Optimal Use of Natural Resources: a Step Towards Meeting the Environmental Mdgs
OPTIMAL USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES: A STEP TOWARDS MEETING THE ENVIRONMENTAL MDGS
According to Angelsen, et.al (1998), there exist a two-way relationship between poverty and environment in the developing countries which is referred to as the Environmental-Poverty Nexus. Poverty causes environmental degradation, and in turn, the degradations in environment exacerbate poverty. As such, the more visible environmental problems are mostly associated with regenerative resources, which are in constant danger of exhaustion from excessive use. Depletion of many environmental resources can make some categories of people destitute even when an economy is growing. Consequently, the nexus encompasses a variety of social and political as well as economic factors that obstruct the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
MGDs are enshrined in the Millennium Declaration that was passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) act as the international community’s collective commitment to create a better tomorrow for billions of people (UNDP, 2010). In response, the Malawi Government in 2007 launched the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) as an overarching operational medium-term strategy for attaining both the nation’s Vision 2020 and the MDGs (GoM, 2012: 5).
Given this context the paper plans to make a case for the importance of the optimal use of natural resources as an important step towards meeting the environmental Millennium Development Goals. In other words, we try to show the importance of finding an optimal extraction path. In view of this, we shall only single out and concentrate on the relevant MDGs, and MGDS II Goals and strategies to achieve the above stated aim.
Goal seven of the MDGs has four target areas but of relevance to our analysis are the first two targets. The first target focuses on integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes so
According to Angelsen, et.al (1998), there exist a two-way relationship between poverty and environment in the developing countries which is referred to as the Environmental-Poverty Nexus. Poverty causes environmental degradation, and in turn, the degradations in environment exacerbate poverty. As such, the more visible environmental problems are mostly associated with regenerative resources, which are in constant danger of exhaustion from excessive use. Depletion of many environmental resources can make some categories of people destitute even when an economy is growing. Consequently, the nexus encompasses a variety of social and political as well as economic factors that obstruct the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
MGDs are enshrined in the Millennium Declaration that was passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) act as the international community’s collective commitment to create a better tomorrow for billions of people (UNDP, 2010). In response, the Malawi Government in 2007 launched the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) as an overarching operational medium-term strategy for attaining both the nation’s Vision 2020 and the MDGs (GoM, 2012: 5).
Given this context the paper plans to make a case for the importance of the optimal use of natural resources as an important step towards meeting the environmental Millennium Development Goals. In other words, we try to show the importance of finding an optimal extraction path. In view of this, we shall only single out and concentrate on the relevant MDGs, and MGDS II Goals and strategies to achieve the above stated aim.
Goal seven of the MDGs has four target areas but of relevance to our analysis are the first two targets. The first target focuses on integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes so