ABSTRACT
Less widely understood is the long-term time dimension of the outcomes implied in the word ‘sustainable’. The term implies a higher degree of permanence and longer-term objectives than many past policies and programmes have aimed for. Much has certainly been achieved since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in sustainable development globally through major international programmes, some generously funded by both public-and private-sector contributions. But important questions remain about the efficacy of many initiatives, and we are still far from a consensus on objectives and methods.
