MODUL -1

SU AI IL V

e environment is where we live; and evelopment is what we all do

In attempting to improve our lot wi in that abode. The two are
inseparabl "

Our Common Future

SUSTAINABIUTY

roduction

The term sustainability is the capacity to endure (contmue to exist in the

me state).Sustainability can be thought of as the goal of "sustainable
evelopment", a journey and destination that s to be negotiated. Sustainability
eeks an improved quality of life and em races equality for all and for this
eason a key aim of sustainability is to enable multi-stakeholders to d fine
eir vision of sustainability and to work towards it. But moving towards
5ustainability is a big social challenge befo e the humanity.

The history of sustainability traces huma dominated ecological system

from the earliest civilisation to the present In early human history, the use of
fire and desire for food may have altered the natural composition of plant and
animal communities. Between 8000 and 10,000 years ago, agrarian
communities depended largely on their wa er rich local environment. The
industrial revolution of the 17th to 19th centur e tapped the vast growth potential
of energy in fossil fuels. Modern sanitation sy tems and advances in medicine
led to the protection of a large population from disease. In the mid 20th century,
mass environmental movements pointed out the need to harmonize
Introauction to SustaifUl6fe !Engineering •

developmental activities with nature in such a way that environment is polluted

the least. In the late 20lh century, environmental problems became global (due
to unsustainable development ac Ivities) in scale. In the 21 5t century, there
was an increasing global awareness of the threat posed by the human~ induced
activities. Thus the concept of sus ainability is now receiving much recognition
in all the sectors.

United Nations document refer to ey sustalnability concepts as inter­

generational equity", intra·g rational equity...., ecological sustainability
(environment), fair distribution of ealth (economy), community participation
(society) and access to resourc s. Many of these can be associated with
quality of life or well-being. Thus t e focus of sustainability is quality of life and
the process of achieving sustainability is widely understood as seeking a better
quality of life for all.

For humans, sustainability is the long term maintenance of well-being, which

has environmental, economic and social dimensions and encompasses the
concept of stewardship (the actl ity of managing use of resources). The word
sustainability is applied not only 0 human sustainability on earth, but to many
situations and contexts over many scales of space and time, from small local
ones to the global balance of production and consumption. The figure shown
below illustrates the three basic spheres of sustainability.

For a community to be sustainable the

economic, social and env ronmental
systems that makeup the community should
be in a harmony which will provide a healthy,
productive, meaningful life (i.e. quality of life)
to all community residents of the present and
future generation.
 otfuction to Sustaina6Ce reno neering •

NEED FOR SUSTAINABI IT

Vhen the human economic sys em was small (earlier), the assimilative
city (natural self-cleansing capacity) of nature appeared infinite. But today
scale of human economy has exceeded the natural self-cleansing capacity
ur environment which has led to overexploitation of resources and
mulation of waste. Hence sustamability is more concerned over the
ess exploitation of our natural resources which is leading to environmental
adation.

decade back what once used to b mere discussions (about sustainability)

e intelligentsia within the halls of e seats of power, has now transformed
a pan-national phenomenon of co-operation, participation and the vital
ace occupied by public propagation of sustainable developme 1. The
bination of population exploslon in the developing world and the
stainable consumption levels in the developed world pose a great
enge to sustainability. At the global scale, scientific data now indicates
umans are liVing beyond the carrying capacity of earth and this cannot
ue indefinitely.

preserve and conserve the env ronmental strata for future generations,
e across different sections s ould contribute to cater environmental
rns like climate change, energy sustainability and usage, pollution issues,
ogical conservation etc. Thus sus ainability needs to be the key objective
rategic planning and should be integrated within all decision-making
esses. Broad based strategies for more sustainable social systems
e: improved education, political empowerment of women, especially in

er enerational eqUity"· Inter-generational equity expects the present

'a' on to fJand over a safe healthy and resourceful environment to the
ef/eratlon.
-generational equlty.....lntra-g nerational eqUity emphasizes that
EcOOcllOQlcal development shouldsupport economic growth ofthe poorersection
·0 reduce the gap within nations as well as between nations.
Introduction to Sustaina6le tEnai ttrina •

developing countries; greater regard for social justice, equity between rich
and poor both within and between countries and inter-generational equity.

Today sustainability is studied and managed over many scales ranging from
the total carrying capacity (sustainablhty) of our planet to the sustainability of
various ecosystems, goods and serv ces so on and so forth. Thus sustainability
tends to be problem driven and onented towards guiding decision making.
The sustainability goal is to raise the global standard of living without increasing
the use of resources beyond global sustainable levels; that is, not to exceed
"One Planet" consumption. It IS necessary for all of us to maintain an
acceptable standard of living, at the same time, maintaining sustainable use
of resources.

