A Comparative Study between the Mainstream, Critical, and Islamic Approaches to Sustainable Development

Abstract

The concept of sustainable development was first coined in the Brundtland Report in 1987. However, the debates revolving around the conception are never ending. In a broad sense, the ideas on sustainable development can be categorised into three approaches: mainstream, critical, and Islamic. This study evaluates the three essential elements of sustainable development from each and every approach based on their ability to produce relative decoupling, creating intragenerational justice based on Rawlsian theory of justice, and ability to help future generations to meet their needs according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The study shows that each approach has their own good and bad looking at their practices. It can be said that Islamic approach to sustainable development covers the three elements the best among the three approaches compared. It is just that it does not have a clear set of specific guidance on how can the Islamic view on the environment be applied. Keywords: sustainable development, environment, intragenerational justice, intergenerational justice.