Sustainable Development: Greater London City - Case Study Example

Sustainable Development- Greater London of the al Affiliation Sustainable Development- Greater London Emerging acknowledgment of two deep-seated errors under-pinning bygone polices on natural resources prophesies the immediate need to have a global change in thinking and practice of environmental issues. The first error the world made is assumption that ecosystem responds to human use in a linear, controllable and predictable manner. The second error is the assumption that natural systems and human can be treated independently. However, implicating evidence that have accumulated over the years indicate a different case. Natural and social system works in a non-linear way, show given limits in their dynamics and that social-ecological systems work as complex, coupled and evolving integrated system. In this response, the world need to develop concept of resilience by adopting sustainable development polices in a complex world transformation. The fundamental idea behind sustainable development concept has been around for centuries. The idea started in Germany forestry about cutting trees at a rate they would regenerate to allow sustainable use of tree products. However, the concept did not gain grounds across the globe till 1987 when United Nation brought the term in and rallied the member’s states to start practicing and implementing SD in development agenda. By definition, UN termed sustainable development as meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability to meet need of the future generations. Two decades later, this remains the most common word in the definition in global economics. It is intended to balance economic growth and environment in a reciprocally beneficial way (Smith, 2006). Greater London region, the administrative area and Ceremonial County located in southeast of England covering United Kingdom capital of London, wants an improvement of the transport system whereby they can integrate sustainable development across all levels. The mandate is carried by the London Assembly together with Mayor of London. Development policies on Greater London are initiated by the two bodies. As such, a change of policy on change of Transport system across the region will be handled by the two departments. Today, sustainable development is common societal guiding model that compels integration of economic, environmental and social issues in all aspects of societal spheres and both in long-term and short-term. For corporate, sustainable development is looked mostly in two ways including social and environmental policies on one hand and the management style such as ISO (Smith, 2006). Though most of these polices comes as laws and regulation, they are rather voluntary by the company management. Over the years, an increasing numbers of companies particularly in the European Union have continued to promote Corporate Social Responsibility as a response to a number of economic, social and environmental pressures. If these corporations did not respond satisfactorily to these pressures, the society could put the increasing costs on unsustainable business practices and choose not to purchase associated products and services. SD also ensures the company is not separated from the rest of the society and reduces shareholder worth through erosion of its license to operate. SD concept is applied in three facets namely environmental, social and economic dimension Social dimension The social dimension of sustainable development involves equity within the current generation and between the current and future generations. The resources should be there for everyone to enjoy. For the companies that takes in colossal of these resources measures should be implemented to ensure the accrued profits it ploughed back to the community or the society in which it operates. The governments and the international governing bodies are also mandated to ensure there is equity in the resource utilization. This is especially the case in the public goods such as water, forests and air among others. Environmental dimension Sustainable concept on environmental development deals with the resource exploitation, emissions that result in air pollutions, and environmental risks and damages. The concept of SD on environmental issue is concerned with the three major issues that deal with environmental protection. Each of the issue is more concerned with the how human pressure on the environment through the process of development. The three area narrows down to responsible use of both renewable and non-renewable resources throughout the production cycle, that is, procurement, design, production processes, distribution logistics and products consumption. Economic dimension Economic dimension deals with central economic issues such as economic growth, the fiscal strength of a firm, balance of trade, and its competitiveness. A sustainable business undertaking need to yield sufficient returns since a company will need healthy returns to sustain itself both in short-term and long-term. The common indicators include cash-flow, profitability, profits, shareholders value, debt-equity ratio and liquidity of the company. Besides, external effects a corporate have on the stakeholders is also determine the sustainability of the business. These areas include social and environmental aspects such as employee welfare, corporate social responsibilities, sustainable resource utilization, proper waste management and integration of green technology in the production cycle and all other processes. Greater London has a wide network of transport systems. The area covers the hub of economic activities within United Kingdom. It is common knowledge to imagine there have been substantial developments in the transport sectors just as other areas have grown. The sectors need a proper environmental management plan to be in line with the sustainable developments agenda. The key areas where the system