1.3 CONCEPT OF USTA' BILITY

Appreciating the ill effects of unsustainable development designed for rapid

economic growth is the first step owards the understanding of sustainability.
A universally accepted definition of sustainability remains elusive because it is
expected to achieve many things Sustainabllity can be described as a task in
progress or journey with some d inite goals and values. However, the most
often quoted definition of sustaJnability is as follows: "Meeting the needs of
current and future generations rough integrating environm ntal protection,
social advancement and economic prosperity". Thus sustainability reters to
the quality of lite which is to be achieved in a manner that does not harm he
quality of life of future generatIons.

U ESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization)

released a document at the World Summit for Sustainable Development entitled
"From Rio to Johannesburg: Lessons Learnt from a Decade of Commitmenf'
 orfuction to Sustai 4 [e tEnnineerinn
acknowledges that ac leving sustainability is indeed a process of learning
helps us grow in understanding sustainability, human motivation and
~.rn.1 between rich and thus how to progress through sustainability. This process of learning
"'D*~::l+irlnal equity. -= - e people to reflect on their experiences, how to make changes and move
ard. For the world to be sustainable, the following four principles are to be
s ranging from
edto:
stainability of
sustainability Reduce dependence pon fossil fuels

slon making. educe dependence upon synthetic chemicals and other unnatural
ut increasing substances
ot to exceed
educe encroachment upon nature
aintain an
ainable use eet human needs fairly & efficiently

untry is sustainable or comes close to it. The international community

e to recognise that achieving sustalnability is essentially an ongoing
process that actively involves multiple stakeholders across every
--1=: tnn ed for rapid society. The figure shown below illustrates the three spheres of
stainability. ~ ..,.--,.abllity (which makes a community sustainable).
cause it IS Environmental· Econo ic
Energy efficient incentives
:=::::::lm Consumption of
for use of natural resources
sources & waste

~=!I"'S1"er. the most - n

needs of
Economic
1r:1mtaJ protection, Growth, profit
y refers to
harm the

Economic· Social
anization) Business ethics, Fair trade

~;'Prrlent entitled

Standard of living,
Ed tion
Eq Opportunity
Introauction to Sustaina6Ce ~ 8aneering

1.4 CONCE OF SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Broadly speaking the social aspect of sustainability examines the socia
relationships, interactions and Institutions that are affected by sustainabl
development. Social sustainabllty focuses on the idea that future generations
should have the same or greater access to social resources (culture an
basic human rights) as the c rrent generation (which is known as inter­
generational equity), while here should also be equal access to social
resources within the current generation (which is known as intra generational
equity). Thus social sustainablhty can be defined as the "development or growth
that is compatible with harmonious evolution of civil society, fostering on
environment conducive to th compatible cohabitation of culturally and socially
diverse groups, while at the same time encouraging social integration, with
provements in the quality of life for all segments of the population.

Three values that forms t e core of social sustainability are quality of life,
growth and equality. Henc socially sustainable communities are equitable,
diverse, democratic and provide good quality of life. But there is a universal
disagreement between nations (not only between nations, religions, culture
political parties etc.) on w at the quality of life goals sho Id be. Thus social
sustainability is the least defined and least understood (hence the weakest
among the three spheres 0 sustainability) as people can't even agree on what
quality of life is. In the huma development paradigm. environment and natural
resources should constitute a means of achieving better standards of living
and at the end should aim the well-being of the society.

1.5CO CEPTOFE o ME 'A SUSTA NABILITY

Currently, environmen al sustainability is a hot topic that receives plenty of
attention from the media and from different governmental departments. This
is as a result of the amount of research gOing into assessing the impact that
human activity can have 0 he environment. Although the long term implications
 fotfuction to SustaifUl6k tEnguuerin8 •

is serious issue are not yet fully understood, it IS generally agreed that the
of living things to survive in the future is very high.
social
simple definition of environmental sustainability is 'improving the quality
uman life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting
rations
L ..... -H· .. ·e and systems'.Thus environmental sustainability is the process of making sure,
ent practices of interaction with the environment which are pursued with
ea of keeping the environmen as pristine as naturally possible based on
-seeking behavior. Thus, environmental sustainability demands that society
- n activities to meet human needs, while indefinitely preserving the life
rt systems of the planet.
ng on
ocially en the sum total of natural resources is used up faster than it can be
~:Jation. with ished, degradation of the environment occurs. However, if human activity
ses natural resources at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally,
'a nability occurs. These situations are summarised below in the form of a
iu3lity of life,
'table,
iversal
sumption of Resource State of Sustainability
culture, Environment
social
. an nature's ability to replenish EnVironmental Environmental
Renewal Sustainable

a nature's ability to replenish Environmental Steady-State

Equilibrium Economy
/ICa.rds of living
an nature's ability to rep enish Environmental at Sustainable
Degradation

