Sustainable development: premises, understanding and prospects

Abstract Humanity now finds itself at a ‘turning point’ and is looking for new visions of further development. One such vision is provided by the sustainable development concept, though this is understood in different ways. The conceptualizations of sustainable development within the worlds of politics and business still lie within the framework of the earlier paradigm of civilizational development. At the same time, the possibility of development being understood in a quite separate way is taking shape, and this may represent a starting point for a new vision of social development. The latter will necessitate a fundamental and far‐reaching rethinking and revision of the philosophical (above all the anthropological and axiological), economic and political underpinnings of any further development, as well as an incorporation of sustainable development content into every sphere and aspect of humanity's cultural evolution. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.