The last thing that poor countries need to worry about is “sustainability”. They should open up their economies and let the market take its course.
Sustainability is defined by the individuals who make the investments. The sustainability of each individaul investment has already been weighed by the rationality of the human making said investment. Unsustainable development only occurs when there is excessive government spending (increasing the public debt) and then they must create money to pay it off, setting off a boom and bust cycle.
I think a bicycle made out of bamboo is not very sustainable. I think folks in developing countries are smart enough to figure that out and laugh her out of the country. I think sustainable development is how airheads get to be condenscending, particularly, toward third worlders.