SUSTAINABLE GROWTH | ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY Optional for UPSC

Introduction

Basic concepts of sustainable growth refer to the amount of growth that can be achieved without running into long term problems.
It is a growth that can sustain the economy, environment and political stability.
Sustainable growth means a rate of growth that can be maintained without creating other significant problems, especially for future generations.
Sustainable growth aims to promote a more resource efficient, greener and competitive culture.
The notion of sustainable growth integrates issues of ecological conservation with those of livelihood, particularly in the developing countries of the world.
Indeed, the definition of sustainable growth and development is characterized by a great divide between developed and developing countries.
Countries having high economic growth experienced a speedy rise in poverty because of the unequal distribution of income.

It can be understood in the view that “there are no physical limitations on economic growth or human population”.
In his book, The Ultimate Resource (1983), Julian Simon states, “The supply of natural resources is infinite. Almost all trends in environmental quality and growth are positive. There is only one scarcity: Human brain power.

It is also referred to as Technology Fix or Pollyanna.
The Cornucopian viewpoint states that “increase in population (demand) lead to technological innovation and substitution”.
Due to this view, the natural relationship between ‘physical primitive man’ and ‘natural environment’ is changed to hostile relationship between ‘technological and economical man’ and the ‘degrading environment’.

Neoliberalism is a view of the global economic system that holds to the overall tenets of no limits to growth and cornucopian theory.
In this view, the private sector should determine economic and policy priorities. Consistent with a cornucopian viewpoint, neoliberalism views that private sector is able to make society better by letting the market determine the use of resources.

Consumerism is related to this view of unlimited economic growth.
It has the underlying assumption that ‘more consumption is always better for the economy’. It violates the principle of sustainable growth.

An important concept relevant for sustainability is the “tragedy of the commons.”
The tragedy of commons is a situation when the individuals act to achieve their own best interest, but they end up acting in a way that is detrimental to the collective and individual long-term best interests.
As per ecologist Garrett Hardin, “The tragedy of the commons describes a situation where different parties share common environmental resources, but act independently in their own self-interest. They will ultimately overexploit and deplete or destroy the shared resources. – Garrett Hardin “The Tragedy of the Commons,” Science (1968)
Examples of tragedy of the commons include polluting the atmosphere, overharvesting fish stocks, and polluting rivers.

The limits to growth concept argue that our current society is living beyond what Earth is capable of providing.
The no limits to growth concept argues that developmental activities and innovation can overcome limits to growth in natural systems.
The “limit to growth” was published in 1972 in Club of Rome. As per this, the strongest ending scenario was that an economic and social collapse would happen by the end of the 21st century, if man imposes no limits to growth.

Repeatable Growth: The growth must be repeatable across diverse areas. E.g. future generations, economic cost, capital investment, communities and culture.
Ethical Growth: Unethical practices are adopted across the world to achieve short term goals. The ethical principles must be followed to achieve permanent and sustainable growth.
Responsible Growth: The development strategies must consider factors like impact on the environment, water use, carbon footprint, and a position of “do no harm”. Then, these strategies must go beyond to seek opportunities to actually enhance the environment.

Sustainable growth and development can be understood in the four ‘environmental principles’ of M.J. Holliman (1974).
- Nothing actually disappears when we throw it away.
- All systems and problems are ultimately if not intimately inter-related.
- We live on a planet earth whose resources are finite.
- Nature has spent literally millions of years refining a stable ecosystem.
It must be understood that “sustained life on the earth is a characteristic of ecosystem, and not of the individuals”.