Sustainable Development Cheat Sheet
The core ideas of Sustainable Development distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.
Quick Reference
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
A set of 17 interconnected global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda. They provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, addressing poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, and justice.
Triple Bottom Line
A framework that broadens the traditional measure of corporate success beyond profit to include social and environmental performance. The three 'bottoms' are people, planet, and profit.
Circular Economy
An economic model that replaces the linear 'take-make-dispose' approach with systems designed to eliminate waste, circulate products and materials at their highest value, and regenerate natural systems.
Carrying Capacity
The maximum population size or level of economic activity that an environment can sustain indefinitely without degrading its resource base. Exceeding carrying capacity leads to resource depletion and ecosystem collapse.
Ecological Footprint
A measure of how much biologically productive land and water area an individual, population, or activity requires to produce all the resources it consumes and to absorb the waste it generates, compared to available biocapacity.
Externalities
Costs or benefits of economic activities that affect parties not directly involved in the transaction and are not reflected in market prices. Negative externalities like pollution impose social costs that producers do not pay.
Intergenerational Equity
The principle that present generations have a moral obligation to manage resources and the environment so that future generations inherit opportunities and quality of life at least equal to those enjoyed today.
Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)
A systematic methodology for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its entire life cycle—from raw-material extraction through manufacturing, use, and end-of-life disposal or recycling.
Green Finance
Financial instruments, investments, and banking practices designed to support environmentally sustainable outcomes. This includes green bonds, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing, and carbon credit markets.
Planetary Boundaries
A framework identifying nine Earth-system processes and their scientifically defined thresholds. Remaining within these boundaries maintains a 'safe operating space' for humanity; crossing them risks abrupt and irreversible environmental change.
Key Terms at a Glance
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