Human Development in Paradigm of Sustainable Development Goals

Theories of development economies emerged as a subject of their own after the end of the second world war. Earlier scholarship suggests that in the aftermath of the war, policymakers across the world were trying to achieve rapid economic growth by expanding the Gross National Product (GNP) and full employment. The growth model assumes that the expenses of investments in development are incurred by the expansion of the economy. Consequently, market forces are becoming more determinant in influencing the trade-offs, for instance between environment and job creation. Thus, the definition of development is not universal. Thus, the world at that time was enthusiastic about a universal definition of development. A concept that is not restricted to monetary change, but also addresses the contribution of economic growth in raising the living standard of people and conserving the biosphere. Sustainable development is a new approach to sustaining economic growth without compromising the well-being of future generations by conserving natural resources. It is a call for a common future that is more lively, more secure, and more just. To realize this concept, it is important to identify the challenges that the world is confronting, and establish a framework to manage natural resources and sustain ‘human development.’ Sustainable development as conceptualized by the Brundtland Commission (1987) states “development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs”. This implied socio-economic and environmental aspect for the present and future well-being. The idea of sustainable development blossomed in goals and targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).