As an advisor for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, my main concern is to ensure sustainable environment and its legal implementation in our country. However, economic development is diametrically opposed to the environmental sustainability of our planet. Before we look into how sustainable environment is being implemented in our country, we have to first understand what economic development is and the impacts to our environment. In general, economic development can be understood as the process and policies by which a nation seeks to improve the economic, political and social well being of its people. Economic development provides developing countries, like Malaysia the opportunity to improve the living standards of the citizens and at the same time also rise to meet the environmental challenges they face. Thus, economic development is a crucial element in the aim of becoming a developed country as it ensure the prosperity and well being of the economy and its citizens . However, this will ultimately stipulate advances in technology such as those that will be needed to continue decoupling consumption and production from their environmental impact . From this, we can deduce that natural resources are vital for securing economic growth and development for now and the future generations. Nevertheless, the relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability is complex because if this practice is not carried out properly, it will lead to serious environmental degradation .
First and foremost, how do we consider our environment as ‘sustainable’? The simplest and most fundamental way of defining environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain things or qualities that are valued in the physical environment. It focuses on balancing between our competing needs which is our need to move forward technologically and economically and the needs to protect the environment which we live in. However, issues arise when the fast growth and development of economic is not in line with the integrity of the environment. This includes the discharge of polluting chemicals and toxic into the environment, emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere that will cause climate change, destruction of the living environments of native species . Some of the examples of achieving environmental sustainability are the use of renewable rather that depletable resources, reduce carbon emissions, water retreat, renewable fuel resources, redesign production processes and products in order to eliminate the production of toxic materials . From this, we can understand that environmental sustainability is a way to protect the natural environment, human and ecological health while driving innovation and not compromising our way of life. Therefore, the relationship between economic development and sustainability environment can be seen in the way that economic and environmental performance has to go hand in hand as natural environment plays a crucial role in supporting economic activity. It contributes directly to the economic growth of a country by providing resources and raw materials which required as an input for the production of goods and services whereas indirectly through services provided by ecosystems such as water purification and nutrient cycling. Thus, it is essential for us to achieve a sustainable level of development that will meet our own needs without comprising the ability of future generations to utilize the natural resources by ensuring environmental sustainability.
References
- A. and Sheffrin, S. M.(2013) Definition of Economic Development. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_development
- Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2013) Sustainable Development Challenges. Retrieved from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/2843WESS2013.pdf
- Tim Everett, Mallika Ishwaran (March 2010), Economic Growth and the Environment. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69195/pb13390-economic-growth-100305.pdf
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- William Bordass (2003), The Environmental Benefits of Sustainable Design. Retrieved fromhttps://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/buscase_section4.pdf
- Tim Everett, Mallika Ishwaran (March 2010), Economic Growth and the Environment. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69195/pb13390-economic-growth-100305.pdf