SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - CONCEPTUAL ISSUES, AN OPERATIONAL MODEL AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR AUSTRALIA

This paper describes an operational model of sustainable development in an attempt to clarify some of the conceptual issues which surround the term. Despite the plethora of papers that make reference to sustainable development it is becoming increasingly clear that very few studies have progressed to the point where some of the ideas underpinning sustainable development can be put into an operational format. Yet, if the concept is to be useful for planning and managing landscapes in a sustainable way it is essential that operational models of the concept are produced. After discussing some of the conceptual issues that surround the term 'sustainable development', a description of a dynamic simulation model of sustainable development is proposed. Although the model is in its early stages of development it has been applied in several national case studies, including Australia. Some implications of further development of the model for its application to northern Australia are also suggested.