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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