Towards sustainable development

Sustainable development has been defined in many ways, but the most frequently quoted definition is from Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report.

It says: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

This highlights two key concepts:

• the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and

• the idea of limitation imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.

It could also be define as a development that is balanced between : social, economic, and environmental objectives or using the 3P: for People, Profit and Planet.

In this equation the planet or environmental objective appears drastically challenging.

Through Energy Transition

Global warming is now a worldwide concern.

In 2015, the COP21 Paris Climate Conference has been a unique International moment and engagement. 195 states set up an agreement to limit the climate change and the global warming below 2°C by 2100.

A tool to achieve the climate change mitigation is : the Energy transition.
A sustainable energy transition is a shift from an energy intensive society based on fossil fuels to energy efficiency with low carbon and renewable energy sources.

Energy Transition is a challenge of technology and management:

• implementation of disruptive innovation,

• time and,

• change management are crucial.

Indeed, new knowledge and skills are needed; this is exactly what this MOOC is made for!