ITSSD believes that objective market driven and relevant standards and regulations play an indispensable role in facilitating the international trade and investment flows, technological innovations, economic growth, social justice and environmental protection necessary to achieve sustainable development.
 

ITSSD recognizes that, when standards and regulations are not scientifically, technically and economically justified and are not developed in an open, inclusive and transparent manner, there is a real danger that they may be used for ideological political purposes and as disguised protectionist barriers to trade and innovation.
 

ITSSD questions the sustainability of trade and development assistance programs extended to developing countries that call for the adoption and implementation of non-science-based and cost ineffective environment, health and safety regulations and standards, and which have the effect of stifling local research and development efforts, technological innovation, and entrepreneurship in such countries.
 

ITSSD advocates that sustainable development can be achieved without requiring the absolute preservation of specific natural resources inherited from the past. To the extent economic activities deplete essential natural resources, such resources should be renewed, supplemented and/or replaced with comparable long-term capital value, such as scientific knowledge, new technologies and equipment, or some environmental investment. Technology may be used and economic growth may be pursued in ways that affect the environment, provided, in the end, that future generations are left with “a generalized capacity to create wellbeing”.
 

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