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Essay: What does “Sustainable Development” mean?

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  • Subject area(s): Environmental studies essays
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  • Published: 15 October 2019*
  • Last Modified: 23 July 2024
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  • Words: 646 (approx)
  • Number of pages: 3 (approx)

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What does “Sustainable Development” mean? As far as my knowledge concern. The term “Sustainability” mean, use of natural resources without hampering the qualitative values of ecological system and environment. For instance I would like to relate this qualitative value with the famous dialogue of the movie called “diwar”. The dialogue is, “Mere pass Bangle hay, Gadi hay”. Tere pass kya hai? Said Amitabh. Then Shashi Kapoor said, mere pass “Maa” hai. I mean the loss of qualitative values of ecological system and environment. We could not compensate with anything else because these things are non exchangeable. Ecological system and environment is like our mother. Environment gives us many thing like pure air, water, mineral soil and many more thing but in return do not take any things else.

Now term “Development” is broader term than “Growth”. Growth only tells us how much money someone is making. But development tells how much money making without hampering qualitative values. That is way we called sustainable development, according to me. Going by the definition of Bruntland report, they defined “it is as development that meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” Dresner(2007 : 1 ). There are lots of agreement and disagreement regarding definition of “sustainable Development”. The problem is not with clear and precise definition of sustainable development but how much “value” imbedded into the definition. I mean when we talk about qualitative value. But when we integrate environmental consideration into economic policy then we compromise with environment because somewhat start thinking about economic growth. When we start thinking about economic growth then we start generating money by hooks or by crooks that is how now these day industrialist generating money. But when comes to development it is directly related to welfare of environment and ecological system. Going by the idea of Tim O’ Riordan, “sustainable development as a term that ultimately gave priority to development, while the idea of sustainability about the environment” Dresner (2007 : 71). I don’t think so because I gave the reason above because development talks about qualitative values. There is lots of contradiction in this writing regarding definition. For instance “development involve progressive transformation of economy and society” Dresner(2007 : 73). And further writer argued that even the narrow notion of physical sustainability implies a concern that must be extended to equity with generation. This is contrary to Tim O’Riardan

Now going beyond Dresdner, “in the recent past rapid development seem to lost touch with our culture and tradition” from “ecology and development” by Madam Mohan (2000 : 256).This statement substantially proved the case of Niyamgiri. This is happening because of misinterpretation of the concept development. Growth which work in tandem with environment is what we call sustainable development. Unfortunately it is not happening today. Now industrialist has been adopted haphazard approach in the name of development and exploiting natural resources. Industrialist not only exploiting resources but their industrial waste are very hazardous for our planet as well as. One the other hand resources are needed for the subsistence but it proved that it has not major impact on ecology and environment. If we say in language of M.D. Madhusudan, “it has been also suggested that subsistence use must be accommodated within Indian wildlife reserve because it cater exclusively to local consumption for livelihood, whereas commercial use warrants greater restriction because it furthers profit-based goals of distant interests” from global Village: linkage b/w international coffee markets and grazing by livestock in south Indian wildlife reserve, M.M Madushudan(2005:1).

“Nature can fulfill need but not Greed” said Ghandhi. There is no point of talking about sustainable development if people are not taking responsibility. We have to take responsibility to take care of our mother using “environmental space”. Almost all things covered which I going to represent in diagram. I thought that articulation of thought would be good though diagram.

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