Who Sustains Whose Development - Assignment Example

Sustainable development Sustainable development has been a common term in the current world with different ideas and notions concerning the current consumption trends, patterns and levels of world resources. This is in relation to the rising human population statistics. Man appeared on earth around 1 million years ago and has engaged in various activities that have had a profound effect on earth with significant effect being realized during the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries (Gladwin ,Kennelly and Krause, 1995,p. 875). The discovery and use of fossil fuels led to increased productivity and increased creation of wealth thereby enhancing population growth. This paper, therefore, focuses on the purpose and importance of sustainable development, the advantages, and disadvantages of the sustainable development as well as the drivers and barriers faced by different business organizations in adopting principles for sustainable development. Some scientists believe that since the end of World War II, human beings have consumed more raw materials compared to the entire prior history of man. (Gladwin, Kennelly and Krause, 1995, p. 875). Until recently, human beings believed that the free resources were limitless. The unsustainable practices of man have led to resource depletion, increase in pollution levels, overfishing, habitat destruction, problems of waste disposal and landfill and loss of biodiversity. The most striking point is that unsustainable consumption patterns differ in different countries. Developed countries consume or exploit more of the resources compared to underdeveloped countries. This brings us to the big question of what is sustainable development. Sustainable development entails the development that meets the needs of the present beings without compromising the ability of the future generations to achieve the same (International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) 2011, p. 23). The Newton age of reasoning considered human beings as the main and most vital entity in the whole universe. Buddhism supports the Newton age’s perception about the environment (Hm government, 2005, p. 24). However, there is a belief that the system should be analyzed as a whole since a system cannot be properly understood by simply analyzing its components. The belief is that doing so establishes further problems. According to John Blewitt, sustainable development focuses on measures that ensure a better and healthier future and thus, a process calling for everyone to consider themselves as parts of a larger entity (Blewitt 2008, p. 56). Moreover, human beings need to their way of perceiving the natural environment as a passive resource that is to be exploited for personal satisfaction. That notion should be discarded and man has to understand that the natural environment constitutes a dynamic partner in our existence as well as being an equal participant within our networks. Because of the graveness of the issue of sustainable development, several countries acted by establishing commissions and trusts such as the World Humanity Action Trust in UK to check into the issue (Ayre & Callaway, 2005, p.30). The recommendations of WHAT sought for encouragement of sustainable development through sustainable living among governments, people, businesses, as well as international institutions. Consequently, the UK government launched its new strategy for sustainable development known as Securing the Future in 2005. The aim of this strategy is to encourage and encourage sustainable consumption of resources to meet the needs for the present and future generations. Human beings need to understand the earth and the effects that both businesses and people can have on it are very crucial for the future. According to James Lovelock, living things and the environment are integrated to form a single complex as well as a self-regulating system that maintain the conditions for life on earth (Lovelock, 2003, p. 67). Thus, it is important for human beings to think of the consequences of their actions and their resultant effects on resources, fellow human beings and the whole world. For example, air pollution generated on one part of the earth can affect the lives of other people in a different part region by compromising air quality. The same applies to chemicals sprayed on one area transferring the effect to a different area (International Institute for sustainable Development, 2011, p. 1). Thus, human beings need to think beyond their boundaries, the benefits, profits, and economics and start focusing on sustainability and the effects of man’s actions on earth (Heinberg, 2011, p. 69). Further, many believe that human beings have reached their limit through resource consumption, spiraling debt levels, resource depletion, environmental depletion, as well as man’s current obsession with the GDP and economic growth levels, which are totally unsustainable (Heinberg, 2011, p. 74). There is a need for man to realize that the current levels of consumption and economic activity be maintained forever. Because of the truth about economic consumption and activity, much effort has been channeled towards study of environmental impacts associated with economic development. More conferences such as the Earth Summit, which occurred in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, sensitized the world on the need of promoting economic efficiency to governments and businesses through shunning of destruction of valuable resources. Consequently, man has to re-examine his perception about economic development, problems associated to manmade climate change as well as the need to tackle poverty thereby ensuring a healthy planet for future generations (United Nations, 1992, p. 1). Due to the graveness of the issue, the end of the Earth Summit paved way for Kyoto Protocol whereby targets were set for 37 industrialized nations and the European Community to obligate to cutting emission of harmful greenhouse gas (GHG). This was appropriate since such countries bore the greatest responsibility for the current high levels of GHG emissions within the atmosphere since they have been operating for over 150 years (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 1992, p. 2). Of the 37 countries, the US failed to sign the treaty from fear that such step would hurt its economic growth (BBC, 2005). The need for sustainable development led to the introduction of an inspirational proposal of Plan B by The Earth Policy Institute. The goal of this plan is to stabilize global population, as well as climate in the entire world, to eliminate poverty, educate the youth of the world while also delivering better health care for all. Further, the plan also looks at improving transportation systems by making them greener, support to the economy that comprehensively recycles and reuses materials, substitution of the current fossil fuel dependent economy and wasteful society with an economic system powered by renewable sources of energy (The Earth Policy Institute, 2011, p. 2). Denmark has also set a good example to other industrialized countries through its plan of harnessing 100% of energy from the renewable sources by the year 2015 as well as cutting greenhouse emissions by 35% by the year 2020. The goal of the new