:: ronmental sustainabili involves making decisions and taking actions

t:e:"es plenty of
- - e In the interest of protec Ing the natural world, with particular emphasis
~lments. This
_ erving the capability 0 the environment to support human life. Hence,
pact that
Iications
 ina6le fEnaineering I ntrotluction to Su.

'E::'lvirlor·""'e"'·al sustainability is about making responsible decisions that will Hence the goal 01
e negative impacts on the environment. It is not simply about reducing over the long term Ct
e a aunt of waste we produce or using less energy, but is concern d with less environmental
developing processes that will lead to businesses becoming completely
The economic, S
sustainable in the future.
nsustainable) of qu
1.6 CONCEPT OF ECONOMIC SUS AINABILITY Iven in the table bel
In most scenarios, economic sustain ability is presented in monetary terms
(Le. in terms of economic growth). But economic growth is only sustainable, if Economic Social and Er
it simultaneously improves our quality of life and that of the environment. Hence
Econom
the real idea of economic sustainability is to make sure that the industry / ality
business is making profit without creating much environmental harm to the of
Life Un sustain­
balance of the existing ecology. ms able

atar High cost

Currently, the average resource consumption in the developing world is
cI
sustainable, at the same time population is exploding which is totally drinking
water and
unsustainable. In the developed economies, population Increase is less (which
watersuppl
is sustainable) but the resource consumption is very high which is intermitten

unsustainable. The challenge for sustainability is to curb and manage western

style consumption, at the same time raising the standard of living of the ~ood High Cost
developing world, without increasing the resource use and environmental for food
and use
impact. This must be carried out by using strategies and technology that break cI
tertilisers
the link between,on one hand, economic growth and on the other, environmental
and
damage and resource depletion. pesticides
in farming
Hence, economic sustainability is the term used to identify various - rgy High cos
strategies that make it possible to use the available resources in such a way and
intermitter.
that it is both efficient, responsible and provide long term benefits. Thus creating suppy
(power cu
an economic system based on sustalnability, reqUIres shift in the existing
domestic and foreign policy, industnal approach and scientific research.
 Introd"uction to Sustaina6k tEnaineering •

that will Hence the goal of economic sustainability should be to establish profitability
reducing over the long term coupled with responsible use of resources and creating no
""''''''r''O,ned with fless environmental concerns
..."pletely
The economic, social and environmental matrix (both sustainable and
unsustainable) of quality of life linked with respect to water, food and energy is
given in the table below.

Economic Social and Environmental Matnx

Economic Issues Social Issues Environmental Issues

Quality
of
Life Unsustain­ Sustain­ Unsustain­ Sustain­ Unsustain­ Sustain­
Concems able able able able able able

Water High cost Drinking Access to Adequate High level Conserva­

ct water drinking access to of pollution tion of
drinking available water drinking in lakes existing
water and 24 )( 7 at supply water at and rivers fresh
water supply affordable denied to the all section water
intermittent cost weaker bodies
section

Food High Cost Good food Access to Adequate Food is of Food is of

for food available at good food access to poor nutritious
and use afforable supply good food quality due quality
ct cost and denied to the to to and
tertilisers use of weaker all section contamina­ related
and organic section tion diseases
pesticides fanning are
in farming lowered
Energy High cost Energy Overuse of Adequate Use of Use of
and avaRable energy by energy fossil renewable
intermittent 24)( 7 at the rich available fuels and resources
suppy society to pollution (solar,
affordable
(power cuts) and wind,
cost all section
Inadequate biomass)
energy
distribution
lru:rtXUU11'lOn to Sustai1Ul6k P.ngineerina •

1.7 HELIX OF SUSTAINABILITY

The helix of sustainabillty is a concept coined to help manufacturing
industry move to more sustainable practices by mapping its ·models of raw
materials use and reuse to that of na ure. Sustainable use of materials has
targeted the idea of converting the linear path of materials (i.e. raw material
extraction, product use and disposal) to a circular material path (Le. raw
material extraction. product use and reuse) that reuses material as much as
possible, much like the recycling and reuse of waste in nature. The concept
of helix of sustainability is iIIustra ad with the help of a flowchart which is
shown below.

