Environmental Issues in Today's Economy

Introduction

The concept of environment and development is an attempt to integrate economic development policy-making and environmental considerations. It encompasses an acknowledgment that millions of people worldwide still live in poverty; that there is continued unequal access to the resources needed for a decent livelihood; and that there is a need for economic growth and that many human activities, including the quest for survival, put a strain on the environment. Since the early 1970s, environment and development has gradually gained momentum as an organizing concept for debates and policies on economic development and environmental conservation. It has found its way into the language of international bodies and agreements addressing environment and development, the policies and legislation of many countries, subfield or related individual courses of study in academic institutions, and academic journal titles or focus areas, as well as becoming a convenient way to link disparate groups in the development-environment nexus.

Ethics as a Conceptual Frame

The word ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos meaning “character.” It refers to one's ability to distinguish right from the wrong. It is the sum total of the values, beliefs, and actions that shape the character of a person or society. It also consists of the fundamental issues of practical decision making, and its major concern includes the nature of the ultimate value and standards by which human actions can be judged. When these ethics define the relationship between the environment and man, it is termed environmental ethics. Environmental ethics, therefore, can be defined as a system of ethical values, human reasoning, and knowledge of nature that endeavors to forge a pattern of right conduct toward the environment so that the needs of the present generation are fulfilled without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Environmental ethics is the discipline that studies the moral relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the environment and its nonhuman contents. It is generally believed that sustainability ethics or ethical sustainability has grown out of environmental ethics.

Ethical Sustainability

The discussion on ethical sustainability means extending the frontiers of the Brundtland Commission definition of sustainability and looking at the United Nations definition, which has three dimensions, namely, environmental protection, economic development, and social equity or social justice. These are sometimes referred to as the three “Es.” The third dimension of the definition of sustainability, which is social equity or social justice, is the domain where most of the issues of ethics feature. In this third dimension, issues of social justice, fairness, and a just society are some of the issues that are subject to several interpretations based on ethical leanings and ideologies.

The issues of ethical sustainability can be examined from different viewpoints and frameworks. These could be from the viewpoint of the use of the world's recourses, production systems, globalization, and technology transfer among the nations of the world. The examination can also be from the viewpoint of critical issues that border on the survival of especially ...