SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Lic. MDM Jose Eduardo Galindo Avila

The economic growth after the development of the steam machine in 1750 has been
enormous, passing from an economy of 800 million dollars at that time, to a 90 trillion-
dollar economy in 2018 (at international purchasing parity). During the same time, an
unparallel rise of the global population (from around 800 million people to 7.7 billion people
in 2018) has put important pressure on our planet’s ecosystem and its equilibrium.
Today, we are facing the challenge of our time. The population is large and the natural
resources are finite. We are seen the impact of human activities on the different ecosystems,
deforestation for wood and food production, oceans acidification, water and air
contamination and finally, and not less important, animal extinction. Can we continue on
this development path? Is the earth ready to accompany us in this irrational road of
environmental destruction? What are the consequences if we do not make important
changes in our life style? Can we work together to achieve development objectives
compatible to the earth natural capacity to restore its own systemic equilibrium?
The seminar will dive into the three interconnected variables of sustainable development
(economic, social and environmental + governance) to analyze how a change, either large
or small in one of these variables, can create wellbeing or catastrophic events to humans
and other living species. Is economic growth or material richness the ultimate goal in the
life of a human being? Is it morally acceptable to have extremely rich people and people that
dies because of a lack of 20-dollar cent vaccine or the inability to access to basic health
services to cure a common disease like a diarrhea? The world is changing and, as some
people have access to high quality education and top technology to face the current digital
era (the fifth industrial revolution - blockchains, internet of things, big data, artificial
intelligence, etc.), at the same time, many others don’t have access to a formal basic
education in developing countries and therefore will not be ready to confront the needs of
future employment abilities.
Another important part of the seminar will be a discussion on the current trends of world
population. What is the impact of a high fertility rate on a poor family? Can parents with 6
or 8 kids provide adequate education, nutrition and health to its offspring and therefore
provide chances for a dignified life? Why do people in developing countries tend to have
larger families? What can be done to ensure health and education for all? Is it possible?
As the population grew important challenges were faced by humankind, Thomas Malthus
predicted in his essay on the Principals of Population (1798), that all improvements made
on poverty reduction will disappear as the growth of human population increases because
of food insecurity (the growth of the population is exponential and the growth of food is
lineal). But Malthus was wrong at that time, he didn’t take into account the improvements
made on science-based agriculture and technology, the Green Revolution. Although,
modern agriculture technology has helped to feed 7.7 billion people in the world today (fed
not necessarily well fed), by no means can be stated that the solution came without any cost.
Sadly, the trade of was taken by the earth physical environment.
As stated before, the exponential growth of the economy and population has impacted on
the environment critically and dangerously. Scientists have proven that the earth is
suffering gravely, that climate change is real and human induced, they have also identified
important thresholds or planet boundaries that we should not trespass. In this regard, a
group of 28 scientists led by Johan Rockstrom in 2009, identified the limits in which us,
humans, can operate safely. They identified nine planetary boundaries or environmental
thresholds. These are: climate change: As of now, the temperature of the earth has risen 0.9
Celsius, compared with temperatures before the industrial revolution (1750), due to human
induced emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous dioxide and a few
others) which trap outgoing infrared rays and consequently warm the earth. Sadly, those
rising temperatures threatens life on earth itself, threatens water availability, global food
production, other living species, rise the sea levels and consequently cause major
disruptions on the security and stability of life in planet earth. The second boundary is ocean
acidification: As the levels of CO2 rise in the atmosphere, the acidity of the oceans increases
because CO2 dissolves in it causing a spiral of dead and extinction of marine life. The ocean
has already increased its acidity by 26 percent and if we continue on this pathway, it is
expected to rise more and more. The third planet boundary is ozone depletion:
Chlorofluorocarbons, gases use for refrigerators, aerosols and other particular industrial
needs, were identified as elements that can reduce or destroy ozone molecules in the upper
atmosphere. The reduction or depletion of the ozone layer causes skin cancers and therefore
threatens the lives of humans, animals and insects on the earth. The fourth boundary is the
excessive use of chemical fertilizers by farmers): Those products, like phosphorous and nitrogen,
end up in the air and underground water, creating water eutrophication (high nutrient
concentrations leading to algal blooms and then hypoxia) in estuaries and natural lagoons.
