There is a growing concern that the search for exponential economic growth brings about the degradation of the environment. According to Carter, the tension between economic growth and environmental protection lies at the heart of environmental politics (Carter 27). Today, the society and especially politicians who are affiliated to environmental issues only recognize the world’s dependence on the resources that the earth provides. These natural elements are such as oxygen and water. However, they fail to notice the connection between land and the economy. The profundity of this interdependence is hidden by our search for economic growth and material gain. Environmental protection is usually the last thing that environmental politicians think about. This conflict can, however, be resolved by the use of sustainable development. This essay critically assesses how sustainable development attempts to address the conflict between economic growth and environmental protection brought about by environmental politics.
Sustainable development ensures that current utilization of resources is viable and feasible so that humans do not deplete the available resources uncontrollably at the expense of the future generations. Sustainable development has two main concepts, which are needs and limitation. The idea of needs is mainly about the requirements that are crucial for the poor in the world (Zeng et al. 46). These requirements are supposed to be given more priority than the rest. Then, the concept of limitation revolves around the social organization and the technological state of the environment to meet both the current and future needs of generations.
The ways and the capacity of future generations to respond to their human needs are all determined by how humans utilize resources today. It depends on the way humans balance environmental, social, and economic needs and objectives when they plan and make decisions now. Currently, many needs and goals seem to be in conflict. However, when we look at the bigger picture, this may not necessarily be true. For instance, the growth of a certain industry might be in conflict with the conservation of natural resources for now. However, in the long term, the use of the available natural resources responsibly will help in ensuring there are available resources to be used in future generations for the sustained growth of the industry.
Conflict in the use of natural resources causes biophysical limitations. Economic growth, on the other hand, creates negative natural resource implications. When a new business grows, the environment also acquires new changes within itself. Hence, the processes by human beings that generate for them economic growth cause negative shifts in the environment. Environmental politics usually fuel these processes.
Limitless growth is questionable because although people are becoming wealthier, the environment is affected negatively. The supply of produced commodities like refrigerators, laptops and cars are constantly on the increase. As such, the environment is suffering; there is less and less of clean water, quiet neighborhoods and fresh air as time passes by.
Economic growth is similar to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth. It never puts a distinction between development and growth. Besides, it does not put into consideration the goodness or badness of economic activities. For example, spending money on pollution, disasters and prisons affects GDP growth in the same way expenditure is on parks hospitals and schools does. These ethical limits are caused by the nature of economic growth. This is because, in the natural world, it can be calculated in monetary values, devaluing its moral worth and making economic growth harmful.
Evidently, the continued stressing on the importance of economic growth today is conflicting with the planet’s sustainability. Even though there has been an improvement in raising different energy sources, people continue to engage in unsustainable economic practices that hurt the environment. Policy makers should campaign against carbon-based sources of energy, create a balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability, set up priorities, reinvent and conserve the environment (Sachs, Jeffrey & Ki-mun 23). Nations, companies, and individuals have started to see the need and urgency of conservation. However, the main issue is whether the economy can be grown while at the same time sustaining the natural resources. Are the two concepts mutually exclusive? It is quintessential to consider whether there can be a substitute for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
When economic growth and environmental conservation are balanced, sustainability can be achieved. When sustainable development is applied, different energy sources are used. The depletion of resources, the population, and economy growth spirals should be contained to a point near stasis. Actions of sustainable development would, however, affect the living standards of many. The actions would also bring restrictions on population growth in the world, emissions, and energy use. For these measures to be effective, people involved in environmental politics should clearly understand that the tension is brought about by the conflict between survival in the long run and short-term.
It is also important for conservationists to recognize that economic growth does not depend on the energy resources use alone. It also depends on individuals need to stand out. Today, consumerism is driven by the need by people to feel significant; having more possessions gives more importance to the owner in both the eyes of others and himself too. When consumerism does not satisfy this need, the urge to satisfy higher needs does not deplete. It instead increases the need by people to do more purchasing of goods and services, hence amplifying economic growth.
Sustainable growth efforts should be taken to translate consumerism into another way to achieve significance. People should be encouraged to concentrate on other purposes that would reduce their dependence on economic growth while at the same time giving them the emotional gratification they seek. This will ensure that the future generations survive and flourish. In order, to achieve this, more weight should be put on sustainable development and less on economic growth.
Laws should be legislated and enforced to ensure that environmental management and protection becomes a responsibility of all stakeholders. Pollution standards should be set and resources protected from unsustainable uses. The use of public lands for mining, grazing stock, lumbering, and should be regulated. Further, investors should also be required to give adequate assurance that they will prevent pollution when they engage in manufacturing and processing.
In conclusion, sustainable development does attempt to address the conflict between economic growth and environmental protection brought about by environmental politics. People are encouraged to pursue the type of development that does not affect the living conditions of the future generations. Sustainable development, however, attempts to resolve this conflict by coming up with solutions that are easy to achieve because they involve all stakeholders.
Works cited
Carter, Neil. “The Politics of the Environment; Ideas, Activism, Policy.” Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print.
Sachs, Jeffrey, and Ki-mun Pan. “The Age of Sustainable Development.”, 2015.Internet resource.
Zeng, Eddy Y., Jing You, and Hefa Cheng. "Balance between economic growth and environmental protection: sustainability through better science."Journal of Environmental Monitoring 13.4 (2011): 787-788. Web
