Population resource environment - need in 12 hours - Essay Example

Economic progress should have priority over environmental protection A Threat to the Future Generations The importance of economic progress has not changed over time. It is evident in the development of the countries worldwide. It has been a struggle to maintain the improvement in a nation’s economy as this allows the progression of the country in terms of economic development that would allow and maintain the needs of the country. The importance of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility comes with economic progress as it ensure the current and future needs of the society will be met (Ward p.15). Thus, environmental protection should come first and foremost than economic progress since the nature is where the human society lives and thrives. Without the environment, humans and all other living things will find it hard to exist.
Sustainable development is meeting the needs of the present generation and progressing economically without compromising the needs of the future generation (Reinhardt p.153). This makes sure that the resources, both humans and the natural environment alike, are used and developed in a way that will maintain both the present and future society. Without sustainability, natural resources will be depleted that it will compromise the future generations and endanger their very existence. This shows how important environmental protection is.
Without economic progress, the nation will not be able to produce enough to maintain the growing population. But it is exactly because of the growing population that the carrying capacity of the land is jeopardized (Seitz pp.59-61). While maintaining economic progress, it is important to consider the different factors that it impacts, particularly the environment. Land and natural resources cannot be multiplied or created overnight. The growing population eats up land resources while the development and industrialization eats up the rest of the land and other natural resources in order to maintain the existence of the society. Environmental crisis exists because of the excessive use of the natural resources to the point of depletion. Other environmental costs of development are increase of harmful chemicals and toxic gases that pollutes the environment and affects humans gravely, global warming and more (Byrne and Rich pp.55-63). Though there are always new technologies and researches to find other resources that could provide the needs of the world, it continues to jeopardize the rest of the environment.
Aside from that, industrialization continues to create technologies harmful not only for the natural environment but also for humans. What good will economic progress be if there will be no one surviving to taste and to relish the comforts that the development will bring. This is not to say that there should be no economic progress but it is to say that the protection of the environment should come first as it brings life to the humans that create, develop and enjoy the experience of being comfortable, if not rich.
Development should come with a greater responsibility of maintaining the environment that the human population lives in. Builders of corporations and business empires should consider foremost their corporate social responsibility, not only in giving back to the needy but also to maintain a protected and healthy environment for everyone to live in. Environmental protection laws should be created, developed, improved and reinforced strictly to avoid creating even more environmental costs. Researches and studies should be done prior to creating a technology and pursuing a development. Companies and the government should work hand in hand to protect, not only their economic interests but also the world they are governing and living in themselves.
Works Cited
Byrne, J. and D. Rich. Energy and environment: the policy challenge. NJ: Transaction Publishers, 1992.
Reinhardt, F. "Environmental Protection and the Social Responsibility of Firms: Perspectives from the Business Literature." eds. Hay, B., R. Stavins and R. Vietor. Environmental Protection and the Social Responsibility of Firms: Perspectives from Law, Economics and Business. Washington, DC: Resources for the Future, 2005. pp.151-183.
Seitz, J. Global Issues: An Introduction. MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2001.
Ward, H. "Corporate Social Responsibility in Law and Policy." eds. Boeger, N., R. Murray and C. Villiers. Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility. MA: Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc., 2008. pp.8-38. Read More