The Role Of Energy Development Sustainable Development Goals Essay

Energy has easily become one of the most important necessities for our everyday lives. Without it we would simply not be able to have transportation or be able to gather any of our other resources that we depend on. If at anytime our energy supply ceases or no longer attainable the results may be horrific. However, it is quite easy to keep this from happening, It is crucial that our current population realize the importance of sustaining our present non-renewable resources. An examination of all the present energy issues and human impacts of energy conservation along with the a resource plan will show importance of energy

Sustainable development is defined as “Development that meets the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (IISD, par. 1 ).

In general, this report discusses the successes and failures overall, analyzes sustainable development, institutional gaps, and also a call to action. Both Lomborg and The Brundtland Report agree that “...infant mortality is falling; human life expectancy is increasing; the proportion of the world’s adults who can read and write is climbing; the proportion of children starting school is rising; and global food production increases faster than the population grows.” (Brundtland 93) In conjunction with all the positive actions being taken; there are also environmental trends that threaten to radically alter the planet, that threaten the lives of many species upon it, including the human species. There has also been a growing realization in national government and multilateral institutions that it is impossible to separate economic development issues from environmental issues. Nevertheless, “humanity has the capability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Brundtland 95) Furthermore, the goal for sustainable development and the integrated nature of the global environment/development challenges pose problems for institutions. “There is a growing need for effective international cooperation to manage ecological and economic interdependence.” (Brundtland 97) Last but not least, “To achieve the needed changes, we believe that an active follow-up of this report is imperative. It is with this in mind that we call for the UN General Assembly, upon due consideration, to transform this report into a UN Programme on Sustainable Development.” (Brundtland 99) There are many environmental issues occurring to our beautiful planet right now and will

Anderson, D. United Nations Development Programme, United Nations. & World Energy Council. (2000). World Energy Assessment: Energy and the challenge of sustainability. New York, NY: United Nations Development Programme

“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. (Brundtland Report,

The definition of sustainability varies widely depending on the context in which the concept of sustainability is used. As Herman Daly (1996) put it, “Sustainable development is a term that everyone likes, but nobody is sure of what it means. The term rose to the prominence of a mantra after the publication of the UN sponsored Brundtland Commission report entitled, Our Common Future.” The Brudndtland Commision (1987) that Daly was referring to defined the term as “development that meets the needs of the present

Since the creation of the UN’s World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987, the term “sustainability” has become a common term used when discussing the future of the world (Kerr &Hart-Steffes2012). Sustainability, in a broad sense, means living harmoniously with the environment, society, and economy without compromising quality of life for peoples of future generations. There are three main components to sustainability: social, environmental, and economic. The social dimension refers to housing, education, health care, and other aspects that contribute to one’s quality of life, while the economic dimension speaks to a viable local economy with job creation and incoming revenue not dependent on high consumption or population

The main problems when it comes to energy sustainability can be found in three main components scale, production and storage of the energy. Each poses multiple problems intercut with the cost of each as production can be done and energy can be stored at high cost but neither would be favored over the current system. Scale is harder to define as more then cost stops scaling up systems, some can’t be scaled up under

Of the various definitions for “sustainability” and “sustainable development” put forth by Agyeman, Bullard, and Evans, the most compelling and useful defines one sustainability as “the need to ensure a better quality of life for all, now, and into the future, in a just and equitable manner, while living within the limits of supporting ecosystems (Agyeman et al., p. 2). This definition is particularly suitable to sustainability because it captures its social justice component rather than portraying it as a solely environmental issue. Another key part is the mentioning of intra-generational equity which is crucial because many people fighting for sustainability will not be able to see the fruits of their labor but must still

Energy is a big part of our lives. We are heating our homes with natural gas or electricity and driving to and from work and any other outdoors activities. Our main source of the energy people use is fossil fuels and in the future, the availability of those sources has an end date. As studies show there are renewable resources of fuel and other equipment used for energy like wind, nuclear power plants and solar hydroelectric. There are many pros and cons to all forms of energy source, and they all have their own merit. Also, the energy sources that people use does have floss and can cause a negative impact on the environment, and humans. The most important goal is reducing the overall use of our energy sources.

Unfortunately, renewable energy is not an important concern for the governments of these nations. “In nations where a significant portion of the population still lack access to basic energy services, the worry about long-term environmental sustainability is often overshadowed by more immediate concerns about energy access and affordability” [6]. Due to more pressing concerns, the government overlooks the importance of integrating a renewable energy generation

Sustainable development encompasses many various meanings, however the most frequently used definition originates from the Brundtland report (WCED, 1987, p.43) defining it as ‘’a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’’. The Kyoto protocols and European trading systems are seen as mediums to ensure resource management, helping in preserving for future use. However the definition is ever evolving as according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) (2004) it didn’t include a time horizon for future generations, provides no manifestation of the part played by the environment as it’s solely economical, and cites to the hazy concept of human needs. Subsequently an array of definitions of sustainable, in its most basic it’s defined as conserving development over time.

Access to energy is unequivocally one of the determining factors in eradicating poverty and improving socioeconomic wellbeing. On the other hand, unsustainable energy consumption has been one of the main causes leading to climate change, the depletion of natural resources, and the associated environmental damages. In an attempt to optimize the beneficial aspects of energy consumption and mitigate its undesirable effects, the United Nations included “Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all” as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). While goals are simply aspirational, in order to translate them into an achievable reality, targets must be set out that have the ability of adequately measuring the

The concept of sustainable development has become a major topic among intellectuals from various fields. Sustainable development has gone through various changes in its definitions and at present does not have a commonly accepted definition. The origination of the concept of sustainable development is debatable. In 1974 at a conference on Science and Technology for Human Development by the World Council of Churches the concept of a “sustainable society” is believed to have been first noted. This early concept focused on equitable distribution of scarce resources and the need for democratic decision making. In 1980 the currently used term of sustainable development emerged in the

Energy plays a crucial role in the economic development of all nations, especially those with limited access to resources. Access to energy sources is one of the fundamental elements of poverty reduction and sustainable development. It is for this reason that renewable energy and energy efficiency is essential to protect and preserve, as it provides a basis for economic advances, increased education, and environment sustainability. The United Nations is committed to alleviating these pressing concerns through the implementation of programs such as the Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, as well as through numerous others and in