What are the Benefits of Sustainable Development?
Highlights
Fight climate change, cut pollution, save resources, and protect wildlife.
Create green jobs, attract investment, and support new, sustainable ideas.
Promote fairness, reduce poverty, and make life better for everyone.
Prevent disasters, improve health, and make our surroundings better.
Make sure resources last for future generations and build strong communities.
Sustainable development and its benefits play a larger role in building our future and protecting the planet.
It is the balancing of social, environmental, and economic needs without harming the fundamental structure of nature. These three needs are interconnected, and failing to give importance to one will lead to the collapse of the other two.
Gandhian economist J.C. Kumarappa was the first person to coherently present the idea of sustainable development in his book Economy of Permanence. He wrote this book while serving a jail sentence for participating in the Indian independence movement, the Satyagraha, in 1942. The idea gained global popularity at the Stockholm Conference in 1972.
From the moment a baby is born to when he or she builds a family, the sustainable decisions their parents make, and after a point, the decisions they make on their own will decide the future of the planet Earth.
Meaning of Sustainable Development
Sustainable practices are actions we take to protect the environment and help future generations. These can be simple, everyday choices that make a positive difference for our planet and its people.
The sustainability concept arises from the realisation of a sense of belonging and co-existence. Affordable and clean energy is central to sustainable practices, requiring investment in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and thermal power, as well as expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology.
Read more: What is Sustainable Report? Meaning, Types, and Benefits
Sustainable practices are conscious decisions by people. Planting trees, reducing electricity consumption, making sustainable purchasing decisions such as buying environmentally-friendly products, avoiding water waste, reducing plastic use, and conserving biodiversity, among other things, will all minimise environmental impact and carbon footprint.
Three Pillars of Sustainable Development
Sustainability pillars are classified into three types:
Environmental Sustainability
Environmental sustainability means choices we make that protect natural resources. This includes the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the transport we use. Using renewable energy like solar and wind power is key to reducing our carbon footprint. Integrated water resources management, which 80% of countries are implementing, helps reduce pollution, conserve resources and mitigate climate change.
Social Equity
Social sustainability is the concept of identifying and managing the impacts of a business on employees, local communities, workers in supply chains, and customers. It includes diversity and inclusion, women’s empowerment, fair labour laws, education and healthcare, community development, safe working conditions, work-life balance and human capital, which all come under the “S” pillar in environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
These benefit all people. Social justice is also key to equal access to resources and opportunities. Developing countries have many challenges in achieving social sustainability, especially in areas like education, poverty and social justice.
Economic Development
Economic sustainability means creating jobs, growing the economy and increasing productivity that lasts. Sustainable businesses and responsible investments save natural and financial resources for the long term. Efficient production and supply chains reduce food waste and improve food security, minimise environmental impact and preserve resources for future generations.
Read more: Definition of Sustainability: A to Z Guide on Sustainability
What are the Benefits of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
Healthier Communities
Sustainability is really essential for preventing disasters like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. We need sustainable health systems to make healthcare accessible, affordable, and eco-friendly. By adopting sustainable practices, we create healthier communities, reduce health risks, and improve overall well-being. Sustainable development also helps fight severe poverty and aims to achieve full, productive employment for everyone by 2030.
Environmental Protection
Sustainability development practices will mitigate the effects of climate change, reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and ensure environmental sustainability for future generations. For example, planting a sapling in your garden can reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere. If 100 other people do the same, it will make a large difference, the more people take part, the more benefit we have. The 17 Global Goals adopted by the United Nations underlined the need for global action and partnerships to achieve these objectives.
Social Justice
Fair distribution of resources means everyone gets what they need to succeed. Building a just society helps address social inequalities and injustices. Sustainability and social justice are connected: sustainable development ensures fair resource sharing, creates jobs, promotes inclusivity, protects indigenous rights, and supports education.
Proactive Measures
This involves addressing problems in advance rather than waiting for them to occur and then acting. Sustainable policy implementation is key to ensuring that long-term environmental and social goals are met. This approach ensures long-term planning for environmental conservation and resource management, the implementation of policies and governance for industries and businesses, and the execution of campaigns and awareness programmes to convey this message to the masses.
Economic Stability
The rise of green technology will generate more green jobs. It provides innovative solutions to the environmental and climate change challenges the world is facing, such as renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. This approach will bring down unemployment, build partnerships, and augment local economies.
Attract Investments and Talent
Companies that invest in sustainable technologies or development are frontrunners in sustainability. Sustainable investment is required to drive innovation and support long-term economic growth. This opens up opportunities for more investments and attracts experts. Also, it gives rise to more sustainability-related designations and roles, including ESG manager, sustainable finance manager, etc. World leaders agreed to the 17 Global Goals, and their commitment is indispensable for achieving these targets.
Sustainable Development Challenges
Attitude
Some individuals, particularly top officers in forest, tourism, public works, and water departments, as well as politicians, generally have an aversion to sustainable development. Increasing public awareness is essential for overcoming resistance to sustainable development. They seek financial gain to support their families and loved ones, even at the cost of damaging the environment. They are obstacles and mislead people in the name of development, often engaging in blame games.
