Environmental Sustainablity

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We cannot have sound economies, sustainable societies, and healthy people without a healthy environment. Overuse of natural resources such as forests, land, and water has caused alarming changes in our natural world.

When we say environmental sustainability we mean a planned use of natural resources lasting and effective over time.

Environmental degradation is damage to a local or global ecosystem due to human activity for short-term benefit. It occurs when nature’s resources are being consumed faster than nature can replenish them. There are many factors that lead to environmental degradation – All are linked to the poor use of natural resources.

Some factors include:

Pollution

Global warming

Unsustainable agricultural and fishing practices

Cash crops for export

Loss of biodiversity

Over consumption

Concentration of land ownership

Unequal distribution of wealth

Using productive land for non-productive products like tobacco, cotton, and flowers

Deforestation – for fuel, cattle, etc.

Overuse of pesticides and herbicides

The world’s poor are the ones that unequally bear the consequences of these choices, despite the fact that the actions of both wealthy and poor countries are responsible.

Many of the present and future conflicts around the world are disputes over natural resources or are worsen by resource scarcity. Because of this, armed conflict and the environment are closely linked and solving the problem of how we use and distribute the word’s resources can help create a more peaceful and sustainable world.

Download the Environmental Sustainability Snapshot to LEARN MORE