[This
was published in Burma Times on 19 October 2014]
Nothing
in the world appears to be or, to say to the point of extremity, exists,
continues, diminishes or withers away without its inherent tune and rhythm
whether it is a matter of science or social science including religion. Human merit,
knowledge, search and so on are not free from limitations and constraints from
within and without. That’s why everything is subject to further queries and
searches. Reality shows that what was decided in the past is not so decided
today because of the call of time, space and dimension. Hence, concept of
development going to the extent of sustainable development is not an exception
at all. Development does not stand for one-track-moving forward neglecting,
setting aside all other concerns and areas. It encompasses swelling, advancing,
cementing, balancing and maturity with necessary accommodation, reservation and
derogation. A thing is said to be developed when it is well- balanced and
updated from the standpoint of moving with time, space and dimension.
Therefore, development presupposes planning backed by studies and researches
for its longevity and continuity. If such planning suffers from sliding of any
essential component, detected or overlooked, development then eventually and
necessarily becomes debatable on the point of sustainability. When the question
of sustainability arises as a fundamental point then development has no choice
but to get tagged with it for its existence and survival and thus the concept ‘development’ predictably rolled into ’sustainable development’.
This
write-up is a kind of summation and elaboration of my articles ‘Accommodating sustainable development’
published in Dhaka Courier on 05 September 2011, ‘Sustainable development:
Needs more pillars for sustainability’ published in the Financual Express on 19
October 2011, ‘A comprehensive approach to sustainable development’ published
on 5 September 2013 in Dhaka Courier.
This
was published on 5 September 2013 in Dhaka Courier. In fact, this is an
extension of the articles ‘Sustainable development: Needs more pillars for
sustainability’ published on 19 October 2011 in The Financial
Express and on 27 October 2011 in Dhaka Courier under the title ‘Accommodating
sustainable development’]
Faced
with issues and problems coming from within and without nation-states in
particular and the world in general are as if at a loss as in finding and
setting appropriate ways, methods and frames of solutions as an effect of which
the ongoing maxims of development with its various canvasses and models therein
are also getting colors, dimensions and proliferations through a non-stop
process of deductions, additions and accommodations. Development I, in fact, an
atomic concept that swells up sometimes gradually and at times revolutionarily
and which one of the two will lead depends on the leadership of those who
matter during its course of journey accordingly. Simply because of leadership
the march of development even with all its odds and obstacles, domestic or
outside, may reach at the pinnacle of glory, or may grossly turn to an
off-putting direction with a slur of regression, which is, truly speaking, an
inability to apply duly the power of dynamism obtainable inherently in the very
concept of development.
Development
itself is equipped with all required essentials and hence to use and reap
fruits from it is a matter of direction and implementation. Where development
stands today may not be befitting for future, say twenty or thirty years later,
does not mean that the concept of development has become obsolete rather
judgments and thoughts must be given to the fact that the concept itself now
needs to be used and applied in a wider focus to keep the peace ongoing in the
new circumstances. That’s the theme and thesis of development in its factual
and widest conceptual understanding. Theorists, experts, researches and
teachers of a particular discipline such as economics, sociology, politics,
physics, engineering etc are by nature prone to define development from the
very perspective of the discipline in issue and there is nothing wrong in it.
But the definition of development from the widest perspective taking everything
into stocks under a single umbrella is an oceanic venture where synchronization
and harmonization balancing all possible areas are condition precedent. Who
will do that? Yes, it must come from the directions and guide lines of those
who are in the very field of politics and statecrafts. How is it possible on
their part? Yes, it is possible in two
ways as under:
a.
Initiatives
by UN, centre place of all the nation-states in the world, in cooperation with its required affiliated
bodies; and
b.
Initiatives by the leaders in politics and
statecrafts in their own perspective.
The
former shall be responsible for devising possible frames of development latent
in it in a global vision and mission with due listening to the national frame
in issue and the latter shall invest its efforts to have the same in its own
contexts paying qualified attention to limitations and constraints, internal
and external.
