Environmental Sustainability

■ A – The Concept of Sustainability

■ B – Towards a Sustainable World?

Environment and Disaster Management: Dr. Samrudhi Navale

 1. Sustainable Development
 2. Sustainable Society
 3. General Indicators

Environment and Disaster Management: Dr. Samrudhi Navale

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 The issue
▪ Brought forward in view of challenges at a scale never seen
before.
▪ Demographic challenge:
▪ Strong population growth, notably in the developing world.
▪ Resource challenge:
▪ An increasing usage of resources, renewable and non renewable alike.
▪ Raw materials.
▪ Energy.
▪ Food.
▪ Environmental challenge:
▪ Higher levels of environmental impacts of human activities.
▪ The capacity of this world to sustain its population is
compromised.

Environment and Disaster Management: Dr. Samrudhi Navale

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 “Sustainable”
▪ The process or the activity can be maintained without exhaustion
or collapse.
▪ Intra and Inter-generational issue.
▪ Capacity of a system to accommodate changes:
▪ Rates of use of renewable resources should not exceed their rates or
regeneration.
▪ Rates of use of non-renewable resources should not exceed at which
renewable substitutes are developed.
▪ Rates of pollution emissions should not exceed the assimilative
capacity of the environment.
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 “Development”
▪ Development is a process.
▪ Development is about people, not necessarily the
economy. (industrialization, reduce burden on
economy)
▪ Improvement of the welfare of the population:
▪ Create an enabling environment for people.
▪ Often forgotten in the immediate concern with the
accumulation of commodities and wealth.
▪ Finding ways to satisfy and improve human needs.

Environment and Disaster Management: Dr. Samrudhi Navale

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Outcomes
 Conditions:
Human Capital Physical capital ▪ Appropriate social, political, legal
and economic conditions.
 Outcomes
▪ Improvement of the physical and
human capital.
Development
▪ Human capital:
▪ Improved health or knowledge.
▪ Improved opportunities for
-Health -Rights people to use their acquired
-Education -Equity capabilities.
-Quality of life -Rule of law ▪ Improved work or leisure
conditions.
▪ Physical capital:
-Employment ▪ Improved private infrastructures.
-Surplus ▪ Improved collective
infrastructures.
Conditions
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Sustainable Development

Economic Environmental
Social Equity
Efficiency Responsibility

•Living conditions •Economic growth •Consumption of

•Equal opportunity •Efficiency and resources
•Social cohesion competitiveness •Materials and wastes
•International •Flexibility and stability •Risks
solidarity/harmony •Production / •Rate of change
•Maintenance of consumption •Natural and cultural
human capital •Employment landscape
•International trade

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 Population
▪ Lessen population growth and stabilize it
(preferably).
▪ Access to contraception and family planning
(freedom of choice).
▪ Political and gender equity.
▪ Basic material needs satisfied (social obligation?).
▪ Access to information and education.

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 Ecology
▪ Restore and caring for the biological base (soils,
forests, atmosphere and hydrosphere).
▪ Agriculture supporting ecosystems (organic
recycling).
 Energy
▪ Minimize and abolish fossil fuels (market forces are
likely to do so).
▪ Shift to natural gas as an interim measure.
▪ Move to renewable energy sources (solar, wind,
geothermal, biomass( agriculture waste) and
hydroelectric).
Environment and Disaster Management: Dr. Samrudhi Navale
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 Economy
▪ Promotion of efficiency and recycling.(biomass
briquettes)
▪ Source materials mainly recycled materials.
▪ Reduce wastes in production, packaging and
distribution.
 Spatial forms
▪ Rational use of space (market forces).
▪ Multifamily dwellings.
▪ Alternative transportation modes:
▪ Leaning on mass transit, cycling and walking.

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 Social forms
▪ Material sufficiency and frugality:
▪ Replacing consumerism and materialism (unlikely).
▪ Living according to one’s means.
▪ Self-worth and social status:
▪ Not measured primarily by possession (unlikely).
▪ Balance between individual rights and obligations

 Governance
▪ Less government and more individual initiative.
▪ Global governance (common policies for common causes).
▪ Regional autonomy (regional issues and cultural / political
differences).
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Water, materials and waste Energy and air quality

Global Sustainability

Land, green spaces

Transportation
and biodiversity

Livability
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Energy and air New sources of energy. Less energy intensity/ inefficiency.
quality Lower emission levels.

Water, materials and Less water intensity. Lower material intensity (packaging)
waste Recycling system. Efficient waste disposal.

Land, green spaces Increased agricultural productivity. Manage balance between

and biodiversity forest and farmland, residence

Livability Improved health. Higher education. Global access to

information and entertainment (Internet).

Transportation Provide collective (transit) and private mobility.

Environment and Disaster Management: Dr. Samrudhi Navale