should integrate sound environmental practices include hazardous waste materials, noise, air pollution and land take. To achieve this, an Environmental Impact Assessment will be conducted. Environmental Impact assessment Environmental Impact Assessment will be done to ensure all environmental concerns are integrated in the projects and the possible impacts that might result from the project minimized or alternative sought. Identification of Potential Impacts The new project of installing a sustainable transport system will have impacts on the environment. Basing on the baseline information and the expert judgment, the impacts are predicted so as to provide a mitigation measures. The Pre- Construction Impacts These impacts are mainly associated with site preparation and acquisition and transportation of construction material. Impacts during the site clearing will possibly lead to. loss of aesthetic value in the city and habitat destruction. Impacts During acquisition and transportation of construction material the following impacts are anticipated: noise and air pollution besides incidence of health issues such as respiratory diseases. The construction impacts will include biological such as loss of some species; physical such as loss of aesthetic nature of the Greater London and social economic such as increased cash flow within the local and national government. There is also expected pollution during the construction period such noise, air and land. Some of the already established buildings might start to weaken as a result of vibrations. The impacts during operations stage: these impacts will be either positive or negative. Some of the positive impacts might be improved environment and efficiency particularly in the energy sector. However, there will be some negative impacts such as waste generation and high demand for local natural resources. Having identified possible impacts, mitigation measures will be implemented to ensure the environment and the residents are protected from harm. Some of the mitigation measures include: to reduce the impacts associated with depletion of raw materials, the project will be evaluated to ensure that the design optimizes the use of materials. In addition, proper planning of transportation of materials will ensure that products of fossil fuels (diesel and petrol) are not excessively consumed. The proponent should also have a proper waste management plan. Environment management plan of the greater London transport system Construction Phase Pre-construction and Construction Phase Environmental Management Plan for Greater London Transport system EXPECTED NEGTATIVE IMPACTS Recommended Mitigation Measures Responsible Party Time Frame Cost (£) Disputes of project implementation All stakeholders sensitization about the expected positive impacts Proponent Before commencing the project Evaluation and compensation of the land to the relocated families according to the current land rates and in accordance to the land Act. Proponent Before commencing the project Vegetation disturbance The area will be zoned to ensure only the vegetation in project area is removed. Proponent Before commencing the project The construction materials will be put in a centralized place to minimize vegetation disturbance. Proponent Before construction In open places, planting tree, shrubs and grass to hold the soil together Proponent After construction Soil erosion, water run off Ensure the drainage is well done within the city. Proponent Immediate and continuous Plant grass in area where the vegetation is hurt Proponent Immediate and continuous Contamination of surface and ground water Carefully contain the storm water The storage sites should be kept far from water areas Proponent Immediate and continuous Build enough toilets for workers Proponent Immediate and continuous Dust emission Only excavate after preparing everything required in the project Proponent Cover the open areas with vegetation Proponent Immediate and continuous The loose soils should be trapped to ensure it is not washed away by floods Proponent Immediate and continuous Speed limits in site zones Proponent Immediate and continuous Sprinkling water Proponent Immediate and continuous Limiting excavation works to wet seasons Proponent Immediate and continuous Construction phase of the proposed Greater London Transport system EXPECTED NEGTATIVE IMPACTS Recommended Mitigation Measures Responsible Party Time Frame Cost (£) Noise and Vibration Use newer technology and material that have lower noise Proponent Immediate and continuous Logistics planning to ensure cars and tractors are not unnecessary kept at the site Proponent Immediate and continuous Sensitization to the drivers on issues of noise especially in residential areas Proponent Immediate and continuous Comply with the laws governing noise as indicated in the Environmental Act. Proponent Immediate and continuous High demand for energy The automobiles should be energy efficient. This will be enhanced by using the latest models Immediate and continuous Use energy when it is completely necessary Proponent Immediate and continuous Green technology such as utilization of solar during the sunny days to run low-energy tasks Proponent Immediate and continuous Actual planning to avoid doing repetitive or unnecessary tasks that consumes energy Proponent Immediate and continuous High demand for construction materials Ensure that the resource is utilized sustainably Use the principle of 3Rs (Recycle, Reuse and ) Proponent Immediate and continuous Proper storage of the materials to avoid spoilage Proponent Immediate and continuous Exhaust emission Proper planning to ensure only the needed automobiles and machinery are in operational at a given time Proponent Immediate and continuous Use of latest technology models of machinery and automobiles that has high energy efficiency Proponent & contractors Immediate and continuous Increased solid waste generation Use the principle of 3Rs (Recycle, Reuse