Chapter 3 – Sustainable Development & Environmental Issues
Chapter 3 – Sustainable Development
Development that will allow all future
generations to have a potential average quality of
life that is at least as high as that which is being
enjoyed by the current generation.
The focus of sustainable development is far
broader than just the environment.
It's also about ensuring a strong, healthy and just
society.
✓ meeting the diverse needs of all people in
existing and future communities
✓ promoting personal wellbeing
✓ social cohesion and inclusion
✓ creating equal opportunity
If sustainable development focuses on the future,
does that mean we lose out now?
Not necessarily.
Sustainable development is about finding better
ways of doing things, both for the future and the
present. We might need to change the way we
work and live now, but this doesn't mean our
quality of life will be reduced.
Development that meets the need of the present Sustainable Development
generation without compromising the ability of the
future generation to meet their own needs.
Environment and economy are interdependent and
need each other. Hence, development that ignores
its repercussions on the environment will destroy
the environment that sustains life forms.
The concept of sustainable development was
emphasized by the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED)
Pillars of Sustainable Development
Environmental Sustainability is the ability of the environment
to support a defined level of environmental quality and
natural resource extraction rates indefinitely.
Social Sustainability is the ability of a social system,
such as a country, family, or organization, to
function at a defined level of social well-being and
harmony indefinitely.
Economic Sustainability is the ability of an economy to
support a defined level of economic production
indefinitely.
Since the Great Recession of 2008 this is the world's
biggest apparent problem which endangers progress due
to environmental sustainability problem.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global
Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015, as a universal call –
• to action to end poverty
• to protect the planet
• To ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity
• The 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area
will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance
social, economic and environmental sustainability.
• 17 Sustainable Development Goals come with 169 targets.
• They are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions
of sustainable development: the economic, social and
environmental.
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Sustainable Development Report
The Sustainable Development Goals Report
2022 provides a global overview of progress on
the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, using the latest
available data and estimates.
It tracks the global and regional progress
towards the 17 Goals with in-depth analyses
of selected indicators for each Goal.
Sustainable Development Report 2022
• The 2022 SDG Index is topped by Finland,
followed by Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
• East and South Asia is the region that progressed
most on the SDGs since their adoption in 2015.
• Bangladesh and Cambodia are the two countries
that progressed most on the SDGs since 2015.
• Venezuela has declined the most on the SDG Index
since their adoption in 2015.
Sustainable Development Report 2022
• India was ranked at 121 out of the 163 countries.
• It was ranked 117 in 2020 and 120 in 2021.
• India is not placed well to achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG) and its preparedness has
worsened over the years in comparison with other countries.
✓ The country continues to face major challenges in achieving 11
of the 17 SDGs.
✓ Ensuring decent work (SDG 8) has become more challenging.
✓ But India is on track to achieving SDG 13 on climate action.
RBI Grade B - Phase 2 - 2018
Ques. The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a
collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “blueprint to
achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". These goals are
intended to be achieved by the year _________
A. 2025
B. 2022
C. 2030
D. 2035
E. 2040
RBI Grade B - Phase 2 - 2019
Ques. As part of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development,
what is the total number of targets to be achieved under the 17
SDGs?
A. 180
B. 179
C. 169
D.164
E. 122
Important Organizations, Conventions and
Protocols
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International Organizations
IPCC IUCN UNEP
GEF GCF
International Union for Conservation of Nature
• IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental
organization, Founded in 1948
• It is the largest professional global conservation network with more
than 1,200 member organizations including 200+ government and
900+ non-government organizations.
• Headquarter: Gland, in Switzerland.
Key Functions: Conserving biodiversity is central to the mission of IUCN.
The main areas of function are:
✓ Science – the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.
✓ Action – hundreds of conservation projects all over the world.
✓ Influence – through the collective strength of more than 1,200
government and non-governmental Member organizations.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations - World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
• Later endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly.
• Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland
• Key Functions
✓ The IPCC produces reports that support the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
✓ IPCC reports cover all relevant information to understand the risk of
human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for
adaptation and mitigation.
✓ The IPCC does not carry out its own original research.
✓ Thousands of scientists and other experts contribute on a voluntary
basis.
United Nations Environment Programme
• It was founded as a result of the UN Conference on the Human
Environment (Stockholm Conference) in 1972
• Headquarter: Nairobi, Kenya
Key Functions:
✓ It coordinates UN’s environmental activities, assisting
developing countries in implementing environmentally
sound policies and practices.
✓ Its activities cover a wide range of issues regarding the
atmosphere, marine and terrestrial ecosystems,
environmental governance and green economy.
United Nations Environment Programme
✓ UNEP has also been active in funding and
implementing environment related development
projects
✓ It has aided in the formulation of guidelines and
treaties on issues such as the international trade in
potentially harmful chemicals, transboundary air
pollution, and contamination of international
waterways.
✓ It is also one of several Implementing Agencies for the
Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the
Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the
Montreal Protocol
Global Environment Facility
• Established in October 1991 during Rio Earth Summit.
• It was established as a $1 billion pilot program in the World Bank to
assist in the protection of the global environment and to promote
environmental sustainable development.
• Headquarter: Washington
• Key Functions:
✓ It unites 183 countries in partnership with international
institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private
sector to address global environmental issues while supporting
national sustainable development initiatives.
✓ It provides grants for projects related to biodiversity, climate
change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer,
and persistent organic pollutants.
Green Climate Fund
• Established by 194 countries party to the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change in 2010.
• It was designed as an operating entity of the Convention’s
financial mechanism.
• It is governed by a 24 Board member Board, representing
countries, and receives guidance from the Conference of the
Parties to the Convention (COP).
• It aims to support a paradigm shift in the global response to
climate change.
• Headquarter - Republic of Korea.
Green Climate Fund
Key Functions:
✓ It allocates its resources to low-emission and climate-
resilient projects and programmes in developing
countries.
✓ The Fund pays particular attention to the needs of
societies that are highly vulnerable to the effects of
climate change, in particular Least Developed
Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States
(SIDS), and African States.
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Organization Headquarter
Green Climate Fund Incheon City, Korea
Green Environment Facility Washington, USA
UNEP Nairobi, Kenya
IPCC Geneva, Switzerland
IUCN Gland, Switzerland
