Development is not just about growth. Likewise, sustainability is not just about protecting the environment. Both development and sustainability are primarily about people living in peace with each other and in equilibrium with the planet. Their rights, opportunities, choices, dignity and values are (or should be) at the centre of everything.

Sustainable development is about meeting the needs of people today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Inter-generational equity—avoiding the unjustified transfer of development risks from present to future generations, without sacrificing reductions in poverty and inequality today at the altar of future environmental concerns—is implicit in this approach to development.