Global Governance and Sustainable Development

A topic of global importance since the late 1980's, 'sustainable development' refers to "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Brundtland Report, 1987). It encompasses responsible utilisation of environmental resources and the establishment of social and economic relations which enable that. Sustainable development is at the heart of global policies such as Agenda 21, which emerged from the UN Earth Summit in 1992 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals enshrined in a UN resolution since 2015.

Quality of governance is increasingly recognised as central to sustainable development, which requires achieving just and legitimate outcomes in major global socio-economic and environmental issues such as poverty, climate change, food security and biodiversity loss.