60-second revision
- Brundtland Report 'Our Common Future' (1987) defined sustainable development.
- Rio Earth Summit (1992): Agenda 21, Rio Declaration, UNFCCC and Convention on Biological Diversity; principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
- MDGs: 8 goals, 2000-2015. SDGs: 17 goals, 169 targets, adopted September 2015, effective 1 January 2016, deadline 2030.
- SDG 13 = Climate Action; SDG 14 = Life below Water; SDG 15 = Life on Land; SDG 17 = Partnerships.
- NITI Aayog coordinates SDGs and publishes the SDG India Index (since 2018); MoSPI runs the National Indicator Framework.
- India's targets: net zero by 2070 (COP26, 2021); updated NDC (2022) cuts emissions intensity of GDP 45% by 2030 from 2005.
- International Solar Alliance: launched by India and France at COP21 (2015); headquarters Gurugram.
- HDI (UNDP, since 1990): life expectancy, schooling (mean and expected years) and GNI per capita (PPP).
The idea
Sustainable development is 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs', in the words of the World Commission on Environment and Development's report 'Our Common Future' (1987), chaired by Gro Harlem Brundtland. It rests on three pillars: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.
Weak sustainability assumes natural capital can be replaced by man-made capital as long as total capital is maintained. Strong sustainability holds that some natural capital, like a stable climate or biodiversity, cannot be substituted and must be preserved. Green GDP tries to adjust national income for resource depletion and environmental damage.
Milestones
| Year | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment | First global environment conference; UNEP created |
| 1972 | 'The Limits to Growth' (Club of Rome) | Warned that unchecked growth would hit resource limits |
| 1987 | Brundtland Report 'Our Common Future' | Defined sustainable development |
| 1992 | Rio Earth Summit (UNCED) | Agenda 21, Rio Declaration, UNFCCC, CBD; common but differentiated responsibilities |
| 1997 | Kyoto Protocol | Binding emission cuts for developed countries |
| 2000 | Millennium Declaration | 8 Millennium Development Goals for 2015 |
| 2012 | Rio+20 | 'The Future We Want'; began the process for the SDGs |
| 2015 | UN Summit and COP21 Paris | 2030 Agenda (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement |
From MDGs to SDGs
The eight MDGs (2000-2015) focused mainly on developing countries: poverty and hunger, primary education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, environmental sustainability and a global partnership. The SDGs are universal, apply to rich and poor countries alike, and add inequality, cities, consumption, oceans, peace and institutions. Their organising principle is 'leave no one behind', and they are often grouped as the 5 Ps: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership.
| SDG | Goal | SDG | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No poverty | 10 | Reduced inequalities |
| 2 | Zero hunger | 11 | Sustainable cities and communities |
| 3 | Good health and well-being | 12 | Responsible consumption and production |
| 4 | Quality education | 13 | Climate action |
| 5 | Gender equality | 14 | Life below water |
| 6 | Clean water and sanitation | 15 | Life on land |
| 7 | Affordable and clean energy | 16 | Peace, justice and strong institutions |
| 8 | Decent work and economic growth | 17 | Partnerships for the goals |
| 9 | Industry, innovation and infrastructure |
India's SDG framework
- NITI Aayog coordinates SDG implementation, mapping goals to ministries and schemes.
- MoSPI maintains the National Indicator Framework to track progress with official data.
- The SDG India Index, published by NITI Aayog since 2018, scores states and Union Territories, encouraging competitive federalism.
Climate commitments
- Paris Agreement (COP21, 2015): keep warming well below 2 degrees C and pursue 1.5 degrees C; each country submits Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
- India's updated NDC (August 2022): reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030 from the 2005 level (earlier 33-35%), and about 50% of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
- Net zero by 2070, announced at COP26 in Glasgow (2021) as part of the 'Panchamrit' pledges.
- Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), launched in 2022, promotes mindful consumption by individuals.
- The International Solar Alliance, launched by India and France at COP21 on 30 November 2015, is headquartered in Gurugram.
- Ozone: the Montreal Protocol (1987) phases out ozone-depleting substances; its Kigali Amendment (2016) phases down HFCs.
Measuring development: HDI
The Human Development Index, published by the UNDP in its Human Development Report since 1990, was devised by Mahbub ul Haq with inputs from Amartya Sen. It is the geometric mean of three dimension indices.
| Dimension | Indicator |
|---|---|
| Long and healthy life | Life expectancy at birth |
| Knowledge | Mean years of schooling (adults) and expected years of schooling (children) |
| Decent standard of living | Gross National Income per capita (PPP dollars) |
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