The Development of Sustainability Theory.
Basiago (2012) states that the concept of sustainability originated in an article titled ˜A Blueprint for Survival,' published in The Ecologist in 1972. The article argued that the human race is living beyond its means. It pointed out that there are rapid rates of growth in global population and consumption. The increases in population and consumption meant that natural resources were being depleted at an alarming rate and the environment was being damaged excessively. The article came to the conclusion that for society to be sustainable, it should minimise its harmful effects on the environment and maximise its conservation efforts. Shortly after this publication, the UN called a conference in Stockholm on The Human Environment. This was a meeting between both developed and developing nations. Developed nations raised their concerns for the environment but developing nations also emphasised their need for continued economic growth. Thus, the idea of sustainable development emerged. Basiago (2012) asserts that the Stockholm Conference provided a platform for several other meetings of world powers in the years following. Some of these meetings lead to the agreement of international treaties regarding the protection of the environment.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) provided the first definition of sustainable development in their report titled ˜World Conservation Strategy' published in 1980, as follows: "the management of human use of the biosphere so that it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit to present generations while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations. " In 1992, Rio de Janeiro held the ˜Earth Summit,' organised by the UN. This was a meeting of 172 countries to discuss sustainable development. As a result of this meeting, the UN published a 351 paged document titled ˜Agenda 21,' which detailed numerous changes, voluntarily agreed upon by governments, that would be made to address a number of environmental problems all over the world.