3.2 Brundtland Report and Intergenerational Equity

The Brundtland Report, published in 1987, defined sustainable development and highlighted the links between environmental, social, and economic issues. It emphasized the need to meet present needs without compromising future generations, addressing poverty, unsustainable production, and consumption patterns.

Intergenerational equity, a core principle of sustainability, ensures fair resource distribution across generations. It balances current needs with future well-being through responsible decision-making, conservation of resources, and preservation of biodiversity, while promoting investment in renewable technologies for long-term energy security.

The Brundtland Report

Key findings of Brundtland Report

Top images from around the web for Key findings of Brundtland Report

• 

  What is Sustainability? | Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Podcast 59: A sustainable common future? The Brundtland Report in historical perspective View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Figure 2: SDGs with an environmental dimension View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  What is Sustainability? | Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Podcast 59: A sustainable common future? The Brundtland Report in historical perspective View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Key findings of Brundtland Report

• 

  What is Sustainability? | Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Podcast 59: A sustainable common future? The Brundtland Report in historical perspective View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Figure 2: SDGs with an environmental dimension View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  What is Sustainability? | Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Podcast 59: A sustainable common future? The Brundtland Report in historical perspective View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Published 1987 by World Commission on Environment and Development chaired by Gro Harlem Brundtland addressed global environmental concerns
• Defined sustainable development as meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs
• Highlighted interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic issues demonstrating complex relationships (climate change affecting agriculture)
• Identified poverty as both cause and effect of environmental degradation creating cyclical challenges (deforestation for subsistence farming)
• Revealed unsustainable patterns of production and consumption in industrialized nations driving resource depletion
• Recommended integrating environmental considerations into economic decision-making for holistic approach
• Emphasized conservation and enhancement of resource base to ensure long-term sustainability
• Advocated for sustainable population levels to balance resource use with ecological capacity
• Proposed reorienting technology towards sustainability and managing associated risks
• Urged merging environment and economics in decision-making for comprehensive policy approach

Intergenerational equity in sustainable development

• Concept ensures fair distribution of resources and opportunities across generations maintaining quality of life
• Forms core principle of sustainability emphasizing long-term perspective on resource use and environmental protection
• Balances current needs with future well-being through responsible decision-making
• Requires conservation of natural resources preserving finite materials (fossil fuels)
• Focuses on preservation of biodiversity protecting ecosystems and species (rainforests)
• Aims to maintain ecosystem services vital for human well-being (clean air, water filtration)
• Promotes investment in renewable technologies for long-term energy security (solar, wind)

Ethical Considerations and Implementation Challenges

Ethics of intergenerational equity

• Addresses moral obligations to future generations considering long-term consequences of current actions
• Emphasizes stewardship of planet for future inhabitants preserving natural and cultural heritage
• Grapples with non-identity problem difficulty in identifying specific future individuals affected by decisions
• Debates discount rates valuing present vs future benefits in economic models
• Explores rights-based approaches considering environmental rights for future generations
• Examines intergenerational justice and fairness in resource allocation and environmental burdens
• Considers varying cultural perspectives on long-term planning (indigenous knowledge in sustainability)

Challenges of intergenerational equity policies

• Political obstacles arise from short-term electoral cycles conflicting with long-term policy needs
• Economic challenges balance immediate growth with long-term sustainability addressing market failures
• Technological limitations in current renewable energy and sustainable technologies create implementation hurdles
• Social and behavioral barriers require changing consumption patterns and lifestyles through education
• Measurement issues demand developing indicators for intergenerational equity to track progress
• Global cooperation challenges necessitate coordinating international efforts on issues like climate change
• Disparities between developed and developing nations complicate equitable implementation of policies