energy plan is to curb the climate change crisis, deal with the country’s current economic crisis as well as solving out issues pertaining to natural resources (Gladwin, Kennelly and Krause, 1995,p. 875). The introduction of different drivers also assists in supporting organizations towards achieving sustainable growth and development. For example, the introduction of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations by the European Union focus on curbing environmental impacts of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) at the terminal life stage of the products. This is a mandatory regulation that every business has to comply with within the European Union during the manufacturing, rebranding, importing, distributing, or disposal of the electrical and electronic machines and equipments (Gladwin, Kennelly and Krause, 1995, p. 875). Some companies such as PepsiCo and Marks and Spencer have embraced sustainable development due to customers’ demand. The use of biomimicry to innovate and invent introduction of high speed machines such as trains (Shinkansen) is also aimed at promoting sustainable development. However, achievement of sustainable development is facing multiple barriers within businesses and governments. This is because balancing the interests of the community, stakeholders, and the environment can sometimes affect the short-term benefits to the businesses. Because of this, it is often viewed negatively since it threatens the success of several organizations (Nejati, Shahbudin & Amran, 2010, p. 69). However, the most important barrier to sustainable development in businesses is the most of them do not have a clear understanding on the actual meaning of sustainable development. The second barrier to sustainable development is the overreliance on fossil fuel as sources of energy in the whole world despite presence of alternatives to fossil fuels. Extraction of geothermal energy is a good and better alternative for fossil fuel since there are high potential reserves in the earth’s crust. For example, the energy within the crust is 50000 times more than that found in oil and gas reserves in the whole world. Of the existence of great geothermal energy potential, the entire world has only harnessed a small fraction of 10500 megawatts (The Earth Policy Institute 2011, p. 1). For the world to move towards achieving sustainable development, more effort should be put into harnessing more of the geothermal energy since it will reduce the burden and use of fossil energy. Such a step will have a huge positive impact on protecting the environment and bring man closer to achieving and leading a more sustainable life. Notwithstanding the presence of barriers, businesses have much to benefit from supporting sustainable development. Consequently, they will experience huge losses if they fail to support sustainable development. However, with increased global sensitization and awareness of the need to support sustainable development, businesses as well as managers need to shift their perceptions on the issue undertake sustainable development roles. This is because it constitutes what numerous stakeholders expect of them towards ensuring success and achievement of environmental sustainability. However, failure to accept the role and meet the expectations of the society will have a huge negative impact on the business since it will be considered as not caring about the welfare of the community (Blewitt 2008, p. 78). Some of the benefits that a business can achieve for supporting sustainable development include increased innovation — enhanced brand value, and reputation — improved access to capital, enhanced customer appeal and loyalty, attracting and maintaining talented staff, enhanced human and intellectual capital, increase of competitive advantage over rivals and identification of new business opportunities (Gladwin, Kennelly and Krause, 1995,p. 879). Sustainable development cannot be achieved without the presence of good and visionary leaders. Since requirements for achieving sustainable development requires making of bolder and critical decisions, that might sometimes be painful, the presence of a visionary leader ensures success in decision-making (Lovelock, 1989, p. 196). Competent leaders are capable of identifying relevant environmental and social issues and then identifying a position by making critical decisions. Such leaders attract many and competent employees since people are proud of leaders who can make critical choices and stand by it in relation to environmental issues affecting the entire globe. In conclusion, the benefits accrued from supporting sustainable development and the resultant effects are far reaching and can have a critical positive impact on businesses, various national governments, and the entire society. Human beings need to address various issues pertaining to unsustainable consumption of resources. For instance, issues dealing with pollution need to be addressed at convenient points and places. Point pollution should be tackled at the point of discharge of the wastes and not at boardroom meetings and conferences (International Institute for sustainable Development, 2011, p. 1). The extraction of resources should be effective with the consideration of protecting the ecosystem from excessive wastes generated from overexploitation. The issue of reuse and recycling of waste should be incorporated during manufacture, transport, and Cisco Company is a good example of business that practiced recycling of goods (International Institute for sustainable Development, 2011, p. 1). Consequently, different stakeholders need to reduce the use of non-renewable resource such as oil and coal and turn to renewable sources such as solar and geothermal energy. Further, man has to use energy efficient machines and tools such as hybrid vans in order to reduce wastage of resources. Businesses also have to emulate cooperation rather completion. To support sustainable development, businesses, governments, and people should ensure compliance with established laws and regulations controlling resource exploitation and use. Compliance should be considered as an opportunity for prosperity and not a chance to undermine or discourage entrepreneurship (Nejati, Shahbudin & Amran, 2010, p. 129). A good example to the resource use legislation is the polluter pays principle. It is also important to understand that sustainable development is broad and that it does not only concentrate on the environment. It emphasizes on the need to meet the needs of the current population without denying the future generations the ability to achieve the same. It is worth noting that understanding and supporting sustainable development is crucial both socially, environmentally, ethically and economically for several businesses and thus it is important for individuals and businesses to support sustainability for the future generations. Despite presence of challenges of advocating and supporting sustainability by human beings as well as business, sustainable development has proved to bear more benefits for different participants in the long term. References AYRE, Georgia and CALLAWAY, Rosalie (eds) (2005) Governance for Sustainable for Sustainable Development . 1st ed, Earthsacan. Bannerjee S.B. 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