Sustainable Development

Introduction
• Environmental management is most important, yet it
is most neglected discipline.

• It concerns life support system and is closely linked

with development and economic growth.

• At times, the two become irreconcilable. Decision-

making is at the crossroads in choosing between
environment and development.
 Introduction
• The industrial countries have achieved high level of
development and decent standard of living at the cost
of environment and depletion of natural resources.

• The question is how long this kind of development will

be sustainable?

• The developing countries, on the other hand, are still

struggling to attain a minimum standard of living
though they are also contributing to environmental
damage.
 Introduction
• Thus, both the industrialized and underdeveloped countries
or developing countries , damage, deplete and pollute the
environment.

• The developing nations need growth to fulfill the basic needs

of their people, but should they repeat the mistakes of the
industrial countries?

• It is a fact that both the consumption and life-style of people

have relevance to environmental management problems;
therefore living habits and attitudinal and ethical questions
have now entered into the environmental management area.

• These issues, sometimes, become are controversial and need

an in-depth analysis.
 Relevance of the concept
• The basic question that haunts us is what is the pattern of
growth and development we must follow?

• What is the kind of model of development that we should

follow so that we don’t ignore the principles of underlying
sustainability?

• What is the kind of business model that should be

deployed?

• Answer to above questions lie in the action plan as follows:

We need changes at local, national, regional and global levels
together with an economic and social transformation at the
levels of individuals and communities.
Sustainable Development is a Concept
• It underscores that rate of consumption or use of
natural resources should approximate the rate at
which these resources can be substituted or
replaced.

• It further requires that a nation or society is able to

satisfy its requirements-social, economic and others-
without jeopardising the interest of future
generations.

• It is believed, that countries of North (developed

countries) use too many of natural resources and
such practice cannot continue long.
Sustainable Development is a Concept
• Nature has been offering its resources and services
and also serving as a receptacle for absorbing wastes
for too long a time.

• Nature is fragile

• Nature is finite

• Issue: Threshold beyond which ecological decline

would lead to disaster.

• ‘Limit to growth’
 Sustainable Development
• Principle of justice and equity (equal distribution) between
North and South

• Both national leaders and international institutions have

responsibility for sound developmental, economic and
environmental issues

• Intergenerational inequities

• Systems analysis: Economic, Social and Environmental

• Scales of operation
 Sustainable Development
Reduce:
• Poverty
• Minimize resource depletion
• Environmental damage
• Social instability

• Concern for protecting environment and avoiding

depletion of non-renewable resources

• Equal access to resources

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