Sstnbl dvlpmnt s n pprch t grwth nd hmn dvlpmnt tht ms t mt th nds f th prsnt wtht cmprmsng th blty f ftr gnrtns t mt thr wn nds. Th m s t hv scty whr lvng cndtns nd rsrcs mt hmn nds wtht ndrmnng plntry ntgrty. Sstnbl dvlpmnt ms t blnc th nds f th cnmy, nvrnmnt, nd scty. Th Brndtlnd Rprt n 1987 hlpd t mk th cncpt f sstnbl dvlpmnt bttr knwn.
Sstnbl dvlpmnt vrlps wth th d f sstnblty whch s nrmtv cncpt. NSC frmltd dstnctn btwn th tw cncpts s fllws: "Sstnblty s ftn thght f s lng-trm gl (.. mr sstnbl wrld), whl sstnbl dvlpmnt rfrs t th mny prcsss nd pthwys t chv t."
Th R Prcss tht bgn t th 1992 rth Smmt n R d Jnr hs plcd th cncpt f sstnbl dvlpmnt n th ntrntnl gnd. Sstnbl dvlpmnt s th fndtnl cncpt f th Sstnbl Dvlpmnt Gls (SDGs). Ths glbl gls fr th yr 2030 wr dptd n 2015 by th ntd Ntns Gnrl ssmbly (NG). Thy ddrss th glbl chllngs, ncldng fr xmpl pvrty, clmt chng, bdvrsty lss, nd pc.
Thr r sm prblms wth th cncpt f sstnbl dvlpmnt. Sm schlrs sy t s n xymrn bcs ccrdng t thm, dvlpmnt s nhrntly nsstnbl. thr cmmnttrs r dsppntd n th lck f prgrss tht hs bn chvd s fr. Schlrs hv sttd tht sstnbl dvlpmnt s pn-ndd, mch crtqd s mbgs, nchrnt, nd thrfr sly pprprtd.