The fifth planetary boundary is the overuse of fresh water resources: Water used for energy,
food production and industry of various kinds depletes the earth natural capacity to
recharge itself. All these, plus the melting of glaciers due to global warming, pose great
threats to basic human needs to survive. The sixth planetary boundary is land use: Humans
are basically overtaking the whole earth space to satisfy its needs to produce food, graze
animals and grow agricultural commodities (soybean, cotton, sugarcane, for example). To
do this, humans are destroying natural ecosystems resulting in massive amounts of
deforestation and the loss of other animal habitats and their survival. As of today, many
animal species and insects have been extinct by induced human activities and many others
are in great danger to disappear. The seventh boundary is biodiversity: Life in earth has
evolved for thousands of years. Millions of species are part of the creation of the world and
its natural equilibrium. The whole system is delicate, complex and contributes to the earth
processes to recreate life, avoiding disruptive pests and pathogens that could have ended
life thousands of years ago. According to scientist we are seen now the earth sixth great
extinction wave. The other two planet boundaries are very much related, air and land
pollution: Aerosol loading, carbon dioxide, can cause lung or systemic respiratory diseases.
Chemical pollution from the petrochemical, mining and steel industry that accumulates in
the ground pose great dangers to the underground water as well.
In conclusion, when humans trespass these boundaries the result can be catastrophic, life
threatening to human, animals and insects. The world most poor are sadly the most
vulnerable to climate change and other environmental disruptions, as they might not have
the capacity to react fast to critical situations due to the lack of material resources or
knowledge in some cases. Future economic growth is possible only within the described
planet boundaries; thus, we need to adapt and learn to achieve wellbeing and satisfy our
needs taking in consideration the rules that govern the earth natural systems.
Global climate change will be deeply analyzed and discussed, as it is the most important
phenomena involved in the rise of the earth temperatures and its consequences such as the
melting of glaciers, the rise of the oceans, the scarcity of water, the acidification of the
oceans, food insecurity.
A discussion of what can we do to mitigate and significantly reduce carbon emissions will
be pursued. In order to achieve this objective, an analysis of the world energy base, the
feasibility to decarbonize our current world economy, the incentives to use and produce
clean energy will take place. We will also take a look to the social phenomena related to the
growth of the cities, the global population distribution and the challenges faced by the
migration of people from rural areas to urban locations. Consequently, the city’s
contribution to global climate change and again, we will look at modern, low carbon
transport systems or other city’s infrastructure, smart, efficient and resilient.
Close to the end, the 17 sustainable objectives approved by the United Nations in 2015 will
be presented and briefly discussed on its pertinence and its feasibility to be achieved in order
to attain a more fair and balanced economic growth. Special emphasis will the placed in
understanding the challenges related to carbon emissions reduction strategies and at the
same time, we will discuss what happens if we continue on the “business as usual” trajectory.
In 2018, as a request of governments, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change
(IPCC) of the United Nations, has issued a special report on global warming, demonstrating
clear benefits to people and ecosystems if we limit the earth’s temperature below 1.5 C
compared pre-industrial levels. They have also stated strongly that it is possible to achieve
this target within the laws of chemistry and physics, nevertheless it would require
unprecedent changes in all fronts. Is limiting the earth temperature to 1.5 possible? What
exactly should be done? Do we have the technology to shoot for this target?
To finish, I will try to ensure that a change of development paradigm around the world is
urgently needed, from an extensive economic and social development one, to a sustainable
development paradigm.
Sustainable development is the only path to grow economically, with social inclusion and
environmental sustainability for the good of all living species including us.