By Rietje van Dam-Mieras and Jos Rikers

Abstract

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There are many different descriptions of the concept of sustainable development. From a historical perspective, it could be described as a political compromise reached in the framework of the UN between the so-called "developed" world – concerned with environmental problems and ecological ???aural:Bildanfang??????Großansicht des Bildes???First seven RCEs acknowledged in 2005 © RCE Penang???aural:Bildende???sustainability – and the so-called "developing" world – more concerned with economic development.

The report "Our Common Future," by the World Committee on Environment and Development chaired by the Norwegian Prime Minister Brundtland, was a result of this compromise (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). Sustainable development is an intergenerational concept connecting different levels of scale and different domains. It brings together – at the very least – economic, environmental and socio-cultural domains, and can be interpreted differently from different perspectives.