Dear Peter,

I have some materials in the Article published several years ago, I readdress you for my site of RG, that in some statements can be usefull for you as well

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309101490_Universal_nature_conservation_the_main_precondition_of_sustainable_development_of_the_region_of_the_Tisza_river_basin_Vsebicna_ohorona_prirodi_-_osnovna_peredumova_stijkogo_rozvitku_regionu_basejnu_Ti

This proposals are for specific region but can be used partially for the territories that are under serious man-caused pressure for a long period...

Andrey

Chapter Universal nature conservation: the main precondition of sust...

Barber, B., 2000. Can Democracy Survive Globalization? Government and Opposition 275.   Hopkins, M., 2007. Corporate social responsibility and international development is business the solution? Earthscan, London; Sterling, VA.   Scherer, A.G., Palazzo, G., Matten, D. (Eds.), 2014. The Business Firm as a Political Actor: A New Theory of the Firm for a Globalized World. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.         Kind Regards   Roland

Dear Peter

another issue just recently being investigated is the impact on democracy and the rule of the government.

While Hopkins (2007) argues business as a possible solution for sustainable development, Scherer (2014) posits such actions as near political , undermining the legitimate rulers of the area. Barber (2000) holdsa  similar position.

In summary we must ask the question whether corporate action is always desireable. We can certainly argue that this has little to do with sustainable development policies originating from the legitimate government.

However, we increasingly see such tasks beyond the capability of governments, the rise of Public-Private Partnerships and corporate CSR efforts. Simplified; Governments and NGOs do not have the money, business does. Thus their involvement in some form seems to be more and more inevitable.

Hope the following references help with this direction.

In September, the UN ratified the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS): 17 goals that are intended to provide a blueprint for the next 15 years of the world's development. Here are some of the challenges that cities in the developing world – both those that endorsed the SDGs, and others that may decide to adopt them – will face.

Lack of good data leaves us in the dark

It may not be the flashiest line of work, but gathering detailed data is the most useful tool for city policymakers to assess their residents’ needs – and target their policies accordingly.

Leaders should pick their targets

This is common sense from a practical perspective, it also leads to a real risk of short-term political calculations giving priority to targets that are easier to achieve, with leaders treating the SDGs as a sort of "à la carte menu".

Ambition only works if you can finance it

The SDGs have raised the international community’s ambition. Estimates of their cost reach into the trillions of dollars.

Local governments face complex challenges – but often lack the capacity to cope

While reforms to devolve power to local governments are under way in many countries, funding and support to improve local government capacity have often trailed behind.

Leadership from cities often have a lasting impact beyond them

Change happens when there is political will. If mayors commit to the SDGs because they can see the benefits (including political ones) – or because civil society groups put pressure on them – then we might see results.

Problem definition is the biggest challenge.  Sustainability is considered a Wicked Problem because the problem has not been (and perhaps can not be) adequately defined.  The topic is as broad as all aspects of human and planetary science, so it becomes very difficult (perhaps impossible) to have a self-consistent set of definitions to span the whole topic.  If we allow experts to distill specific components to bite-sized pieces, we end up with competing and often conflictory aspects that prevent a unified vision. 

Any community can make an effort to be Sustainable, and doesn't have to wait for the UN, or any over-reaching government to mandate how that is to be done. 

Sustainability is, at its core, the means that a population would use to maintain a non-declining quality of life in perpetuity.  Quality of life, according to Max Neef, is dependant on how fundamental human needs are met.  Development is the process of improving quality of life of a community over time.  It requires either an improvement in how efficiently people use their time to convert resources into the means to meet their needs, or an improvement in how effectively people are able to use their time to meet their needs (or both).  Sustainable Technological Development will work on the first half of that statement by the creation or enhancement of systems of infrastructure, while Sustainable Human Development will work on the second half of that by identifying and removing the obstructions within a community, family, or self that prevent people from meeting their needs.

In resource poor communities, the biggest impact will come from investments in technology.  In technologically rich communities, the biggest impact will come from investments in the social systems.  Where consumption is vastly greater than capacity, a reduction in consumption will significantly improve the long-term quality of life, while making only the slightest impact on the quality of life of the richest fraction of the population.

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/2843WESS2013.pdf

http://www.un-page.org/files/public/undp_synthesis_report.pdf

One crucial issue is policy that is operated at national levels. Some developing counties see sustainable development as more of a talk show and are yet to put out right policy that would address the issue or they design policies that are contradictory in nature and would not give desired outcomes that promotes sustainable development.