ASSESSMENT OF SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN NEIGHBOURHOODS OF AHMEDABAD

Abstract

Debate over sustainability is no longer considering sustainability solely as an environmental concern, but as an economic and social issue too. Although, social dimension of sustainability is widely discussed, what exactly this means has not been very clearly defined or agreed. Sustainable development as a concept was an outcome of the environmental movement of the i96os and the `basic need' agenda of the 197os. Initially sustainable development discussions were dominated by environmental issues, eventually the economic aspect got added to it. But it was only in late 199os that social dimension was taken into account within the sustainability agenda, especially after the formulation of Agenda zi (UNCED, 1992). This missing dimension of sustainable development was recognized little late because the ill effects on social living were obscure.