Sustainable development is the biggest challenge of the 21st century. Sustainable development is not about development that is sustainable - that is, ongoing, viable, feasible or continually growing - but is rooted in the simple concept of providing a better quality of life for all, now and for generations to come. It is a way of looking at all resources that can lead to a higher quality of life for the current generation, without compromising that of future generations. This may mean that industry needs, in some cases, to stop growing, or to grow in different ways. The next few decades for civil engineering will not be 'business as usual'. Societal responses to environmental challenges including poverty have taken place at a global, regional, national and local level. Underlying these responses is the notion that it is better to control humankind's destiny than to leave it to nature. Returning to a sustainable development pathway necessitates that changes be made, particularly in terms of consumption patterns and technologies.
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