More
fascinating to see is that there already has occurred a revolution in the
digging and application of the latent elements of development to keep it move forward
with the changing landscapes of the world at large. And it came with the
introduction of ‘sustainable development frame’ in ‘Our Common Future’ also
known as the Brundtland Commission Report in recognition of former Norwegian
Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland’s role as Chair of the World Commission
Environment and Development, from the United Nations World Commission on
Environment and Development (WCED) in 1987 with a definition ‘sustainable
development is development to meet the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ added a
new dimension in global perspective in its entirety. Issue of environment,
unheard or neglected so far, i.e. space came to the fore front from the latent
area of the fold of development. It contains within it two key concepts:
·
the
concept of ‘needs’, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to
which overriding priority should be given; and
·
the
idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization
on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.
Sustainable
development is a blueprint of resource utilization, that aims to meet human
needs while preserving the environment so that these requirements can be met
not only in the present, but also for generations to come for which it is
sometimes called and taught as ELF—Environment, Local People, Future. It ties
social concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems with social challenges
facing humanity. In the early 1970s ‘sustainability’ was employed to portray an
economy in ‘equilibrium with basic ecological support system’. Ecologists have
profoundly pointed to ‘The Limits to Growth’, and offered the alternative of a
‘steady state economy’ in order to address environmental concerns and hazards.
‘Our
Common Future’ placed environmental issues decisively on the political agenda;
it aimed and designed to discuss environment and development as one single
issue. It together with the work of the World Commission on Environment and
Development laid the groundwork for convening the Earth Summit in 1992 and
adoption of Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration and to the establishment of the
Commission on Sustainable Development.
Over
the decades, sustainable development has been defined, interpreted and
highlighted in many ways and angles. But it is arguably and documentarily held
that all the definitions essentially require seeing the world as a system-----a
system that connects space, and a system that connects time. More lucid, juicy
and unambiguous explanation appear convincingly and demonstratively when it is said in a mode and fashion that ‘we think of the world as a system over
space, we begin to understand that air pollution from North America affects air
quality in Asia, and that pesticides sprayed in Argentina could harm fish
stocks off the coast of Australia. When we think of the world as a system over
time, we start to realize that the decisions our grandfathers made about how to
farm the land continue to affect agricultural practice today; and he economic
policies we endorse today will have an impact on urban poverty when our
children are adults. We also understand that quality of life is a system, too.
It’s good to physically healthy, but what if we are poor and don’t have access
to education? It’s good to have a secure income, but if he air in our part of
the world is unclean? And it’s good to have freedom of religious expression,
but what if we can’t feed our family?
The
concept of sustainable development is indeed in this sort of systems/thinking.
It helps us understand ourselves and our world. The problems we face are
complex and serious----and we can’t address them in the same way we created
them. But we can address them’.
Brundt
Commission Report, perhaps from this point of view, deals honestly with
sustainable development and the change of politics needed for achieving that.
The United Nations 2005 World Summit Outcome Document refers to the
‘interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars’ of sustainable development as
economic development, social development and environmental protection’. Based
on the triple bottom line, numerous substantiality standards and certification
systems have been established in recent years in particular in food industry
and internationally focused standards include Organic, Rainforest Alliance,
Bird Friendly and the Common Code for the Coffee Community.
It
has latter been argued by Indigenous peoples through various international
forums such as United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the
Convention on Biological Diversity, that there are four pillars of sustainable
development, the fourth being cultural. Further elaboration on the concept came
from the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (UNESCO, 2001) with a note
by stating that ‘cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as
biodiversity is for future. It stands as one of the roots of development
understood not simply in terms of economic growth, but also as a means to achieve
a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence’. In
this exposure, cultural diversity is the fourth policy area of sustainable
development.
