Preface

The term sustainability has evolved rapidly over the past two decades beyond the general definition of the 1987 report Our Common Future (the Brundtland report) which defined “sustainable development” as that which “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Although the Brundtland definition provided a common rallying point for all those concerned with the environmental and social consequences of global economic development, it quickly became apparent that there were deep divisions among the advocates of sustainability.