Plants prepares Humans After the useful

food from simple cultivates as well life of the
raw materials 1111. ~ product. it may
1--_ _ as use plants to ........
like CO2 , water ,. extract products , be disposed off
and sunlight for commercial (after reuse and
purposes repair)

At the end of the

life cycle the
product is
converted to
simple raw
materials by
microbial
decomposition
 Introtluction to Susta.i 6le tEngineenna

1.8 SUSTAINABLE OEVE OPME T

anufacturing 1/ Real wealth does not consist ofjewellery afJd money, but in providing
odels of raw for proper food, clothes, education and creating healthy conditions of
aterials has living for every one of us. A country can be called prosperous and free
- aw material only when its citizens can easily earn enough to meet their needs"
Mahatma Gandhi
Introduction
e concept
Jcnvclilart which is Until two decades ago, the world 100 ed at economic status alone as a
'Tleasure of human development. Most of the developed countries not only
~xploited their own natural resources rapidly, but also used the natural
esources of developing countries. So as development progressed, the rich
countries got richer, whi e the poor nations got poorer. However even the
e useful eveloped world has begun to realise that their lives were being seriously
the
may affected by the environmental consequences of development based on
sed off economic growth alone. This form of development did not add quality of life as
e se and
a r) e environmental conditions has begun to deteriorate.

By 1970's most development specialists began to appreciate the fact that

_ onomic growth alone could not bring about a better way of life for people
ess environmental conditions were improved. Development strategies in
Ich only economic considerations were used, had begun to suffer from
- rious environmental problems due to air and water ollution, solid waste
.. umulation, deforestation and a variety of other ill effects that seriously
-ected peoples well-being and health.There were also serious equity issues
een the haves and the have-nots in society at the national and global
els. The disparity in the Ii estyles between the rich and the poor was made
rse by these unsustainable development strategies. ow the humans have
ached the limit in most of the natural resources, and the current utilisation
e is also going in an unsustainable manner.
Introduction to Sustaina6fe !Engineering.

The theoretical trame work for sustainable development evolved between

1972 and 1992 through a series of international conferences and initiatives.
The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm
in 1972 was the first major international gathering to discuss sustainability at
the global scale. The conference created considerable momentum and a series
of recommendations that led to the establishment of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) as well as the creations of numerous national
environmental protection agencies at the global level. The recommendations
from Stockholm were further elaborated and the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) aimed to ad ance Sustainable Development by identifying
priority conservation issues and key policy options. Thus the concept of
sustainable development recognised the link between meeting the needs of
people for natural resources and the environment for future generations.

Need for Sustainable Development

Humanity has tried different ways to develop. Some ended in wars, others
in economic slums and economic depression. Choosing a wrong path is not
an option. Far too many important things are at stake: Our well-being, economic
prosperity, the environment, our future and that of generations to come. Only
the path of sustainable development can lead us to the future.

Definition of Sustainabl
Development
The concept of sustainable
development has received much
recognition after the Stockholm
declaration in the year
1972.Sustainable development
(which is a continuous process)
is a fluid concept and various
 auction to Sustain46fe P.ngineerina

Tons have emerged over the past. However the term sustainable
- - pment was clearly defined in 1987 in the report (titled "Our Common

n Stockholm e published by the World Commission on Environment and Development

~J"ru.own as the Brundtland Commission, which coined the term sustainable
stainability at
---.. ...,..,pment) as the "de e/opment which meets the needs of the present
. . . ','UII and a series
lrt2110ut compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
ds". (Most often quo ed definition of sustainable development). The
-Xr:meJDi of Sustainable Development is illustrated in the Venn diagram given
evious page.

PMlar~ of Sustainable Development

y identifying
concept of Q ree basic pillars of sustainable development are the following:
e needs of Social pillar (Community I Societal development that provides food.
elter. clothing, education and health for human beings)

E vironment pillar (Environmental protection that provides pollution­

ree air, water and soil for the present and future generations)

conomic pillar (Economic development such as provision of job,

ustrial development. business policy change and so on for improving
e quality of life).

stainable development to lead us to the future, it is our goal to act in

ree areas. finding long term development solutions that combine
growth with environmental protection while enabling us to meet our
eeds. The actions of government to implement sustainable
:E"i:;'~:;.cr'T'lent in their policies may even be considered as the fourth pillar
~itit,UtiO al pi lar) of sustainable development. Thus sustainable
_·=".. ""'n"lent is based on improving the quality of life for all, especially the poor
eprived, which leads to better quality of life while reducing the impact
Q Ironment within the carrying capacity of the supporting ecosystems.
 ina6Ce P.naineerina

he Earth Summit held at Rio-de-Janeiro in1992 put the world on the path
of sustainable development. The Rio declaration has taken cognizance of the
fact that in order to achieve sustainable development, eradication of poverty j
indispensable and thus development process and environment protection must
go hand in hand. There are two aspects of sustainable development which
are given below:

(i) Inter-genera lonal equity- This emphasizes that we should stop over
exploitation of resources, reduce waste discharge and emissions and
maintainan ecological balance. It expects to hand over a safe healthy and
resourceful environment to the future generations.

