Core Principles for Sustainable Development

Sustainable development encompasses the general principles of ecological, economic, and social sustainability. Economic sustainability focuses on conserving natural resources and minimizing environmental impacts. The economy, in this context, involves productive activities that meet societal interests and progress, with costs not exceeding income. Social sustainability aims for a more equitable distribution of resources and wealth.

To achieve sustainable development objectives, a number of core principles are essential:

• Principle of Sustainable Resource Exploitation

  Extraction rates of renewable resources must be equal to or lower than their regeneration rates. Exploitation is sustainable when the extraction rate nearly equals the rate of creation of replaced renewable resources.

• Principle of Sustainable Emissions

  Waste emission rates must be equal to or less than the assimilative capacities of the ecosystems receiving the waste.

• Principle of Zero Emissions

  Reduce to zero the emission of toxic and bioaccumulative pollutants.

• Principle of Sustainable Integration

  Urban settlements must not exceed the carrying capacity of their territory.

• Principle of Sustainable Technology Selection

  Prioritize technologies that foster greater efficiency and sustainability.

• Precautionary Principle

  Implement development models that do not exceed ecosystem limits and actively prevent disasters and associated risks.