ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces readers to the concept of sustainable development. The chapter provides an account of both the scientific and geopolitical origins the principles of sustainable development. Analysis suggests that while sustainable development was initially promoted on the basis of the scientific practices of sustainable yield management, it has been adapted and, often corrupted, within the international struggle to find a balance between the pressing needs of protecting the global environment whilst also addressing the development needs of many nations. The chapter concludes by arguing that sustainable development should not be understood as a single concept, but rather as a series of contested approaches to balancing the needs of socio-economic development and environmental conservation.
