Sustainable Development
Sustainable development has been defined in many ways, but the most frequently quoted definition is from Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report:
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
Sustainability is the foundation for today’s leading global framework for international cooperation – the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Each of the 17 SDGs has specific targets to be achieved by 2030. The goals and targets are universal, meaning they apply to all countries around the world, not just poor countries. Reaching the goals requires action on all fronts – governments, businesses, civil society and people everywhere all have a role to play.
To find out more about the Sustainable Development Goals, explore our SDG Knowledge Hub – an online resource center for the latest news, original commentary from our experts, guest articles from key actors in SDG implementation, and a calendar of upcoming events related to the 2030 Agenda.
Sustainable development is in the news every day as the world copes with climate change, biodiversity loss, conflict and resource scarcity. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and subscribe to our biweekly e-newsletter to stay connected to the global conversation.
- Book
From Bali to Marrakech: A decade of international climate negotiations
This book builds on IISD's Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) coverage of a decade of climate change negotiations from the meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Bali, Indonesia in 2007 to Marrakech, Morocco in 2016.
Read More - Discussion Paper
Clean Fuel Standard: Summary of stakeholder written comments on the Discussion Paper
The Government of Canada published the Clean Fuel Standard: Discussion Paper to seek stakeholder feedback and received comments from across economic sectors, environmental organizations, academia and the public.
Read More - Report
Towards Sustainable Development in Manitoba: Recommendations for Manitoba's Watershed-Based Policy Framework
IISD's recommendations to strengthen proposed programs under Manitoba's Watershed-Based Policy Framework aim for net gains through geographic targeting, an evaluation framework to assess cumulative impacts and value for money, as well as coordination of local level-actions through aligned metrics with other programs related to land and water management.
Read More - Report
Cities and Smart Grids in Canada
This report looks specifically at smart grids within the context of grid modernization and urban settings in Canada.
Read More - Speech
IISD Speech: President and CEO Scott Vaughan at the World Circular Economy Forum 2017, Helsinki
IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan speech from the World Circular Economy Forum 2017 on June 6, 2017 in Helsinki.
Read More - Speech
IISD Speech: IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region, Geneva
IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan speaking at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development for the UNECE Region in Geneva on April 25, 2017.
Read More - Commentary
Jobs and the Low-Carbon Energy Transition: Perspectives from Cumberland County
This commentary begins in Cumberland County, in Northwestern Nova Scotia, Canada, where new jobs are emerging in the renewable energy sector. It argues that the shifts underway in Cumberland County are representative of a larger transition, as job losses in the fossil fuel industry are replaced by growth in renewable energy.
Read More - Commentary
IISD Perspectives on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
As the Sustainable Development Goals were in the final hours of negotiation in 2015, and in the early days of implementation in 2016, IISD experts reflected on the implications for countries, the UN system, and our own programs of work. These articles, first published as a series of blog postings, are the outward expression of that thought process.
Read More - Report
Comprehensive Wealth in Canada—Measuring what matters in the long run
This report seeks to introduce the concept of comprehensive wealth to Canadians and outline why it should be considered an essential complement to the other measures such as gross domestic product.
Read More - Blog
The Art of Influence: How think tanks make a difference
"We like being thinkers, but we are thinkers with a purpose." Mark Halle explores how think tanks make a difference.
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