Can Development be Environmentally Sustainable?

Can Development be Environmentally Sustainable?

Introduction

Environmental sustainability includes interactions in an environment that help in the prevention of degradation of natural resources for long-term environmental quality. These interactions, therefore, enable us to meet the needs of the modern population without harming future generations. Thus, the question of ecological sustainability through development is critical to every individual. Most people still do not understand the key issues and debates on sustainable development, especially on the environment. They only have a general understanding of various perspectives and theories without the application of this understanding. This is because the knowledge of sustainable development requires fragmentation and a complete view of the modern world. From recent research, sustainable development helps in the protection of the ecosystem due to the activities of modern civilization. For this reason, this essay will introduce and discuss three theoretical issues that are critical for a better understanding of environmental and economic development, especially in the modern world.

The first theory for environmental development through sustainability is the theory of ecological cost of the order. This is from the political view of environmental sustainability through development. From the understanding of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the entropy of a system increases as it moves from left to right (Streeten, 1981). Therefore, in case it is not going in the same direction, it will involve some force that will surround the system, and this surrounding force is what makes up the environment. According to the personal view of the social network, this force occurs during interaction with the surrounding physical environment. From a theoretical point of view, solar energy can dissipate a social system due to the presence of sun hence degradation. However, this is not the case in real life as extended time scales leads to some considerations in sustainability. As a result, this view of sustainability does not involve social development.

It is important to note that capital accumulation in the environment is the driving force for contemporary society. This is because environmental collections have a positive feedback loop that describes the processes for the original cause of accumulations (Biel, 2006). Mostly, there is self-sustenance of positive feedback loops, and it is true that its degradation depends on the environment. From the theoretical concept of a positive loop in dissipation, there is the formation of a common language for the integration of several disciplines. This theory, therefore, argues that there are various problems during the development of environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, this is not a reason for not trying out development for environmental sustainability.

The second theory for environmental development is through the concept of urban sustainability. From a theoretical viewpoint, different planners have a different understanding of sustainability in terms of the development of cities and regions. Most view it as a proper way of urban development. Due to modern advancement, most planners use sustainability for solving most environmental problems, especially in urban centers, in order to describe this concept. Therefore, urban sustainability implies the capacity of nature to support its activities (Bush, 2006).  Most people do not understand the real meaning of economic viability as well as its application to social, economic, and demographic factors for future foundations of urban development. Moreover, others, especially environmental activists, view it as important principles involving citizens in public participation.

The universal definition of entropy can also help in the development view of the environment through urban sustainability.  Entropy is the absence of order in any available system. The theoretical argument of this idea depends on both physical resources and depletion rates. An example is in the work of Luxemburg, where she argues that the environment secretly fuels accumulation circuits. This leads to degradation, and hence from this view, essential relationship points between environment and development can arise. The first relationship argues that the environment is crucial for the existence and development of capitalism. From this argument only, there is proof that growth depends on the environmental sustainability. Additionally, she says that the primary relationship between capital and the non-capital environment is the accumulation. This argument makes Luxemburg makes sense at a certain level. Nevertheless, there is a presence of logical problems during the time of understanding.

Additionally, there are always arguments that basic needs are essential for developments, especially in environmental sustainability. Therefore, according to Arthur Lewis, subsistence farmers still move from the countryside to urban industries (Blewitt, 2014). This can lead to inequality increase among rural and urban people due to little disagreement during the development process. However, the Lewis model for explaining this theory did not work; hence there was drawn attention from GNP. As a result, the promotion of jobs came from the International Labor Organization, canceling out unemployment issues. This concept, therefore, tries to explain how human beings can live their full lives. In the same case, development can be in environmental susceptibility after access to essential needs of growth.

According to view on ecological imperialism, colonization of Australia involves some diseases, which undermines the African population. These problems began in 1789 during the time of searching bodies by the European settlers. The deaths came because of smallpox infection. From that moment, the indigenous population spread the disease throughout Australia because of escape to avoid contamination. Therefore, almost a third of the African population died through this population leading to the slow growth of colonialism. This argument can link colonialism to environmental sustainability as different people moved away from their land and resources. Even though this theory varies with time, it involves the use of force after Australian colonization. In the same way, this argument can relate to environmental sustainability since destruction by death led to new and scientific methods of sustaining the environment, especially during considerations of geographical and philosophical origins.

In conclusion, the three views raised above confirm the fate of development in environmental sustainability. Therefore, it is possible for developers to be environmentally sustainable. However, this is not an easy process, according to various theories involved in this transition. Besides, it is difficult to understand the above approaches, especially on the view of development and environmental sustainability. Once we recognize these theories and apply them appropriately in the environmental sustainability concept, there will be no more questions about development issues and environmental sustainability. This article is, therefore, the useful social, economic, and political level of sustainability through development.

References

Biel, R. (2006). The Interplay between Social and Environmental Degradation in the Development of the International Political Economy. Journal of World-Systems Research, 12(1), 109-147. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.5195/jwsr.2006.373

Blewitt, J. (2014). Understanding sustainable development. Routledge.

Bush, B. (2006). Imperialism and Post-Colonialism, Harlow, UK.

Larrain, J. (1989). Theories of Development (Cambridge: Polity).

Streeten, P. (1981). First things first: meeting basic human needs in the developing countries. The World Bank. Retrieved from http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US2012410789