and ) Proponent Immediate and continuous Meticulous planning to reduce the material used. Proponent Immediate and continuous Used raw materials that have high durability to reduce the time of re-use. Contractors Immediate and continuous Put dustbins at designated places to avoid litter scattering . Proponent Immediate and continuous Sensitize the locals on proper waste management Proponent Immediate and continuous Dust emission Speed limits in site zones Sprinkling water Proponent Immediate and continuous Limiting excavation works to wet seasons Proponent Immediate and continuous Ensure the protective gears are worn Proponent Immediate and continuous High water demand The site should have a reservoir and can trap the water that from run-off Proponent During construction Re-use water as much as possible Proponent Immediate and continuous A tap meter to detect the volume of water spent Proponent During construction stage the staff should be sensitized on proper water usage Proponent Immediate and continuous Generation of waste water Put efficient sewerage water system that can handle all waste water generated in the site Proponent During construction Monitoring of the sewerage system to ensure that one it meets the set standards before disposal and blockages to avoid spillage in water system and land Proponent Immediate and continuous Accidents Ensure safety for all by providing health safety measures such as protective gears, proper lighting conditions and reduce hazardous materials Proponent Immediate and continuous Have contingencies plan in case of emergencies Proper signs and have a site health officer to enforce the compliance. Proponent Immediate and continuous Operational phase of the proposed Greater London Transport system EXPECTED NEGTATIVE IMPACTS Recommended Mitigation Measures Responsible Party Time Frame Cost (£) Increased water demand Systems should be water efficient e.g., use of new Japan flush toilets Proponent Construction stage Ensure recycling of water such as grey water to be used in toilets Proponent Immediate and continuous Put a system that can tap water from the roofs to an efficient storage unit Proponent and contractors During construction Surface and ground water pollution The septic tanks should be cemented to reduce seepage to the underground Proponent During construction Proper waste water treatment before releasing to the water systems Proponent Immediate and continuous Proper drainage system to reduce chance of water run-off to unintended area Contractors Immediate and continuous Solid waste generation Apply the principle of 3R (re-use, recycle and ) Proponent Immediate and continuous Put dustbins at designated places. Proponent Immediate and continuous Have an enforcement agency, the municipal to keep the wastes at bay The local government Immediate and continuous Ensure only the registered waste collectors handle the waste Immediate and continuous Install three incineration machines within the city Proponent After completion of major buildings Tap green energy, for instance by putting solar panels as the roofing materials across the new transport system Proponent During construction and installation The architectural design of the new system should allow natural light to be used during the day Contractor During construction and installation Use of low-energy consuming appliances Proponent Immediate and continuous Sensitize the population being served by the new project Proponent Immediate and continuous Reflective Log Sustainable Development is an integral part of the conducting business in the current system. It ensures that we use the resources in a way that it helps us and the same time it does not have any negative impact on the environment. In economic aspects, it ensures our engagements are productive. This helps us and improves the condition of the environment as well. On social aspect, SD ensures that we do not have a disadvantaged member of society owing to their inability to utilize the free natural resources. SD from a corporate level ensures that the company does not enjoy all the profits derived from its processes alone but share these benefits with the community around by initiating projects that are benefits to all, sponsoring the needy and providing education and awareness on the contemporary issues to the residents. The new technology on energy whereby oil is extracted from biomass will help solve the environmental problems currently experienced across the globe. Consumption of fossil fuels has had major impacts on the environment. Therefore, turning to green technology will help solve problem that have been persistent and life threatening to our environment such as global warming and species extinction. The advantage of bio-fuel is that the materials can be accessed with ease and in unlimited value. These kinds of fuel have no adverse effects on the environment or to human beings hence a sound alternative from the fossil fuels. The introduction of environmental assessment plan will also help greatly in the development of the new transport system. It will ensure that the possible impacts are identified earlier enough to avoid damage to the already fragile environment. I think having a complete plan on the proposed new transport system will improve greatly any impacts that will occur during the implementation on stage. These impacts are identified from similar project, which acts like a benchmark besides professional knowledge. The mistakes that have been done before are reduced and never repeated hence a cleaner, safer and healthier environment. An EIA also ensures we sought the best alternative before the project is implemented. Having examined the possible impacts at multiple levels, that is, on health and well-being of the society, on the environment, in terms of economics and on social aspect, we can make the right judgment. Bibliography Smith, R. J. (2006). Sustainability and the Rationalisation. Environmental Politics , 26-48. Read More