SUSTAINABILITY

How Sustainability Could Engender Social Justice within Communities

How Sustainability Could Engender Social Justice within Communities

Introduction

Sustainability is a developmental process to meet the world's needs fairly and impartially, with ensuring the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, p. 43). The essential aspects of sustainability include economic, environmental and social development.

World population is growing rapidly. On the other hand, more and more people prefer to live in the urban rather than the rural environment. Many farmers are turning away from agriculture, and the desertification of farmlands result into the lack of resources to be divided equally among communities, and that is leading to social injustice within the communities across the world.

Deforestation and industrialization have changed the global climate, affecting the ecological systems of the world. The shortage of natural resources is affecting the global economy. The environmental changes lead to food riots in many parts of the world. Furthermore, environmental collapse is intertwined with poverty and discrimination; therefore it leads to social injustice within communities (Harris, 2003, p. 1-2).

Any society where resources are used unsustainably will eventually collapse at some point (Heinberg, 2010, p.4).Hence, it is about time to take measures to manage resources ecologically and ensure community food security. By establishing a sustainable food system, communities would achieve self-reliance and engender social justice (foodsecurity.org).

Discussion

World's population is growing rapidly. It is estimated that world population will possibly reach its peak in the year 2075 with raising up to 9.22 billion (UBUNTU Network, 2012, p. 2). The present resources seem to be insufficient for the rising population. There is immense poverty throughout the world. Oxfam Press Release (2009) estimated 852 million people around the world who remain hungry for days due to poverty. Among these people, up to 2 billion lack food security (Clarke, 2012, p.76). The increased poverty and huge migration of people away from villages have been accelerating environmental degradation as it affect forests, farmlands and fisheries (Harris, 2003, p. 6).

Industrialization, global warming, over production of waste, over fishing, and over consumption of resources by certain communities increasingly impact ecosystem. All these have been harming food and water supplies; bringing in environmental injustice (Houghton, 2011, p.3).

Aspects of Sustainability

Sustainable development has three aspects: economic aspect, environmental aspect and social aspect. These three aspects need to be aligned for the health of people across the globe (UNESCO, 2006, p.11).

Economic sustainability calls for producing resources continually to maintain a stable international economy. Sufficient agricultural and industrial production leads to an economic sustainable society.

Environmental sustainability keeps the resource bases secure and avoid exploitation of resources by any segment of society. It includes protection and stability of biodiversity, atmosphere, ecosystems and other economic resources.

Social sustainability includes a fair and impartial distribution of resources, opportunities, and burdens to every individual of the society. In socially sustainable society, every community enjoys equal opportunities of health and education, gender equity, law and justice, and participation in every sector of society (Harris, 2003, ...