SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE FUTURE

According to the United Nations Statistical Yearbook 1988, the doubling of the population between 1950 and 1986 was accompanied by grain consumption of 2.6 times, energy use of 3.7 fold,

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE FUTURE

After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

1 Explain why the balance of nature was altered only recently

2 Relate how humans were able to control nature

3 Enumerate the consequences of controlling nature

4 Comprehend the pressure on the environment, resulting from rapid increase population

5 Understand the problem of uneven distribution of wealth

6 Distinguish the problem of solutions offered to problem impacts in the world

5.1 THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION

Scientists have estimated that the Earth is more than four billion years old, and it will continue to existfor around the same period of time Life on Earth as we know it today came into being around threebillion years ago Based on fossils found around the world, human beings have inhabited the Earth formore than two million years All this time, nature and life on Earth lived in equilibrium There was nomajor disturbance which could alter the balance of nature This was true up to around 2000 years ago

At around that time, people began to disturb the environment in such a manner as to effect the globalenvironment

The rampant and reckless cuttings of trees in virgin forests have resulted in soil erosion, flooding,expansion of deserts, and destruction of lakes Overexploitation of other natural resources, like fish andother aquatic resources, has resulted in alarming decrease of catch worldwide

Too much use of fossil fuels, like oil and other minerals, has depleted these natural resources to much

an extent that the supply may not last for another one hundred years It takes millions of years to formoil from the fossils of plants

The industrial revolution has produced all kinds of hazardous materials that harmed the pollution of the air, water, land, and the atmosphere Many of these hazardous substances are also toxic

environment-to humans as well as environment-to other animals

To be fair to those concerned, all these were the unwanted effects of a desire to improve the quality oflife - a very noble intention In fact, as direct consequences of scientific breakthroughs in many fields ofhuman endeavor, people have in many ways succeeded in this worthy ambition People were, to acertain extent, able to control nature By applying what they have discovered about the laws of nature,they were able to conquer darkness though electric bulbs and fluorescent lamps, hot weather conditionsthrough electric fans and air conditioners, and cold weather through heaters Through modern medicinesand sanitation, they were able to control the spread of diseases; through modern agriculture, they wereable to produce more food containing better nutrients

The overall result of better living conditions, better sanitation, and better nutrition includes rise in lifeexpectancy and low infant mortality The net effect is rapid increase in population

The luxurious life-style of the rich and famous contributes to environmental degradation

According to the United Nations Statistical Yearbook (1988), the doubling of the population between

1950 and 1986 was accompanied by grain consumption of 2.6 times, energy use of 3.7 fold, andquadruple economic output and sevenfold increase in the production of manufactured goods All thesewere accompanied by more than ninefold increase in water, air, and land pollution

Insightfulness

Most developed countries have zero or very, very low population growth rate

But the irony is, situation differ from region to region and country to country Because of the wide gapbetween the rich and the poor nations, the benefits of these increases do not apply equally among people

of the world

For instance, despite overall rise in food production in the world, nearly a billion people (1/5 of theworld’s population) do not consume enough calories for an active working life And because of lessscientific agricultural practices combined with a high population growth, the grain production perperson is declining in Africa, India, and Latin America

In the less-developed countries, it is estimated that only half of the people have access to safe drinkingwater Because of this, around 10 million people worldwide die due to water-borne diseases In theindustrialized countries, agriculture and industry are rapidly using up groundwater Deforestation inmany areas aggravates the situation It prevents the staring of groundwater

The main sources of energy in the world are fossil fuels (oil and charcoal) and natural gas At thebeginning of their use, many people thought that the supply is practically inexhaustible But sinceWould War II, energy consumption has increased more than four times Scientists have since thenchanged their predictions They now predict that oil reserves will be used up in less than 50 years, andnatural gas by around 60 years

Since the introduction of polluting materials by humans, the quality of air, soil, and water hasdeteriorated Humans, animals, and plants have been affected Toxic pollutants cause many kinds ofillnesses in humans and animals Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, the ozone, and other pollutants arecausing acid rain that lower crop yield and damage millions of hectares of forests, especially among theindustrialized countries Increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide is casing the so-called greenhouseeffect This is predicted to alter the earth’s climate and raise ocean levels, with disastrous consequences

to coastal towns and cities

Most of the time, nature is friendly It seldom shows its fury When it does, it is uncontrollable

1

Table 5.1: Global problem impacts and problem causes

Problem Impacts

Problem causes

able population growth

Unsustain-Poverty and Inequality

able food production

able energy use

able industrial production

Unsustain-Unmet basic human needs for safe water, food,

shelter, health care, education, employment, etc ■ ■ ☼ ► ►Species depletion (extinction of plants and

Land degradation: soil erosion, desertification,

Depletion of nonrenewable energy and minerals ♣ ► ♣ ■ ♣

Depletion of fresh water (groundwater and

Water pollution: chemical and bacterial

contamination of groundwater and surface water ♣ ☼ ♣ ☼ ■

Air pollution: urban air pollution, acid deposition,

ozone layer depletion, greenhouse gas buildup ♣ ☼ ☼ ■ ■Conflict and war: domestic and international ♣ ♣ ☼ ☼ ☼

