Environmental degradation & Sustainable development

Introduction

The concern about sustainable development to a large extent stems from the universal concern about environmental degradation arising from natural resource exploitation and utilization.

Sustainable development implies the utilization of environmental resources by the present generation of human beings in such a way and manner that the future generation of the human species will come and meet such resources in better qualities and quantities than their predecessors.

Agents & Victims

It has been widely acknowledged that poverty, a deplorable state of human welfare, is closely linked to environmental degradation. The poor are both victims and agents of environmental damage. Poverty may be created by negative and unjust social conditions such as structural inequality. The concept of equity and meeting the needs of the citizens is central to sustainable development…Those who are poor and hungry will often destroy their immediate environments in order to survive. They are responsible for tilling tired soils and cutting down forests. They live in slums and throw waste into gutters and streams, because they lack the basic necessities of life. They lack resources and materials necessary for living within a minimum standard conducive to human dignity and well-being

Causes & Reasons

Since the Stockholm conference of the early 70s, the North has insisted that the population explosion in the South (that is, developing countries) is the major factor in environmental degradation while the South argued that it was the high rate of consumption of the North (that is, developed countries) that degrades the environment. Essentially, mankind’s survival and standard of well-being depends on the environment which ought to be exploited and managed efficiently. Pointing out the relevance of the environment for mankind’s existence as well as its role in environmental degradation, Animashaun (2002) observes thus:

1.     Man depends on the natural environment for his multifarious needs. His food, shelter and clothing are products of the natural environment.

2.     Man exploits swamps, forest, grassland, rocks, the atmosphere, water and other resources of his natural environment to satisfy these basic needs…

3.     Because of its crucial role to life, man has intervened inadvertently in the natural environment and has caused serious disturbance to its natural equilibrium… Today, the rate of exploitation of natural resources is faster than the time it would take nature to replenish them.

4.     Nonetheless, in the process of exploiting environmental resources to satisfy increasing needs, mankind has utilized culture and technology that have caused untold imbalance to the ecosystem.

5.     The use of dams and irrigation as well as soil additives, chemicals and other non-natural techniques of improving yield have also contributed to environmental degradation.

6.     Increasing electricity consumpltion through nuclear power is increasing the level of Co₂ and other type of harmful green house gases.

Suggestions & Solutions

1.     There is the need of the government to begin seeing environmental degradation in more conventional terms that is in conventional political instability as environmental degradation is the basis of many insecurity problems besetting the country today. This will enable it to use the existing security systems to monitor and manage environmental resources, thereby reducing tension in the polity

2.     In countries where the enforcement of environmental regulations and standards are weak, the role played by Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) can not be over emphasized. It act as checks to projects that may have serious environmental impacts on the environment as it tends to regulate the industrialization process with due regard to the environment.

3.     Renewable energy (wind, Solar, etc) will less the amount of nuclear energy production.

4.     Lastly, basic problems like poverty, unemployment, and health problems which have become an off-shoot of oil exploration in the region must be urgently addressed by the government. These problems unattended can become serious threats to security as it has the potential of creating an army of discontent youths who can pose serious problem to national security.