What Is Sustainability? A Layman Perspective

Abstract

Sustainability and sustainable development have specifically focused on people’s well-being and equity levels. The basic objective of the present research study is to elaborate the meaning of sustainability and sustainable development for laymen or beginners. In this research study, the topics of city sustainability, business sustainability, dimensions and pillars of sustainability are discussed in depth. Nowadays, the developing countries are facing severe socio-economic pressure and environmental challenges to achieve sustainable development goals. The challenges faced by developing countries include lack of financial resources, political instability, pollution, emission of smoke from vehicles, factories, or brick kilns, water contamination, food adulteration, social inequalities, poverty, and population growth. Sustainability and sustainable development have specifically addressed the people’s well-being and equity. Developing countries should develop and implement social policies to promote social unity, tolerance, and justice, while integrating economic, social, and environmental paradigms of sustainability. Several examples are discussed concerning developing and developed countries. Finally, this study highlights the challenges and opportunities of sustainability in developing countries. Thorough this chapter, a beginner will understand the core concepts of sustainability and sustainable development in the context of developing and developed countries. This research study is composed of the following sections, Sect. 1 discuss the introduction, Sect. 2 describes the literature, Sect. 3 describes the challenges and opportunities, and last Sect. 4 summarize the study.