The Extent to Which the Principle of Sustainability Guides Land Use Policy Development
The idea of developing in such a way that the present can meet their
needs without future generations needs being compromised is not a new
one. It has been practiced and continues to be practiced by many
groups of people across the world. For example, this principle is
embedded in Aboriginal beliefs that they come from the land, and must
return to the land and so must be custodians to the land. The
Brundtland Commission, chaired by the Norwegian prime minister,
brought the concept to the foreground where the famous definition of
sustainability was given. This essay will discuss the idea of
sustainability, how the principle first emerged in policy, and what
potential it has in the future development of land use policy.
As the basis of all human activity, land is important in achieving
sustainability and as such it is essential to focus on the planning
and regulation of land use change. However, in order for this to take
place the objectives of a policy must be certain before it can be
implemented. Some people would argue that there is no need for
government as market forces will lead to the best outcome in terms of
total welfare. This has led to sustainability as a principle being
described as a ‘problem’[1] which conflicts with such short term
purely economic views. It is also said that economists are concerned
with questions about means rather than ends.
The reality is that with such a system externalities would not be
accounted for and their would be no provision of public goods and so
it may be justified to infringe on property right...
... middle of paper ...
...mittment have varied a great deal.
Planning authorites were dealing with many other pressures while
trying to come
with terms of sustainability- pressures to speed up the planning
process;
reductions in public spending; privatisation of many services; grwoing
significance of regional agenda. - usual forces of insuffieictnt
knowledge,
inertia and competing demands explain implementation defecit- but also
deeper
than this and more complex. go back to interpretations of
sustainability-and
its challenges to market led development and cometitiveness.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] In ‘Sustainability and Policy’ (COMMON, 1995)
[2] limits to growth
[3] UK Government 1994a: 221
[4] Quote from ‘Land and Limits’ (OWENS, S. & COWELL, R. 2002)
The concept of ‘Just Sustainability’ incorporates not only environmental sustainability but also a need to strive towards social justice and equity. According to Agyeman sustainability is “the need to ensure a better quality of life for all, now and into the future, in a just and equitable manner, while living within the limits of supporting ecosystems.” (Agyeman et al. 2003 as cited in Agyeman 2005: 43) Both the desire for sustainability and development can be cause for many social justice and human equity issues, but in order to fulfil the idea of ‘Just Sustainability,’ all of these things need to be taken into account. (Agyeman 2005: 43) An example of how social justice and equity needs to be addressed alongside a sustainability plan for the environment is the deforestation of rainforests in Indonesia.
Whether an organization is domestic or international they have social responsibilities to the communities they operate within and to the shielding of the world. Caterpillar, Inc. is one such company that puts social responsibility at the top of their priorities. They have an abundance of engineers and technologists working on solutions to improve on sustainability. According to the 2012 Sustainability Report (2012), “at Caterpillar, we always ask ourselves, ‘What do our customers need? What does the world need?’ World Resources Institute (WRI) asks those same questions about the communities it serves, and truly delivers some amazing results” (p. 19).
These days, it seems that everyone is talking about “sustainability” or “going green.” However, these terms are somewhat confusing and difficult to classify. Over the past few decades, the concept of sustainable viticulture has emerged and is spreading awareness to grape growers and winemakers across the United States and beyond.
Sustainability grows into a collective tenure in commercial morals, environs and is extensively used by the administrations, businesses, advisers etc. In recent times the conception of sustainability is widened,nowadays it not only comprisesecologicaldeliberation but also monetary and communityconcern. (Elkington, 1998).
Since the late 1980s, the notion of ‘sustainable development’ has transcended beyond the eminent United Nations report titled Our Common Future, to mainstream dialogue throughout the globe at all scales within government and public spheres. This form of development seeks to balance current environmental, social and economic needs of the population, “without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, 43). Used interchangeably with ‘sustainability’ (Seghezzo, 2009), the concept has been fastened to a plethora of themes, including that of cities where ‘urban sustainability’ speaks to negligent urban expansion and resource depletion. However, as the idea of urban sustainability has begun percolating into widespread discussions, so to have the obstacles and conflicts surrounding sustainable development. The following sections will examine these complexities, beginning with the ambiguity of sustainable development, followed by interpretations of urban sustainability, and finally, the political ecology of sustainable development in an urban environment.
What is sustainability? There is a Native American (n.d.) proverb which says: ‘When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money’. Defining sustainability is a challenge itself, achieving it is even more arduous but what it is certain is the consequence of not acting sustainable. For too long the main goal of western countries has been profit, ignoring the extended list of benefits deriving from acting sustainable. The sustainability topic offers a wide range of arguments to discuss but in this paper only few of them are reviewed. Firstly, the 'three-legged stool ' model as a way of conceptualizing sustainability and its stability will be
D.C.Macmillan 2000, ‘An economic case for land reform’ Land use policy, vol. 17 no.1, pp 49-57. Available from: Sciencedirect. [13 April 2011].
Sustainable resource development for a Nation like Canada is a very important issue that if not properly addressed affects Canada’s revenue to other countries, but also the everyday lives of citizens. Canada’s current methods for resource development is not sustainable and must be actively improved because Canada’s resources are finite, and current methods of resource development currently implemented negatively impact the environment. The concept for sustainable resource development is a broad one; however, the focus will be on the resources developed in Canada for in-country use and export, and the measures being taken to ensure effective continual use of the resource.
The scientists tried to create methods to fight against these problems and how they affect the world society. For this, we started talking about sustainable development, by Gro Harlem Brundtland, which said that, “Meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This idea gave rise to the Brundtland Report, which was mainly focused on the economy, ecology and social relations in the world society. The rules of this report contribute to the control of all aspects of modern society and have sustainability as the main idea, with economic and social principles to modernize these ideas. Now, I want to explain these concepts in the economic, ecologic and social point view and give my ideas about how this contributes to the health of the
I used to believe that sustainability meant to take a stand to preserve the earth. Now however, my position on sustainability has dramatically changed. Sustainability is a way of living. As beings on this earth, we are accountable for our ecological impacts, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we are living sustainably. By examining sustainability through the farming and organic agriculture of Herman Mentink, the saving of the whales and it relation to Pete Seeger, my definition of sustainability changed from taking a stand, to a way of living. Herman Mentink lives sustainably by taking responsibility for the potentially harmful animal waste produced on his farm and uses it to his advantage (Mannell & Bingham, Personal Communication,
Land management as defined by (UN, 2005), is the process by which the resources of the earth are put to good effect. It encompasses all activities associated with the management of land (as cited by Archarya, 2009).
Establishment of a life following death building's arrangement, for example, the reuse of the parts and the potential use of the possessed from the building range after the pulverizati
Sustainability is defined as the ability of a system, be it on a small or large scale, to maintain its way of life in regards to three factors; society, economy, and the environment, for future generations to come. To achieve sustainability, there must be an understanding of how these three factors are linked together, as well as an effort to balance them on many different levels, without any of the three factors degrading over time.
In class we discussed what sustainable development meant to us; each group had its own definition. Our group’s definition was that sustainable development is for the long term for future generations, for the basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and job. The basic will increase over time and our resources will diminish, which why sustainable development is important. Sustainable development is important for future generations so that they end up with a world better than ours. Sustainable development is achievable if society works together to meet everyone’s basic needs and create a better world.
There are different approaches in sustainable development. Diesendorf (2000) had illustrated that the goal or destination of sustainable development was the tight relationship between sustainabi...