StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Sustainable Development - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Sustainable Development The concept of sustainable development, as defined by the Brundtland report, is stated as (Strong, 2006): "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” The primary objective behind preparing the Brundtland report was to drive forth the importance of the world as a collective system that is connected across space and time…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.6% of users find it useful
Sustainable Development
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Sustainable Development"

Download file to see previous pages

From a historical perspective, the decisions made by our forefathers with regards to rapid industrialization and development without considering the resulting impact on the environment continue to have a severe impact on numerous ecosystems even today (Stefanovic, 2006). Similarly, the economic decisions and policies our governments make today will have an impact on the world’s sustainability and growth in the future. The above points clearly suggest that sustainable development depends on the cooperation between various societal, economical, governmental, environmental and cultural aspects.

As such, sustainability should not be perceived as a homogeneous concept. In fact, planning and achieving sustainability in any tangible manner is a complex process that is based on some broad principles. The introduction of the Brundtland report and its extensive coverage of sustainability have had an influential role in shaping future laws on environmental conservation and protection in many countries and international agreements (Wallace, 2005). Sustainable development and policy continues to face numerous challenges from various corners.

Amongst these, the existence of poverty within a large part of the world’s population poses a serious challenge. The planet is estimated to reach a total population of 7 billion people in 2011, which implies a greater competition and struggle for growth and control of the earth’s limited resources (Cowie, 2007). People belonging to developing and poor nations are facing prolonged shortages of food, water and access to basic civic amenities. The past few decades have witnessed the emergence of new countries experiencing tremendous economic growth.

Rapid development in countries like China and India has increased the demand for oil and other non-renewable fuels and is likely to increase the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Fragile places like Antarctica are likely to bear the most serious consequences if these trends are not controlled through sustainable means (Ekins, 2005). Another issue impeding sustainable development is the lack of economic growth in some countries, especially those in Africa. Many countries like Zimbabwe have faced years of economic depression due to oppressive regimes and lack of proper government.

Several multilateral agreements have emerged out of the guidelines recommended by the Brundtland report. One among these is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Known as UNFCCC in short, this is an environmental agreement signed by various countries at the UN Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (Wallace, 2005). The primary goal of this agreement is to restrict the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and stabilize their concentrations at an acceptable level that can prevent any serious interference with climatic patterns.

However, this treaty suffers from several deficiencies, most notably its non-binding attribute which does not provide any mandatory limits that signatories have to maintain. Further, there are no enforcement

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Sustainable Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1407965-sustainable-development
(Sustainable Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words - 1)
https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1407965-sustainable-development.
“Sustainable Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words - 1”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/environmental-studies/1407965-sustainable-development.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Sustainable Development

Role of the London Olympics in Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development is a concept that is gaining importance in all walks of life.... hellip; The main guiding principle of Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Encyclopaedia of Sustainable Development, 2001).... In fact, Sustainable Development takes into consideration the interdependence of environmental, social and economic systems. Sustainable Development also supports equality and justice through people empowerment and a sense of global citizenship....
11 Pages (2750 words) Case Study

Malaysia and Sustainable Development

In the paper “Malaysia and Sustainable Development,” the author focuses on the freedom of future generations to sustain their lives on this planet”.... n order to promote Sustainable Development, Malaysia join forces with the United Nations to launch a fourfold program called Vision 2000 which is geared to address the environmental impact of development.... These four strategies include conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; access to sustainable energy services, frameworks and strategies for Sustainable Development, and national/sectoral policy and planning to control the emission of ozone-depleting substances and persistent organic pollutants (UNDP Malaysia 1-4)....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Environmental economic--sustainable development

But is ANS truly an excellent measure for sustainable It is in this context that this research is aimed at critically examining ANS within the empirical context of human survival that is anchored only on genuine Sustainable Development.... Experts of development worldwide made a framework that seriously consider environment, as source of needed resources....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Embracing Sustainable Development

This paper "Embracing Sustainable Development" focuses on the fact that Sustainable Development refers to the accepted model of integrating development and environment policies.... nbsp;… Sustainable Development cannot be achieved simply through the efforts of government and policymakers alone, it requires a concerted effort by all players in the economy.... nbsp; Based on ethical theories and literature, this paper will attempt to show that it is important for companies to embrace the concept of Sustainable Development in order to grow their bottom line and ensure future growth....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Engineering for Sustainable Development

The goal of this essay "Engineering for Sustainable Development" is to describe the fundamental information concerning sustainable practices in engineering.... nbsp;The development of projects following the guideline provisions remains essential in ensuring the success of the initiated projects.... The successful implementation of engineering projects could enhance the general development of countries in general....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Principles of Sustainable Development

From the paper "Principles of Sustainable Development", Sustainable Development refers to the kind of development that completely caters to the needs of all the current generations while ensuring that the future generation's ability to cater to all of their needs is not in any manner compromised....  This also means that the principles of development are defined in the three components and the balance of them all means Sustainable Development can be achieved....
8 Pages (2000 words) Assignment

Barriers to Sustainable Development

… The paper "Barriers to Sustainable Development" is a good example of a research proposal on social science.... Sustainable Development consists of the various long-term strategies that are focused on the development of human needs that are considered current with the consideration of the environmental impact of such projects.... The paper "Barriers to Sustainable Development" is a good example of a research proposal on social science....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Proposal

Sustainable Development Learning Plans

This assignment "Sustainable Development Learning Plans" presents a learning plan that will create a clear and succinct understanding of foundations in Sustainable Development such that the students are able to integrate the same into their day-to-day lives.... hellip; The first one is to make a behavioral analysis of how students' attitudes are towards Sustainable Development and what are their attitudes if they are asked to adopt and support practices pertaining to Sustainable Development....
9 Pages (2250 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us