By Sagar Saud
Sustainable Development: Concept/definition and Dimensions
Concept/definition
According to the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, Our Common Future, Sustainable Development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
But in pure, ethical, transparent, and accountable practice, Sustainable Development is not limited to only the environmental dimension of development. It is not only concerned with the uses of natural resources, development activities, and the protection of natural biodiversity. It has many more aspects like economic aspects, social aspects, political aspects, inclusive concepts, administrative aspects, private sectors' role and accountability, ethical governance, and development.
If we broader the Sustainable Development Concept to a new civilization concept; it is a world welfare concept. It encompasses the good feelings for all living and nonliving things. It strongly supports that prosperity should be shared with all. It is because plants, animals, human beings, and all creatures are members of the same family in the same home- the Earth. It suggests balance in human-nature dialogue/interaction.
Dimensions of Sustainable Development
Environmental dimension:
Human development activities must focus not only on development but also on the environment, natural resources, biodiversity, oceans, forests, animals, and their habitats. While building developmental infrastructures, establishing production companies and industries environmental loss must be minimized. Natural resources must be consumed in an economic way so that future generations could consume them. Our earth is a home for all living beings whether they live inland, sky, or in water.
Social dimension:
Sustainable development carries welfare for all social communities. It focuses on poverty reduction, attainment of education, access to health services to all in society. Some communities depend on natural resources for their livelihood. It protects the interests of such communities. The weaker classes of society like minorities, women, aboriginals, low-income people also benefit from the development.
Economic dimension:
Economic activities must not affect the fairness of the environment. Natural resources should be utilized in a proper method. Products harmful to nature, biodiversity, living beings, and water resources must be controlled. The benefits of economic development must reach all levels of society.
Political dimension:
The political system is on the top level within the social system. It governs all in a society and state. Policies, acts, regulations, and decisions regarding development must be fair, ethical, transparent, and accountable. These state policies must regulate environmental activities, economic development, and social welfare. Political decisions and state activities must be fair to all. Environmental corruption must be controlled.
Ethical governance:
It is governance by ethics. Every governance activity, procedure, methods, appointments, decisions should be based on ethics, moral values, fairness, integrity, transparency, accountability, rule of law, and peoples' consent.
Thus Sustainable Development is a concept and a strategy to bring a fine balance between Environment and Development. It is the world welfare, creature welfare, and human welfare concept. By the profound implementation of the concept, the end of conflicts/violence and establishment of peace in society, nation, and in the world is possible.
Sustainable Development: Practice in poor/corrupt countries
Sustainable Development:
Sustainable development is that meets the needs of a person, of a family, or of a certain class without compromising the ability of their future generations to meet only their own needs.
In poor countries corruption is rampant. The authority holder persons, families, government officials, government political leaders, owners of corporate houses, and others have the power to influence state authority so that they misuse the power to amass illegal money from illegal undue activities. Wealth earned by such black sources is hidden in own and own relatives' names.
Government appointments, transfers, and promotions are made on the basis of bribing power, nepotism, source force, and favoritism. Money is collected from favorable government officials and corporate houses and then elections are won by giving some money to unemployed youths, socially powerful persons, families, and media. Oversight agencies of the state are captured by appointing their own yes-men.
Policies are made in favor of certain persons, corporate houses, and the mafia. Environmental resources are over-exploited. Forest resources are used unscientifically. Industries are established without fulfilling the norms/standards.
Government officials in connection with political leaders, businessmen, and syndicate networks make losses to state revenue. There is no transparency and accountability budgetary expenditure. They earn wealth by misusing power.
The service delivery quality is poor. Due to corruption, the infrastructures built are of low quality and standard.
There is a wide gap between rich and poor in society. The weaker classes and communities are deprived of good education, health, and employment. Business is based on theft and the black market. Price hiking is high.
In such countries, people have selfish tendencies. They have "I eat only, I wear only; the poor would die" thought tendency.
Thus the definition of Sustainable development in poor, developing, and corrupt countries are just upside down/opposite to what it profoundly is. Political leaders, government officials, powerful persons and families of society, businessmen, owners of corporate houses, journalists, and so-called civil society leaders in corrupt countries amass legal and illegal wealth by hook or crook. They gather wealth in the form of land, gold, shares, cash, bank balances for themselves, their families and relatives, and for their future generations too.
This way the sustainable development concept in under-developing, poor, and corruption rampant countries is practiced differently as explained above in this article.
0 Comments