(ii) Intra-genera ional equity-This emphasizes that technological

development should support economic growth of the poor countries so as to
reduce the gap within nations and between the nations.

Measures for u tainable development: The following are the major

measures for susta nable development:

• To promote nvironmental ed cation and awareness- From

childhood onwards e should develop a feeling of belongingness to our plan t.
This can be possible only by introducing environment as a subject in education
from the primary level itself.

• Three 'R' approach: Three 'R' means reduce, reuse and recycle. We
should not only reduce the excessive use of natural resources, but also use
them again and agaIn Instead of passing it onto the waste stream. Recycle
the materials to reduce pressure on our existing natural resources.

• Appropriate echnology - The technology should use less resource

and produce minimum waste. It should be also eco-friendly, resource efficient
and culturally suitable.
 auction to Sustain46fe tEnaineerina

Utilise resources as carrying capacity of the environment ­

stainability of a system depends largely upon the carrying capacity of the
em. If the carrying capaci y of our planet is exceeded, environmental
radation starts.

me work to measure Susta nable Development

number of anthropogenic activities impose stress on the environment in

orm of pollution, which affects the nature's balance. For pollution prevention,
- ons like sustainable use of resources are generated as responses and a
I hy and pie framework to measure sustainable development is given below.

Pressure / Stresses
._.......ological
1r't?10~ so as to
Changes

e major

jen4!!SS- From Modifies

r planet.
ucation
Mitigates

cle. We
Iso use
P 0;;..:;. . I I . Recycle Only the path of sustainable development can lead us to the future. The
ength of sustainable development is that it acknowledges the interdependence
resource uman needs and environmental requirements. But to be sustainable is a
5Q:.1rce efficient nstant challenge for the humanity. Thus sustainable development or simply
stainability is a realisatIon that todays population is merely borrowing
sources and environmental conditions for the future generations.
lnltn:J,/1w~ion to Susta.ina.6fe f£naineerina •

The figure given below illustrates the vanous dimensions of Sustainable

Development.

To ensure sustainable development, any activity that is expected to bring

aboul economic growth must also consider its environmental impact so that
it is more consistent with long term growth and development. Thus for every
project, as a strategy that looks at sustainable development, there must be
a scientifically and honestly carried out Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) without which the project must not be cleared.

"'!52Z;OO a enda.
 to Sustaina6fe P.naineering

'.'WL-""L.JIS B TWEEN TEe OLOGY A 0 SUSTAINABLE

~ELc~ENT

cumulation 01 knowledge, the discoveries 01 science, the

if technology, our ideas, our art, our social structures, all the
.lIIII!Vml.entsofmankindhave value only to the extentthat they preserve
.r'Ulrove the quality alIi/eli
Charles lindbergh

w;;;;::;;;"'--"~~~- a say, science has war ed out wonders. Science and technology
~u ..
-,'ud amongst the most effective means to enhance growth and
-=:c-:OJ:~orT'IC development of nations. As regards, technology, which is an
Clence, it may be remembered that technology starts when
ssibilities of the use of scientific discoveries are recognized.
-.:~:-~teal nnovation can be seen as a double-edged sword with respect
_~~LJO;l
... ..,.e development. Over the last few decades, on one hand,
as offered the promise of a better world through the elimination of
aterial improvements a standards of liVing. On the other hand,
action and pollution of air, water and sOil have created conditions
_-- ented environmental catastrophe and have already caused
a age to the biosphere. While the future might promise a vast
echnological innovation, the scale and impact of environmental
ay reflect this vast acceleration as well Relatively little attention
e to the question of how a better understanding of the human
ensions of science and technology could also contribute in
the understanding of sustainability challenges and efforts to
e ce, it is essential that research on the relationships between
a ogy, and society be Integrated into the broader sustainability
I traduction ta Sustai1Ul6le t.Engineering •

A related painful paradox is that, despite the ongoing technological revolution

the majority of the world population still lives in abject (extreme) poverty wit
inadequate food, housing sanitation and energy, plagued by illnesses that could
be easily cured if clean water and simple drugs were made available.
significant number of "developing" countries (Countries, like China, India, Brazi
etc. have followed their own techno ogical trajectones) are now on the threshold
of development, helped by technology transfer and technological innovations
However, for large populations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America the beneti
of technology remain a dream, even it new technologies like photovoltaic cells
cellular phones, and the Internet could help them "leap-frog" towards the twenty­
first century. The persisting contradictions between a better life created a
supported by technology for the wealthy few, and increasing environmen
degradation and persistent poverty for the vast majority, call for a dee
exploration and understanding of the nature of technology and its relationsh"
to society, especially moving towards sustainable society.

