Sustainable Development: Linking Culture With Sustainable Development

2. Linking Culture with Sustainable Development
2.1 The discourse of cultural sustainability
Cultural sustainability is a fusion terms between culture and sustainable development, a phrase recently coined to depict the role of culture in promoting sustainability. The core concept itself is still a subject of ongoing debates, many leading decision makers notably those working outside the circle of cultural heritage are still unable to grasp the connection between culture and development, or simply underestimate the transformative power of culture. Accordingly, culture has only been minimally adopted within the development plan and policy, although recent years have seen progressive acknowledgment.
Before analyzing the link between the two

Perhaps the widely used definition of sustainable development was the one taken from the Our Common Future report, or famously known as the Brundtland report, which refers to the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). It implies satisfying the basic essentials of the people today, either in the material or non-material forms, through a responsible consumption of resources without jeopardizing the need of the future. Sustainable development framework underscores two main focuses, ‘people’ and ‘planet’, two interwoven rudiments that forms the key of a just and prosperous world. It is undeniably imperative to push the environmental conservation works, such as ensuring a responsible exploitation of natural resources and innovating an alternative energy mechanism, but in parallel, a heavy emphasize should also be put in the promotion of socio-economic growth for the people to ensure inclusive human development. In regards with the latter, it is important to stress out that the holistic human development target as desired by the sustainable development goals touches other aspects that transcends beyond the fulfillment of biological needs. In addition to securing food, cloth and shelter needs, a holistic human state means satisfying the non-physiological components such as assurance to one’s safety or equality. Therefore, integral human development should also be linked to the fulfillment of other factors, such as social, safety and