Development that provides economic, social and environmental benefits in the long term having regard to the needs of living and future generations. Defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 as: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Source: GEMET/GILP96)

Our Common Future, 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. It contains within it two key concepts: - the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given, and - the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organisation on the environment's ability to meet the present and future needs.\" (Source: InforMEA)