Equitable Use of Resources for Sustainable Lifestyles
Scarcity of resources is the burning problem of modern technology. The twenty-first century
will see growing human needs for resources since many parts of the world are using natural
resources at a rate faster than the natural processes can replenish it.
Natural resources are limited. For example, the existing water sources are being subjected to
heavy pollution. Global climatic changes are altering the quality of fresh water sources as a
consequence of unknown effects on the hydrological cycle.
Sustainable development is currently being discussed as a focal theme in the field of
development, planning and other associated aspects. In the light of self-defeating current
mode of development and recurrent natural calamities, people are urged to ponder over the
faults, shortcomings, lacunae, discrepancies and limitations of the ongoing developmental
process and production system.
It is essential to sustain the natural resources. We should conserve natural resources so that it
may yield sustainable benefit to the present generation while maintaining its potential to meet
the needs of the future generation. There are three specific objectives to conserve living
resources:
1. To ensure that any utilisation of the ecosystem is sustainable.
2. To preserve biodiversity and
3. To maintain essential ecological processes.
Resource management should be less energy-intensive, suitable to local ecology and needs of
the people, less cost-intensive and more viable in terms of economy, ecology and culture. The
Srilankan team, for example studied traditional paddy irrigation systems as a model for water
management.
Its reports note that from the 5th century B.C. through the 12th century A.D., Sri Lanka
developed a technologically advanced civilization based on an intricate system of rainwater
conservation and irrigation. Water users were collectively and individually responsible for
maintenance of the irrigation systems and customary laws, known as Sirit, were established
governing water use and related aspects of life.
Similarly, the italics system is a system of farmer-managed canal irrigation, which has been
in operation for more than 300 years in Dhule, and Nasik district of northwestern
Maharashtra.
However, economists define sustainable development as being an economic process in which
the quantity and quality of our stock of natural resources (like forests) and integrity of
biogeochemical cycles (like climate) are sustainable and passes on to the future generation
unimpaired. In other words, there is no depreciation of world’s natural capital. Closely
associated with sustainable development are the concepts of carrying capacity and green
accounting.
Carrying Capacity:
Carrying capacity of a region/system could be described broadly as number of individuals of
a species that it can sustain. In case of human beings, it is rather a complex situation, wherein
the region/system has not only to bear the load of his basic needs but also all other associated
activities including industrial/developmental projects which has direct impact on limited
natural base and environmental quality. The carrying capacity can be divided into two parts
i.e. supporting capacity and assimilative capacity.
The supporting capacity of a region/system provides an assessment of the stock of available
resources with their regenerative capacity on natural/sustainable basis. The assimilative
component of carrying capacity is an assessment of the maximum amount of pollution load
that can be discharged without violating the best designated use of these basic components of
environment.
The carrying capacity of a region/system thus gets affected if we use resource base beyond
regenerative capability of their supporting capacity or if discharge/ generation of
pollutants/waste products is not within the assimilative capacity.
Green Accounting:
Green accounting is a widely prevalent concept both in developed and developing countries.
It underlines basically the same principles as enumerated in concepts of sustainable
development and carrying capacity i.e. use of natural resources base in planned and judicious
manner without impacting (or minimum impacting) the quality of environment.
However, it conveys by providing us an economic interpretation of both resource base and
environment quality as against the conventional accounting in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic
Product). It precisely gives us a uniform level by converting both natural resource base and
environmental quality in monetary terms, therefore, making the task easier for planners and
policy makers to formulate further programmes/strategies of development.
