The Age Of Sustainable Development

The most commonly used definition of sustainable development is still that given in the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), i.e. sustainable development is ‘a process to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ Sustainable development is therefore about creating a better life for all people in ways that will be as viable in the future as they are at present. In other words, sustainable development is based on principles of sound husbandry of the world’s resources, and on equity in the way those resources are used and in the way in which the benefits obtained from them are distributed (Making Tourism More Sustainable, 2005).

I visited China about a year ago, however everything I saw was discussed by Magdoff and Foster in what Every Environmentalist Needs to Know about Capitalism. The intense pollution is enough to make the citizens stay inside for the day, as we here in Colorado might for a snow day. The sights witnessed there is sound evidence that support Magdoff and Fosters argument that capitalism is the primary driving force behind environmental degradation. An explorative journalistic piece by NBC’s 60 minutes Lesley Stahl, revealed that there are currently multi-billion dollar cities being built in China that are completely vacant. China’s massive economic growth can be attributed to policies set forth by the Chinese government some years ago. The Chinese wanted to, ‘catch up with the world, “20 years in a day.” Their ability to actually live up to this goal shows that their government highly values economic growth and will do anything to support it, even at the cost of the environment. This example of the Chinese government is reflective of how most of the world values economic growth, though extreme. Because, no country wants to be in a recession, it is bad for the people causing deep strife in the balance between the environment and economic growth. This paper will utilize the writings of Magdoff and Foster to contend that the way we think about economic growth is harmful to our environment. Additionally this paper will argue that violence is the often necessary for an ideal

poverty can be clearly seen. Southern climate change forces farmers to migrate which directly contributes to the level of poverty and adds to the suffering of the poor. Traditionally, these individuals would at least be able to survive through farming and growing their own food but in urban areas these individuals will be unable to grow their own food.

While industrialization has been strongly associated with greenhouse gas emissions, it is premature, however, to conclude that economic growth is the independent factor responsible to climate change. Neumayer (1998) contended that there is no sound scientific evidence documenting consequences of economic development on the environmental degradation in the long term (p. 4). There is also no linear association between economic growth and environmental deterioration, as maintained by Ferguson et al. (1996, p. 28) that the existing evidence “cannot be used to justify a view that economic growth (…) will automatically be good or bad for the environment” (cited in Neumayer 1998, p. 16).

One of China’s best successes has in turn been one of its biggest downfalls. One of the main problems is China’s greatest success which has been its phenomenal economic growth. This is one of the main drivers of the current environmental problems that the country faces. Factories dump pollutants into the air and water. It is difficult to see the Chinese government making the significant sacrifices required to improve their environment if it means slowing down their economic growth.

1. I do not believe that the world is truly flat; this is my position. I believe that there is a kind of potential for the world to be flat, but there are a myriad of social stratifications that exist across societies around the world that make "flatness" of the world unlikely. For me to side with Friedman in that the world is flat, I would need to be presented with proof that the world is more equal than it is. One of the arguments against Friedman's ideas is his lack of substantial data in his book.

However, it wasn't until 10th grade, in a class debate about the effects of global warming, that I realised the significance of sustainability for social development. This debate created within me a desire to better understand how man-made environmental issues impact social and economic progress. So I chose studies in this area because I believe sustainability is a priority when it comes to the future wellbeing and

Important advantages of Resources on the Earth are limited.That the way we behave now does not make life difficult or impossible for future generations.To achieve sustainable development,we need to carefully consider the need for economic development,where standards of living improve

Epstein Paul. “Food Security and Climate Change: The True Cost of Carbon” Sustainability: A Reader for Writers. Ed. Carl G. Herndl. New York: Oxford UP, 2014. 147-151. Print. The author of the article shows people how climate change and weather events eventually reduce food production, food insecurity and trigger political instability with specific examples and statistics. The author ultimately concludes that it is a critical time for people to

The people of China enjoy the assets of a flourishing economy but they also are suffering from the price that is being paid on the environment and specifically air pollution in their country due to the cities and the housing of people and the materials that are being used

Economic growth is supposed to distribute the prosperity to all people across a country. The higher economic growth means more income to pursue a better life. Economic growth is the precondition for improving the development. No sustained economic development can occur without economic growth (Perkins et al. 2012, p 14). As a result, maintaining the sustainability of growth is crucial to sustain economic development, for example improvements in health, education, and other aspects of human welfare. However, creating the sustainable economic growth is a challenge for a natural resource dependent nation. This is because a resource curse term points out to a country that relies on natural resources faces sluggish economic growth (Sachs & Warner, 2001). The resource curse also refers to a negative correlation between development of a country and its natural resources abundance. Thus, it is hard to improve the economic development when the countries experience the natural resource curse.

People all around the world are beginning to recognize the importance of sustainability and how it is the key to future generations. Because the human ecological footprint is reaching the point of limitation, it is only necessary that humans learn how to adapt and develop more efficient, sustainable states. Today, many cities are faced with the issue of heavily contaminated and polluted domestic water due to the failure of proper treatment and disposal. This event occurs when pollutants and particulates come into contact and engage with water resources. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, residents and local officials continue to debate over the practices of drilling, waste management, and coal mining within their district. These practices are the lead cause to Pittsburgh 's poor water quality. As a result, residents of Pittsburgh and those who live along the border the city, are victims of dangerous wastewater which have the potential to cause deadly diseases and illnesses like malaria and cholera. The problem of water pollution in Pittsburgh has become an issue politically, because local officials debate over the treatment of toxic wastes; socially, because the people of Pittsburgh and those living near its rivers are victimized; and economically, because the city relies on its industries to avoid further debt.

Views on Sustainable Development with Specific Reference to Sub-Saharan Africa Allen (1980) puts forward his definition of sustainable development as "development that is likely to achieve lasting satisfaction of human needs and improvement of the quality of human life. " The important phrase to consider in this definition is "likely to achieve". This concept in theory can be effective and implemented successfully, however we can critically discuss the concept in terms of what and who is to be involved, with relevance to the world that we live in today. Certain requirements have to be reached by all, such as commitment from both developed and developing countries. Is it possible to effectively

Although humans know they are slowly damaging the environment in which they need to survive, they continue to do so. Dale (2001) asserts that it may be as a result of feeling powerless to reverse the situation; therefore their efforts are often futile. In order to truly see sustainable change, Dale (2001) believes there must be collaboration between different levels of government, and aggressive action taken. Throughout the book, Dale (2001) looks at sustainable development through three main lenses: ecological, social, and economic. She asserts that each lens is different, but equal in importance to make a more sustainable future (Dale, 2001). Although this book was written in the context of both Canada and the larger global society, I feel that Dale’s (2001) lessons are relevant to the United States, and are worth sharing for this book report project. Further, based on the examples of cities we have studied so far in Green Government Initiatives, it seems as though many cities are following her advice. This book review will consist of a further look at the three main components of sustainable development mentioned above, examples of how cities in America are applying the concepts, and will conclude with recommendations for the future.

Sustainable development can be defined in many ways; the one that I prefer to use is that of the Brundtland Commission: "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."(1) Along those lines, many Governments around the world strive to minimize the pollution impact over our most valuable resource, the Earth. Additionally, lobbyists have spent thousands of hours encouraging legislators to enact laws to protect the environment, and so far we have gotten some results. But I think we can do even more; the next question: What? And the answer is very simple: changing the culture.