Agreement for Globalization to Achieve Sustainability
Globalization and Sustainable Development
In his article, Recovering Sustainable Development, Victor discusses the original meaning of sustainable development, the ways in which it has been distorted, and a basic framework to return to the theory’s original principles. The original theory states that boosting the economy, protecting natural resources and ensuring social justice should be complimentary and interwoven ideas to each other. This theory has found its challenges in its application though the vague, high-level statements and lack of actionable specific application for individual countries to follow. Return to the basics includes four courses of action: alleviating poverty, eliminating the environmental bias that exists between developing and developed countries, globalization that takes into consideration local customs and practice, and utilizing technology that foster economic growth.
Because nations are interdependent, both economically and environmentally, the problems require global solutions. However, this doesn’t mean that there should be generalized action plans that don’t have practical application within individual countries, but actions unique and workable to each country that will address the overall goal. Because of the interdependency between countries, coordination and cooperation between countries is an important concept for the practical application of globalization. This basic concept seems to be generally missed where practical application is concerned but probably the singular important idea for effective globalization and effective application towards sustainable development.
Victor highlights this idea of globalization, ie, cooperation between countries to the greater good of sustainable development with the example of China’s energy challenge while addressing local air pollution. China can change their primary fuel source from coal to the cleaner fuels of natural gas or nuclear energy. While this initially would have disadvantages for China, including their lack of experience with these fuels and their need to then import in large amounts, the international community could step up to help in the form of assurances of gas supplies to China and the sharing of technology. Both China and the global community benefits from improving China’s energy production while lowering harmful emissions. Individual countries working for their own interests with no input from other countries is unrealistic and unproductive, while working together is beneficial for everyone’s best interest.
Zollinger also supports the idea of globalization, ie, integration of economics, politics, and communication, to support sustainability. By creating this interdependence and integration there is a global increase in prosperity and the creation of peace. However, globalization is complex and still faces challenges. Even with the increase in prosperity, there is also an increasing income inequality due to the increased need of specialized workers. Another challenge is being able to sustain the increasing prosperity without stripping the environment and natural resources. These challenges need to be addressed in order for sustainability in all three areas - economics, ecological and social. Effective globalization and sustainability require effective partnerships and coordinated domestic and foreign affairs by all parties concerned, which include national governments, multilateral organizations (eg, The World Health Organization), international non-government organizations (eg, Amnesty International), and global corporate organizations.
Although many challenges still exist for the implementation of globalization to support real sustainability, it allows the best possible framework to achieve that goal.
References
Victor, D. G. Recovering sustainable development. Foreign Affairs, 85(1) 91-103. January/February 2006.
Zollinger, U. The Effects of Globalization on Sustainable Development and the Challenges to Global Governance. On behalf of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDS), part of the Certificate Course “Sustainable Development”, University of Berne, 26 June 2007.
