ABSTRACT
Sustainable development is mostly a political objective that gained widespread prominence post-1987 and the release of Our Common Future. Negotiations for sustainable development (greater inclusion and wealth, along with environmental safeguards) are typically between countries, either through consensus, e.g. WTO, UNFCCC, UNCED (Rio and Rio+20) and the Montreal Protocol for ozone depleting substances, or bi-lateral efforts, e.g. the 2014 China-US agreement on GHG emissions limits and the 1909 Canada-US Boundary Water Treaty. Sustainable development often manifests as a negotiated agreement. Cities (i.e. urban communities) have delegated much of this process to national government representatives.
