strategy
Developing sustainable development policy
Synonyms:
Greening government policy Description:
Developing policies to halt and reverse the two major harbingers of unsustainable development -- massive resource degradation and population growth. These include cross-sectoral issues (particularly trade, financial mechanisms, structural adjustment and technology transfer) and sectoral issues (including biodiversity, forests, agriculture and pesticides). Context:
At the Earth Summit in Rio (1992), the phrase "sustainable development" became a vital instrument in focusing attention on the need for better environmental stewardship. The concept of sustainability, however goes well beyond the protection of natural resources. It also encompasses human welfare in the broadest sense, including education, health, equality of opportunity, and political and civil rights. Implementation:
The Society for Development Alternatives recommends a seven-point programme to which all future development action be directly assigned above all other priorities: (a) satisfying the basic needs of every citizen; (b) fulfilling the potential of children; (c) raising the status and self-determination of women; (d) creating meaningful work and living wages for all; (e) enlarging the possibilities for social advancement; (f) enhancing the personal security of old people; (g) facilitating access to the means of family planning. Claim:
Too often, action to achieve objectives for sustainable development in one policy area hinders progress in another, while solutions to problems often lie in the hands of policy makers in other sectors or at other levels of government. This is a major cause of many long-term unsustainable trends. In addition the absence of a coherent long-term perspective means that there is too much focus on short-term costs and too little focus on the prospect of longer term "win-win" situations. Broader:
Developing policyEstablishing inclusive planning frameworkDeveloping national strategies for sustainability Narrower:
Reforming domestic trade policyModifying unsustainable policiesMaking coherent government policyHarmonizing national law and policyDeveloping sustainable land use policyElaborating national employment policiesDeveloping sustainable population policyDeveloping policy for resource managementDeveloping sustainable coastal fishing policyIntegrating national energy efficiency policyDeveloping policy for conservation of forestsDeveloping international environmental policyEnsuring national policy-making in a global worldDeveloping international sustainable energy policyEstablishing national policy to expand water supplyImplementing national policy on marine environmentsDeveloping national health policy for climate changeImproving national waste management and control policiesInvolving indigenous peoples in planning national policiesEvaluating effects of world trade agreements on agricultureEnsuring national policies account for environmental effectsAssessing impacts of trade policy on biodiversity conservationStrengthening national policies to encourage technology transferDeveloping national policy to control transboundary air pollutionMitigating social consequences of structural adjustment programmesEnsuring national economic policies support sustainable developmentDeveloping preventive policies for health impacts of climate changeAssessing environmental effects of national waste management policiesDeveloping national policies to change unsustainable consumption patternsBuilding demographic factors into national policies for sustainable developmentStrengthening international programmes supporting national sustainable development policiesRealigning politics around ecology Facilitates:
Sustaining developmentPlanning for sustainabilityDeveloping sustainable housingFulfilling potential of childrenSupplying family planning servicesLiving within earth's carrying capacityImplementing international development strategy Facilitated by:
Studying social reformMeasuring sustainabilityMeasuring sustainabilityMeasuring sustainabilityResearching natural resourcesFormulating policy on sciencesCreating appropriate transport systemsCorrecting gender bias in policy-makingResearching human resources developmentImproving adequacy of development policiesCriticizing structural adjustment programmesConducting research on natural resources policyImproving NGO access to international policy debatesPromoting sustainability through cross-sectoral dialogueFostering linkages between family planning and social welfareProtesting environmentally unsound policies of development banksConcluding new international agreements to achieve global sustainabilityResearching effects of fiscal policy on innovation of environmental technologies Organizations:
World Constitution and Parliament Association United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development Standing Committee of Ministers Responsible for Energy, Mines and Natural Resources OECD Development Centre Society for Development Alternatives Inter-American Development Bank International Bank for Reconstruction and Development European Union European Regional Commission on Sustainable Development to Implement Agenda 21 References:
Gallopin, Gilberto; Winograd, Mauel and Gomez, Isabel A: Ambiente y Desarrollo en América Latina y el Caribe: problemas, oportunidades, y prioridadesRobinson, Nicholas A: Agenda 21 and the UNCED ProceedingsCarew-Reid, Jeremy, IIED and IUCN: Strategies for National Sustainable Development: a handbook on their preparation and implementationPearce, David; Markandya, Anil and Barbier, Edward B: Blueprint for a Green EconomyHolmberg, Johan; Bass, Stephen and Timberlake, Lloyd: Defending the Future: a guide to sustainable developmentvan den Bergh, Jeroen and van der Straaten, Jan: Towards Sustainable Development: concepts, methods and policyPearce, David; Barbier, Edward B and Markandya, Anil: Sustainable Development: economics and environment in the third worldNational Commission on the Environment: Towards Sustainable DevelopmentHolmberg, Johan: Policies for a Small Planet: from the International Institute of Environment and DevelopmentMacDonnell, Lawrence and Bates, Sarah: Natural Resource Policy and Law: trends and directionsWorld Wide Fund for Nature: CSD 1995: making UNCED workWorld Bank: Making Development Sustainable: the World Bank Group and the environment Subjects:
Government → Government Environment → Environment
Development → Development
Development → Sustainable development
Policy-making → Policy
Type Classification:
C: Cross-sectoral strategies Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