Grassroots Levels
The concept has yet to fully reach grassroots or individual levels. Community engagement is necessary to ensure that sustainable development practices are adopted at the grassroots level. Even when it does, people often fail to understand it, thinking that their individual efforts won’t make a difference in conserving the environment. However, they do not realise the important role they play in sustainability if they reverse their thinking and take action.
Greenwashing
This happens when big corporations deceive stakeholders into believing that their operations are sustainable and aimed at reducing environmental impacts when they are not. Corporate responsibility is vital for ensuring that businesses genuinely commit to sustainable practices. This raises questions about their true commitments and intentions. They engage in greenwashing either to protect their profits or to attract investments.
Radical Change
Many find this approach difficult and unachievable because it alters the fundamental structure of all types of organisations and their operations that have been established for decades. Systemic change is necessary for achieving long-term sustainability goals.
It often seems they do not want to disrupt their smooth operations in the pursuit of profit. However, they overlook the fact that this is being done at the expense of damaging nature and its functioning, of which they are all a part.
World Leaders with Examples of Sustainable Development
Here are some real-world examples of sustainability development goals from Europe, Asia, and America:
Europe
Sweden’s Renewable Energy
Sweden is a world leader in renewable energy, with over 50% of its energy coming from renewable sources. Växjö aims to be fossil fuel-free by 2040 and uses biomass for district heating. Sweden's renewable energy projects are a testament to the country's commitment to sustainability.
Germany’s Energiewende
Germany’s Energiewende is a big policy initiative to transition to a sustainable, low-carbon, and nuclear-free energy supply. This involves big investments in wind and solar power, energy efficiency, and modernisation of the electricity grid.
Amsterdam’s Circular Economy
Amsterdam is leading the way with a circular economy, reducing waste and making the most of resources. The city has initiatives for sustainable construction, waste reduction, and reusing materials. The Circular Buiksloterham is a neighbourhood designed to be completely circular.
Asia
China’s Green Energy
China is the world’s largest producer of solar panels and wind turbines and has the largest installed capacity of both. China’s renewable energy initiatives include the Longyangxia Dam Solar Park, one of the largest solar farms in the world. China's focus on sustainable infrastructure is evident in its large-scale renewable energy projects.
Japan’s Eco-Towns
Japan has eco-towns like Kitakyushu, which focus on recycling, waste reduction, and renewable energy. The town uses advanced waste treatment and recycling processes to minimise landfill use and promote resource recovery.
Singapore’s Green Plan 2030
Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 aims to make the city-state more sustainable across various sectors. This includes increasing green spaces, energy-efficient buildings, and more electric vehicles.
America
US Green New Deal
The Green New Deal is proposed legislation for the United States to address climate change and economic inequality. The US Green New Deal is a comprehensive sustainable development strategy aimed at addressing climate change and economic inequality. This includes transitioning to renewable energy, upgrading infrastructure, and sustainable agriculture.
Costa Rica’s Environmental Policies
Costa Rica is famous for its green policies and has achieved a lot in reforestation and biodiversity conservation. The country generates over 98% of its electricity from renewable sources and aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Canada’s Sustainable Development Strategy
Canada’s Federal Sustainable Development Strategy has goals and targets across various sectors, including clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and conservation. This includes expanding protected areas and supporting clean technology.
These examples show a wide range of approaches to sustainable development, reflecting the unique challenges and opportunities in different regions.
How Sustainable Development Can Be Achieved: A Real Example from India
There is a community in India where each member devotes their life to protecting the trees and wildlife around them. The Bishnoi community from the desert state of Rajasthan is a quintessential example of how people at the grassroots level can conserve biodiversity. They protect the sacred Khejri trees, which provide them with livelihood and good fortune.
The Bishnoi community's efforts are a prime example of grassroots sustainability in action.
The community has a powerful story to tell. Around 290 years ago, their ancestors laid down their lives to protect the Khejri trees from being cut down after Abhay Singh, the king of Jodhpur in the 18th century, ordered his soldiers to fell the trees to build his mighty palace. The villagers of Khejarli village stopped the king’s soldiers by clinging to the trees in groups. When the furious king learned about this, he relentlessly ordered the trees to be axed, including the people hugging them.
This movement, known as the Bishnoi movement in India, is also one of the first environmental protection movements in the world, led by a woman named Amrita Devi. She, her three daughters, and around 363 villagers, including people from other villages who joined, lost their lives protecting their holy trees, which provided them with sustenance.
The four major objectives of the movement were: protecting biodiversity to ensure a sustainable social life; uniting against cutting trees; preserving biodiversity and animal husbandry; and maintaining personal hygiene for a healthy life.
This was a successful movement, although many innocent people lost their lives as a result of the king’s selfishness and lack of empathy for the environment. Sadly, today, many politicians and people in high positions behave exactly like the king in this story.
But to this day, the community members have never failed to continue their ancestors’ legacy, protecting the Khejri trees and upholding their values and traditions. This commitment is incredibly inspiring and something from which we can all learn.
The Bottom Line
The benefits of sustainable development are numerous. By adopting sustainable practices, we can work towards a sustainable future for all. Integrating these practices at individual, organisational, and community levels can lead to positive changes, including climate change mitigation, economic and financial stability, and the attraction of investments and talent.
The Bishnoi community in India is a perfect example of grassroots efforts to preserve biodiversity and build a greener future. Let’s start our efforts today, in our own capacity, to develop a sustainable society that serves as a model and source of inspiration for others.
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