ABSTRACT
The notion of sustainable development developed by the most highly accredited international sources (Brundtland Report, 1987; World Conservation Union UN, 1991; ICLEI, 1993; Green Book on the Urban Environment, CEU, 1990) goes far beyond the concept of environmental protection, since it involves giving consideration to future generations and to the long-term health and integrity of the environment. It includes attention to the quality of life (and not only an increase in income), equity among people in the present (intra-generational equity), intergenerational equity (the inhabitants of the future deserve an environment with the same if not better quality than we enjoy today) as well as the social and ethical dimensions of human well-being. It also implies that any additional development should only occur if it does not exceed the load capacity of natural systems. Thus, it is evident that dealing with the difficulties of sustainable development involves solving new problems, and last but not least, the problem of effectively integrating urban policies within a multi-disciplinary context.
