Is sustainable development applicable in developing countries?

Abstract

Sustainable development is one of the most controversial issues in recent years. Environmental disasters that appear after 1970's, forced the world to apply development strategies that will enable to protect the environment. Sustainable development resulted in this framework. Recognizing and application styles of the sustainable development are different in developing and developed countries although necessary strategies in achieving sustainable development are clearly defined, it is not clear that which problems could be faced in putting the strategies into practice. Financing issues, inadequate infrastructure, different environmental awareness and institutional structure show that the sustainable development can be followed by different levels in different regions of the world. Global sustainable development can be achieved if finance sources are increased and developed countries change their production and consumption patterns.