Sustainable Development
INTRODUCTION
Sustainable development is about human development where the use of natural resources aim to meet the needs of human beings while simultaneously ensuring that the environment is maintained. These needs must be met for present as well as for future generations. In other words, in order for human beings as well as the planet to survive, changes has to be made that will maintain the natural resources that is available. There is currently a trade-off between sustainability and economic growth due to an increase in globalisation. The demands of the global population far outweighs the available supply of natural resources thereby leading to mismanagement of resources e.g.: deforestation, air and water pollution, increase of slum dwellers etc.
The aim of this essay is to discuss sustainable development by answering the following questions:
“What is happening in the world today that the literature on sustainable development regards as unsustainable?” and
“Is the South African response to the challenge of sustainable development, climate change and renewable energy appropriate? Or should more or less be done?”
In order to answer the above mentioned questions the following literature was consulted:
Just Transitions by Mark Swilling (Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 8).
Science for Global Sustainability by Clark et al.
Conceptualising Ecological Sustainability and Ecologically Sustainable Development in Ethical Terms: Issues and Challenges. by Hattingh.
Sustainability and Sustainable Development: Historical and Conceptual Review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review by Desta Mebratu.
Sustainable Development and the Crisis of Nature: On the Political Anatomy of an Oxymoron by Wolfgang Sachs.
Understanding Sustainable Development by John Blewitt
Sustainable Development: Mapping Different Approaches by Hopwood et al.
A new energy future for South Africa: The political ecology of South African renewable energy by Krupa et al.
1 PART 1
1.1 What is
Sustainable development is about human development where the use of natural resources aim to meet the needs of human beings while simultaneously ensuring that the environment is maintained. These needs must be met for present as well as for future generations. In other words, in order for human beings as well as the planet to survive, changes has to be made that will maintain the natural resources that is available. There is currently a trade-off between sustainability and economic growth due to an increase in globalisation. The demands of the global population far outweighs the available supply of natural resources thereby leading to mismanagement of resources e.g.: deforestation, air and water pollution, increase of slum dwellers etc.
The aim of this essay is to discuss sustainable development by answering the following questions:
“What is happening in the world today that the literature on sustainable development regards as unsustainable?” and
“Is the South African response to the challenge of sustainable development, climate change and renewable energy appropriate? Or should more or less be done?”
In order to answer the above mentioned questions the following literature was consulted:
Just Transitions by Mark Swilling (Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 8).
Science for Global Sustainability by Clark et al.
Conceptualising Ecological Sustainability and Ecologically Sustainable Development in Ethical Terms: Issues and Challenges. by Hattingh.
Sustainability and Sustainable Development: Historical and Conceptual Review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review by Desta Mebratu.
Sustainable Development and the Crisis of Nature: On the Political Anatomy of an Oxymoron by Wolfgang Sachs.
Understanding Sustainable Development by John Blewitt
Sustainable Development: Mapping Different Approaches by Hopwood et al.
A new energy future for South Africa: The political ecology of South African renewable energy by Krupa et al.
1 PART 1
1.1 What is
References: Hattingh, J. 2001. Conceptualising Ecological Sustainability and Ecologically Sustainable Development in Ethical Terms: Issues and Challenges. Annale. 2. Mebratu, D. 1998. Sustainability and Sustainable Development: Historical and Conceptual Review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 18:493-520. Sachs, W. 1999. Sustainable Development and the Crisis of Nature: On the Political Anatomy of an Oxymoron. In: Fischer, F. & Hajer, M.A. Living With Nature. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Blewitt, J. 2008. Understanding Sustainable Development. Krupa, J., Burch, S. 2011. A new energy future for South Africa: The political ecology of South African renewable energy. Energy Policy, 39 (10), 6254-6261. Swilling, M. 2010. Africa 2050: Growth, Resource Productivity and Decoupling. Paper presented at the 7th Meeting of the International Resource Panel, Sustainability Institute, Stellenbosch. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. A National Framework for Sustainable Development in South Africa. 2008. Department of Minerals and Energy. White Paper on Renewable Energy Policy. 2003.