雅思阅读

📖 Reading Passage

The concept of 'sustainable development' has evolved significantly since its introduction in the 1987 Brundtland Report. Initially framed as a balance between economic growth and environmental protection, it has since expanded to encompass social equity and intergenerational justice. Critics argue, however, that the term has become so broad as to be practically meaningless, often co-opted by corporations to justify unsustainable practices under the guise of 'green' initiatives. Proponents counter that its flexibility allows for adaptation across diverse cultural and economic contexts, fostering local solutions to global challenges. Recent scholarship emphasizes the need for measurable indicators to move beyond rhetoric, suggesting that without concrete metrics, sustainable development risks remaining an aspirational ideal rather than a practical framework for policy.