Health chap 9

• three pillars of sustainability

  environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, social sustainability
• sustainability

  Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. 
• economic


  Ensuring that average incomes in all countries are adequate to sustain a decent standard of living.
• social

  creating an equitable society that meets the needs of all citizens and can be maintained indefinitely.
• environmental


  ensuring the natural environment is used in a way that will preserve resources into the future.
• Human development

  Creating an environment in which people can develop to their full potential, and lead productive, creative lives in accordance with their needs and interests. It is about expanding people's choices and enhancing capabilities, having access to knowledge, health and a decent standard of living, and participating in their community, and decisions affecting lives. 
• job creation/ employment (economic)

  • Individuals receive a fair wage in return for work
  • Employed individuals who earn a wage are able to contribute to taxes of the country which is then put into other sustainable resources such as education
• trading opportunities (economic)

  • Fair trade is essential to grow a country as it involves improved working conditions and a fair price for products. This means money is spent fairly which increases income which can be spent on food to avoid malnutrition,
• innovation and diverse range of industries (economic)

  • Countries require diverse and range of industries for economic growth
  • If multiple industries are available, the country is able to stay economically stable and people can retain jobs.
• economic growth (economic)

  • If a country has a sustainable income, more money can be spent going towards healthcare systems and hospitals.
• Elimination of poverty and the provision of social protection systems (social)

  • Social protection services helps provide individuals access to essential resources such as housing, food or basic healthcare.
• gender equality (social)

  • Having gender equality means that girls are given the opportunity to attend school which lets them become more involved in the social community,
  • Includes elimination of violence against women, equal opportunities to education, employment, community life and leadership opportunities.
• Access to safe and decent working conditions (social)

  • Having access to decent working conditions means being able to earn a reliable income which can create financial security
• Promotion of political and legal rights (social)

  • Promotion of political and legal rights helps to prevent discrimination and promote equal opportunity for education and employment
• Peace and security (social)

  • A peaceful environment and society means an environment in which everyone is well behaved, and lives in peace and harmony with mutual respect for each other.
  • Financial resources are not being directed to a war effort, so the government is in a better position to provide essential resources for its citizens, including healthcare
• Biodiversity (environmental)

  • Bees play a role in pollinating many of the world’s plants, including canola, sunflower, almonds, apples and stone fruits. This means declining numbers of bees means growing crops may become difficult, leading to increased food insecurity
• Use of natural resources (environmental)

  • If fishing is managed in a sustainable way,

  then fish can breed and replenish at the rate

  they are being caught. This means that there is a consistent food source
• Waste removal and pollution (environmental)

  • ensuring sustainable access to clean water can reduce the risks of water borne diseases like cholera, which allows an individual to live free of diseases
• Climate change (environmental)

  • Ensuring climate change is minimised means sea levels will not continue to rise. This will ensure people living in low-lying areas will not be displaced, which can reduce levels of anxiety
• dimensions of sustainability being interrelated 


  The three dimensions of sustainability are interrelated, which means they have an impact on each other. As a result, some examples of resources or conditions required for sustainability can fit into more than one dimension.
• examples of interrelation


  Poverty reduction is a part of social sustainability, but in order to be achieved, it is reliant on economic sustainability. Equal access to safe water is an aspect of social sustainability, but relies

  heavily on environmental sustainability to ensure clean water is available.
• questions with human development

  • lead long and healthy lives
  • lead productive and creative lives according to their needs and interests
  • participate in the decisions that affect their lives
  • participate in the life of the community
  • have access to knowledge and expand their choices and capabilities
  • have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living (housing, reliable food and water)
• what is human development index

  a measure of human development - countries assigned number from 0 - 1
• why is HDI better than GNI

  takes into account socio- economic factors and combines three dimensions
• dimensions of HDI

  • long and healthy lives (life expectancy at birth)
  • knowledge (mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling)
  • a decent standard of living (GNI)
• advantages of HDI

  • it acknowledges and addresses the broader socio-economic factors impacting human development
  • it is not one dimensional, it combines health, education and living standards
• limitations of HDI

  • the rating between 0-1 do not tell us anything about individual dimensions
  • lower income countries may not have reliable data for the indicators as not everything is recorded by the government