In 1987 the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development coined the term "sustainable development". It defined sustainable development as "meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". This means that while we are harvesting natural resources and developing our land we must do so in a manner that will allow other generations to have at least the same opportunities that we currently have. This definition is somewhat ambiguous and there is debate as to how far in the future we should look, how many generations are enough? There is no clear answer to this question and debate will continue to occur. This definition, however, is meant to be a guiding force for our future actions, we can continue to make economic and social developments but we must be aware of the impacts that our actions have on the environment.
Sustainable development is more of a compromise between the traditional standards of conservation and preservation. Conservation suggests that we should use the earth's natural resources while at the same time replacing them for future use. It focuses more on the renewable resources while for the most part ignoring exhaustible resources such as oil and natural gas. At the other extreme is preservation, which suggests that we leave nature alone. These two viewpoints are at opposite ends of the spectrum, which lends itself to small numbers of supporters from the general public. Sustainable development is a kind of middle ground between these two ideologies that is more likely to be accepted by a larger group of people. It is based upon a logical viewpoint that people will not want to diminish their quality of life or standard of living to preserve the environment. It takes into account that the economy will continue to grow and develop but also encourages ways to do this that will have as little negative impact on the environment as possible.
For many years society, the economy, and the environment were all seen as separate entities. This lead to many problems being handled as separate issues. This approach led to many problems, a solution that was good for one sector could have unintended consequences on another sector. These problems are easily remedied when society, economy and environment are seen as part of the same whole. The key to understanding sustainability is understanding the way in which these three issues link together. Sustainability deals with quality of life issues as well as achieving balance between the three sections. In order to be sustainable we must learn to manage economy and society in a way that doesn't harm the environment while at the same time learning to live within our limits and divide resources equitably.
The concept of sustainability
and sustainable development is an idea that can be implemented at the local
level. Unlike previous environmental movements that focused on the larger national
or global picture sustainable development is highly effective on a very small
and local scale. This is appealing to many people because they can see the direct
results of their actions. This type of cause and effect vision is what appeals
to people. Many communities were participating in sustainable development without
even knowing it before the United Nations definition was released. People were
beginning to see the effects that development and misuse of resources were having
on the environment and began to attend city planning sessions to lend their
voice to the government process. Residents began coming up with alternative
ways in which to develop and conduct local business that not only saved money
but also greatly reduced the damage to the environment. In 1997 the National
Association of Counties adopted a statement of values that can lead to the development
of sustainable communities. These values are:
- economic vitality is crucial to the health of every community
- natural scenic, cultural, and historic resources are important community assets
- choices should be made to accommodate economic development while
preserving vital natural environmental systems
- the process of arriving at a community vision should be open and inclusive
and
reflect the diverse population of the community
- because communities and their surrounding areas are interdependent, there
is a
need for collaborative approaches to problem solving
- safe, healthy and clean communities are necessary to ensure a high quality
of
life for their citizens
- community stability and social well-being go hand in hand
It is important to note that many times community sustainability can come out of a series of small actions that go on to grow into larger events. Citizens see a vision of how they want their communities to develop and take steps to fulfill that vision. Sustainability works well at the local level because each community has its own unique set of social, economic and environmental problems and values. Due to this fact it is impossible to determine a "one size fits all" program for sustainable development. A community should know and recognize the underlying principles of sustainability and then tailor them to fit their individual community needs.
Strong vs. Weak Sustainability
It would be incorrect to assume that there is just one type of sustainability. In the field of economics sustainability is broken down into several subsections. Economists have differing views on what sustainability should mean and how we should go about implementing it. They believe that sustainability is a non-declining aggregate welfare from one generation to the next. This means that the total welfare of the next generation must be equal to or greater than our current level of welfare. The debate over weak versus strong sustainability arises from the perception of the substitutability of man-made capital for natural capital.
