Development of What & for Whom ?

Human Development

Human development is about creating an environment in which people can develop their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accordance with their needs. There are four basic pillars of human development: Equity, Sustainability, Productivity and Empowerment. This way of looking at development, often forgotten in the immediate concern with accumulating commodities and financial wealth and economists & political leaders have emphasized this as the purpose & the end of development.

Economic Development Vs Economic Growth

A country's economic development is related to its human development, which encompasses, among other things, general well-being, health and education. Economic development' or 'development' is a term that economists, politicians, and others use frequently and modernization, westernization, and especially Industrialization are other terms people have used when discussing economic development.

Economic Growth implies only an increase in quantitative output; it may or may not involve development. The Economic growth is often measured by rate of change of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Since the calculations used to arrive at GDP, do not account for the destruction or depletion of natural resources, degradation of environment etc, this popular measure is extremely misleading. It tells us we are making progress, even as our ecological foundations are crumbling and vast majority of people are deprived of the basic needs of quality-life

With the American advertising saturating global TV networks, the US Lifestyle- Consumerism, Malls, Bright Wasteful Lighting, SUVs, Inefficient Buildings with excessive lighting and air-conditioning etc, has become the model of development for millions of people in Asian and African countries.

Against Development that harms Planet Earth

As a society, we have failed to discriminate between technologies that meet our needs in a sustainable way and that those harm the planet Earth. As a result of population size, consumption patterns, life-styles, and technology choices, we have surpassed the planet's carrying capacity. At humanity's hand the Earth is undergoing profound transformation – one with consequences we cannot fully grasp.

To lighten humanity's load on earth, the major driving forces- Environmental Decline, Grossly Inequitable Distribution of Income, Resource Consumptive Economic Growth and Rapid Population Growth, have to be addressed by redirecting Technology and Trade. The Wealth inequality being the most intractable problem, the future of rich and poor alike hinges on reducing poverty and thereby eliminating this driving force for global environmental decline.

The decision makers should consistently ask themselves, whether a choice they were about to make would help the poorest of the poor– 20% of the world's people who share less than 2% of the world's income – and acted only if the answer were Yes, more people might break out of the poverty trap & have the opportunity to live sustainably.

Energy and Development

No one questions the need of Energy for Development, but the economic and environmental concerns should not be subordinated, while choosing the sources of energy and its use. The Energy and Economic Policy should not be embodied with the myth that economic vitality requires steadily increasing energy consumption and it must share a least-cost, resource-efficient emphasis. The energy waste bleeds the economy. The Europeans use approximately 50% less energy per capita than Americans, while maintaining the same standard of living. Therefore per capita consumption is not an indicator of development

The per capita energy consumption of primary energy in India was just 3.5% of US, 6.8% of Japan, 37% of Asia, and 18.7%of the world average. India's energy intensity (energy consumption per unit of GDP), however, is high compared to Japan, the US, and Asia as a whole by 3.7, 1.55 and 1.47 times respectively. This indicates inefficient use of energy with a substantial scope for energy savings/conservation in India.

India will have to strive to bring down the energy intensity per unit of GDP i.e. energy consumption, to about one fourth of the present level, if we have to be competitive with Japan in global market. Enough cost-effective energy efficient measures and technologies/processes are currently available, to reduce electricity demand between 10% & 20% over the next 5 years ie 2015 and between 20% % 35% by 2025. Aggressive, concerted, long-term public policy initiatives will be required to implement efficiency- related decisions in the market. and to alter the way that the people buy and use electrical / electronic appliances.

Most energy-efficiency measures cost far less than the initial generation of electricity and its transmission and inefficient distribution over long distances. The Energy Efficiency both on Supply Side & Demand Side, coupled with Renewable Sources of energy –Wind, Solar, Cogen etc provide cost effective and eco-friendly alternative to capacity additions based on fossil fuels and nuclear(fission).

Conclusion

There exists a deep sense of entitlement, a feeling that people can do anything and have anything they want, as long as they earn enough money, by whatever means. But the world cannot be treated like that any longer. Global resources are finite and the misapplication of science & technology has seriously damaged the ecosystems of this unique planet, threatening the ongoing existence of many millions of species, including ourselves. Self sacrifice and Responsibility, the noble traits, will lead the world toward Sanity and Survival.