ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

Development & Environment

 Development can be defined as the application of

various resources to satisfy human needs and
improve the quality of human life.
 Economic growth is “an increase in the capacity of
the economy to provide goods and services which
would be accomplished by maximizing the flow of
matter and energy”. It is measured by GDP.
 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total market
value of the final goods and the services produced
within a country in one year.
 CONTD...

Possible costs of growth include;

 Inequity of income (poor vs rich)
 Pollution (increased output more pollution)
 Loss of resources (more production more use of resources)
 Loss of Land (increased output puts further pressure on the
available land)
 Life style changes (push for growth, pressure on individual,
and cost in terms of family and community life)
 CONTD...

Other development goals include;

 Raising living standards and improving education, health
and equity of opportunities are essential components
economic development.
 Ensuring political and civil rights is a broader development
goal
 Economic growth is essential means for enabling
development, but in itself it is highly imperfect proxy of
progress.
 Sustainable Development

 The Brundtland Commission Report, Our Common Future,

defined sustainable development as “development that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generation to meet their own needs”.
 A complementary definition is “improving the quality of life
while living within the carrying capacity of supporting
ecosystem”.
 The European Commission’s Green Paper on the Urban
Environment states that; sustainable development is a
much broader concept than environmental protection as it
implies a concern for future generation and for the long
term health and integrity of the environment.
 CONTD...

Sustainable development has three principal dimensions;

 Economic Growth – is the principle that society’s well
being would have to be maximized and poverty eradicated
through the optimal and efficient use of natural resources.
 Social Equity – is the distribution of benefits and access
to resources remains an essential component of both the
economic and social dimensions of sustainable
development.
 Protection of Environment – is concerned with the
conservation and enhancement of the physically and
biological resource base and ecosystem.
 Relationship b/w Environment & Development

 There is two way relationship between environment

and development.
 Without adequate environmental protection,
development is undermined; and
 Without development enough resources will not be
available for needed investment as a result
environmental protection will fail.
 CONTD...

 There are situations when environmental problems can

undermine the goals of development. There two ways in
which this can happen.
 First, environmental quality –water that is safe and
plentiful and air that is healthy- is itself part of the
improvement in welfare that development attempts to
bring.
 Second, environmental damage can undermine future
productivity. Soil that are degraded, aquifers that are
depleted, and ecosystems that are destroyed in the name of
rising incomes today can jeopardize the prospects of
earning income tomorrow.
 Principles of Environment & Development

 Respect for Men’s and Environment’s

Tolerance Limit: The environmental targets that
are to govern sustainable development of society
must be based on men’s and environment’s own
tolerance limit.
 The Concept of Critical Loads: The critical load
limit is the dividing line for the highest load at which
no harm is caused to the environment, even after
long term exposure.
 CONTD...

 Polluter Pay Principle: The polluter must bear

the cost of protecting environment and cover other
costs of operations. The environmental cost should
be internalized in the product cost.
 Best Available Technology: The BAT signifies the
latest stage development of activities, processes and
their methods of operation.
 Precautionary Principle: care is better than cure.
 CONTD...

 Substitution Principle: It states that the latest

hazardous chemical available, that can achieve the require
benefit effect, should be used.
 Prevention Principle: It states that the potential causes
of pollution and environmental degradation should be
addressed rather than attempt to control the effects or cure
the symptoms.
 Ecocycle Society Principle: In an ecosystem society the
flow of various materials within society have been reduced
and closed to such an extent that the flow from society to
the environment does not exceed the tolerance limit of man
and environment.
 Principles of Sustainable Living

 Respect and care for the Community

An ethic based on respect and care for each other
and the earth is the foundation for sustainable living.
The benefits and costs of resources use and
environmental conservation cost should be shared
fairly among different communities.
 Improve the Quality of Human Life
The aim of development is to improve the quality of
human life. It should enable people to realize their
potential and lead lives of dignity and fulfillment.
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 Conservation of Earth Vitality and Diversity

Development must be conservation based.
Conserve life support system
Conserve diversity
Ensure that use of renewable resources is sustainable.
 Minimize the Depletion of Non Renewable
Resources
The depletion of non-renewable resources must be
minimized. While these cannot be used sustainably, their
life can be extended by recycling or by switching to
renewable resources.
 CONTD...

 Keep Within the Earth’s Carrying Capacity

 Change of Personal Attitude and practices
 Enable Communities to Care for their own
Environments
 Provide National Framework for Integrated
Development and Conservation