TOPIC 1 - Introduction to

sustainable development
o Definition of sustainable development
o Objectives of sustainable development
o Importance of sustainable development
o Sustainable Development from Western
and Islamic Perspective
At the end of this topic, students should be able to:

◔ Define or explain sustainable development.

◔ Identify the objectives of sustainable development

or the sustainable developments goals (SDGs).

◔ Describe the importance of sustainable

development

◔ Differentiate sustainable development from Western

and Islamic Perspective
Definition of sustainable development
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland,1987).
 
Sustainable development involves devising a social and economic system, which ensures that
these goals are sustained, i.e. that real incomes rise, that educational standards increase, that
the health of the nation improves, that the general quality of life is advanced (Pearce, Makandia
& Barbier,1989).
 
Sustainable development is concerned with the development of a society where the costs of
development are not transferred to future generations, or at least an attempt is made to
compensate for such costs (Pearce,1993).
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
“World leaders have an unprecedented opportunity this year to shift the world onto a path of
inclusive, sustainable and resilient development" - Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator. At the
United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, world leaders adopted the 
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.
The Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise known as the Global Goals, build on the 
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to
achieving by 2015. The MDGs, adopted in 2000, aimed at an array of issues that included slashing
poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality, and access to water and sanitation. Enormous progress
has been made on the MDGs, showing the value of a unifying agenda underpinned by goals and
targets. Despite this success, the indignity of poverty has not been ended for all.
The new SDGs, and the broader sustainability agenda, go much further than the MDGs, addressing
the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all people.

United Nation Development Program (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark noted: "This agreement
marks an important milestone in putting our world on an inclusive and sustainable course. If we all
work together, we have a chance of meeting citizens’ aspirations for peace, prosperity, and wellbeing,
and to preserve our planet. The Sustainable Development Goals will now finish the job of the MDGs,
and ensure that no one is left behind.

The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable
future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty,
inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals are all
interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve them all by
2030.
 01 02
Goal 1: No Poverty Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Economic growth must be inclusive to provide The food and agriculture sector offers key
sustainable jobs and promote equality. solutions for development, and is central
for hunger and poverty eradication

03 04
Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being Goal 4: Quality Education
Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to
Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being
improving people’s lives and sustainable
for all at all ages is essential to sustainable
development.
development.
 05 06
Goal 5: Gender Equality Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Gender equality is not only a fundamental human Clean, accessible water for all is an essential
right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, part of the world we want to live in.
prosperous and sustainable world.

07 08
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Energy is central to nearly every major Sustainable economic growth will require societies to
challenge and opportunity. create the conditions that allow people to have
quality jobs.
 09 10
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
To reduce inequalities, policies should be universal in
Infrastructure
principle, paying attention to the needs of
Investments in infrastructure are crucial to achieving
disadvantaged and marginalized populations.
sustainable development.

11 12
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and
Communities Production
There needs to be a future in which cities provide Responsible Production and Consumption
opportunities for all, with access to basic services,
energy, housing, transportation and more.
 13 14
Goal 13: Climate Action Goal 14: Life Below Water
Climate change is a global challenge that affects Careful management of this essential global
everyone, everywhere. resource is a key feature of a sustainable
future.

15 16
Goal 15: Life on Land Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong
Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, Institutions
halt and reverse land degradation, halt Access to justice for all, and building effective,
biodiversity loss accountable institutions at all levels
.
 17
Goal 17: Partnerships
Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable
development.
 01 02
Provides essential human needs Agricultural requirement
The explosion of population means people will have to scramble for Agriculture must catch up. If same unsustainable cultivation,
the limited life essentials like food, shelter, and water. Adequate planting, irrigation, spraying, and harvesting techniques are utilized
provision of these basic needs almost entirely hinges on in the future, they might prove to be financially burdening
infrastructure capable of sustaining them for a long time. considering fossil fuel resources are projected to run out.

