Economics · Chapter 12
Study notes aligned to the official NEB syllabus.
Development that raises living standards today at the cost of the environment and the welfare of future generations is not true development. The idea of sustainable development answers this concern, and the Sustainable Development Goals give it a concrete global shape. This chapter explains the concept of sustainable development, the seventeen goals, and Nepal's commitment and progress towards them.
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This definition comes from the Brundtland Report of 1987. The idea has three dimensions that must be balanced together, namely the economic dimension of growth and prosperity, the social dimension of equity and human welfare, and the environmental dimension of protecting natural resources and the ecosystem. Sustainable development therefore stresses that economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection must go hand in hand, and that resources such as forests, water, soil and air must be used wisely so that they remain available in the future.