Sustainable development: the concept and the practical challenge

There are over 200 definitions of ‘sustainable development’. But if defining it is difficult, putting it into practice is even harder. This paper reviews what ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ actually means in real-world terms and discusses the practical challenge it represents. In particular, the paper identifies the interdependencies of environmental, social and economic sustainability. The five available ‘capitals’ for human progress—natural, human, social, manufactured and financial—are also discussed, the conclusion being that our natural capital (the Earth) is the principal source of wealth from which all others flow.