03
Manage climate change . Financial stability
04
Climate change can be mitigated by sustainable development Sustainable development practices have the ability to create more
practices seek to reduce the use of fossil-based sources of fuel financially sustainable economies across the globe. Developing
countries that can’t access fossil fuels can leverage renewable forms
like oil, natural gas, and coal. Fossil fuel sources of energy are
of energy to power their economies. From the development of
unsustainable since they will deplete in the future and are
renewable energy technologies, these countries can create
responsible for the emission of greenhouse gasses. sustainable jobs as opposed to limited jobs based on fossil fuel
technologies.
 05
Sustain Biodiversity
Unsustainable development and overconsumption practices greatly impact biodiversity.
Life ecosystem is designed in such a way that species depend on one another for
survival. For instance, plants produce oxygen that humans need for respiration. Humans
exhale carbon dioxide that plants need for growth and production. Unsustainable
development practices like emission of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere kill many
plant species resulting in reduction of atmospheric oxygen. This is not good for humans.
Sustainable development practices encourage the use of renewable energy resources,
and organic farming practices that do not emit any greenhouse gas to the atmosphere.
 Sustainable Development from Islamic perspective
1. Environmental Sustainability And Islam

Environment is the complex of physical, chemical and biotic factors that act upon an
organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival
(Homer and Thomas, 1999 cited in Muinul, 2004). It encompasses natural resources
like soil, flora, fauna, water, air and light that affect living organism.

Muslims are religiously bound to manage the environment

wisely manifesting their trusteeship to Allah.
In so doing, it charts an environmental ethic and morality
in Islam that molds human attitudes towards the environment.
The human interactions with the environment could happen in the form
of social and economic activities upon which the built environment is
constructed. In this respect, environment sustainability provides a space
for continued social and economic activities to take place; for example
activities like recreation, housing, commercial, industry, tourism,
transportation et cetra.

This marks a difference with the conventional concept of sustainability

where the environment is positioned as just one of the three pillars not
as a place for human, social and economic activities to take place.
 Sustainable Development from Islamic perspective
2. Social Sustainability And Islam

In relation to the social sustainability concept, Islam develops the Muslims’

personality gradually from an individual that is embodied in the teaching of fiqh
al-ibadah (Islamic personal law) which then evolves into the family institution
under the purview of fiqh al- munakahat (Islamic family law) and eventually that
governs human economic interactions or dealings via fiqh al- muamalat (Islamic
commercial law). Pursuant to the individual, family and communal aspects, Islam
prescribes punishment for wrongdoings committed under the purview of the fiqh
al-jinayat (Islamic criminal law). In essence this is how Islam educates its followers
spiritually and in practice.
On top of that Islam also propagates the concept of ihsan (benevolence) whereby Muslims
are urged to do good deeds as if Allah is looking at them. Even though he is not able to see
Allah physically but Allah’s existence is felt metaphysically.

Human being is central to development activities. Socially, human beings are created
collective in nature consisting of males and females, tribes and nations with the purpose of
getting to know each other. However Islam recognizes that the best among them is the
most pious to his Creator-Allah the Almighty (Al-Quran, 49:13). This serves as an
underlying principle of the Islamic social construct that involve human relationship with the
environment.
 Sustainable Development from Islamic perspective
3. Economic Sustainability And Islam

Islam promotes development and growth socially and economically (Al-Quran,

8:53). Islam prohibits poverty as it is close to disbelief (kufr). Islam provides
effective means for socio-economic improvement via waqaf (endowment) and
zakat (alms) provisions. Indeed, these Islamic economic principles are based on
sharing and caring in wealth distribution, likewise any other trading or
commercial transactions in Islam. All these economic dealings and transactions
among people happen in a space called city which is created out of land use
planning and the built environment.
Viewing from the sustainability angle, economic development is a process of
utilising natural resources at a specified level for human well-being needs. These
activities ought to be governed with high morale and Islamic esteem because we
are dealing with Allah’s creations. Our role is just as trustees who should manage
the earth upon our agreement to undertake that responsibility (Al-Quran, 33:72).
With this in mind, it actually helps to shape our mind and gear our action towards
economic sustainability.

Economic sustainability also involves measurement of the economic performance

that continually generate satisfaction of the spiritual and the non-material needs
of the people.
Comparing the present concept of sustainability with the Islamic
worldview, it can be said that the differences are:-

1. Muslims are religiously bound to manage and prosper the earth under the
‘contract’ of vicegerency (khalifah);

2. Islam perceives environment or nature in the bigger context;

3. Islam is a way of life to include every spectrum of human life socially,

economically, politically etc