Sustainable Development and Its Overall Impact - Essay Example

? SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ITS OVERALL IMPACT goes here] [Your goes here] [Due the paper] Task Studying and analyzing the principles of sustainability and livability principles. I would say that principles of sustainability are more solid and easy to understand as compared to livability principles. The principles of sustainability cover all seven dimensions of sustainable development, whereas livability principles focus more on human and social development. Although both types of principles focus on development and improvement of the environment, but principles of sustainability covers a wide range of topics as compared to livability principles. I think the fundamental definitions of sustainability need to be changed in such a way that they relate to all key aspects of development instead of relating only to such activities that point towards individual comfort. Principles of sustainability appear to be more multifaceted and flexible as compared to livability principles which appear to be focused towards some key aspects of development. Social equity is the central theme of the principles of sustainability. Most of the principles revolve around such activities that ensure gender and social equity. “Sustainability is focused on the future as well as the present, and in particular the ability to sustain human society” (Sanford 2012, p. 1). On the other hand, livability principles describe the varied aspects of surroundings, society, and shared experiences that form a society. They are focused towards improving human wellbeing, and promote efforts to improve economy, environment, and human life. The comparison of the principles of sustainability and livability principles reveal that sustainable development is all about fulfillment of basic needs of people and about ensuring that future generations can also benefit from political and social development. Sustainable development interconnects society, economy, and the environment. Sustainability focuses on meeting human needs without damaging the environment for future generations. It also focuses on improving the quality of life through technology without polluting the environment. On the other hand, livability is about interconnecting quality and transportation facilities for increasing opportunities for people. Some of those opportunities include quality schools and colleges, affordable housing, access to employment opportunities, and safe streets (Sanford 2012). Through comparing the principles of sustainability and livability principles, I would say that the principles of livability can be improved by aligning them with the framework of sustainability. It will not only make livability principles more dynamic and varied, but also it will help people is developing an equity-based society where there is no difference between individuals and efforts of every person is geared towards bringing improvement in economy and social and political environments using livability guidelines. This alignment of the goals of sustainability with the principles of livability will also allow for an integrated planning framework which can be used for meeting the guidelines of both livability and sustainability (Sanford 2012). Sustainable Development Retrieved from http://insightto-energy.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html The principles of sustainability cover all key aspects of a strong society, such as, use of appropriate technology, building cultural and spiritual sensitivity, improving national sovereignty, reducing gender discrimination, ensuring peace and national unity, and strengthening democracy and institutional viability. On the other hand, the definitions of livability can be aligned with the principles of sustainability to build a dynamic social, political, and economic environment. I think it would be useful to change the fundamental definitions of sustainability into ones that are more understandable and relate to local aspects because it will add to social stability and economic prosperity. “The concept of sustainable development requires a change of mindset to bring about full integration of the needs for economic and social development with that to conserve the environment” (Sustainable Development 2010, p. 1). The current definitions of sustainability relate more to social equity and ecological development. We need to add some local aspects, such as, needs of the community and economic development to the definitions of sustainability to make it more economy and community oriented. Task 2: Biotechnology has a strong impact on production, trade, and diversity. “Biotechnology, or the genetic modification of organic materials such as corn and soybeans, plays a major role in national and international agricultural production” (Anderson n.d., p. 1). On one hand, biotechnology increases the rate of international and national agricultural production and on the other hand, it causes some major potential harms for the environment. The genetic modification of some organic materials plays a vital role in the development of many other products. Today, we have found some effective treatments in the form of vaccines and healthcare products for such diseases for which no treatment existed some decades ago. Biotechnology has helped farmers in increasing the production levels of crops, as well as in getting more revenues by selling the agricultural products. Some studies show that more than 3.3 million farmers from different parts of the world make use of agricultural biotechnology to raise the yield, as well as to protect crops form insects (Biotechnology Industry Organization n.d.). Biotechnology has also helped agriculture-based countries improve their export levels due to increased production levels. For example, the advent of transgenic soybeans helped Argentina increase its production of soybean from 11.2 million tons in 1996 to 19.5 million tons in 1997 which also increased the export level from o.75 million tons in 1996 to 3.2 million tons in 1997 (Oehmke, Maredia & Weatherspoon 2001, p. 284). These figures show that biotechnological products not only improve the levels of production but also help countries increase their exports. Biotechnology also has a positive impact on trade. GM Soybean production Retrieved from http://npk101.