Sustainable Development

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 2

2. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2

* DEFINITION

3. ACCESS TO RESOURCES 3

4. POLLUTION 4

* DEFINITION

* CAUSES

* IMPACT AND SOLUTIONS

5. DEFORESTATION 5

* DEFINITION

* CAUSES

* IMPACT AND SOLUTIONS

6. CONCLUSION 6

7. LIST OF REFERENCES 7

It is near impossible to separate the well being of a human being and the well being of the earth. It therefore follows that sustainable development is development that ensures the wellbeing of a person by integrating social development, economic development as well as environmental conservation and protection. A detailed explanation of sustainable development will be given below including a brief discussion on deforestation, pollution and access to resources which are some of the problems facing sustainable development.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

According to Regan (2006:64) sustainable development is “...development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs” In other words it is development that incorporates social development, economic development as well as environmental conservation and protection.

The United Nations Report of the World Commission on Environment Development (1987) further states that sustainable development contain two concepts within it:-

* The concept of needs in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which priority should be given; and

* The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organisation on the environment’s ability to meet the present and future needs.

The UN 2005 World Summit refer to development as having interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars which are economic development social development environmental protection and culture. Sustainability is the process of making sure that current processes of interaction with resources...