Preview

Sustainable Development

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
4974 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Sustainable Development
INTRODUCTION

Sustainable development is about human development where the use of natural resources aim to meet the needs of human beings while simultaneously ensuring that the environment is maintained. These needs must be met for present as well as for future generations. In other words, in order for human beings as well as the planet to survive, changes has to be made that will maintain the natural resources that is available. There is currently a trade-off between sustainability and economic growth due to an increase in globalisation. The demands of the global population far outweighs the available supply of natural resources thereby leading to mismanagement of resources e.g.: deforestation, air and water pollution, increase of slum dwellers etc.
The aim of this essay is to discuss sustainable development by answering the following questions:
“What is happening in the world today that the literature on sustainable development regards as unsustainable?” and
“Is the South African response to the challenge of sustainable development, climate change and renewable energy appropriate? Or should more or less be done?”
In order to answer the above mentioned questions the following literature was consulted:
Just Transitions by Mark Swilling (Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 8).
Science for Global Sustainability by Clark et al.
Conceptualising Ecological Sustainability and Ecologically Sustainable Development in Ethical Terms: Issues and Challenges. by Hattingh.
Sustainability and Sustainable Development: Historical and Conceptual Review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review by Desta Mebratu.
Sustainable Development and the Crisis of Nature: On the Political Anatomy of an Oxymoron by Wolfgang Sachs.
Understanding Sustainable Development by John Blewitt
Sustainable Development: Mapping Different Approaches by Hopwood et al.
A new energy future for South Africa: The political ecology of South African renewable energy by Krupa et al.

1 PART 1

1.1 What is



References: Hattingh, J. 2001. Conceptualising Ecological Sustainability and Ecologically Sustainable Development in Ethical Terms: Issues and Challenges. Annale. 2. Mebratu, D. 1998. Sustainability and Sustainable Development: Historical and Conceptual Review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 18:493-520. Sachs, W. 1999. Sustainable Development and the Crisis of Nature: On the Political Anatomy of an Oxymoron. In: Fischer, F. & Hajer, M.A. Living With Nature. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Blewitt, J. 2008. Understanding Sustainable Development. Krupa, J., Burch, S. 2011. A new energy future for South Africa: The political ecology of South African renewable energy. Energy Policy, 39 (10), 6254-6261. Swilling, M. 2010. Africa 2050: Growth, Resource Productivity and Decoupling. Paper presented at the 7th Meeting of the International Resource Panel, Sustainability Institute, Stellenbosch. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. A National Framework for Sustainable Development in South Africa. 2008. Department of Minerals and Energy. White Paper on Renewable Energy Policy. 2003.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    We as humans have an important role to play when confronted with an issue which is in any way concerned with our relationship to nature. Although we coexist on this planet with numerous other species of life, ours is the only one whose decisions can potentially have a significant influence on the status quo of the delicate system that is Earth. Our attitudes and connections towards nature are important because they directly affect how we will realize the goal of sustainability. Nonetheless, in order to begin this task we must first ascertain what it is exactly that we are working with. The words ‘nature’ and ‘sustainability’ are often used but rarely defined, therefore an interdisciplinary approach is required to provide a working definition of these terms, because we will not know whether we have achieved our goal if we never truly understood what it was.…

    • 1804 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sustinable Developmen

    • 5396 Words
    • 22 Pages

    Sustainable development is a contested concept, with theories shaped by people’s and organizations’ different worldviews, which in turn influence how issues are formulated and actions proposed. It is usually presented as the intersection between environment, society and economy, which are conceived of as separate although connected entities. We would argue that these are not unified entities: rather they are fractured and multi-layered and can be considered at different spatial levels. The economy is often given priority in policies and the environment is viewed as apart from humans. They are interconnected, with the economy dependent on society and the environment while human existence and society are dependent on, and within the environment. The separation of environment, society and economy often leads to a narrow techno-scientific approach, while issues to do with society that are most likely to challenge the present socio-economic structure are often marginalized, in particular the…

    • 5396 Words
    • 22 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Philippine Agenda 21

    • 725 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sustainable development as defined in the PA 21 (1996) is “harmonious integration of a sound and viable economy, responsible governance, social cohesion and ecological integrity, to ensure that development is a life-sustaining process.”…

