Energy Consumption and Ecological Footprint - Essay Example

Economic growth cannot continue indefinitely, even in the environment where human ingenuity and innovation are allowed to take place under conditions of free enterprise, there are always various limitations that act as hindrances and barrier to economic growth (Agyeman, Julian, Robert and Evans, 2003, pp.321) .First, there is a limitation in energy availability. Talking on more immediate time scale, on earth some physical resources, particulary energy are so limited and they may be a very crucial limiting factor to continued growth within centuries. Depending on the choices we make, in a free enterprise, energy consumption will overcome the energy produced thus causing a drawback to the economic development (Agyeman, Julian, Robert and Evans, 2003, pp.121). This will hinder the chances of indefinite economic growth even with uncontrolled innovation and human ingenuity. Secondly, there is a limitation in achieving centuries of efficiency based growth. With time, under free enterprise, people will succeed to create efficient goods like cars with better mileage, refrigerators which will use less energy and more modern buildings that conserve energy Agyeman, Julian, Robert and Evans, 2003, pp.301). This will take place within a given period after which it will be too difficult and uneconomical to try and create more efficient products than the available by then. This will mean efficiency based growth will become limited. Growth cannot solve all economic problems, technology cannot also find substitute for every depleted resource (Agyeman, Julian, Robert and Evans, 2003, pp.227). All these fact highly justifies Julian Simon argument of labeling this early environmentalist alarmist. Critics argue that the people who carried classification of countries in the categories of developed and underdeveloped solely based their evidence on countries culture (Borstelmann, 2012, pp.200). They argue that the people responsible of this classification done in 1950s assumed that some countries cultures were not supportive to the modern economic development by then. To the critics, they argue that this is a very great misconception that the people who were responsible to carry the classification had. To them this is very untrue. Though these critics agree that there are some aspects of indigenous culture in these countries which are not supportive to modern economic development, they believe such aspect can be modernized. They argue that the promotion and modernization of indigenous languages and culture is very crucial and critical to modern economic development. It cannot be completely argued that there was no overall need for external interventions. This is due to the fact that though critics argue that the traditional culture could be modernized to perfectly match with the modern economic development, then they should acknowledge that it’s through introduction of modern education from foreign developed countries that they were able to modernize their culture (Borstelmann, 2012, pp.210). This clearly shows that there was need for external intervention. Analysis of sustainable development in the current economy would be of less interest if we are to go with the current patterns of economic development. This is the main argument put up by the critics of sustainable development concept formulated by WCED.They argue that selective allocation of incentives to the players in the economy, i.e. consumers and producers has led to high economic activities thus causing massive pressure on the environment; a factor that hugely affect the climatic system thus causing a greater harm to biodiversity (Andrew, 2001, pp.234). They argue that the act of inappropriate allocation of incentives which is proposed by WCED is seriously posing a very immense threat to the environmental sustainability thus slowing growth of the economy. They argue that the implementation of effective policies to ensure sustainable development is facing a great challenge due to the existence of many unsatisfied social needs. Critics argue that the disparity recorded amongst various countries play a great role in causing unsustainable development. Large population of people in third world countries live below allowed poverty level of a dollar per day. With such scenarios in many countries, it is proving difficult for these affected families to come together and cooperate with an aim of achieving development equality (Andrew, 2001, pp.234). This is due to the fact that majority of these countries are purely adopting policies that can help reduce their poverty levels without taking into consideration the effect of such policies. The concept cannot be said to have totally failed because in many instances, it has promoted corporation amongst a number of countries that ensuring a fair economic development though not equitable. Though to some extent ecological modernization can be adopted to improve economy and sustainability, the concepts has some key drawbacks that hinder its application. For instance, ecological modernization lacks guidelines to ensure environmental protection (Jackson, 2005, pp.100). The concepts does not clearly highlight how the impulses within the capitalist mode of economic products; adopted by many developing countries can be altered to ensure the environment is fully protected. Ecological modernization concepts also advocates on the use of technological advancement in production. This act of only encouraging producers to adopt technology in production cannot be able to fully achieve resource conservation and full protection of environment especially under free enterprise economy where businesses self regulate their practices (Jackson, 2005, pp.107). Under this policy, there exist loopholes of enhancing gross injustices that are widely evidenced within capitalist systems (Jackson, 2005, pp.118). This is because ecological modernization fails to redress the key issues associated with environmental racism where mainly low income earners are solely accused of disproportionate burden of environmental harm like pollution and other social injustices. Ecological footprint tool is mainly used by various countries to perfectly measure their ecosystem use in accordance to the valuable productive (United Nations, 2009, pp.23). With current economic disaster notwithstanding, the United State ecological footprint is ranked the world highest with a total of 2.5 billion global hectares. The country also has highest per capita ecological footprint of 9.4 hectares per person. On the other hand, China has an ecological per capita footprint of 2.1 hectares .The country’s total ecological footprints is 2.9 billion global hectares. Compared to U.S.’s ecological per capita footprint, China’s is too small. This is due to the fact that many families in China do not rely on as much fuel consumption. Many Chinese families do not need more than one automobile, and a lot even do not have one as opposed to United State (United Nations, 2009, pp.23). Interns of total ecological footprint, China’s is quite large. For instance China uses more coal than United State. In additional to this, China is one of the emerging powers as well. With rapid increase in population in China, there is a possibility of the country to deplete its ecological resources too quickly as opposed to the United State. Works Cited Agyeman, Julian, Robert D. Bullard, and Bob Evans. Just Sustainabilities: Development in an Unequal World. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2003. Print. Borstelmann, Thomas. The 1970s: A New Global History from Civil Rights to Economic Inequality. Princton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 2012. Print. Jackson, Jeffrey T. The Globalizers: Development Workers in Action. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005. Print. Andrew Jordan. Sustainable Development: Critical Issues. Paris, France: OECD, 2001. Print. United Nations. Climate Action: 2009/2010. UNEP/Earthprint., 2009. Print. Read More