Sunday, 24 February 2013

Economic Progress and Sustainable Development



Environmental resources including freshwater, land and ecological components are invaluable. Not only in terms of monetary benefits they hold but also due to the services they do at keeping every ecological process at balance. 


The services may, in some form, cycling the atmosphere gases breathed by human, animals and plants. Even gases produced by industrial area are also included in these services. Water cycle process is also a service provided by the nature that commonly took for granted in pursue to develop economic growth. Water, of deteriorated quality, resulting from human activity namely from domestic, agriculture and industrial activities also took care by nature. Rivers not only carry rain water from upland area to the sea, but also serve as big-long drain that carry polluted water to the sea.


Sign of deterioration of these resources is obvious. Of late, news about landslides, slope instability risking lives, flash floods, rampant land clearing replacing forest reserve, water-deficient catchment area and many more. Of course this sign is yelling to tell that something is just not right. 


It takes an emphatic mind to see and act on this plight. If we can see beyond the profit and loss affair, maybe we could realise that when we carry out economic agenda without due regards to keeping delicate balance of environmental quality, we are actually poisoning our own food source or akin to burning our own home, literally. It takes policy-maker, implementer agency, business entity and public at large an honest admission that environmental quality is everybody business. It should not be shouldered only by the Department of Environment to preserve environmental quality. It’s our environment. Let us progress but in sustainable manners. Let’s Enabling Progress. Sustainably!


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