    • 725 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Environmental sustainability and economic development can be considered contending imperatives. We as humans have a burning desire for economic growth and prosperity, while at the same time we have a need for the resources the planet provides us. Typically in order to grow our economy it requires that we deplete natural resources such as lumber, oil and minerals by means of deforestation, drilling and mining. It is important for us to realize that if we do not deal with environmental issues right now; the consequences could be devastating not only to ourselves, but to future generations. We are now seeing more and more concern for ‘sustainable development’ that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” [1]…

    • 719 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Date 2 Oct 9 Oct Lecture topics Required Readings The ecological crisis Sustainable Baker S. (2006) The concept of sustainable development development, Chapter 2 in Sustainable Development London, Routledge, pp. 17-48. Kates, R., Parris, T. and Leiserowitz, A. (2005) What is sustainable development? Goals, indicators, values and practice, Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 47(3), pp.9-21. Ecological modernisation Barry J. (2005) Ecological Modernisation, in Dryzek…

    • 3717 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    sustainable development

    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Sustainable development recognizes that growth must be both inclusive and environmentally sound to reduce poverty and build shared prosperity for today’s population and to continue to meet the needs of future generations. It is efficient with resources and carefully planned to deliver both immediate and long-term benefits for people, planet, and prosperity.…

    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sustainable Development

    • 4422 Words
    • 18 Pages

    Most people who do not fully understand what Sustainable development is tend to think that it is just about environmental protection when in reality, it is so much more than that. Sustainable development is a broader and more holistic view of development. It has economic, social and environmental dimensions. It advocates achieving economic development without compromising our social and environmental well-being. Sustainable development also does not focus on conserving natural resources or environmental protection alone. It is about living sustainably, consuming only as much as we need. Sustainable development aims to balance these three dimensions in order to achieve a better way of living for everyone.…

    • 4422 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sustainable Development

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sustainable development can again be described as the growth or development that helps serve the important requirements of the present society that too without affecting the future generations' ability to use. It is a very…

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This publication or parts of it may not be reproduced, stored by means of any system or transmitted,…

    • 22373 Words
    • 90 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Financial analysis

    • 7261 Words
    • 30 Pages

    DEDICATED TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE DRIVING SUCCESS Marketing and sustainable development What is sustainable development? The term sustainable development means different things to different people. But, in essence, it is concerned with meeting the needs of people today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development therefore involves:…

    • 7261 Words
    • 30 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Physical Planning in Kenya

    • 9608 Words
    • 39 Pages

    Sustainable development: “Development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (WCED, 1987, p. 45).…

    • 9608 Words
    • 39 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sustainable development

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Sustainable development is basically a simple idea to us all. We must achieve a balance between economic, social and environmental objective. If we are to maintain and improve the quality of our own lives and pass that quality on to future generations, we must use finite natural resources in an efficient way without waste, and protect the natural environment to enhance the ability of future generations to maintain and improve their lives.…

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Gandhi and Sustainability

    • 4008 Words
    • 17 Pages

    Sustainability is a vast concept born out of the environmental concern debate of the last decade. There is growing concern nationally and internationally about biodiversity and protection of plants and animals and community based activity. It is important to view sustainable efforts globally that addresses socio-economic and environmental issues. The Rio Summit project emphasized on economic growth and poverty alleviation for sustainable development. The basic need of sustainable development is the evolution of a development process with focus on the enhancement of the living conditions of population as a whole with emphasis on raising the standard of living of the poor. The United Nations called all countries to develop national strategies for sustainable development to translate the words and commitments of Earth summit into…

    • 4008 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rogers, P., Jalal, K., & Boyd, J. (2008). An introduction to sustainable development. London, England: Earthscan…

    • 616 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The principles and practice of sustainability can trace its roots as early as the ancient times. Since the late 1960s, debates on the relationship between development and the environment has grown (Vanhulst & Beling,2014). The threat of looming ecological catastrophe that will affect humanity has brought forth the concept of SD in the 1970s after the Club of Rome called the attention of the world to the limits to growth (Mitcham, 1995; Du Pisanti,2006; Szell,2014). Since the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, development has been viewed as one that is sustainable and focuses on natural resources as well and not just on social and economic matters (Du Pisani,2006). Prior to the 1980s, environmental, social and economic development…

    • 1719 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays