Sustainable development has become
a “new” gospel in the contemporary environment and development literature. The
global social order is generally fascinated by the concept and is taking steps
to translate it into actual practice. Although everybody seems to be in favor
of sustainable development, no one seems certain as to what it actually means. The
description of the term by the World Commission on Environment and Development
(WCED) of the United Nations as “meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” is
generally acceptable but susceptible to different interpretations. The problem
is compounded by the habit of appealing to the social and natural sciences for
help in explaining the meaning of the term and its implication to environmental
protection, trade and governance.
Sustainable development is generally understood as the fulfillment of the basic needs of present and future generations through equity and environmental protection. The author, however, argues that sustainable development only becomes conceptually viable if it seeks to satisfy fundamental human needs, if its norm is social justice, if its vehicle is a steady-state economy that promotes sustainable production and consumption of natural capital, and if its engine is the State and its civil spirited citizens.
The author also traces the origin of sustainable development in the light of historical human knowledge. He points out that although the term “sustainable development” is relatively new, its meaning and its implications are of ancient origin. The concept is a product of human-nature interaction. Thus, its interpretation only becomes meaningful if it is placed in the context of its own historical development.
No comments:
Post a Comment