The following principles are among those that have been developed to help guide sustainable development efforts.

Blueprint 2030 was adopted in December 2002 by the Metropolitan Council, the regional planning agency serving the Twin Cities. Blueprint 2030 is a a new strategy for how the region can strengthen its quality of life and addresses integrated land use, infrastructure development, affordable housing, natural resource protection, and agricultural land preservation.

City of Portland Sustainable City Principles were developed by Portland, Oregon, as a means of achieving sustainability.

The Earth Charter is a set of principles, developed by the Earth Charter in collaboration with Green Cross International, that serves as a universal code of conduct for the transition to sustainable development.

The Hannover Principles is a 70-page philosophical tract, written by architect William McDonough, that outlines a sustainable design philosophy for buildings, cities and products. Within the document, nine principles have become known as the "Hannover Principles."

National Park Service's Principles for Sustainable Design articulate principles to be used in the design and management of tourist facilities that emphasize environmental sensitivity in construction, the use of non-toxic materials, resource conservation, recycling, and integration of visitors with natural and cultural settings. The National Park Service, under its Sustainable Design Initiative, developed this guidebook, entitled Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design. Sustainability principles have been developed for several topics, including building design, site design and energy management.

The Natural Step Principles emerged from an international movement that began in Sweden. Natural Step is dedicated to helping society reduce its impact on the environment and move toward a sustainable future.

The Precautionary Principle helps guide human activities to prevent harm to the environment and to human health.

Wingspread Principles were developed by attendees of the 1998 Wingspread conference, "Communities in Harm's Way: A Leadership Dialogue on Designing Disaster-Resistant Settlements," to help communities and government agencies enhance sustainability in disaster-prone communities. The principles include a checklist for disaster mitigation and a policy action framework.

Last updated: October 15, 2003

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