Sample Essay on Sustainable Development
Sustainable development refers to development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations meet their needs. It is a principle of life that aims at creating a finite planet. It envisions a desirable state in which human societies can live in conditions where resources can be used to meet needs without undermining sustainability of the environment and natural systems in the future so that the needs of future generations can be met as well.
Though there are different definitions for sustainable development, at its core, it is a principle that seeks to balance competing and different needs against an awareness of social, economic and environmental limitations the society faces. Often, development is driven by a specific need without taking into consideration the impact that might have in the future. This kind of approach causes damage as can be clearly witnessed by global climate change and financial crisis.
There are two important keys in sustainable development and they include:
- Idea of limitation which is imposed by social organization and state of technology on the ability of the environment to meet present needs as well as future needs.
- Concept of needs and especially essential needs of the poor people in the world to which priority must be given.
For sustainable development to be achieved, it is necessary for the world to be viewed as a system that connects time and space. When people look at the world as a system, they are better able to understand that air pollution from Asia for instance, can affect the quality of air in North America.
Sustainable development also ties carrying capacity concern of natural systems with economic and social challenges which are faced by humans. In the 1970s sustainability was a term used to describe the economy in ‘equilibrium with basic ecological support systems’. Scientists in various fields have repeatedly highlighted ‘The Limits of Growth’ and at the same time, economists have offered alternatives for instance ‘Steady State Economy’ to address the impact the expanding human development has on the planet.
The term ‘sustainable development’ became popular when it was used in the 1987 report Our Common Future done by the Brundtland Commission. Agriculture, energy, environment and transportation are some of the areas that benefit greatly as a result of sustainable development. No one remains unaffected when sustainable development takes place and this is because the decisions made by the society have real consequences in the lives of people.
For instance in communities with poor planning, the quality of life is poor as well but with sustainable development such as incorporation of good healthcare, the living standards of the people can be improved.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_development
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/pages/what-is-sustainable-development.html
http://www.iisd.org/sd/
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