By Dr AK Srivastava
“Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.” – Gro Harlem Brundtland
Sustainable development means all-round progress and development of the nation
without compromising natural and environmental resources for posterity. The needs of the present generation should be addressed, but no harm should be done to the natural resources and environment so that the coming generation can also live happily and peacefully. Our economic growth should not be at the price of natural
wealth because we have no right to exploit it, ignoring the interests of the coming
generation. We continued to exploit natural resources until we realised that these are limited and ruthlessly exterminating them means impending severe danger.
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” – Robert Swan
It is true that the world has made tremendous progress in almost all imaginable fields, but we have also caused massive harm to our environment: global warming, melting of glaciers, eruption of volcanoes, floods, air, noise, and water pollution, etc., are some of the major consequences of these indiscriminate scientific adventures.
Sustainable development can be achieved by maintaining excellent coordination between social, economic, and environmental progress. The UNO has been very serious
about this issue, and there have been tremendous discussions among world leaders about this problem. Both developed and developing countries have to change their policies and style of managing environmental issues. In some cases, it may be going back to a traditional and old-fashioned lifestyle without compromising the
comforts of life. The rate of consumption of natural wealth should not surpass its
growth rate.
Sustainable development was first institutionalised through the Rio Process, which was initiated at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. In 2005, the UNO General Assembly highlighted the 17 goals targeted at achieving sustainable development at the
global level. The UN Conference on Environment and Development published The Earth Charter, which emphasised the need for a sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. The action plan, Agenda 21, for sustainable
development identifies information, integration, and participation as key building
blocks to help countries achieve development. Participation of the masses in decision-making was the prerequisite for achieving sustainable development.
Population explosion, too much industrialisation, deforestation, mass movement
from villages to urban areas, electronic waste, use of many chemicals and
fertilisers in agriculture, too much exploitation of rivers and other water sources
are some of the major factors that need immediate attention. If we don’t change our attitude towards our present policies and according to the needs of time, our planet will no longer remain a pleasant and liveable place for the coming generation and all developments and the progress made so far will turn out to be meaningless.
Now the question arises: what are the parameters of sustainable development? How to achieve them? We know that poverty and hunger are still major issues in many underdeveloped nations. The world community cannot ignore this point. It is the duty of prosperous nations to ensure that such issues are dealt with on a priority basis.
Then education and health services are of prime importance. Without education, superstitions and ignorance cannot be eradicated. Education promotes awareness and is instrumental in achieving several goals in life. Basic facilities like safe and clean drinking water, comfortable housing, and electricity are essential in the
modern age. There are many remote places in the world where such fundamental needs are considered a luxury. The constant struggle between man and animals for survival is a daily routine.
Industrialisation and the development of infrastructure should be designed to provide jobs for the economic growth of both the skilled and unskilled common person. It is the duty of governments to tailor their policies to cater to the needs of the commoner. Life should be self-contained in cities as well as in villages. Gender
inequality and superstitions are now things of the past, and it is the duty of everyone to ignore such things.
Education for all is a very pertinent factor, as it will develop an understanding of maintaining a balance between consumption and production. All natural resources are limited, and we have to work on their growth and expansion. Solar energy and wind energy may be put to better use, and heavy construction sites need to follow
rules and regulations with more responsibility. We know that two-thirds of the earth is made up of water, and one-third is made up of land. Hence, we have an enormous amount of sea, wealth, and marine life. They have a significant role to play in maintaining the ecological balance of this earth. Now, it is high time for world leaders to take initiatives in this direction.
Hence, we conclude that sustainable development means progress and prosperity for present and future generations. Our generation has to realise that we are just like tenants of Mother Earth, not the owners. Our progress and ventures should
make our lives comfortable and convenient, but we should not harm our natural
wealth, as it is an essential legacy for posterity.
“Sustainability is not just about adopting the latest energy-efficient technologies or turning to renewable sources of power. Sustainability is the
responsibility of every individual every day. It is about changing our behaviour and mindset to reduce power and water consumption, thereby
helping to control emissions and pollution levels.” – Joe Kaeser
