Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- The sustainability issue in the economic literature -- The sustainability issue and sustainability concepts -- The economics of intertemporal decisions -- The emergence of sustainability criteria -- Some comments on key results -- and misleading interpretations -- What can we preserve for future generations? -- Invariance theories and sustainable development -- Invariance in growth theory -- Weak invariance : the viability approach -- What we can preserve for future generations -- Conclusion.

Is development sustainable? When addressing the sustainability issue, decision-makers are faced with two challenges: taking into account conflicting issues, such as economic development and environmental preservation, while also ensuring intergenerational equity. Tackling these challenges amounts to deciding what should be bequeathed to future generations, especially in terms of natural resources.