Sustainable Development Essay example -- Environment Ecology Essays Pa

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable development was defined in the Bruntland Report in 1983 asdevelopment which meets the needs of the present without conciliatory the ability of afterlife generations to meet their own needs. (Dresner, 31) This is a satisfactory comment for most people, however, when it comes down to the policies of sustainabledevelopment, the definition given proves dangerously vague. Interpretations that kiboshfrom it can range from do not touch any of the demesnes natural resources ever again touse them up as quickly as possible.There are three main philosophies toilet sustainability weak, strong, andenvironmental. Weak sustainability states that the total crown of the earth must notdecrease. That government agency that the natural peachy (oil, coal, forests, etc.) can decrease as long as the sum of somatic (produced means of production technology) and human (peoplesphysical ability to do work) capital increase at the same judge or higher. Thus, thisapproac h assumes that most, if not all, natural capital can be substituted by technology.Strong sustainability differs from this in that it assumes that very little natural capital can be substituted. It deems human-made capital and natural capital separate entities, and then the natural capital must not decline. Economists have trouble with this supposition because it seems like it is hindering the current generation in order for future generations to become vastly more wealthy assuming that the physical capital will increase with time. While they might furrow their brow at this theory, any self-respecting economist gets short of breath at the estimate of environmental sustainability. This approach calls for natural resources to be left alone. It says... .... Education is the accelerator pedal for helpingeveryone understand the dynamic nature of the interrelationship ofecology/environment, providence/employment, and equity/equality. (Edwards, 23) The environment is to be preserved a s much as possible while still strengthening the economyand achieving the sense of familiarity that goes along with controlling population andenergy use with equity.Works CitedBeckerman, Wilfred. A Poverty of Reason Sustainable Development and EconomicGrowth. Oakland, CA The freelancer Institute, 2003.Dresner, Simon. The Principles of Sustainability. London Earthscan Publications Ltd.,2002.Edwards, Andres R. Sustianability Revolution Portrait of a Paradigm Shift. Canada NewSociety, 2005.Smith, Lee. The adjacent Big Thing. Fortune 25 Dec. 2006 24.Stronberg, Joel B. More Than Solar. Solar Today Sept. 2005 8.