Institute “Cadaster” adheres to the concept of sustainable development.
The roots of the sustainable development paradigm go back to mid-1980s. In its 1989 report, Brutland Commission on Environment and Development emphasized the need of transitioning to sustainable development (Our common future..., 1989). Brutland report defined sustainable development as the «…development that meets the requirements of present time, but do not endanger the ability of future generations to meet their own requirements». This approach was supported and further developed by the majority of the world’s nations at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro (The Earth Summit), as well as reflected in Agenda 21.
The ideas of sustainability have been gaining popularity around the world ever since. Their significance was evident in a recent comment by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:
“We live on one planet, connected in a delicate, intricate web of ecological, social, economic and cultural relationships that shape our lives. Achieving sustainable development will require greater responsibility, for the ecosystems on which all life depends, for each other as a single human community, and for the generations that will follow our own.”
From an environmental economics perspective, sustainability involves a stable, balanced system that includes three types of capital: economic, social, and ecological. The economic condition of sustainability is a sum of all three types of capital.
Economic Capital includes all the kinds of economical activity of individuals and organizations, as well as society as a whole. Organizations serve as the essential part of economic and human development.
Social Capital includes both human and institutional capital. Human capital involves abilities and traits of individuals, such as qualification, work ethics, motivation, individual experience, etc. Institutional capital contains systems of rules that provide the framework for interactions among members of any society. Institutional capital also enables social decision making. This type of capital is a prerequisite for any economic activity as it shapes and defines economics — from subsistence farms to the global free market system. Management quality and main organizational issues provide valuable insight into the efficiency of institutional rules.
Ecological Capital involves conservation of environmental assets. Consumption of raw materials, water and energy resources should not exceeded the level, at which they are naturally regenerated. Nonrenewable resources should only be used at a rate that allows for development of sustainable renewable substitutes. It is necessary to preserve biodiversity, human health, air, water, and soil quality at the level sufficient to maintaining welfare of humans, animals, and plants.