The Needs of Future Generations Are Being Met by the Current Policies of Sustainable Development - Essay Example

The implementation of environmental regulations to combat climate change and a subsequent examination of the current scenario with respect to the notion of governance and policy making has been a core consideration in the agendas of several developed nations. Establishing an understanding of the situation and identifying its association with social, economic, political and cultural elements is the key towards the creation of sustainable solutions. However, Spiess (2008) suggests that the stance of prosperous oil producing nations which comprise of the Arab Gulf States remains vague and is yet to be defined in relation with the concept of sustainable development. According to the research of Waas, Verbruggen and Wright (2010, p. 631) the concept of sustainability comprises of the initiation of development measures which “…contribute in meeting the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. The need for developing sustainable solutions to be implemented across the Arabian Peninsula is most urgent essentially because of legitimate environmental concerns regarding the incidence of air pollution in the region. The primary causes of air pollution specifically in Arabian economies which rely upon the production of oil can be attributed to 1) an increase in population 2) a rise in industrial activity and 3) the extensive use of private vehicles for commute (Ettouney and Saqer, 2012). The discussion and analysis which has been conducted in this paper explicates upon the incidence of air pollution in the urban or metropolitan centers of Gulf States including Umm Alhyman, Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Jeddah. Moreover, the research also proposes a framework for promoting sustainable solutions to combat this issue and advises the respective governments of the Arab States to enforce effective policies to address this crucial issue. The incidence in air pollution measures in Kuwait has been a critical topic of assessment for researchers which aim to establish the extent of the damage which has been caused by related and significant determinants. Moreover, the scope of the examination is also focused upon identifying effective tools and models which can be adapted and executed to identify fundamental trends (University of Queensland, 1993). The research of Ettouney, Abdul Wahab and Elkilani (2009) follows this pattern by launching three comparable yet distinct models to report findings on the level of air pollution in Kuwait and its subsequent health and ecological effects. The findings of the report suggest that that the execution of a forecasting technique to predict future changes is more appropriate to identify the extent of damage which has been posed by air pollution as compared to traditional methods, models and techniques (Ettouney, Abdul Wahab and Elkilani, 2009). The execution of an appropriate strategy or tool to gauge air pollution levels is recommended because it allows researchers to assess the scope of the damage and assess the subsequent impacts of the same. Kampa and Castanas (2008) postulate that modifications in atmospheric composition which have been triggered by a sharp increase in industrial activity since the past century and beyond can be held responsible for damaging health and environmental effects. The range of health effects which are caused by air pollution possess both short-term and long-term consequences ranging from the development of respiratory conditions, heart disease and cancer to a significant reduction in an individual’s life expectancy in comparison with the average life expectancy of individuals which are not exposed to air pollution (Kampa and Castanas, 2008). An alternate model of examining air pollution and its implications in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries aims to assess the existence of any possible correlation between economic growth and a rise in the presence of hazardous particles in the atmosphere or environment of sample nations. For this purpose the discussion which has been conducted in this paper incorporates the findings of a comprehensive study conducted by Kari and Saddam (2012). The study which assesses a 10-year-period between 1998 and 2008 outlines the levels of air pollution or carbon emissions in GCC countries as a dependent variable thereby, categorizing the growth rate of GDP per capita, flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the imports of goods as independent variables and examining them autonomously. The conclusions of Kari and Saddam’s (2012) study possess far-reaching implications for GCC countries which are marked by the most significant impacts of economic developments and carbon emissions. The evaluation of data compiled by the researchers states that the percentage of growth in GDP per capita is in fact directly correlated with the emissions of carbon dioxide for GCC countries namely Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait where the outlined independent variable can be strongly linked to the rise in carbon emissions (Kari and Saddam, 2012). On the contrary, the injection of foreign direct investment shares a negative correlation with the percentage of air pollution because primarily because of the dimensions which are linked with the sectors in which the foreign direct investment is concentrated. For example, in the case of United Arab Emirates the influx of investment and capital from foreign channels is rooted in the development and promotion of the tertiary or services sector thus, the adverse impact of increasing activity in the oil industry is diminished because of this reason (Kari and Saddam, 2012). Accordingly, it has also been observed that an influx of FDI promotes the adoption of innovative and sustainable technologies in a wide array of sectors which stimulates a reduction in levels of pollution in the air and other