The Main Connotations Of Sustainability And Equity In Society

What are the basic questions that any civilization should ask to itself in order to evaluate its success and to answer the most crucial problems faced by it? The first question should be about sustainability and equity. As an unsustainable civilization cannot continue to grow for long and will die out soon. Also, an unequal, unjust society will lead to social unrest, which in turn will make social harmony impossible. Equity has many connotations. One of them is poverty.

Definition of extreme poverty is not same for all the countries but it changes from country to country as everyone has its own basic necessities according to their standards. According to international established measure of extreme poverty is any person living on less than $ 1.25 a day, and the target of World Bank group is setting less than 3 percent by 2030. Before going into the progress of poverty reduction it should be noted that such working could be done at country level irrespective of global level. Yes it is right that such poverty reduction efforts should be combined with other countries but we must remember that every country has its own level of living standards as per their needs, so in my view efforts must be carried at country level as per their economic and environmental conditions. Before drafting any policies in such direction the following question should be answered, who is the target group i.e. poor, why are they poor, what they are missing? After getting all these details come up with a specific solution that address the country’s situation. These data cannot be used at global level to design policies as it is specific concerned.

Sustainable growth has been the key word for almost all policy makers across the globe. As the human population has risen to astronomical numbers, the resource crunch and over-exploitation has already started to put a question mark on our consumption patterns. Can we continue to use our resources with same mindlessness as before and still continue to grow on this planet earth? We need to define a judicious way of development that does not jeopardize the potentials of future generation while we live, reproduce and die. Our use of natural resources should be such that we do not leave the generations to come without drinking water, fuel, fresh air, trees and forests, irrigable land fit for agriculture among other crucial inputs that make this planet liveable. At the same time, we also have to develop so that we can meet our needs. This calls for a balance. Green Growth is a growth model in which these concerns are at the heart of such questions and concern. As the name suggests, Green Growth revolves around sustainable and pollution free ways of development.

Gandhi rightly argued that, poverty is the worst form of violence. But why is it that some sections of society are left to live with precarious means while many go on living in opulence? Why is it that some do not have food to eat and some have enough to eat? Why is it that developed nations, which constitute for only 20% of world population, use 80% of earth‘s resources?

These question on unjust treatment of a large portion of humanity makes us agree with Pip from Charles Dickens‘ Great Expectation when he says: ― In the little world in which children have their existence whosoever brings them up, there's nothing so finely perceived and so finely felt, as injustice. What makes us entitled to the life that we live? Amartya Sen wrote a book titles: Poverty and Famine, in which he argues that entitlement has labor at its lowest rung. He gives an example of an umbrella. The person who gave bamboo for the handle was entitled to some money as the bamboo grew on his farm, which he inherits from his successors or he bought from someone. The person who made the umbrella is entitled to some money as he gave his labor. This common sense was known to Adam Smith as well and he had argued much earlier that it is not from the benevolence of the brewer that we get our wine. But is this model of entitlement and social order, why do some people live a life that is below poverty line? And how to define such a line? Amartya Sen argues that a person should be able to live a life that he values and has reason to value.

How to judiciously divide our resources among ourselves? Enhancing economic growth with better target, better policies framework and commit of national government in poverty reduction, proving educations and healthcare service, proper sanitation of water and making children aware of their rights etc. may work in approaching the reduction target of extreme poverty reduction. Urbanization is also linked with poverty alleviation. If we do not find the answer to slums, many people will continue to live in unhygienic conditions. Climate change is also known to be a cause of concern for the poor. They are the most severely hit in instances of natural disaster and calamity. Food unavailability and resource crunch finds their first victim in the poor.

Poverty not only weakens the bodily strength, it breaks the person from inside as well.