The Last Call for Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development was defined as part of a precautionary scheme where risk-preventive capabilities are put in action to meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations, as the Brundtland Report stated. The precautionary scheme has failed to prevent dangerous interference with the climate system. According to recent reports issued by the World Bank and UNEP, the world is on track towards an increase in global temperature of 4 degrees if current inaction continues. The magnitude of climate change consequences with a 4 degree increase in temperature will not allow neither meeting the needs of the present nor the needs of future generations. Can any development be defined as \'sustainable\' under these conditions? Is this the final call for sustainable development before giving up to \'resilience\' in the best case, and \'survival\' in the worst case scenario? These and other questions will be explored throughout this presentation to understand the fundamental importance of successful negotiations under the UNFCCC to mitigate climate change in order to establish and fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals and the Post-2015 Development Agenda.