consumption or use of natural resources should be approximate the rate at which these resources can be substituted or replaced. It also requires that a nation or society should be able to satisfy its requirements- social, economic and others- without undermining the interest of future generations. Countries of North (Developed) use too many natural resources and such practice cannot continue long. Mother Nature has been making available its resources and services as well it is also serving as receptacle for absorbing wastes for too long a time. We have to realize now that Nature today is very fragile. Nature is finite. And experts have warned that it has reached to a critical threshold beyond which it would lead to Ecological Decline that would further lead to nothing but
“DISASTER”. These experts are strong advocates of “limits to growth”
philosophy.
This concept of sustainable development can be further extended with the principle of justice and equity (equal distribution) between the peoples of North and South. Therefore, the national as well as international leaders and
institutions respectively have major responsibility for sound developmental, economic and environmental issues. They should keep in view the principle of equity and those principles that determine the intergenerational inequities.
Another aspect of sustainable development is related to System Analysis, that is to say, how economic, social and environmental systems interact at various scales of operation to lead sustainable development that will strike optimal
balance among the three subsystems. It must ultimately lead to reducing poverty of people in developing countries by minimizing resources depletion,
environmental damage and social instability.
To summarize,
Sustainable Development
(Following aspects are to be highlighted)
*Protecting environment
*Avoiding depletion of non-renewable resources
*Seek reliance on alternative sources
*Equal access to resources
*Principle of Intergenerational distribution of resources-Important
*Systems thinking
Fundamentals of Environment and Sustainable Development
• Population and its implication:
There are two aspects that affect environment: a) Population growth and b) economic development. The interaction between population growth, resource depletion/environmental damage has been debated. High population growth causes stress on environment, and there are opposite thinkers are also, who feel that blame has to be on economic development, industrial growth and unsustainable economic development are the matters of cause for concern especially in development.
It can be expressed with following equation:
I = P x A x T
I= Impact of environment
= Population
= Affluence (consumption) T= Technology coefficient
More people means more pressure on resources, more consumption of energy, more production of wastes including greenhouse gases- all having adverse effects on environment. India’s population has crossed hundred crores mark. We are adding more than Australia in terms of population each year. Question is whether we have devised adequate developmental
programs that can match the increase in population. If not population factor itself would be sufficient contribution toward degradation of environment and resource depletion.
Sustainable development is about integrational equity. But if future equity is of great concern, it is not legitimate to ignore the equity occurring in the present populations in different parts of the globe. Sustainablity should reflect equity, environmental concerns and social responsibilities vis-à-vis population regardless of time or location.
• Limits to Growth:
We will need to change attitudes, consumption patterns, manufacturing and marketing practices and get into technological world that it is less intensive in its use of materials and energy to be able to manage the environmental crisis.
Just improvement of efficiency alone is not going to be enough. Growth has been treated as an infinite variable. This is not a correct assumption. The
“earth’s carrying capacity” is not seriously thought about. And such world has to desperately try to keep pace with the environmental problems because of such incorrect assumptions.
For example, climate change (global warming), can be combated only if the world transits to a non-carbon energy economy, only after that the limitations of environments concerns posed by a carbon energy economy would get lessened. The world needs an international mechanism that not only provides incentives to all nations to live within their entitled norms (amounts) but also help to promote a rapid transition to a non-carbon energy economy.
There is considerable scope for dematerialization and de-energisation without a decrease in living standards. This will be possible only if it is promoted through changes in the fiscal system which supports appropriate
technological improvements. This can only happen if principle of sufficiency is ignored. We will need to set a level of sufficiency i.e. this much and not
beyond it.
There is a difference between ecology of means and ecology of ends. We can save nature by using our resources more efficiently. But this can happen for a certain time. Since efficiency grew, the number of cars and the power of cars also grew. Ecology of means has to be accompanied by an ecology of ends, and hence efficiency revolution will remain counterproductive if its not
supplemented by a sufficiency revolution. Running with high speed and with utmost efficiency and without direction- is really irrational.
Sufficiency will be possible only if one day the world is prepared to reach an international agreement on limits to growth and to say, that we have fixed our level of greed and no more. Global agreement is still a distant possibility.
For sustainable use of global common systems, a separate set of policies would have to be adopted. It has to be a system that provides for the
establishment of equitable entitlements or property rights to provide economic incentives to those who use this environment space in a sustainable manner and disincentives to those who use it in an unsustainable manner.
The world faces an enormous challenge in the coming years.
• Economy:
Rate o f Gross National Product (GNP) is one of the most important indicators of economic performance of any nation. Increase GNP indicates economic health of the country. Such increase however is based on high rate of consumption of natural resources of which depletion of environmental resources is significant. Economic growth comes in conflict with issues of environmental concerns.
Ever since India had adopted the Economic Reforms Models via liberalization globalization. However, there are significant advantages from the above transition; ecological disadvantages are required to be taken into account.
Long term ecological costs are to be taken into account. In our effort to increase the GNP, we may not like to liquidate ecological assets.
High economic growth results into high rate of extraction, transformation and utilization of non-renewable resources. It is important to also achieve good rate of regeneration of natural resources.
Economic growth can not take place without sustaining ecological costs.
Economic growth has to be environmentally sustainable. Developing countries have yet to undertake more developmental programs and yet to attain reasonable standards of living. Therefore, GNP must increase in these countries. Elements of resource generation and positive approach to
environment have to be incorporated in developmental programs.
• Poverty:
In order to properly manage environment and resources, due consideration should be given to the fact that poor people directly depend upon natural
resources for their livelihood. Sustainable development must address the issue of eradication of poverty which is linked with employment both of women and youth and other income generation programs.
• Human Settlement Issues:
The environmental implications of urban development and other human (slums) must be recognized. It will be necessary to give priority to the needs of urban as well as rural poor. The human settlement program should
concentrate on following aspects:
1. Providing shelter to all
2. Investment in infrastructure- water, sewage and solid waste 3. Promotion of sustainable energy and transport system 4. Promotion of sustainable land use management
• Land Resources:
Land not only includes a physical entity in terms of topography but it also includes natural resources, soil, minerals and biota. These components provide varieties of services are essential for life support system. Land is infinite resource. Integrated approach is necessary for management of land.
• Forests:
There should be a rational approach adopted for management of forests and forests lands. Sustainable forest development, production of forest products and forest services require institutional approach at government level.