Conserving natural capital (renewable and non renewable resources)

fundamental to the concept of sustainable development. Thus, the focus shou
be not only to allow renewab e resource withdrawals exceed the nature
regenerative capacity but also not to generate waste which exceeds t
environmental absorptive capacity. Technology can support sustainability
natural capital by:

.:. Reducing waste

.:. Raising efficiency standards

.:. Finding substitutes (reducing extraction or consumption of resources

use of toxic substances and other hazardous materials).
 troauction to Sustaina6(e tEngineerin8 •

~)gic:all revolution, Of the various dimensions of sustainable development (Le., economic,

poverty with litical, environmental, and technological), technology seems to be the most
es that could agerly explored. Great strides have been made in the past decade in pollution
available. A evention and creating cleaner technologies for industrial production. Some
India, Brazil . the technological pplications towards sustainable development on various
ethreshold ...ctors are explained below:
novations.
gric Itural Technologies
he benefits
The goal of agricultural research and technology development generally
voltaic cells,
as been to improve productivity soil and water conservation, improving human
~:rds the twenty­
.Jtrition, food quality, and safety which contrrbute to the economy as a whole.
reated and
- ecently, more concern has been directed towards pesticide- contaminated
ironmental
its and vegetables which has a lot of adverse environmental impacts. The
a deeper
~ sence of Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) for pesticides used on various
relationship
egetables and fruits in many countries has worsened the above crisis.

In developing countries much of the land available to small farmers is only

ourees) is
arginally suitable for most forms of agricultural production, and gets
us should
_ teriorated with respect to time. Poor soils quickly lose their existing nutrient
nature's
ntent, and exposure to Wind and rain, often on steep slopes, leads to rapid
- I erosion as well. In arid and semi-arid regions, low soil productivity also
pi.j:>u::unabiJity of
evails and is accompanied by a short growing season, low and erratic rainfall,
- d possibility of drought. Production practices, such as shifting cultivation,
accelerate the degradation process as well. Given these conditions, erratic,
_ lining yields are common and generally expanded cultiv tion or off-farm
,
ources or ployment are used to rna e up for these losses. C tastrophic crop losses,
a climate of chronic food insecurity, can prompt large-scale civil conflict and
gration.
Introtluction to Sustaina6fe 'Engineering.

Agricultural policy issues with respect to sustainable development include:

research and development priorities, regulations and programs concerning
food prices, land ownership, and environmental quality; and food security and
employment. In many developing countries these needs sUII are not met,
sustainably or otherwis . Greater contributions to domestic, bilateral, and
multilateral agricultural assistance will be necessary to increase agricultural
production worldwide. For production increases to be sustainable, however,
farmers need technologies with po ential in the following areas improving the
use of local natural resources, including indigenous plants and animals,
improving soil fertility, improving water availability and efficiency of use, fostering
genetic improvement in plants and animals appropriate to local conditions,
improving integration of animal and cropping systems, reducing food losses,
and enabling farmers to modernize as this becomes feasible to them.

Energy echnologies

Energy efficiencies vary in the developing world but, on average, appear to

be much lower than in the industrialized countries. Low technical efficiencies
with which energy is produced, converted, and used in developing countries
could be improved through adoption of proven technologies. On the demand
side, these include efficient lights cookstoves and refrigerators, cars a d
trucks, industrial boilers, electric motors, and a variety of new manufacturing
processes for energy- intensive industries such as steel and cement. Moreover,
numerous technologies at various stages of development a d
commercialization could enhance the efficiency of delivering energy services.

