Sustainability Indicators of Iran’s Developmental Plans: Application of the Sustainability Compass Theory

Karim Naderi Mahdei, Mehrdad Pouya, Fatemeh Taheri, Hossein Azadi and Steven Van Passel
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Karim Naderi Mahdei: Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan 65174, Iran
Mehrdad Pouya: Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan 65174, Iran
Fatemeh Taheri: Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Khuzestan Ramin Agricultural and Natural Resources University, Mollasani 63417, Iran
Hossein Azadi: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, Diepenbeek 3590, Belgium
Steven Van Passel: Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Agoralaan Building D, Diepenbeek 3590, Belgium

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to analyze Iran’s developmental plans in order to examine and compare their direction and conformity with the sustainable development theory via the compass of sustainability. The approach involves a content analysis used in line with qualitative research methodologies. The results indicated that, in the first developmental plans, there was no direct reference to sustainable development. In the second to fifth plans, the main focus was on the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of development; which were common elements seen in the policies of all the plans. An analysis of the fourth plan revealed that expressions related to sustainable development appeared more frequently, indicating a stronger emphasis on sustainable development by decision-makers.

Keywords: sustainable development; sustainability assessment; development theory; content analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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