Principles of Sustainable Development

Below is a diagram showing the five principles of sustainable development.

The principles of sustainable development involve safeguarding and using existing resources in a sustainable way to enhance the long-term management of, and investment in, human, social and environmental resources, which is more important than ever due to the evidence of dwindling natural resources and the impacts of unsustainable development. For district councils, incorporating sustainable development into their decision making processes and policies is an important step towards achieving sustainability within their district

Five principles of sustainable development are outlined in the UK Framework for Sustainable Development 'One future - different paths', agreed by the UK Government (including Northern Ireland). The principles form the basis of national sustainable development strategies and action plans. These principles helped formulate the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy and these principles should be used to assess all policies and actions.

In addition to the five agreed principles in the UK Strategy, the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Strategy (2006) had a sixth principle: to 'Promote Opportunity and Innovation'.