Technologies to provide and improve energy services for developing world

populations might include, more effiCient biomass stoves to reduce fuel use
and reduce the hazardous smoke emissions, simple motor-driven systems
 _ ........""tfuction to Sustai1l46£e P."aineerina

I DervAJopment include:
mping water or gnndmg grain to reduce the burden of these physically
IDrIJOrams concerning
:='~!anding tasks on women, and energy-efficient pumps, fertilizers, and
ood security and
anical traction to improve agricultural productivity. Technology also could
'11 are not met
- efficiency, quality and productivity of traditional small-scale industry,
bilateral, and
accounts for one-half to three-quarters of manufacturing employment
ase agricultural
c:. 1 developing countries and is an important source of income for both
Ills1:amable, however J
d urban poor.
improving the
energy supply technologies more suited to developing countries are
~nts and animals,
a d modular which can be rapidly implemented can match demand
use, fostering
and prevent large amounts of capital from being tied up over long periods
cal conditions,
eliability and performance. In developing countries, frequent blackouts
1PU1on...t'IIU food losses,
a'l) power surges result in lost operating potential, lost production, and
o them.
- aste tor commercial, residential, and industrial consumers. Smaller
_ nologies (biomass and decentralized renewable sources) can bring
ge I appear to -"--;J'1IH a ty energy sources to rural areas and thus, promote rural development
~nir-al efficiencies oyment.
ng countries
_ased emphasis on natur I gas and other alternative fuel sources (e.g.,
the demand
-'-'-::::,-oc systems and renewable energy) could reduce adverse environmental
rs, cars and
ompared with conventional sources, and avoid some of the problems
anutacturing
ydroelectric and nuclear projects. New technologies that develop
lcemeint Moreover
crgy resources can reduce energy imports.
tVle/ooment and
ralized renewable energy sources could not only stimulate
~r::.n~'mentbut also could achieve substantial energy savings, while providing
---'-':::IJ services needed for development. Capturing these energy savings
P environmental quality and ease the burden of high energy import
systems
ever, adoption of new energy technologies depends on not only the
Introduction to Sustaina6Ce f£ngineering •

intrinsic superiority of the technology itself but also on whether financial and
institutional factors favor adoption. The policy environment that determi es
patterns of incentives and disincentives to energy efficiency is crucial to the
adoption of new technologies.

Environmental Technolo ies

Environmental protection issues may be looked in terms of the economic

and industrial opportunities they may present. Environmental awareness and
transfer of environmental technologies (environmental technology imports) can
reduce day-to-day operating mefficiencies, emissions of environmental
contaminants, worker exposure to hazardous materials, and risks of
technological disasters. For many developing countries, provision of basic
facilities such as access to drinking water and proper sanitation, gase us.
liquid and solid waste disposal services are major environmental priorities.
These are the areas where spending on environmental technologies is
concentrated. While such expenditures can strain scarce fiscal resources
lack of such services leads to lot of environmental problems. Developin
countries need more sanitary services systems serving rural and urban areas
Technologies such as forest management and improved agricultural practices
are primary environmental needs In most of the developing countries. Therefore
opportunities should exist to address some of these community service need
with appropriate technology.

Electric power, chemical, petroleum refining, steel, pulp and paper, food
textile and other process industries are potential major buyers of environment
technology. Technologies that lead to more effiCient and cleaner uses of ener
and materials can be applied to many industries with long-term economic an
environmental benefits. Pollution prevention and cleaner productio
 rod'uction to Sustaina fe tEngineering

I~:ether financial and nologies are often more cost effective than end-of-pipe waste treatment
at determines nologies.

s crucial to the

ease-Related Biomedical Technologies .

he broadest measurements of human health have shown improvement

all developing regions over the past few decades (e.g., life expectancy at
he economic , mortality of children age 5 and below etc.). Nevertheless, a majority of
a areness and total deaths caused by infectious and par sitic diseases (due to respiratory
y imports) can ctions, neonatal and perinatal complications, diarrhea etc.) still occur in
eloping countries. Hence the existing research institutions in developing
ntries can serve as training facilities and can help developing countries
sion of basic . In health science and other science professionals who otherwise would
on, gaseous, y seek positions in industrialized countries. Opening of International health
al priorities. - earch centers along the lines of the International Agricultural Research
hnologies is ters (IARCs) could make a large contribution in improving the health carel
resources, ~ tenance systems in developing countries. Such centres could identify
pe:smIS. Developing analyze the sources of health problems as well as conduct local,research
rban areas. e ign and delivery of health maintenance systems.
lJgr.icultural practices
any developing countries are still at a stage where increased investment
~.mtJries. Therefore
sanitation and clean water would have tremendous benefits for controlling
ases. Small and regional wastewater, drin ing water and municipal solid
- e systems which are highly successful, should be duplicated in developing
per, food, _ ntries only after taking mto account the existing local ground reality.
'ronmental
TAI"hnologies for Loca Development
s of energy
ppropriate technology projects for resource efficient residential
nomic and
itecture, solar greenhouses, small farm systems, farmer's markets,
ala!'1er production
urce recovery from municipal solid waste, wastewater treatment, energy
Int1i duction to Sustaina6Ce tEngineerifl,g

generation and heal h care systems could be developed according to pecia

conditions and available resources at the community level. All the above
mentioned projects could be imp emented successfully, only with public interest
availability of technical information and expertise; material, capital, financia
resources; and proper financing (e.g., grants, cost-sharing, contracts
subsidies). Local development and transfer of appropriate technologies i
projects is facilitated mostly by provision of reliable information on the design.
cost and performance of the technologies themselves. Provided these needs
have been met, the remaining barriers are less important.

