Fundamentals of Sustainable Development

Abstract

ABSTRACT.The concept of sustainable development had a continuous improvement over the time, this fact being evidenced by the change in the manner of problems approaching during meetings at world level. Sustainable development is acting on the background of some principles, which characterize this concept, such as: the preoccupation for equity and correctness between the economy, society and environment. Its expression is made through an ensemble of coordinates compatible between them, ensuring the needs of present generations without jeopardizing the interests and needs of future generations.Keywords: tourism potential, economic components, environment policyThe preoccupations regarding sustainable development are dating for more than 30 years when, at the Conference for the Environment from Stockholm (1972) it was agreed on the necessity to answer the problems raised by the deterioration of natural environment, by the prevention of aggravation of the ecologie disequilibrium and by the assurance of ecologie equilibrium onto the Earth. The Conference is showing the moment in which the humanity started to recognize the fact that the problems of the environment are inseparable from the ones of the welfare and generally from the economic processes. But the reference moment which marks a new vision for the development of contemporary countries is represented by the United Nations Conference for Environment and Development, held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. With this occasion, the economic development and environment protection were substantiated on a new concept, known as sustainable development, in this regard being adopted Agenda 21 and the Declaration from Rio de Janeiro, program documents of sustainable development.In time, the formulation of this concept had a continuous improvement, through new specifications and new instruments for implementation of sustainable development, world countries gathering in a series of conferences and meetings, very important being the Conference from Monterey regarding the Finances for Development and Ministerial Conference from Doha, which established a clear and profound vision over the future of humankind. As a continuation of these international preoccupations, in year 2002 there took place in Johannesburg (South Africa) World Summit regarding Sustainable Development, which analyzed the manner of achievement of the objectives fixed one decade ago in Rio de Janeiro.The sustainability comes from the idea that human activities are depending on the environment and on the resources. The health, social security and economic stability of the society are essential in defining the quality of life. A comparison between these meetings at international level shows the change in the manner of approach for long-term problems in the field of development of human society. Thus, while at Stockholm (1972), the approaches envisaged the decrease of pollution and prevention of finishing of the resources, at Rio de Janeiro (1992) there have been drawn up strategies promoting human development through economic development based on the sustainable development of fundamental natural resources and was supported an action plan for global development of 21st century. At World Summit from Johannesburg, apart of the exhaustive analysis made for the decade passed since World Conference from Rio de Janeiro, there have been decided new directions for action, which were written in the Declaration from Johannesburg regarding Sustainable Development of contemporary world.The start point in formulation of sustainable development concept is represented by United Nations Report of World Commission for Environment and Development, known as Brundtland Report, in which it is recorded the idea in accordance to which 'the humankind has the capacity to achieve a sustainable development - to guarantee the satisfaction of current necessities without compromising the capacity of next generations to satisfy their own necessities. …