Human Dimensions of Development and Sustainable Development Goals

The human dimensions refer to understand human traits while living in society and focuses on planning as well as on actions covering mostly socio-cultural and economic values. Speaking specifically in context of developmental projects, it means inclusion of human dimensions while initiating any developmental project(s). It can be traced from the Man and Biosphere Programme of UNSECO as well as from the Munich Mountain Environment Manifesto more than 30 years ago through which the research interests on interrelationships between human being and their environment were primarily focused. Recently, the research on different developmental projects in the mountains round the globe has been increased in interdisciplinary ways and being primarily focused because of ignorance of human dimensions. Mountains are among the most sensitive regions which have already been affected by lot of reasons and need urgent attention to address many issues related to development before it is too late.

Globally, mountains are centres of traditional cultural and biological diversity, sources of raw materials, and important tourist destinations and need to preserve. Because of the importance of mountain, these have been included in the chapter 13 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development's Agenda 21 and presently, one of the sustainable development goals and the UN general assembly has designated year 2022 as the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development. Mountains presently find place in SDGs in targets 6.6, 15.1 and 15.4, i.e., energy, forests and biodiversity, climate change, water, mountains and SDGs (specifically).