channels (Kari and Saddam, 2012). While, the considerations regarding foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows are present with reference to the case of United Arab Emirates, the research indicates an absence of this association with respect to Bahrain and Kuwait because the extent of FDI inflows which were routed in the countries during the period of the study were negligible, however, a positive correlation between the influx of FDI and air pollution levels was recorded in the case of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Republic of Oman (Kari and Saddam, 2012). The existing policies for promoting a decline in the levels of air pollution and carbon emissions are centered towards the imposition of a carbon tax on factories and industries which emanate hazardous chemicals during the process of production. The purpose of this act is to discourage factories from engaging in procedures which can be held responsible for a rise in pollution levels (Baker, 2006). Alternatively, this framework can also be attributed towards encouraging factory owners to install mechanisms and advanced technologies which can reduce pollution levels so as to enhance cost efficiency and reduce tax-related expenditures in the long-term. Moreover, a sustainable solution for reducing pollution levels is beneficial in the sense that it can be practiced by individuals and communities to combat the increasing damage to the environment; this method supports the planting of trees in areas and neighborhoods which have been immensely affected by the rising air pollution levels because of industrial activity. Furthermore, the research of Jefferson (2006) highlights the notable prospects of developing sustainable solutions and focusing upon the promotion and installation of renewable energy methods to eliminate the harmful consequences of air pollution and carbon emissions. The study reiterates that increased awareness regarding the benefits of sustainable development on a governance level which can be traced back to 1987 is a positive advancement however; the implementation of pertinent recommendations still needs to be conducted on a larger scale. Apart from raising governmental concerns regarding climate change and the possibilities that are linked with renewable energy, the acceptance of social responsibility to secure and safeguard the environment must also be conducted so as to encourage individual participation in preserving the environment (Stokke, 1991). Air pollution in GCC countries is a significant consideration which must come at the forefront of government agendas. In comparison with the developed nations of the West, it is evident that the Arab Gulf States have failed to implement advisable measures to cope with environmental deterioration and the damage to ecosystems which has been triggered by air pollution (Spiess, 2008). As recommended by Jefferson (2006) the scope of policy framing and governance on the subject must focus on the development of sustainable solutions which can operate in the long-run and eliminate current issues with regard to environmental concerns. Moreover, the governments must also be encouraged to explore the prospects of renewable energy sources and operate a systematic framework which can allow them to decrease their dependence on fossil fuels such as coal and oil which are primarily responsible for damaging the environment and increasing pollution levels. Accordingly, research findings have also established that economic indicators possess the ability to explicate upon trends in air pollution levels. While, a rise in GDP per capita has been attributed to an increase in carbon emissions through the data presented by Kari and Saddam (2012) possibly because of a rise in industrial activity the conclusions of the study establish that FDI inflows are conducive towards reducing carbon emissions as presented by the example of United Arab Emirates because the encourage the utilization of innovative technologies and also shift a nation’s dependence towards the tertiary sector. This research has important implications for shaping economic policies as well as environmental management models in GCC countries. References BAKER, S. (2006). Sustainable development. London, Routledge. Ettouney, H., Al-haddad, A., & Saqer, S. (2012). Daily and Seasonal Changes of Air Pollution in Kuwait. In Proceedings of World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (No. 61). World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology. Ettouney, R. S., Abdul‐Wahab, S., & Elkilani, A. S. (2009). Emissions inventory, ISCST, and neural network modelling of air pollution in Kuwait.International Journal of Environmental Studies, 66(2), 193-206. Jefferson, M. (2006). Sustainable energy development: performance and prospects. Renewable energy, 31(5), 571-582. Kampa, M., & Castanas, E. (2008). Human health effects of air pollution.Environmental pollution, 151(2), 362-367. Kari, F., & Saddam, A. (2012). Growth, FDI, Imports, and their Impact on Carbon Dioxide Emissions in GCC Countries: An Empirical Study.Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 25. Spiess, A. (2008). Developing adaptive capacity for responding to environmental change in the Arab Gulf States: Uncertainties to linking ecosystem conservation, sustainable development and society in authoritarian rentier economies. Global and Planetary Change, 64(3), 244-252. STOKKE, O. (1991). Sustainable development. London, F. Cass in association with the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), Geneva. Waas, T., Verbruggen, A., & Wright, T. (2010). University research for sustainable development: definition and characteristics explored. Journal of cleaner production, 18(7), 629-636. UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND, & ERP ENVIRONMENT (FIRM). (1993). Sustainable development. [Chichester], John Wiley & Sons. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/5346. Read More