Weak sustainability is acknowledged as a non-diminishing of development from generation to generation. It allows for almost unlimited substitution between natural and man-made capital. In whatever way possible the present level of capital must be maintained for future generations, the proportion of natural to man-made capital does not matter. However, there are some flaws in the idea of weak sustainability. If this concept is followed it could lead to environmental devastation. Man-made capital is not as stable as natural capital, markets can fluctuate rapidly. If there is no natural capital left to fall back on the economy could collapse. Also, having only a limited amount of natural capital can cause it to be very sensitive to fluctuating conditions. Biologists have maintained that in order for an environment to be viable in the long run there must be a certain amount of biodiversity. For example, a farmer who focuses on only one or two types of crops can easily have his investment wiped out by a disease. Finally, the substitution of natural capital for man-made capital may be a one-way endeavor, once resources are transformed into manufactured goods it may prove impossible to return to the initial situation.
Strong sustainability also asserts that there should be non-diminishing life opportunities for future generations and subscribes to the idea of intergenerational equity. However, it differs from weak sustainability on how these goals are to be achieved. Strong sustainability states that these ideals should be accomplished by conserving the stock of man-made capital, technological capability, natural resources, and environmental quality. There would be minimum amounts of each type of capital that would be preserved and independently maintained. This stems from the realization that natural capital is essential to the production of man-made capital. There are some unique and irreplaceable environmental components that exist and if we were to convert these resources into man-made capital they would be gone forever. Strong sustainability maintains that there is some substitutability between man-made and natural capital but those features that are unique to the environment and perform essential and irreplaceable services should not be utilized for this substitution.
Sustainability and Economic Development
As the economy continues
to grow business and industry search for new ways to manage and utilize the
resources that the environment has to offer, the objective being to maximize
the amount of goods and services that can be derived from the environment. It
is important to realize that in the quest for natural resources the environment
must be treated in such a way as to sustain its productivity. Therefore, natural
resources must be managed in a sustainable manner.
When economists discuss the wealth of a nation the GDP, or Gross Domestic Product,
is frequently mentioned. However, this fails to take into account the health
of the environment. By using GDP as an indicator of a nation's wealth economists
do not factor in the negative impact that some economic activities have on the
environment. Environmental degradation reflects positively on the economy through
the use of this indicator. For example, the production of a good and the subsequent
sales of that good are included in the GDP measurement along with the cleanup
of the pollution caused by the production of the good and the medical expenditures
of the people affected by the pollution. There are currently efforts underway
to determine a more suitable indicator for a nation's wealth that also takes
into account environmental considerations.
In the economy the idea of sustainability is seen in a general light. An economy is sustainable if each generation acts in such a way that allows subsequent generation to be as well off as their predecessors. This does not mean that the economy must be stationary. Economic growth can ensure that future generations can enjoy the same quality of life. The present generation can use the natural capital of the environment to satisfy their needs but must ensure the replacement of the capital. It is the responsibility of the current generation to ensure that the withdrawal of natural capital from the environment does not exceed the deposits. To accomplish this, investments must be made in conjunction with economic growth.
Over the years the general public has become more environmentally aware and environmental issues have gotten more and more attention. People now have a dual view when they think about the future. Ideally, they would like to see both economic development and a healthy environment. For this they have looked toward sustainable economic growth and efficient use of natural resources. Environmental degradation is no longer seen as a price that must be paid for economic development. Companies are now encouraged to engage in waste-reduction strategies in their business practices, generating savings and reducing their environmental impact. Through these strategies both the environment and the economy benefit.
There are three main ways in which business can contribute to sustainable development and still create a profit. The first way is to reduce the flow of scarce resources, toxic materials, and energy used by the firm by reducing inputs and finding, non-toxic environmentally sound alternatives. The second way is to get more output per unit of input. By reducing waste in the use of resources it is possible to use more material in the production process that would have been previously discarded. Finally, waste by-products of the production process have the potential to be used as raw materials for the production of other goods. This encourages the recycling and reuse of materials in the process and cuts down on the amount of natural resources that must be harvested from the environment.
