ABSTRACT
The meaning of sustainable development has been debated ever since, but until now has failed to be implemented in any large-scale fashion. Much of the confusion has arisen because 'sustainable use', 'sustainable growth' and 'sustainable development' have been used interchangeably; but their meanings are not the same. A 'sustainable economy can occur as a result of sustainable development. Ecologically Sustainable Development, Inc., working with its Russian and Mongolian counterparts, adopted a theme of 'Listen to the Land and Listen to the People'. The Lake Baikal and Hovsgol-Selenge River planning efforts, the Ussuri River and Altai projects have all followed a similar process. It is important to note that none of these programmes are American. They are and must be owned by the host country. The principles and concepts of sustainable development are similar the world over, but cultures and resources can vary greatly by country and region. Central Asia offers unique cultural values and resource circumstances.
