Sustainability and Sustainable Development PDF

Sustainability and Sustainable Development by Mark Almanzor The forms "sustainability" and "sustainable development are buzzwords since 1980s are sometimes used interchangeably. They have similarities and differences. Similarities specially in the hopes to achieve a wealthier, greener, and peacefu...

Sustainability and Sustainable Development by Mark Almanzor The forms "sustainability" and "sustainable development are buzzwords since 1980s are sometimes used interchangeably. They have similarities and differences. Similarities specially in the hopes to achieve a wealthier, greener, and peaceful world. And differences in terms of scope and nature. According to the Maryville University (2022), sustainability is a broad term that describes managing resources without depleting them for future generations. It is a holistic approach that considers ecological, social and economic dimensions, recognizing that all must be considered together to find lasting prosperity. On the other hand, sustainable development describes the processes for improving long-term economic well being and quality of life without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs. Sustainability and sustainable development also play a central role in almost every field and in the field of business and tourism, sustainability becomes a buying factor of consumers. In fact, the trends suggest that consumers prefer to buy products from companies that subscribe to the pillars of sustainability and sustainable development. In the United States, a brand's sustainability is a deciding factor for 70% consumers. The United Nations (2013) shared that in 1983, the United Nations tapped former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland to run the new World Commission on Environment and Development. After decades of effort to raise living standards through industrialization, many countries were still dealing with extreme poverty. It seemed that economic development at the cost of ecological health and social equity did not lead to long-lasting prosperity. It was clear that the world needed to find a way to harmonize ecology with prosperity. After four years, the "Brundtland Commission" released its final report, Our Common Future. It famously defines sustainable development as: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. That was one of the events in the history that emphasized the need to embrace and live the concept of sustainable development. when tourism started in 1970s. This led to many societal issues until in 1990s when the country saw the advent of sustainable development as a tourism development paradigm. The sustainable development is defined in the Philippine Agenda 21 in 1996 as: the harmonious integration of a sound and viable economy, responsible governance, social cohesion and ecological integrity, to ensure that development is a life- sustaining process. Dimensions/Legs of Sustainability and Sustainable Development Sustainability encompasses three dimensions: economic or profit, environmental or planet, and social or people. Connelly's Sustainability Venn Diagram (Odessa Corporation, 2022) The diagram is also known as the "path to sustainable development and provides a framework to analyze the following dimensions: 1. Economic/profits - this dimension centers on the idea of an efficient and responsible use of resources that leads to long-term profitability. In business, profitability can equal longevity. In other words, transitioning to a sustainable business can improve a company's chances of operating over the long term. 2. Environmental/planet - in business, reducing carbon footprints, waste, and water usage while maximizing energy efficiency can provide both environmental and financial benefits, and shows responsiveness to community opinion. According to Pew Research, 63% of Americans believe that climate change affects their local community. 3. Social/people -the social dimension of sustainability focuses on the interrelationship of systems and processes that support the creation of healthy and livable communities that can sustain themselves. In business, social sustainability initiatives often include promoting fair labor practices and wages; employee health, safety, wellness, and work-life balance; and diversity and equity. It is said that once all dimensions are fulfilled in a balanced manner, the desired sustainable development will be achieved (Tanguay et al., 2011). Sustainable Tourism The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (2022) defined sustainable tourism as "sustainable practices in and by the tourism industry. It is an aspiration to acknowledge all impacts of tourism, both positive and negative. It aims to minimize the negative impacts and maximize the positive ones. " UN Environment Program and UN World Tourism Organization also defined sustainable tourism as "tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and has communities. " According to Cruz (2016), the following elements must 1. beinformed participation present for the tourismoftorelevant be sustainable: stakeholders; 2. strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus build 3. constant monitoring of impacts and adoption of preventive or corrective 4. measures when necessary; maintaining a high level of tourist satisfaction and providing meaningful travel experience; and 5. raising the tourists' awareness about sustainability issues and sustainable practices. Sustainable Tourism Principles If we trace back in 1995, the principles of sustainable tourism and chatter for sustainable tourism was adopted at the first World Conference on Sustainable Tourism, held on the island of Lanzarote (Spain). The event was supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and several other leading international organizations and related programmes and conventions, such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), the UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, the European Commission, and the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. After 20 years, the question is no longer if sustainable tourism is a viable solution but rather, just how far can we take it to realize tourism's full potential to bring benefits to local communities, support green growth and In the report of the World Charter for Sustainable Tourism (2015), the participants recalled the following sustainable tourism principles expressed in the 1995 World Charter for Sustainable Tourism, and reiterated their continuing validity: 1. It is ecologically bearable, economically viable, and ethically and socially equitable for local communities; 2. It guarantees the sustainability of the resources on which it depends; 3. It respects the fragile balances that characterize many tourist destinations, in particular small islands and environmentally sensitive areas; 4. It considers its effects on the cultural heritage and traditional elements, activities, and dynamics of each local community; 5. It supports solidarity, mutual respect, and participation of public and private entities at the local, national, regional, and international levels; 5. It supports cultural, technological, and technological innovations; and integrated planning and management approach;