Sustainable Development

Author - Sarthak Kulkarni

We, the human species are growing and developing vigorously. Our development in every way is for the betterment of our society and advancement in our lives in very aspect possible. But every coin has two sides. Every phenomenon comes with its pros and cons.

While the other blogs in this series of blogs cover how Development has eradicated and abused our environment and is still continuing on its merry way. Development has spared none of the facets of our habitat. It has eradicated land, water, air and even the wildlife. This have been take notice of in the other blog of this series and they have stated how has development been a villain for nature and mother Earth. This will lead to all natural resources and nature depleting and leaving nothing behind for our future generation.

 

This blog introduces the Concept of Sustainable Development. This will introduce the readers to how we can continue development without compromising the health of our environment. 

Sustainability is development that satisfies the requirements of the present without compromising the capacity of future generations, guaranteeing the balance between economic growth, care for the environment and social well-being.

Sustainable development is a concept that appeared for the first time in 1987 with the publication of the Brundtland Report, warning of the negative environmental consequences of economic growth and globalization, which tried to seek out possible solutions to the issues caused by industrialization and population growth.

"Sustainable development is development that meets the requirements of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to fulfill their own needs."

The concept of sustainable development can be interpreted in multiple ways, but at its core is an approach to development that appears to balance different, and often competing, needs against an awareness of the environmental, social and economic limitations we face as a society.

All too often, development is driven by one particular need, without fully considering the broader perspective or future impacts. We are already seeing the damage this kind of approach can cause, from large-scale financial crises caused by irresponsible banking, to changes in global climate resulting from our dependence on fossil fuel-based energy sources. The longer we pursue unsustainable development, the more frequent and severe its consequences are likely to become, which is why we need to take action now.

The aim of ecologically sustainable development is to maximize human well-being or quality of life without compromising the life support system. The measures for sustainable development may be different in developed and developing countries according to their level of technological and economic development.

But developing countries, like India, can focus attention on the following measures:

• Ensure clean and hygienic living and working conditions for the people
• Sponsor research on environmental issues pertaining to the region
• Ensure safety against known and proven industrial hazards
• Find economical methods for salvaging hazardous industrial wastes
• Encourage afforestation
• Find out substitutes for proven hazardous materials based on local resources and needs instead of blindly depending on advanced nations to find solutions.

The prime need for sustainable development is the conser­vation of natural resources. For conservation, the development policy should follow the following norms:

(i) Make all attempts not to impair the natural regenerative capacity of renewable resources and simultaneously avoid excessive pollution hampering the biospherical capacity of waste assimilation and life support system.

(ii) All technological changes and planning strategy processes, as far as physically possible, must attempt switch from non-renewable to renewable resource uses.

(iii) Formulate a phase-out policy for the use of non-renewable resources in general.

Conclusion:

Sustainable Development is the need of the hour and way to go in the future. Using this concept we can keep our environment clean and safe and still develop. The steps can be as small as using CNG rather than a fossil fuel so as to decrease pollution. Not only these we can take many such steps to move forward, industrialize, develop nut still keep our surroundings and environment safe. Although Development is proving hazardous for the environment, the concept and implementation of Sustainable Development can lead our way and helps us develop and still not harm the environment. 

And all of this, is a responsibility of citizens like you and me to implement all of this. We all have to join hands in doing so before it gets too late. Thus, let's be responsible citizens of our country and this world and let's save India as well as Mother Earth!