Environmental sustainability and economic growth can be achieved together through collective global efforts. While developing countries prioritize economic growth, neglecting the environment can have catastrophic consequences. Striking a balance between the two is needed. International agreements like the Kyoto Protocol aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through countries committing to targets. Bodies like the IPCC create awareness about environmental issues and work to restore sustainability. Small collective efforts over time, like developing green buildings, can help achieve sustainability, which is a necessity rather than a luxury for future generations.

1. Environmental sustainability and
Economic growth
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go
far, go together”.What is the intent behind this quote?
If we analyze, it can also be used in the real life scenario.
For example if we go alone to solve a problem we can
solve it, however if we go collectively we can find
multiple ways of solving it. The reason why I have used
this quote is to try and understand the environmental
sustainability. First we will try to understand
environmental sustainability, to define environmental
sustainability we must first define sustainability.
Sustainability is the ability to continue a defined behavior indefinitely.
Environmental sustainability is the rates of renewable resource harvest, pollution creation, and
non-renewable resource depletion that can be continued indefinitely. If they cannot be continued
indefinitely then they are not sustainable.
One can argue, about the relation between environmental sustainability and going together.
The answer to this question lies in the second part that reads “if you want to go far, go
together.”When we look at global map we find developed countries and developing countries. The
numbers of developing countries are far more than developed. So developing countries are trying
very hard to match their counterparts. In process of doing this they are focusing on issues which
have to do with economic growth. And it includes industries, infrastructure and so on. What is left
out is environment and that’s where the problem begins.
I am not saying that growth should not be the priority but environment should also be taken into
consideration. If every developing country decides to be super power ignoring environmental
issues then the consequences can be catastrophic. It’s sound scary just from thought of it; now
imagine if we really have to face the worse. I don’t want to be cynical but continuous research on
this topic, has led many people to think seriously about it. We need to ask ourselves is there a way
where we can strike a balance between economic growth and sustainability.
The answer is a resounding yes; the first step in resolving a problem is to identify it then comes the
ways to do it. Now we have identified the problem what remains is the conscious effort to do
something about it. We often hear about conferences happening around the world, in order to make
to a consensus on how to reduce carbon emissions. It is a collective effort and a gradual process
where in every country has to play a significant role. This is to abide by certain protocol for
example the Kyoto Protocol which is an international agreement linked to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change.

2. Under the Protocol, 37 countries ("Annex I countries") commit themselves to a reduction of four
greenhouse gases (GHG) (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride) and two
groups of gases (hydro fluorocarbons and per fluorocarbons) produced by them, and all member
countries give general commitments. At negotiations, Annex I countries (including the US)
collectively agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% on average for the period
2008-2012.
This reduction is relative to their annual emissions in a base year, usually 1990. Since the US has
not ratified the treaty, the collective emissions reduction of Annex I Kyoto countries falls from 5.2%
to 4.2% below base year.
Countries like China, India and many others have to set an example that growth can also be
achieved with a care for the environment. Talking about India, which is inspiration to many when it
comes to economic growth and cultural heritage. India is very serious about environmental
sustainability and doing its bit, for instance IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a scientific intergovernmental body first
established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations, the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and later endorsed by the United
Nations General Assembly through Resolution 43/53. Its mission is to provide comprehensive
scientific assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide
about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and socio-
economic consequences, and possible options for adapting to these consequences or mitigating the
effects.
Why these bodies came in to existence? What exactly they want to accomplish?The sole
purpose of these bodies is to create awareness about environmental issues. They are committed to
make all efforts to restore the environmental sustainability. Most of the developed countries are
working on how to reduce carbon emissions. They are concerned for environment hence they are
walking a tight rope. One term that comes into my mind is Green buildings
why there is so much of talk about green, is it the right step forward? Yes is the answer because
green building is not the luxury it’s more of a necessity. Energy efficiency and less operating costs
are some of the salient features of a green building. Now we have green rating system to rate the
performance of the building on several parameters. For example USGBC, IGBC and GBCA is the
green building rating organizations.
I can keep on writing about green buildings and its benefits. It can create awarenessbut that’s not
going to serve the purpose. The need of the hour is to do something concrete. As I already discussed
earlier that it’s a gradual process and we have to do it collectively. As they say it’s never a wrong
time for right thing. Every small effort put in for environment sustainability will show its result in
days to come. Sustainability is not the luxury but a necessity and those who realized it are working
for it. We need to be sensitive towards environment then only we deserve to live on this planet.We
may be not there to ripe the benefits of it but our future generations will thank us for doing our bit.