What is Sustainable Development?
The concept of Sustainable Development was prominently defined in the Brundtland Report of 1987, as:
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Central to meeting these needs are the following principles:
Long-Term
Sustainable development calls for long-term strategies to pursue intra- and intergenerational equity
Intergration
Sustainable development calls for coordination and integration of economic, social and environmental policies across and between different levels of governance
Participation
Sustainable development calls for the incorporation of stakeholders into the decision-making process.
Reflexitivity
Sustainable development calls for reflexive processes based on continuous reflection and policy learning cycles
What is sustainable development?
National Milestones
2021
National Expert Group on Sustainable Development Indicators was established
2019
The Maltese Government embarked on a process to mainstream sustainable development principles within the budget process
2012
The Sustainable Development Act, Cap. 521 came into force. Establishment of the Sustainable Development Directorate, Guardian of Future Generations and the Sustainable Development Network
2002
The National Commission was established and entrusted with the role of advocating national sustainable development across all sectors; reviewing progress in the achievement of sustainable development; and achieving further progress
2001
The Environment Protection Act, Cap. 549 established the National Commission for Sustainable Development
1992
The Development Planning Act of 1992 introduced the notion of Sustainable Development
UN-EU Milestones
2010
1993
The creation of the Commission for Sustainable Development to monitor and promote the implementation of Agenda 21