Source: W Lorson, ed., The Global Ecology handbook, 1990

■: Very important cause ♣: Moderately important cause

☼: Less important but insignificant cause ►: Unimportant or insignificant cause

It can be seen from above table that unsustainable population growth is a very important cause ofthree problem impacts and a moderately important cause for the five other problem impacts

It is very difficult to meet the basic human needs for food, safe water, shelter, health care,education, and others by too rapid increase in population without straining the environment And

an unrestrained exploitation of our natural resource results in the loss of virgin forests and soilfertility, soil erosion of deserts These in turn deprive many animals and plants of their naturalhabitat Extinction of many animal and plant species is a direct consequence

In order to support an ever - increasing population, more and more factories must be put up.Industry must be expanded and of course pollution follows, the consequences of which arealready enumerated above

The probability of conflict between ethnic groups and nations is increased with unsustainablepopulation growth They may fight over needs resources, like oil and water Or, they may fightfor territories needed by their increasing number The resulting misery and human sufferingsbrought about by war are too well known

The possibility of poverty and unequal distribution of wealth becomes greater with unsustainedpopulation growth Food production may not be able to keep up with the increase in the number

of consumers

Geographically, the earth is divided into nations with varying resources and with varyingpopulation densities and varying degrees of industrialization In short, some countries arewealthier than others And even in the same country, the structure of society varies; there is avery wide gap between the rich and the poor Cutting more trees and over fishing in order tosurvive are likely examples of this

Guide questions

1 Explain the main reasons why humans drastically alter the global environment

2 Explain some of the consequences of altering the balance of nature

3 Enumerate more beneficial effects of humankind’s being able to control nature

4 Why is the increase in food consumption, energy use, and economic output much greater than the increase in population?

5 Cite policies by some governments around the world to address the problem of inequality

of life among peoples of the world

5.2 SUISTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The past 20 years have seen a growing realisation that the current model of development isunsustainable In other words we are living beyond our means From the loss of biodiversity withthe felling of rainforests or over fishing to the negative effect our consumption patterns arehaving on the environment and the climate Our way of life is placing an increasing burden on theplanet - this cannot be sustained

The increasing stress we put on resources and environmental systems such as water, land and aircannot go on for ever Especially as the world's population continues to increase and we alreadysee a world where over a billion people live on less than a dollar a day, more than 800 million aremalnourished, and over two and a half billion lack access to adequate sanitation

Some people started realizing the development and environmental protection are inequality; suchas:

- Successful economic development and environmental protection go hand in You cannot have one without the other (Former U S President George Bush)

- Achieving sustainable economic growth will require the remodeling of agriculture, energy use, and industrial production after nature’s example (JessicaTuckma Mathews, World

Resource Institute)

- Our global future depends upon sustainable development It depends upon our willingness and ability to duplicate our intelligence, ingenuity, and adaptability - and our energy - to our common future This is a choice we can make (the Report of the world commission on

environment and development)

Some countries are more developed than others in terms of agriculture, industry, education,health services, and other aspects of development Most of the countries in Western Europe aremore developed than those of Eastern Europe Similarly, the countries in North America are moredeveloped than those of Central and South America Likewise most countries in Africa are lessdeveloped Some countries in Asia like Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore are more developedthan others like the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India and Vietnam

The People’s standard of living also varies from one country to another Needless to say, thosefrom the developed countries, on the average, have higher standard of living

Some researches show that the less developed countries, as measured by their per capita income,have higher birth rates, lower life expectancy, poorer dwellings, lower birth weights, lowerliteracy, less number of doctor and nurses per unit population, and consume less energy andfewer calories

A widely-used and accepted international definition of sustainable development is “developmentwhich meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations tomeet their own needs” This means development without permanent damage to the ecologicalsystem

Sustainable development means using the natural resources only to a certain extent so that theywill be able to recover It further means that population should either be help to a minimum or bestopped altogether This is the same as saying that sustainable development must not endangerthe atmosphere, water, soil, and ecosystem that support life on earth Moreover, sustainabledevelopment requires societies to meet human needs by increasing productive potential and byensuing equitable economic, social, and political opportunities for all

To accomplish such an objective might curtail some kind of upheaval in some societies aroundthe world Instance, in a country where the economy and the means of production are controlled

by a few rich families, where the middle class in weak and a great majority of the people arepoor, a restructuring of society might be needed

In order that the definition of sustainable development is fully understood and the proposed

solutions to the problem impacts, as mentioned earlier, be adequately addressed

Some solutions for achieving sustainable development as

Reducing poverty: Reducing poverty implies better health, better nutrition, longer life

expectancy, and improved literacy Reducing inequalities suggests better employment prospectsand broadening of opportunities for those who have less in life These are important sollutions tothe problems of basic human needs and habitat degradation

