SEEU Review vol. 5 Nr. 2 (pdf) - South East European University

Zoran Sapuric, PhD and Vullnet Zenki, MSc.
Even though sustainable development insists on strong relationship and
conditionality of the economic development with the protection and
improvement of the environment, it does not oppose the economic growth
and does not strive for reduced economic growth, namely for the so called
,,zero,, economic growth, for which some radical “green” economists
support of. On the contrary, the sustainable development supports the
dynamic economic and social development, opposing at the same time any
kind of degradation of the environment.
The human represents the attention focus of the sustainable development.
It insists on intensive economic development which is balanced by the
protection and improvement of the environment and it endeavors for parallel
economic and ecological benefits with which all parties will be satisfied, this
is the so called “win-win” approach. In this case, it is not easy at all to
determine precisely the people’s needs, since they are prone to changing,
therefore, the needs of future generations, according to some authors, need
not to be made absolute. But, this should definitely not be understood as
negation of the intergenerational approach of the sustainable development.
On the contrary, it is a very important factor for defining the sustainable
development. This kind of approach highlights the moral caretaking of
people for future generations.
As we mentioned above, there are many definitions for the sustainable
development. A large part of them connect the sustainable development with
prudent and rational exploitation of natural resources, and in this respect, the
sustainable development is explained as such which strives for strategy
building which enable economic and social development avoiding at the
same time the excessive exploitation of natural resources and not being a
threat to the environment.
From what was mentioned so far we could see the broadness of definition
of the concept of sustainable development. This is quite understandable
having in mind the volume and actuality of the concept of sustainable
development.
In the last decade, the adaptation of national strategies has been very
characteristic, when certain countries verify their priorities in the realization
of the concept of sustainable development.
Even though based on its essence, the sustainable development insists on
having long-term measures, policies and activities, it also strives for shortterm
and quick steps that should be taken by countries, regions, local
communities and the business sector, scientific institutions, the non-
114