environment and resources

• what is sustainable development?

  development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
• To achieve sustainable development, maximising the 3 core dimensions are important. What are the 3 core dimensions?

  • society
  • economy
  • environmental
• economic dimension

  • building a strong, sustainable and stable economy which provides prosperity and opportunities for everyone
  • emphasising efficiency → lead to progress but might hinder environmental and social aspects
  • economy + social aspects → through economic development, it can translate to social aspects for healthcare and education for marginalised groups
  • economy + environmental aspects → through prioritising economic growth, the production and use of certain goods can lead to depletion of natural resources and pollution to the environment
• social dimension

  • refers to meeting the diverse needs of all people in current and future communities
  • aims to enhance well being, social cohesion and inclusion while ensuring equal opportunities for everyone
  • social indicators asses → education and health outcomes with a focus on various social groups, especially women’s health and education, which may be under-resourced in many regions
  • prioritising the social dimension can contribute to long-term economic and environmental goals but some may view It as diverting resources in the short term
• economical dimension

  • acknowledging the limits of the Earth’s physical resources and improving their utilisation to prevent depletion beyond the capacity for replenishment
  • Anthropocentric perspectives often priorities economic growth over environmental sustainability
  • Challenges to balancing short-term wants and long-term needs
• why are there trade-offs and limitations in meeting inter- and intra-generational needs

  • differences in the current level of technology and the environment’s capacity to fulfil the needs across all dimensions
  • technological limitations → extent of innovation and advancements
  • environment capacity → the availability and sustainability of natural resources to support the provision of various ecosystems
• how do we know if there is progress towards sustainable development?

  • in 2015, the UN identified 17 Sustainable Development Goals that all countries should work towards to achieve by 2030. Nested within each goal is a set of indicators that countries can use to report their progress
• indicators for economic growth, environmental protection and social inclusion?

  • economic growth → GDP growth rates, employment rates and income distribution patterns
  • environmental protection → carbon emissions, biodiversity conservation, access to clean energy
  • social inclusion → poverty rates, education and healthcare accessibility, gender equality and social equity
• what are some goals of the SDGs

  • no poverty
  • climate action
  • quality education
• Challenges in measuring progress for SDGs

  • Lack of capacity to monitor the progress on some of these indicators
  • Measurement along the goals may be complicated in large countries, or countries with lower centralisation of authority as this affect coordination of data collection
  • Collection and reporting of data is also challenged in places with civil unrest
  • Many countries, particularly those with lower economic resources may lack the necessary funds and infrastructure to establish comprehensive data tracking systems
  • The lack of expertise to analyse data will result in flawed assessment of progress, and this affects the design of intervention policies
  • The lack of technology to collect certain data will also compromise the accuracy of the data
• economic challenges for trying to make sustainable development a goal for all countries ?

  • companies driven by short-term profit
  • exploitative industries might cut corners on regulations
  • companies could also be resistant to change given large sunk costs
  • economic disparities within and between countries can impede progress
  • lack of adequate funding and insufficient financial resources
• industries and business driven by short-term profit (EC)?

  • industries and businesses are driven by short term profit, often through capitalising on consumer desires
  • this is a resource-intensive model of economic development, as these organisations then prioritise conversion of natural resource into a product for short term consumption, consuming environmental resources beyond the regenerative capacity
  • regenerative capacity → the ability of an ecosystem to recover and regain its functionality and biodiversity after facing disturbances such as natural disasters, pollution or human activities
• exploitative industries might cut corners on regulations (EC)

  exploitative industries may also cut corners on regulations, thereby impacting social dimensions of sustainable development, as they are motivated to maximise profit instead of social indicators like fair wage to alleviate poverty
• companies could also be resistant to change given large sunk costs? (EC)

  companies could also be resistant to change given large sunk costs. this can impede the application of sustainable development practices such as green practices or in countries that invested in large-scale infrastructure in an industry, they might not want to pivot industries (eg. fossil fuels)
• economic disparities within and between countries can impede progress (EC)?

  economic disparities within and between countries can impede progress, as marginalised populations may lack access to essential resources, hindering their ability to participate in sustainable development initiatives 
• lack of adequate funding (EC)

  lack of adequate funding hinders the implementation of sustainable practices and projects. Insufficient financial resources, especially in developing nations, can hinder the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies and initiatives 
• political challenges for trying to make sustainable development a goal for all countries?

  • short-term political interests
  • frequent changes in government and policy inconsistency 
  • limiting citizen participation
  • globalisation
• short-term political interests (PC)

  short-term political interests may undermine sustainable development practices especially if the outcome of these practices outlive political tenure. Focusing on short-term economic gains, for example, can result in a lack of political will to regulate or enforce environmental regulations 
• frequent changes in government and policy inconsistency (PC)

  frequent changes in government and policy inconsistency can disrupt long-term sustainable development plans, as different administrations may prioritise different goals and strategies
• limiting citizen participation (PC)

  effective sustainable development requires public engagement and participation. political systems that limit citizen involvement and fail to incorporate diverse perspectives may struggle to achieve sustainable outcomes. On the other hand, private corporations can influence the government and this might result in pro-business politics that are not always sustainable (eg. lesser regulations on environmentally-pollutive industries)
• globalisation (PC)

  globalisation has meant that countries are increasingly interdependent on each other for resources. However, national governments may be reluctant to cooperate on transboundary resources (eg. rivers, access to costal resources) due to political priorities. Disagreements over responsibilities and subsequent resource allocation (or abstinence from resource extraction) has led to limited international cooperation, thereby limiting progress 
• What makes a resource a resource?

  the environment is defined as a resource that actively shapes activity through the provision of various ecosystem services. The environment can be understood as an actor supporting human activities depending on the value system that humans place on the environment
• what are the two ways in which humans may define value in nature?

  1. instrumental value — value is determined by the utility that time has (ie how useful something can be). this way os ascribing value has led to the identification of ecosystem services that the environment can provide to human
  2. intrinsic value — value that is not dependent upon utility, or upon perception of an external other. Something with intrinsic value has value for its own sake
• categories of ecosystem services

  1. cultural services
  2. regulating services
  3. provisioning services
  4. supporting services
• Regulating services


  The benefit provided by ecosystem processes that moderate natural phenomena to prevent undesirable outcomes
• Examples of regulating services

  • Pollination
  • Decomposition
  • Water purification
  • Erosion and flood control
  • Carbon storage and climate regulation
• Regulating services


  • Plants clean air and filter water
  • Bacteria decomposes wastes
  • Bees pollinate flowers
  • Tree roots hold soil in place to prevent erosion
• Regulating services


  • Work together to make ecosystem clean, sustainable, functional and resilient to change (reducing the risk of natural disasters)
• Regulating services


  • Ang Mio Kio Park as a floodplain to store flood waters
  • Bowles as natural drainage within the park to channel water