Making agriculture: Making agriculture sustainable requires drastic reduction in soil erosion,

maintenance of arable lands, and a drastic decrease in harmful farming practices like the use oftoxic chemicals Systems for reducing soil erosion should be devised There should be strictpolicy in the conversion of arable lands into roads and subdivisions, and for industrialdevelopment Maintaining soil fertility though intercropping and the trees and the use of nontoxicfertilizers will go a long way toward solving the problem of pollution

Forest protection: Forest protection is not easy for a country where there are so many poor

people They need the trees and the land for survival Government must have a viable programfor reforestation Success in this degradation will effectively reduce freshwater depletion, slowdown land degradation, and prevent periodic flooding

Wise use of energy: Wise use of energy includes changing the life style of well-to-do people like

using smaller car, less use of air conditioners, and less light in the homes It also includes energysaving measures from the government: regulating speed limits, requiring the installation ofenergy saving devices in offices, and developing more renewable energy source like hydroelectronic power plants The net effect of the measures would be energy conservation and lesspollution

Supply of fresh water: The supply of fresh water in the world is critical With very high demand

from industry and people, aggravated by deforestation, the supply has greatly diminished Inaddition, because of pollution, the quality of the water has deteriorated The need to conservefresh water is of utmost importance to support a growing population and to provide irrigation toagricultural crops

Abiotic factor: Nonliving components of the ecosystem including physical and chemical factors

such as pH of soil, temperature, and relative humidity

Acid precipitation: Rain or snow that has lower pH than precipitation from unpolluted skies

Acid rain: Moisture in the atmosphere which has been contaminated by oxides of sulfur and

nitrogen

Active solar: Process of capturing and storing energy from the sun though solar panels

Adaptation: Ability of an organism to adjust to the constantly changing conditions of the

environment

Advanced industrial society: Post - World War II industrial society characterized by great rise in

production and consumption and increase energy demand

Agricultural period: Period when people that lived in towns or villages rely on domestic animals

and fields

Algae bloom: Very rapid growth of algae in surface waters due to increase in inorganic nutrients,

especially phosphorus and nitrogen

Alien species: (Also called foreign species) Species introduced in new habitats

Aquifer: Groundwater for human use

Asthma: Lung disorder characterized by the constriction and mucus production and deposition in

the bronchioles

Atmosphere of the Earth: Layer of air surrounding the Earth

Autotroph: Organism that is self-nourishing; one that can produce its own food

Bacteria: Group of single-celled organisms responsible for functions like that decay of organic

materials and nutrient recycling

Biodegradable: Object that can be acted upon by microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi

Biogas: Gas produced by the decay of organic matter, especially manure and crop residues Biological control: Use of natural parasites, predators, bacteria, and others to control pests

Biological magnification: Accumulation or increase of chemical substances on organisms in

succeeding higher trophic levels

Biological oxygen demand (BOD): Measure of the depletion of oxygen in water due to bacteria

decay

Biomass: Amount of organic materials in plants or animals from which energy can be derived Biomass pyramid: Amount of organic materials available at each trophic level

Biome: Large geographical area with characteristic life forms; a stable community

Biosphere: Portion of the earth and its environment within which life in any of its form is

manifested

Biotic factor: Living component of the ecosystem which includes plants, animals, and bacteria Biotic potential: Reproductive capacity of the living components of the ecosystem

Birthrate: Average number of living births per year per 1000 inhabitants in the certain place

Bottom - up approach: Change in attitudes and values which can influence a change in life - style

in order to solve environmental problems

Cancer: Uncontrolled growth of body cells

Canopy: Uppermost leafy covering of the forest

Carbon cycle: Cycling of carbon between organisms and the environment

Carcinogen: Chemical that causes cancer

Catalyst: Substance that accelerates reaction of chemicals

Cell: Basic unit of life

Chlorophyll: Green pigment in plants involved in the process of photosynthesis

Clear cutting: Removal of all trees in an area like a forest

Climate: Average weather condition

Climax community: Mature and stable community

Cogeneration: Production of two and more forms of useful energy from one process

Community: Population of plants, animal, and microorganisms living and interacting in a given

locality

Composting: Process of decaying plants and animals, and other organic matter in the presence of

air to obtain humus

Coniferous biome: Forest abundant in cone - bearing trees, called conifers, which have needlelike

leaves

Conservation: Process of reducing the use of resources through recycling, decreased demand, and

increased efficiency use

Consumer: Organism that feeds on other organisms

Crop rotation: Alternating crops in the fields

Curie: Unit of radioactivity equivalent to 3.70×1010 disintegration per second of any radioactivenuclides

DDT: Organochlorine insecticide used to control pets It is now banned due to its harmful effects

in the environment

Death rate: Average number of deaths per year 1000 population in the certain place

Deciduous forest: Forest consisting of plants that shed off their leaves annually

Decomposer (also known as microconsumer): Organism which breaks down nonliving organic

material; example are bacteria and fungi

Deforestation: Destruction of forest

Denitrifying bacteria: Bacteria that convert nitrates into nitrogen gas