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/soybeans-snapshot/ Trade increases when production of any exportable product increases. For example, when a country increases its level of crop production due to use of biotechnological products, it becomes able to increase the export of that particular product which ultimately improves the graph of trade for that country. However, due to increased number of controversies about the effects of biotechnological products on health and environment, biotechnology innovation also faces significant resistance not only to agricultural production based on biotechnological products but also to the trade of such products (Gaisford 2002, p. 329). However, such controversies have begun to neutralize with the passage of time and more and more biotechnological products are being developed and exported to both developed and underdeveloped countries for use in agricultural activities. Biotechnology has made a significant impact on the trade of many countries. We have already seen the example of Argentina, which is an agricultural country and has significantly increased its exports due to the increase in its level of production which has occurred because of biotechnological products. Today, a large number of European and America countries have begun to import GM soybeans to increase their levels of production which shows the signs of decreased controversies regarding the effects of biotechnological products on health and environment. Looking at these aspects of GM soybean and other biotechnological products, we can say that biotechnology has a positive impact on production, as well as on trade all over the world. Having discussed the impact of biotechnology on production and trade, let us also discuss its impact on biodiversity. Biotechnology seems to have a negative impact on biodiversity. “Biotechnology potentially threatens biodiversity by introducing a single type of organism, such as a genetically modified seed, across a wide area” (Anderson n.d., p. 1). Biotechnology threatens the balance of animal and plant species which in turn effects the ecosystem of the earth. Plants also lose their ability to resist against adverse weather condition in the areas where farmers use biotechnological products for the cultivation of crops (Anderson n.d.). This example and many other environmental effects suggest that use of biotechnological products, such as, GM soybeans has a negative impact on biodiversity. Task 3: London Olympic Games have been a tremendous success for the Olympic sports organizing committee. The games not only provided a platform for all athletes of the world to show their skills and abilities but also benefited the economy of England. The games provided a wide range of opportunities to world-class athletes to compete with each other and prove their talent. Changing Places, which was an outreach program, played a significant role in the arrangements of London Olympic 2012. In this report, we will highlight those factors that have played their role in the success of Changing Places project. The aim of the project was to transform unmanaged sites into thriving resources for the local community. The successful organization of London Olympics was the result of Changing Places program which meant to improve the conditions of sites for the local community to help them celebrate their good times by improving the areas which need immediate attention (London 2012 n.d.). The first factor that played its role was the inclusion of local communities in the arrangements of Changing Places project. The East London communities are known as the most self-motivated and lively communities of the world. However, they have been facing a number of economic, social, and environmental issues for a long time. The management committee of Changing Places provided an opportunity for them to show their skills and come out to deliver what they can for improving the environment of the country. Local communities were given the task of improving public places, such as, parks and gardens which they did efficiently. The result of this step was very beneficial for the success of the project, as well as for London Olympics. Another factor that proved beneficial for the success of the project was the encouragement that the management committee gave to the volunteers for their participation in the London Olympics arrangements. They gave a huge amount of their precious time to improve the environment of London. For example, they dedicated themselves for reducing air pollution, planting a large number of trees to face adverse climatic conditions, removing tones of waters from rivers and parks, and improving the condition of almost 250 sites all over the country. Changing Places – Plantation of trees Retrieved from http://www.london2012.com/local-residents/local-access-and-parking-plans/site=tower-hamlets/ Another factor that played its role in the success of the project was the involvement of Groundwork London team. The name of the phase coordinated by the Groundwork London team was ‘transform’. The Changing Places program used the inspiration that it gained from the regeneration of the Olympic Park to secure funding for complete transformation of nearly fifty poor quality sites (London 2012 n.d.). The sites were not managed properly before. The Groundwork London team did a great job in transforming the condition of those sites in such a way that they became attractive places for visitors. The goal of the project was to make the sites a flourishing resource for the community members. The involvement of local community in the project proved very