And
there is emerging a new line of thoughts from the latent areas of development
to voice, and I believe also, that careful attention to the real teachings and
practice of religions of various faiths and folds shall in future be taken as
the fifth pillar. Today it is being felt, realized to a greater extent than
ever before that the basis of development for its overhauling from within and
without requires supports from religions as religion, only religion can touch
the body and soul together. Man-made laws, rules and regulations all are
subject to flaws and short-sightedness, and contain adequate roads, avenues,
lanes and by-lanes for escapes and exits. Greediness, lusts, ugliness, negative
competitions etc , which have meanwhile appeared and stood up as a
‘Leviathan’ challenging the very
foundation of development, can hardly be uprooted from the very minds of those
who prefer moving behind wealth, assets and resources anyhow and at any cost to
living in a community based on equitable distribution of them all. Therefore,
keeping the appeals and efficacy of religions at a long distance in the name of
so-called standards of development and civilization may not continue as a
measuring rod in future. Growth of extreme secularism i.e. separation of
religion both from life and state means in the final end rise and application
of proper teachings and lessons of religions in life not as a segmented piece
but as a whole at every possible stage of life from self to family to society
to state to international compacts.
Time
has come to reassess and recast everything in a new perspective and focus that
neither Muslims nor Christians nor Jews not Hindus nor Sikhs nor Buddhists nor
others in the currents are in a position to say in most of the cases, to be
sure, that they are very much aware of the proper teachings and lessons of
their respective religion while dealing with other(s) in a community, society,
state in particular and the world in general. No religion in true sense of the
term encourages a person to be dogmatic, hostile, terrorist, regressive and
static. Humanity, humanitarian outlook, dedication and sacrifices are said to
be ornaments of a religion. This is also true that, like other areas, religions
have also become prey of negative interpretations, uses and escalations. We
have to bear in mind carefully the difference between a religious person and a
religion-loving person. One is exactness leading to conclusion being the
minority of a religion and the other is vagueness keeping distance from
conclusion forming the majority. Today it is really difficult to find and rank
a community based on proper foundation of a religion. Let the leaders in the
domains of religions take the crisis as challenge without delay anymore.
Take
it guaranteed that I am not talking of a religion-based development or state
rather the proposition goes on saying that no canvass or model of development
can succeed or thrive in full or even achieve an optimum level of satisfaction
if the people engaged in the process of distribution and implementation are not
committed and dedicated from within with a considerable degree of sanctity and
purification. Hence, the concept of ‘social business’ about which Bangladesh
Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Mohammad Yunus is moving from heaven to earth may
not be put into practice in line with the vision and mission due to its lacking
of the ‘inner drive’ in soul. Once founding father of India MK Gandhi, widely
acclaimed as pioneer of non-violent movement in India, remarked, ‘there is no
politics devoid of religion’ and his concept of religion consisted in truth and
love. Gandhi, in brief, desired to moralize man and society with an emphasis
that moral means must be adopted to achieve desired results because where there
exists and continues moral values and standard there is a way to even
mindedness which is full of a kind o spiritual power to spray and spread one’s
sense of dedication and sacrifices Today my realization is, ‘there cannot be
development proper short of touch of religion in building and cementing the
base of dedication, honesty and sacrifices’. Therefore, concept of ‘social
business’
But,
my stress is on the use and application of the proper teachings and lessons of
religion (religion in the true of religion, not in Gandhi’s line) in one’s life
so that a human being fell and realize all the time that he a creation of the
Sovereign of universe, visible or not visible, and he has no choice but to go
back to him any time upon His call and satisfaction. It is well perceived and
digested that living in the world for a period of time is just one of the
billions of fractions of ultimate time. No religion asks its followers to be
bad, wicked, greedy, dishonest, corrupt, immoral, unethical, inconsiderate,
ruthless, and inhuman and so forth. A human being is a blend of animalism and
rationalism so fight for supremacy of one over the other is on all the time.
When a human being acquires the ascendency of rationalism in life, he becomes a
valuable asset for himself and others around him. Unfortunate to note it is
that the numbers of such people are on decline everywhere in the world
(attention to the pages 37 and 39 in the web publication of my book ‘O United
Nations’ at www.sinha-ounitednations.com).
Furthermore,
today it is tested and crystal clear in all respects that neither socialism nor
capitalism can stand and sustain suitably as a possible response to gear the
wheels of development because of the inherent flaws, constraints and
limitations. All the so-called sweetest words contained in the documents,
theses, theories, books and publications
have come to a critical standstill, nay, collapse because of their failures to
cope with needs of the development overshadowed by mismanagements, laxity in
determination of priorities and corruptions in particular.
