Section 1

Peripheral Territories, Tourism, and Regional Development: A Brief Overview

**3**

**Chapter 1**

**1. Introduction**

Commission [8–10].

Introductory Chapter: Rural

Sustainable Regional Development

*Rui Alexandre Castanho, Gualter Couto and Rossana Santos*

**1.1 Sustainable development and regional development: a brief overview**

The term 'sustainable development' was firstly introduced in the international policy debate by the World Strategy for Nature. It was established as a new world paradigm after 'Our Common Future,' the final report of the Brundtland

The starting point of the enlarged use of the sustainable development concept was the United Nations conferences on Environment and Development [8]. In those conferences, the necessity to adopt new growth and development strategies as locally as globally has been admitted. This demand was previously discussed in 1969 through a study conducted by UNESCO, which revealed that, by 2000, the urban population in rural areas throughout the world would be solely 15%. In 1993, the World Bank stated that 2010 is the year in which most of the world's population would live in cities, creating a dramatic scenario for urban systems, desertification

Accordingly, sustainable development is combined and joined with sustained economic growth, social equity, and inclusion. Besides, it is also linked to environmental preservation and conservation, requiring a robust political commitment, local and regional stakeholders' involvement, and public participation [11, 12]. Hence, from the several instruments used by sustainable development, territorial planning is one of the most relevant for this development typology as in urban as in rural areas. Through this development is expected to strengthen regional and local economies, promote social development and cohesion, conceive a conscience more directed for

the environmental issues, and create inclusive and safer territories [13, 14].

The concept of sustainable development is broad and comprehensive and is based on three fundamental pillars economic, social, and environmental. In fact, the effects of these pillars are very dynamic and multifaceted [7, 15]. In addition to

Sustainable Development is no longer a choice, but a necessity of us all. In fact, if we look to prosper as a society, and probably as a specie, there is no alternative instead of opting for a typology based on a sustainable development and growth. This development is often defined as the process of meeting the demands of today without jeopardizing the necessities of future generations without limiting

Tourism as a Catalyst for

of Peripheral Territories

their possibilities to plan the territory in their own way [1–7].

dilemmas, and the rarity of resources in rural areas [2–5].

### **Chapter 1**
