Sustainable Development - What and How

The word Sustainability and Sustainable Development are being used more and more.  We live in a “system” where one thing is connected to another, when something interferes with one thing it has an effect on the other.  Our system, our planet is being thrown out of balance through unsustainable living.   Through intensive awareness we are now realizing that the way we live is having a dramatic effect on the environment and that we must start to find new ways in order to sustain the environment that sustains us.

The way in which sustainable development is defined can be in many different ways, and over the years has resulted in a wide range of quoted definitions.  The concept of sustainable development is discussed at a time when serious attention is needed due to environmental problems that have been caused by various human activities.  Sustainable development is not just one concept on its own, it involves various integrated areas including the environment, social capital and economic issues, therefore there should be a clear understanding of what sustainable development means in order to over come any issues that arise from these concepts. Can the terms such as “meeting human needs” and “maintaining balance” actually be possible to achieve.

Since the 1980s, sustainable development has been used to define the sustainability of humans on the planet, the definition that is frequently quoted and widely used is by the Brundland Commission, defining sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” (Miller, E. and Buys, L.).  However, I would define sustainable development as resolving the conflict between human life and the integrity of nature to maintain the balance between them both for now and for future generations.   

Environmental protection and Economic development require Social development and neither Economic or Social development is possible in the long term without Environmental protection, so therefore sustainable development is an integration of all these key elements, “Those who think that sustainability is only a matter of pollution control are missing the bigger picture” (Elkington, John), therefore it is fundamental to ensure that we have integrated decision making between different departments and sectors to ensure that solutions are focused on all areas of sustainable development to try and maintain the balance between them.

So, how do we maintain the balance in order to achieve sustainable development?  In order to achieve balance, it is important that we remember where we belong and how we evolved to be here on the planet in the first place.  Evolution by natural selection is a principle of nature, but evolution is unappreciated and under assault.  Life has had the ability to maintain balance for 3.5 billion years and since humans have come along to dominate the planet this balance has been severely disrupted. The relationships between humans and nature has now changed, we have decided that the planet belongs to us and that all of its resources are ours for the taking.  In order to achieve balance, we need to reconnect with nature and this is something that we seem to be forgetting.  What is the limit of human needs, on what scale will human needs be satisfied and at what cost and will humanity always have the need for more and will we ever be satisfied.  How can we maintain any form of balance when all we do is keep taking.  Millions of people are now realizing where they belong in the world and are working together to make a difference for future generations, trying to get back the balance that we seem to have made unstable through our needs and wants.  We all have the ability to act and make a difference, by reassessing our wants and needs and reconnecting with the Earth we have the power to make significant changes.

“Only by acting, and acting ethically, can we redeem our humanity” (Hamilton, Clive).

References

Elkington, John (2001), “The ‘Triple Bottom Line’ for 21^st –century Business” in Starkey, Richard, and Welford, Richard, (eds), The Earthscan Reader in Business and Sustainable Development, London and Sterling, VA, Earthscan Publications, pp 23-24

Hamilton, Clive, 2010, “Reconstructing a future”, Requiem for a species: Why We Resist the Truth about Climate Change, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, pp 226

Miller, E. and Buys, L. (2008). The Role of Social Capital in Predicting and Promoting Feelings of Responsibility for Local Environmental Issues in an Australian Community. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 15(4), 232