Technological Underpinnings for Sustainable Development

Information, education, and communication technologies are seen a

fundamental to the pursuit of sustainable development. Attention to these area
will facilitate dissemination and he application of above mentioned technologies
Expanding opportunities for developing countries to determine their ow
sustainable development path III depend in large part on the free exchange
of information among the indus rial and developing nations. Such exchang
could be useful domestically as ell, as many local and regional governments
strive toward sustainable development objectives. It may be possible to choose
demonstration sites, for ex~mple, places within the industrial and developin
world that are already on the way towards a sustainable solution.

Sharing of information and appropriate technologies with sister institutions

in developing countries is very important. However, nowadays withou
intellectual property rights protection, t chnology developers may be disinclin
to invest in research and development. The challenge will be to find avenues
to fund the cost of producing knOWledge in a way that facilitates distribution
Thus the creation of international centres for sustainable development tha
 '-::::t'Dd~uction to Sustaina6Ce tEnaineerina

e cooperatively funded should focus on collaborative research and

"'=>"'9r'Tl"'r-"ogy development which IS the need of the hour.

cation is one mechanism through which many sustainable

~;'c~loPI"entobjectives might be realized, This ranges from the educ tion at
eveI for self and quality- of-life improvements to the education at the
echnologi
::2!:G::i:>n "laking level to foster wise planning and policy choices. Achieving
on the desig
e development will rest largely on broad understanding of the
ed these need
-....""',..,.;~'ru:>ndence of the eart 's social, economic, and environmental resources
- osts and benefits of adopting sustainable practices. Educational
JVelODment ---.~.....,'" at all levels that effectively teach the interrelationship among poverty,
growth, unsustainable production and consumption patterns, and
ental degradation will be needed.

v'-l'llIlllIunication and information technologies are playing an

~!=~mgly important role in business, trade, health, and education. If current
inue, the gap between industrial and developing countries in the
- "Tlmunlcation technologies will continue to widen. Computer-based
-"-'-r.'\";'''"n systems and modern communications are high-tech, high-cost
·;=-''''''........... .,es which invites large investments and considerable technological
?3:.::crrc€!s Systems such as satellite-based personal communication systems
... d wireless technology are extremely costly and technically
_ a ed. Several organizations are working towards various aspects of
--.........~ ...... communication networks and information availability. The United
" , - _ 4 • ." Sustainable Development Network (SDN) is one example of how
formation technology can be used to assist developing countries
and apply data for domestic development activities. The SDN goal
~.Iooo'-;"HOUe global access to data on development activities) is just one example
I ntroauction to Sustaina6Ce P.naineering

of how information and communication can be linked and deployed to assist

resource professionals and decision makers and to promote education. The
potential payoff for application of this advanced technology is enormous, and
clearly a vital need for achieving sustainable development goals.

Great strides have been made in the past decade in pollution prevention
and creating cleaner technologies for industrial production. Some new and
emerging technologies such as recycling, renewable energy, and low-input
agricultural production systems have been generated primarily to reduce waste.
Others exist to reduce extraction and increase throughput efficiency.

A number of exp rts have stressed the inadequacy of the knowledge base
to implement sustainable development programs and have pointed to science
and technology as the means through which the knowledge base could be
increased. Some ave suggested that since so little is known about how to
meet the needs of future generations in environmentally sustainable ways,
public policy should invest heavily in a research agenda for sustainable
development. Investment in science and technology, then could be the best
means of ensuring that the needs for the next generation are met.

The research agenda would seek to develop substitutes for critical natural
resources and increase the productivity of all resources. With a shrinking
budget for foreign aid, the question is how much to invest in science and
technology with a payoff in the distant future, and how much to devote to
solutions for more immediate problems. Most development experts agree that
research is most likely to be relevant and put to use if it is the product of
collaborative efforts among scientists and institutions in industrial and
developing countries. Sustainable development is not likely to be achieved by
conducting research in industnalized countries and applying it in developing