Sustainable Development

DEFINITIONS

Sustainability: Sustainability is defined in many different ways by many different people. This is the reason why the concept is so heavily debated among environmentalists and politicians. Some individuals use the word to mean eco-friendly and protection of the environment. Others use it to describe the economic development of the third world. The basic concept of sustainability, for the purposes of this website, is that when a resource is consumed at sustainable levels, people can continue to consume the same amount of that resource from our generation into the next. When that resource is used at unsustainable levels, sooner or later that resource will run out and future generations will not be able to use it. (1)

Sustainable Development: Sustainable Development is a dynamic theory that is generally defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs (2). It seeks to engage two very complex and different societal forces--sustainability and development. Sustainable development sits at the center of efforts to improve the economic vitality, community well-being, and environmental integrity of the world. We are so accustomed to dealing with these three objectives separately when, in fact, they are so intertwined that it is foolish to think that can separate one without dealing with the other two. We can have a healthy environment, a productive economy, and well-being at the same time, not one or the other (1).

BRIEF HISTORY

The modern day concept of sustainability was first promoted by Western environmentalists in an attempt to shift attention away from the growing environmental movement of the 70's (2). Their view was that people should stop worrying about environmental problems such as hazardous waste contamination and pesticides and start focusing on poverty and other social inequities around the world. Sustainable development was introduced six years later (2) by the World Conservation Union, a group of internationally recognized scientists and experts from around the world who volunteer their expertise on global commissions (3). However, these two concepts really came to light in a 1987 report called Our Common Future, which was published by the United Nation's World Commission on Environment and Development. The Commission was chaired by Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and so the report is commonly referred to as the "Brundtland Report". Sustainable development was defined in the Brundtland Report as development that ''meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs" (2). This definition suggests two of the five key tenets of sustainability (see below); emphasis on the well being of future generations (intergenerational equity) and emphasis on social equity (intragenerational equity) (1).

For the next several years, the popularity of the concept continued to grow among government leaders around the world. Then, in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (a.k.a. The Rio Earth Summit), held in Rio de Janeiro, the leaders committed to upholding the values laid out in the Brundtland Report. (2)

KEY TENETS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (1)

1. Emphasis on the well being of future generations (intergenerational equity).

2. Emphasis on social equity (intragenerational equity).

3. Responsible stewardship of energy and materials.

4. Recognition that humans are part of natural systems.

5. Values matter--policymaking and planning practice is not simply about the application of scientific expertise.

HOW SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT RELATES TO IKEA

Ikea is an international home furnishings company with a growing number of stores and offices in 33 different countries (5). The chain sells tens of thousands of different items in each of their 201 retail locations (5) per year. They distributed 145 million catalogs in 2004 which contributed to the greater than 400 million visitors that same year. Ikea's products range from simple cheese graters to large-scale home organization units. Their merchandise is manufactured by 2,300 suppliers scattered over 64 different countries (4), many of which are impoverished (i.e. Laos). The materials required to make these products include but are not limited to paper, wood, plastic, glass, leather, textiles, ceramic, metal, particleboard, and natural and synthetic fibers. Ikea requires vast amounts of building materials and energy to construct and maintain its huge retail stores. It also requires a significant amount of resources to transport the products across oceans and continents from the suppliers to the retail stores. Ikea also generates large amounts of waste.

Since it's founding in 1943, Ikea has had a profound impact on the environmental integrity, economic vitality, and social well-being of the world and continues to have the potential to cause significant damage. As stated above, when large corporations such as Ikea consume large amounts of resources at unsustainable levels, sooner or later that resource will run out and future generations will not be able to use it. If global companies such as Ikea promote the use of sustainable practices, other smaller companies are bound tol follow suit.