Abstract
Sustainable development on social, economic, and ecological dimensions explores the approaches embracing the wellbeing for the rural communities. The chapter initiated with the description of sustainability by providing its comprehensive dimensions, proceeds to development by explaining the essential steps of development process as analysis, requirements, planning, implementation, and evaluation. After in-depth interpretation of sustainability and development, the chapter focused its discussion on sustainable rural development by emphasizing the demarcation of rural communities, their distinctive features and portrayal of needs confronted by rural communities, the core values and importance of sustainable rural development for the general awareness and setting grounds for policy makers. Rural zones are subject to socioeconomic problems. To lead human existence towards prosperity and progression depiction of UN established 17 sustainable development goals known as global goals are undertaken. Measures of sustainable rural development reviewed to recommend new strategies.
TopSustainability And Development
Literally, sustainability means a capability to uphold or retain certain object, product, or procedure persistently. Sustainability is the strength of methods and procedures to use resources for the fulfillment of human needs for the survival and wellbeing, ensuring restoration of means for future generations. Since there are a number of features of the natural environment that effect the gratification of human wants, making direct or indirect relation with our socio-economic provisions, therefore, the formation and conservation of such conditions is essential to ensure harmony among human being and natural environment that confirm prolific coordination to remain productive indefinitely. Such conditions will be termed as sustainable one those supporting the present and future generations.
In 1987, the UN-sponsored body, World Commission on Environment and Development formulated a report, “Brundtland Report”, named after the then chairperson of the Commission and the President of Norway (1981-96). The commission constituted a group of twenty two members from developed and developing nations. The focus of this document was the conflict between the human desire, headed for the improved prosperous existence and the nature, enforcing the limitations and restraining the progression of man’s objectives.
Table 1.
Dimensions of sustainability
| Sustainability |
| Dimensions | Meaning | Mode | Manifestations |
| Survival | Maintenance | Improvement |
| Social sustainability | The ability of a social system, such as a country, to function at a defined level of social wellbeing indefinitely | Capacity to solve serious problems | Maintenance of decent social quality | Improving social quality | • Social justice
• Cultural diversity
• Homelessness prevention
• Community wellness
• Self sufficient
• Equality opportunity
• Human rights etc. |
| Economic sustainability | The ability to support a defined level of economic production indefinitely. | Subsistence | Maintenance of decent standard of living | Improving standard of living | • Workforce development
• Business engagement
• Entrepreneurial support
• Profit etc. |
| Environmental sustainability | The ability to maintain rates of renewable resource and non-renewable resource depletion that can be continued indefinitely. | Protection of life support system | Maintenance of decent Environment quality | Improving Environmental quality | • Recycling center
• Waste reduction
• Air quality program
• Pollution prevention
• Natural resources use
• Energy efficiency etc. |