The President's Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD)
& the Principles of Sustainable Development

One of the most significant aspects of the President's Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) centers around the definition of the term sustainable development.

As one environmental advocate put it, "no matter what anyone says about this initiative, the fact of the matter is that this may be the first time that the words 'sustainable development' has ever rolled off the tongue of an American president. That the term has been elevated to a discussion on this level is significant."

For the purposes of discussion, the PCSD adopted the seminal definition of sustainable development as stated in the original Brundtland Commission report which defined the term as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

While that definition might be considered broad, the PCSD also went on to isolate what is recognized as the most significant principles of sustainable development. They suggest:

• We must preserve and, where possible, restore the integrity of natural systems--soils, water, air, and biological diversity--which sustain both economic prosperity and life itself.
  
  
• Economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity should be interdependent, mutually reinforcing national goals, and policies to achieve these should be integrated.
  
  
• Along with appropriate protective measures, market strategies should be used to harness private energies and capital to protect and improve the environment.
  
  
• Population must be stabilized at a level consistent with the capacity of the earth to support its inhabitants.
  
  
• Protection of natural systems requires changed patterns of consumption consistent with a steady improvement in the efficiency with which society uses natural resources.
  
  
• Progress toward the elimination of poverty is essential for economic progress, equity, and environmental quality.
  
  
• All segments of society should equitably share environmental benefits and burdens.
  
  
• All economic and environmental decision-making should consider the well-being of future generations, and preserve for them the widest range of possible choices.
  
  
• Where public health may be adversely affected, or environmental damage may be serious or irreversible, prudent action is required even in the face of scientific uncertainty.
  
  
• Sustainable development requires fundamental changes in the conduct of government, private institutions and individuals.
  
  
• Environmental and economic concerns are central to our national global security.
  
  
• Sustainable development is best attained in a society in which free institutions flourish.
  
  
• Decisions affecting sustainable development should be open and permit informed participation by affected and interested parties. That requires a knowledgeable public, a free flow of information, and fair and equitable opportunities for review and redress.
  
  
• Advances in science and technology are beneficial, increasing both our understanding and range of choices about how humanity and the environment relate. We must seek constant improvements in both science and technology in order to achieve eco-efficiency, protect and restore natural systems and change consumption patterns.
  
  
• Sustainability in the United States is closely tied to global sustainability. Our policies for trade, economic development, aid, and environmental protection must be considered in the context of the international implications of these policies.