Besides,
on the one hand, one of the targets of Millennium Development Goals-1 is to
reduce poverty to a half by 2015 still remains a myth and on the other, both
World Bank and IMF made cautious predictions and warnings about taking place a
recession in the days ahead of which, few others also apprehend, may lead to
depression or even stagnation. ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests, spreading and
ballooning crossing the margins of New York, unearth pointedly the present
state of the negative feedback of monopolistic capitalism. Here millions of
voices are mingling together against concentrations of almost more than ninety
percent of the wealth and resources of the world in the hands of a few. It
happens due to bad policies and decisions of those who matter in running the
systems and obviously leaders of the capitalistic world, mostly the political
leaders, must have to take and bear the burden for causing such havoc being
subservient to the stalwarts of vested, pressure groups and opportunists in
various fields.
There
is no dearth of doubt that the great purposes and goals of politics have been
defeated and trampled by the heinous, self-motivated targets of resources and
assets mongers. WTO and GATT and all others on the same balance made challenges
sharper and more acute to the concept and journey of ‘sustainable development’
since the developed countries are producers of the most of the problems related
to climate change and the developing countries have become defenseless victims
and sufferers of such effects. North-South dialogues are rotating around the
orbit of assurances and so-called concessions from time to time. Let us recall
the recent remark of the Mexican President, ‘ We have got such a big state as
our neighbor which is the largest weapons manufacturer, supplier and drug
consumer in the world’ that passes a message to the world at large that USA,
leader of the uni polar world, itself is going down gradually from within and
without. Crises of religion, morality, ethics etc. have grown, fomented and
cemented there as more than a Tsunami.
Failed States Indices [now renamed
fragile state),
starting from 2005 to 20114), are carrying tons of documents and evidences
forecasting the possible and certain collapse of the very foundations of states
within its defined categories. US-based left think tank Noam Chomsky already
branded US as the number one failed state in its own contexts and contents.
Yes, we are really at a loss as to what do now. ‘Now’ is the most important for
us in term of time and, therefore, it is wiser and better to take another pillar
from the latent fold of development to infuse more vitality to sustainable
development with a sense of enlightenment from within indeed. It is a call of
time for seeing something new in the field of politics, leadership and
development and the world is waiting for those heroes and great men with
bunches of flowers and garlands
(attention to the page 36 in the ibid).
Let
the leaders in the developed and developing countries be passionate as much as
necessary and come forward with a challenging mood, mode, tone and tune to take
all these into account sensibly and pragmatically to overhaul and recast indispensable
ingredients and components of sustainable development if they are really
committed, honest and sincere to make development a sustainable one not by
uttering and using rhetoric words and sentences rather by setting and showing
instances in practice. Let the so-called vertical-horizontal standing and
relations between or among the developed and developing countries be over in
all the possible areas and concerns. Let the voice(s) of the resultant victims
of climate change be listened to with a meaningful sense of accommodation and
amelioration. Let the hands of the East, West, North and South be united
together to make this planet a peaceful and flourished abode for animate and
inanimate creations of the Lord of Universe.
And
relevantly enough, let the leaders here in our perspective in Bangladesh
understand, think, fell and realize as well the tasks, immediate or remote, to
be carried out to meet the challenges of the 21st century in the
true perspective of the development in Bangladesh. To face the challenges of
development, there is no denying the fact that first of all, here a consensus
on major issues between the two leading petticoat parties Awami League led by
Sheikh Hasina, incumbent Prime Minister of Bangladesh and former leader of the
opposition in Parliament, and Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by Begum
Khaleda Zia, leader of the second largest political party and former Premier,
is a priori (attention to my article ‘Three-phase National Consensus Formula:
Bangladesh perspective’, Dhaka Courier 11 March 2011)despite the truth that BNP
and its allies did not take part in the 10th election to Parliament.
Let our leaders in the position (in power)
and in the opposition (out of power) come forward and shake hands without a
delay. Let Bangladeshi Leaders not allow themselves to take and bear the burden
of being blamed by the posterity for repeating the historic saying on record ‘Niro fiddles when Rome burns’.
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