Page 129 - Built Expressions - Online Construction Magazine - November 2014 Issue

Techno-Crate Much sensitization work is needed by civil society and governments to create mass public awareness of the abyss we are falling into, and of the need to explore different pathways towards genuine human well-being. reports suggest that India’s current ecological footprints of big cities, akomblog.org pathways of development are sustained through the parasitism of unsustainable. It does not appear that urban areas on rural ones, and the the MDGs have made much of a dent in denial of opportunities for the latter this situation, or that India’s planning to evolve vibrant economies and processes have changed signifcantly socio-cultural processes. Those areas easier said than done. A number of enough to address this issue. in transition from villages to small serious obstacles and challenges will towns and small towns into cities can need to be overcome, which include: Gaps in Globally Specifed build in principles and strategies of Knowledge, capacity and Indicators sustainability at an early stage. expertise gaps: Despite the The indicators specifed at a global Goal 1: The integrity of natural enormous strides in science, our level are clearly not the only ones that ecosystems, wildlife populations, and understanding of the ecological could or should be included within biodiversity, must be safeguarded by dynamics of our world is still limited. the overall goal of environmental reducing and eventually eliminating The chasm between modern and sustainability. Each country is free to resource and biodiversity loss, and traditional knowledge has meant go beyond these to add other priority regenerating degraded ecosystems and that the insights and information of actions and related indicators. Judging populations. the latter are not available to today’s by the country report, there is no Goal 2: All people must have access decision-makers, and the capacity to evidence that India has done this—at to safe and adequate resources to deal with the huge ecological problems least not explicitly in connection with fulfll basic needs, in ways that are we have created is limited. the MDGs. A number of environmental ecologically sustainable and culturally Political apathy and hostility: aspects are missing from the indicators appropriate. There is an inherent resistance to reported: levels of air, water, soil Goal 3: All families and communities major change in centralized political and noise pollution, status of natural must have access to dignifed systems, and often those in power are ecosystems other than forests, number livelihoods that are ecologically either themselves profting from the of threatened species, levels of toxic sustainable and culturally appropriate. current economic system, or heavily chemicals in food and water, trends in Goal 4: All production and infuenced by others profting from it. recycling, sustainability of production consumption must be ecologically Corporate power: The enormous and consumption patterns, and many sustainable and socio-economically profts that corporations make from more. equitable, using a mix of incentives the currently unsustainable economic and disincentives. system, coupled with their hold on Goals and Targets Goal 5: All infrastructure development most nation-states and their lack of A mix of goals and targets mentioned must be ecologically sustainable and accountability to the public, are a further are a mix of those that entail socio-economically equitable. major source of resistance to change. a basic systemic change (‘revolution’) Goal 6: All service and welfare sectors People’s movements and responsive and those that are expanding or using must integrate principles and practices governments have to move to reduce spaces within the existing system of ecological sustainability. the clout of corporations, facilitate (‘reforms’). Hopefully, there are no Goal 7: Macro frameworks of economy alternative, people-based production, contradictions between the two, with and polity must be geared to ecological business, trade and exchange, and the reforms being seen as transitional sustainability, human security, and regulate/incentivize corporations towards the revolution. These are socio-economic equity. towards practices of sustainability. aspects that need to be dealt with in Military interests: The military is a further iterations and elaboration of Challenges and Next Steps powerful infuence in most countries, this approach. Moving towards a comprehensive is not known to be particularly A conscious and concerted focus framework of sustainability, along with interested in or sympathetic towards is needed on reducing the enormous human security and equity, is obviously issues of ecological sustainability, and Vol: 3 Issue: 11 November 2014 Built Expressions PG129