effective in creating resourceful and beautiful sites that can become a great source of income for the country. The management committee of Changing Places took help of Groundwork London and volunteers to fulfill the aim of creating resourceful sites for the local community. The project seems to be sustainable in a sense that the management committee has recruited nearly 200 individuals from the local community who have participated in the project and have played a considerable role in the development of sites and the overall environment. Their role in the project from now will be to look after the project in future to keep things going related to the quality of the environment. Task 4: Agenda 21 is a plan of taken that injects the need of working together to ensure sustainable development. It is focused towards the provision of basic human needs for all people of the world along with better living conditions and a well-managed ecosystem which is a key towards human wellbeing. Agenda 21 aims to achieve a sustainable global development which should benefit all people in the world regardless of any differences between them or between countries. Some of the basic goals of Agenda 21 include combating poverty, protecting the environment, changing the patterns of consumption, taking steps for protecting human health, and promoting rural and agricultural development. Agenda 21 aims to make all governments and major organizations play their role in achieving the above-mentioned goals. The main aim of the agenda 21 is to ensure sustainable development for all people. ‘21’ in agenda 21 refers to twenty-first century and ‘agenda’ refers to the programs or plan of action that need to be taken to ensure proper growth and development. There are 8 main sections of agenda 21 which include agriculture, biodiversity and ecosystem management, energy and housing, education, public health, population, transportation and sustainable economic development, and resources and recycling (Bound 2011). All of these sections have a direct link with the improvement of human life and this is the main aim of agenda 21. Agenda 21 puts the responsibility ion the shoulders of the governments, United Nations Organizations, and all other major organizations of the world to provide basic facilities to all people of the world to improve their standard of living. The first section of the agenda 21 is directed towards the efforts to reduce poverty in developing countries to help their citizens in benefiting from all those facilities that the people of developed countries benefit from. Some other aims of the agenda 21’s first section include promoting better health facilities, changing the patterns of consumption, and achieving a sustainable population. All of these goals are essential in ensuring a sustainable growth and development of developing countries. For example, population is a big issue these days for developing countries. There are already fewer resources for the current population and if the population goes on to increase the way it is, it will cause a big problem in the near future. Lack of natural resources and less employment opportunities will be the resulting issues of rapid increase in population. Therefore, agenda 21 aims to control the increase of population in order to make a balance between resources and population. Agenda 21 – Balance Retrieved from http://www.trevorloudon.com/2011/06/the-fascist-stealth-of-agenda-21/ The second section of the agenda 21 is directed towards the efforts to protect the environment, control deforestation, and reduce wastes. The aim is to improve the present condition of the environment. Agenda 21 makes all governments responsible for taking steps to take care of the forests, natural environment and resources, and wildlife in order to ensure an improved and sustainable environment. Deforestation all over the world is putting an adverse impact on the climatic conditions of the earth. Agenda 21 aims to protect the climate by doing more plantations and protecting the percentage of forests on earth. The third section of the agenda 21 is directed towards the efforts to improve the roles of major groups, NGOs, and organizations in the provision of basic health facilities and human rights to all people. Agenda 21 also aims to improve agricultural conditions for farmers because farming is one of the main industries of many agriculture-based countries and has a major influence on the economy of those countries. The fourth section of the agenda 21 is about implementation and is directed towards the use of science and technology to increase the pace of development. Summing it up, agenda 21 is a plan of actions aimed towards bringing improvement in standard of life, as well as ensuring sustainable global development. References Anderson, H n.d., Biotechnology and Negative Effects on the Environment, viewed 18 November 2012, http://www.ehow.com/info_8188853_biotechnology-negative-effects-environment.html Biotechnology Industry Organization n.d., What is Biotechnology?, viewed 18 November 2012, http://www.bio.org/articles/what-biotechnology Bound, G 2011, The Fascist Stealth of Agenda 21, viewed 18 November 2012, http://emergingcorruption.com/2011/06/the-fascist-stealth-of-agenda-21/ Gaisford, J 2002, ‘Agricultural Biotechnology and the FTAA: Issues and Opportunities’, The Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 328-345. London 2012 n.d., Local community work, viewed 18 November 2012, http://www.london2012.com/about-us/sustainability/local-community-work/ Oehmke, J, Maredia, M & Weatherspoon, D 2001, ‘The effects of biotechnology policy on trade and growth’, The Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 283-306. Sanford E 2012, What Is the Difference between Livability and Sustainability?, viewed 18 November 2012, http://www.camsys.com/kb_experts_livability.htm Sustainable Development 2010, What is Sustainable Development?, viewed 18 November 2012, http://www.susdev.gov.hk/html/en/sd/index.htm Read More