conservation and globalism that developed in the late 20th century.
The 1987 "Our Common Future" report of the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, chaired by former Norwegian Prime Minister Brundtland, was the first institutional document to define the need for sustainable development, a holistic approach that takes into account the environment, the economy and equality.
The most widely used definition of sustainable development, "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" was used for the first time in the "Our Common Future" report.
Emphasizing that economic and ecological studies should be carried out together and that countries, institutions and individuals should show the necessary sensitivity to ecological issues without only considering their financial interests, the "Our Common Future" report revealed that environmental problems have reached alarming dimensions.
The report evaluates sustainable development in the light of the common problems of the whole world. The "Our Common Future" report draws attention to global problems such as population growth, food security, ecosystems, energy, industrialization and urbanization and proposes solutions.
Population Growth
According to the "Our Common Future" report, the increasing need for resources along with population growth may lead to careless use of natural resources and related poverty problems. It is among the findings of the report that everyone should have the right to self-realization through education and that educated human resources are a prerequisite for effective solutions to future problems.
Food Safety
The "Our Common Future" report addresses food security as a distribution issue. Despite sufficient production potential, distributional failures create inequalities in access to food. To address this problem, proposals such as land reform prioritizing the protection of small farmers have been put forward.
Species and Ecosystems
The "Our Common Future" report addresses the threat to biodiversity and ecosystems as a global problem. It emphasizes the need for more careful use of forested areas and the creation of new natural protected areas to protect wildlife and species.
Energy
Increasing energy demand due to population growth, industrialization and developing production capacity
fossil fuels. According to the report, the rate of renewable energy use needs to increase. Governments have an important role to play in this. Recommendations include setting clear energy targets and continuing development and research projects in the field of energy efficiency.
Industrialization
The report emphasizes the need to develop new technologies to prevent environmental pollution.
Technological developments provide many advantages, increasing efficiency in production and reducing resource use. However, it is also stated that precautions should be taken against potential problems in the use of new technologies. For example, it is emphasized that toxic wastes generated as a result of production should be more strictly controlled.
Urbanization
The "Our Common Future" report emphasizes the increasing importance of local governments due to the increase in urban populations and the need to rapidly increase their infrastructure and service capacities. As a result of rapid growth and urbanization, it is predicted that illegal settlements and poor-quality infrastructure services will become widespread. In response to infrastructure problems, states should develop new settlement plans. It is recommended that local governments be given resources and political power to create governments that are better able to respond to local needs.
From "Our Common Future" to the Present
The climate crisis, increasing environmental risks and changing demographics have reaffirmed the importance of the "Our Common Future" report. This report, which laid the foundation for many developments in the field of global sustainability, not only defined sustainable development, but also pioneered international developments by offering solutions to global problems. With the understanding set forth by the report, the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability began to be evaluated in a holistic manner. The Sustainable Development Goals developed by the United Nations were shaped in the light of the understanding put forward by the "Our Common Future" report.