What Is sustainable Development?
Development is the improvement of human qualities such as learning, health, the arts, and technology. In the social science analysis of the public sector, social and economic development is the process through which an individual, region, community, or country improves as per predetermined goals and objectives specifically for the economic well being and standard of living of a country, region, community, or the country as a whole. The process is also called socio-economic development. Development takes place throughout the whole of society. It does not only affect the individuals directly within a community but also has a huge influence on the country in general. The concept of development has been around since the beginning of the human species.
An effective way of understanding development is to look at it as a tool that allows us to better understand ourselves and our surroundings, as well as the resources that we have available to us. By looking at development in this light, it becomes possible to see the bigger picture and also to identify trends and patterns. The current global financial crisis, the rising poverty and hunger levels, the environmental degradation, and other problems faced by human beings today point to the fact that we have many interconnected problems that need to be addressed with a common approach. One such approach is called sustainable development.
Sustainable development defines the positive outcome of human development process by balancing the demand and supply of the natural resources. Resources include air, water, land, energy, and land management. In international context, sustainable development means the reduction of the use of non-renewable resources and the use of abundant and renewable ones, with the help of scientific innovations and strategies. ‘Sustainable development’, in simple terms, aims at meeting the basic needs of the human population without depleting the natural supplies of these essential resources. The basic needs of human beings are food, clothing, shelter, and recreational activities.
The sustainability of an economy or country depends on the efficiency with which it manages the use of its natural resources. An economy can only be sustainable if the future generations are healthy and free from disease. A country’s prosperity and well-being largely depends on the standard of living of its people. High quality standard of living means well-being for the future generations as well. Thus, economic growth and development contribute significantly towards the wellbeing of the society, nation and the people.
The sustainable development approach considers three important dimensions of well-being: nutrition, access to basic necessities, and freedom from harm and risk. These three factors are interrelated and must be balanced in order to achieve well-being. The quality and quantity of the natural resources are given due consideration while planning the development process. A well-structured planning sector and inclusive participation of all stakeholders are important for successful implementation of any development program. This makes the program more effective.
In short, a development program is sustainable if it promotes physical well-being, decent health, wealth creation, decent work-life balance and a level of economic growth that outstrips the per capita income of the country or group of countries. The sustainable development agenda for human development includes education, healthcare, infrastructure development, poverty alleviation, improved nutrition, and the maintenance of environmental quality. In addition, policies must take care that the social development goals are not forgotten in the development process. The future generations must be socially and economically stable.