THE PROBLEM OF UPDATING THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Анотація

The concept of sustainable development has been a central topic of scientific debate for many years, but it is based on ideas born in the last century. Since modern science is rapidly developing, it can be assumed that this concept is already outdated and need to be clarified and updated.

The formation of sustainable development as a concept began many centuries ago. Some modern concept provisions resonate with the ideas of Heraclitus, Turgot, and Lamarck. The first mention of "sustainable development" in the modern sense was documented in 1987 by Brundtland G.H. In her understanding, sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without jeopardizing future generations' ability to meet their own needs.

The famous Indian economist Amartya Sen identifies the following advantages of this concept: 1) thanks to Brundtland, the understanding that the current generation has clear obligations to future generations has been established in society; 2) in this concept, considerable attention is paid to the issue of justice, in particular, equality between people and overcoming poverty; 3) Brundtland changed previous ideas about environmental conservation. Previously, it was believed that it was necessary to save specific natural resources. But now, humanity is looking for alternatives to these natural resources, made possible by technological progress [1].

Also, Amartya Sen highlights the disadvantages of the concept of sustainable development. In his opinion, focusing precisely on people's needs, not on freedoms or opportunities, is strange. First, "needs" are one of the most unstable categories. Our needs are vastly different from those of previous generations, and the requirements of future generations may be just as utterly different from ours. Secondly, when we talk about needs, we talk about things necessary for survival (not development and evolution). Therefore, Amartya Sen suggests expanding the understanding of this term and perceiving "sustainable development" as development that stimulates the capabilities of current people without compromising the capacities of future generations [1].

Ukrainian scientist Pihorovych V.D. noted that the concept of sustainable development gained popularity because it is very generalized, so it is easy for people to understand and interpret it to their taste. But this is its main problem. The concept of sustainable development doesn't offer any clear-cut solutions. Also, this concept contradicts the principles of economics. It is known that the economy can exist only if it continuously develops and meets as few obstacles as possible on the way to its development. The concept of sustainable development generates many obstacles (environmental regulations, social costs, etc.). It creates complications for business and the economy's development as a whole. The settlement of this issue is a priority task for modern economists [2].

To sum up, the concept of "sustainable development" as Brundtland proposed in 1987, has fulfilled its primary function: popularize it. All countries of the world see this concept as a way to salvation and therefore develop their development policies aimed at increasing the efficiency of the country's economy, protecting the environment, and supporting society. Note that such actions' effectiveness is a separate study matter. The next stage of the scientific development of the concept of "sustainable development" should be its detailing, namely the formation of a transparent methodology for determining the problems of sustainable development for all institutional units, the search for solutions, and the construction of a road map. All the original concept's shortcomings must be considered when developing the concept of "sustainable development 2.0".