Brundtland Commission facts for kids

The Brundtland Commission was a special group set up by the United Nations in 1983. Its main job was to figure out how to protect our planet's environment and its natural resources. They also wanted to make sure that countries could grow and develop without harming the Earth for future generations.

The United Nations realized that environmental problems affect everyone, no matter where they live. So, they decided that all countries needed to work together. Their goal was to create plans for something called sustainable development.

What is the Brundtland Commission?

The Brundtland Commission was officially known as the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). It was led by Gro Harlem Brundtland, who was the former Prime Minister of Norway.

This commission brought together experts from different countries. They spent several years studying how human activities were affecting the environment. They also looked at how economic growth and social progress could happen without damaging our planet.

The Brundtland Report

In 1987, the Brundtland Commission published its important findings in a report. This report is often called the Brundtland Report. It was published by Oxford University Press.

You can find the full report online. It is available as a document from the UN General Assembly here . You can also read it on Wikisource here.

The report talks a lot about sustainable development. It explains how countries need to change their policies to achieve this goal.

What is Sustainable Development?

The Brundtland Report gave a very famous definition for sustainable development. Many people still use it today.

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 means we should use resources and develop our world in a way that helps us now. But we must do it without making it harder for people in the future to have what they need. It's about balancing today's needs with tomorrow's future.

Images for kids

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  Gro Harlem Brundtland, the first head of the commission.