Last reviewed 4 Nov 2026 · Facts as of 4 Nov 2026 · 3 min read
1. Concept
"Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." — from Our Common Future, World Commission on Environment and Development chaired by Gro Harlem Brundtland.
Three pillars
| Pillar | Aim |
|---|---|
| Economic | Growth, jobs, efficient use of resources |
| Social | Equity, health, education, poverty reduction |
| Environmental | Conservation of resources and ecosystems, pollution control |
- Weak sustainability — natural capital can be substituted by man-made capital.
- Strong sustainability — critical natural capital (e.g. the ozone layer, biodiversity) cannot be substituted and must be preserved.
Principles
- Intergenerational and intragenerational equity.
- Precautionary principle — lack of full scientific certainty is no reason to delay preventive action.
- Polluter pays principle — the polluter bears the cost of damage.
- Carrying capacity — use renewable resources no faster than they regenerate.
- Public trust doctrine — the State holds natural resources in trust for the public (upheld by the Supreme Court in M. C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath, 1997).
2. From MDGs to SDGs
| Framework | Period | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) | 2000–2015 | 8 goals — poverty, education, gender, child and maternal health, diseases, environment, partnership |
| Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — Agenda 2030 | 2016–2030 | 17 goals, 169 targets; universal (for all countries); "leave no one behind" |
The 17 SDGs
1 No poverty · 2 Zero hunger · 3 Good health · 4 Quality education · 5 Gender equality · 6 Clean water and sanitation · 7 Affordable and clean energy · 8 Decent work and growth · 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure · 10 Reduced inequalities · 11 Sustainable cities and communities · 12 Responsible consumption and production · 13 Climate action · 14 Life below water · 15 Life on land · 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions · 17 Partnerships for the goals.
- In India, NITI Aayog coordinates the SDGs and publishes the SDG India Index (first in 2018); MoSPI maintains the national indicator framework.