Through the use of these practices business can contribute to the sustainable development movement for little extra cost. The application of new technologies, management practices, control systems, and production processes can help the environment as well as improving productivity, a positive for both the business and the public. In many studies it has been shown that the implementation of sustainability practices leads to cost reduction and a significant savings after an initial investment. It is in this way that sustainability equals good business.
Indicators and Sustainable Development
Indicators are used to make decisions and plan future actions based upon information gathered. They can also be known as signs, pointers, or measurements. They are based upon what is valued about an area. Many indicators can be general and apply to many different types of communities while others are area specific. There can be many different types of indicators because different communities value different things.
There are two different types of indicators, objective indicators and subjective indicators. Objective indicators are usually things that can be quantified and measured by a given instrument such as a thermometer. They can be easily communicated to others and their findings can be validated. Subjective indicators tend to measure quality and stem from the internal measurements of an individual. They may not be easily explained and therefore are sometimes thought of as less reliable than objective indicators. However, it is important to note that all indicators are partly subjective. This is because we must use our values to judge that the indicator chosen is important enough for us to measure.
Indicators are used to
reflect the progress of sustainable development over time. They can show how
to prioritize areas of action, catalyze increased awareness about environmental
issues among the public at large, monitor and evaluate progress in managing
natural resources, environmental policy and social and economic trends in general.
The best indicators are those that take into account social, environmental,
and economic conditions. There are also some conditions that should be met to
ensure that the indicator would be both useful and applicable. The indicator
should be simple and easy to interpret while at the same time be responsive
to changes in the environment and those changes related to human activity. It
should also be updated reasonably regularly; an indicator that only collects
data once every 10 years will not be very helpful. When developing an indicator
it helps if there is historical data that has already been taken. This way changes
can be monitored after a shorter period of time and there is less waiting involved
so policies can be implemented sooner.
Currently there are several national and international projects that are underway
to develop indicators for sustainable development. Organizations such as the
United Nations and the World Bank have begun developing indicators. Along with
the development of indicators numerous organizations are dealing with the indicator
development process as well. They recognize the fact that each area has specific
needs and not all of the indicators developed nationally or internationally
will apply to all areas. They have developed programs to assist local communities
in the development of their own set of indicators. This is important because
local sustainable development policies will be based on the information provided
by these indicators. The better the indicators, the more effective the policy
will be. A well-defined set of indicators will allow community leaders to "think
globally and act locally".
There are many tools that are available to communities who are attempting to establish a policy of sustainable development. The Internet is a valuable tool for communities because it provides access to a number of organizations worldwide that are developing indicators and researching various sustainable development methods. This provides a broad array of differing opinions for the community to draw upon to assist in the decision making process. The largest draw back to the Internet is the vast amount of information that is out there. The amount of time that is needed to fully research these sustainable development methods is staggering. Many times officials don't know where to begin. A web site was created with this problem in mind. The idea behind this was to provide leaders and community members with basic information on sustainable development and indicators. There are also sets of additional links that can be followed to gather more information about sustainable development from a diverse set of sources. A bibliography of articles about sustainable development is also provided to allow others to increase their knowledge base. These materials also served as the resources for this paper. These resources can be found at the Department of Environmental Studies Risk Laboratory website at Louisiana State University (http://risk.lsu.edu) under the sustainable development link. This was developed to be a time saving tool for those wishing to learn about sustainable development.
Education for sustainable
development is seen as an important goal. People have become more aware of the
world around them and the implications associated with their actions. This new
awareness has been brought about through advances in technology that connect
people to the world like never before. In order for sustainable development
and sustainability to be a feasible goal it must be made to work at all levels:
international, national, and local. It is making sustainability work at the
local level that will be the challenge. Local communities must deal with problems
such as imperfect information and lack of resources. They are the group that
needs the most assistance. People need to be shown that sustainability is an
easy concept to follow and it can be done in their own homes. The success or
failure of sustainable development ultimately lies with the people.