Sustainable development means 'development that meets the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations from meeting their needs'. In other words 'we do not inherit the earth from our parents we are borrowing it from our children'.

It doesn't mean:

• less economic growth, or
• that every aspect of the environment should be preserved

It does mean that decisions are taken with proper regard to their environmental, social and economic impact. It is about being able to live within our means and use efficiently what the earth provides for us - its resources. This means using resources fairly and efficiently, and ultimately using less of them.

For more detailed about the history of sustainable development download the suustainable development document on the right hand side of this page.

What is Local Agenda 21 (LA21)?

Local Agenda 21 (LA21) is part of the Agenda 21 international agreement made at the Rio Earth summit in 1992. Agenda 21 means an agenda for the 21st century. World leaders at the summit agreed that there has to be a balance between social, economic and environmental concerns. LA21 is is one way to move towards a sustainable York.

Local Agenda 21 is about thinking about global problems and taking local action to tackle them. Think global act local.