I want to thank Jeff Sachs, for giving us hope. There is too much cynicism, ignorance and despair everywhere, but you really help us to see the world in a far more encouraging way.
Dr. Sachs has just described the sustainable development process that has been carried out in Central America for the last 25 years by Agros International
We won’t do anything, because there is no global we. We are completely overwhelmed by problems of our own making – which includes, above all, the destruction of us. Dr. Sachs seems to be correctly identifying our problems, while ignoring the main one – that people have ceased to exist, in the sense of people who are aware and in control – both key properties of human existence. We have no word to define what we are, but we seem to be hollow shells.
Q. What can be the integrated planetary sustainable solutions in a scenario where:
(1) A crowed and still crowding planet is putting ever increasing pressures on renewable, not-so-renewable, and non-renewable resources, and
(2) The ever increasing consumption and associated toxic foot-prints of the top of the population pyramid is having a continuous cascading catch-up effects to successive bottom layers?
A. There must be a cap to both the factors. No rocket science! The 1st cap applicable to poor but biologically productive (population/countries); the 2nd cap to rich but biologically under-productive. Unless there is a trade/policy bargain between these two caps, I don’t see much voluntary progress towards a sustainable sustainability on a global scale.
Poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability require more than a technology fix and won’t be addressed by markets, as Sachs notes. Political action theoretically follows political will, which derives from the electorate (in democracies.) As we have seen however, part of the thinking and behavior of people with any degree of material affluence is a reliance on “experts,” business leaders and politicians…partly because these issues involve complex and dynamic systems most people aren’t educated to understand, and partly because “success” is often accompanied by a detachment from these “intractable, unsavory” matters. And so the circle goes round and round - politicians prioritize getting elected and claim there is little political will on these tough, transregional decisions, while citizens assume politicians are making everything alright. In the meantime, globalized business pursues profits, which as we know by now, often come at the cost of resources we all depend on to live healthfully (clean air, water, soils, biological diversity, etc.)
The rules of the game (survival or thriving) have changed, but most of us keep playing with assumptions, tools, and aspirations that keep us locked in this tail-chasing dilemma. Also, the rising costs and complexities of our outdated development model have the unfortunate effect of discouraging many from thinking differently, much less getting involved. Still, the planet holds us accountable whether we realize it or not… Perhaps the most effective approach is to hold up specific examples of projects that do make a difference, so that the various protagonists can see the benefits of changing our MO.
Human race is feeling dangers of the so called development, where there is always room for debate. Sustainable development in all the communities is being realized. Should it be the center of action? In democracies, there are a lot of political compulsions arising within the nations and between the nations that a large part of the resources is being allocated to the activities that are harmful to the concept of the sustainability. They are giving short political gains. Even people are mis-informed about the harms and benefits of such strategies. Five main areas for the sustainable develpoment noted by Dr. Sachs, requires strong political will by the Governments and other functionaries of civil society. Development may require different inputs for different communities and countries, but sustainablity of development and larger issues of environment protection are burning questions in front of the mankind, and they are going to be more critical in near future.
With all said, I agree that a change in the attitudes among the people of the earth being firs for making a real difference in moving the political machine into action. I can only speak for myself and the attitudes of my peers. I see so much wasted time and money spent on frivolous luxury items and not enough true earth saving practices. The time has come to unite the world on a global task to work together and put the earth and its inhabitants first. Disease and famine are ignorant byproducts of people not caring enough to help themselves and the world around them. I see it everyday right here in my own neighborhood. Ignorance abounds not because the technology dosen’t exsit. The only hope for the people is, for the intectuals to come up with easy enough ways for them to slide into these changes without even noticing. Good luck and thank you for trying.
I must thank Dr. Sachs for his enlightening view on global issues and for highlighting such a colossal mega-problem for just any one party or few parties to handle, much less solve. I think the root of the problems that humanity face today be it environmental degradation, climate change, poverty, chronic disease is a result of mankind adopting a secular approach to life, divorcing ourselves totally from the Creator and therefore to a sense of accountability of one’s action; by not believing in the next life and totally hogwashing the coming of the Day of Judgement. The Book of Final Revelation (the Quran) states;” Do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered.” (7:56) (The Message of the Quran ; Translation by Muhammad Assad) So the antidote of mankind’s seemingly perpetual malaise is to go back to just two fundamentals; belief in the One True God and belief in the Day of Judgement and read the Quran.
The problem I find with publications such as this, is that the author’s experience of both poverty and the cultures in which they exist are limited. It’s all well and good having social engineering theories on how to end poverty, but all previous attempts seem to have failed due to unforeseen environmental factors.
COMMENTS
BY oscar
ON June 9, 2010 12:16 PM
I want to thank Jeff Sachs, for giving us hope. There is too much cynicism, ignorance and despair everywhere, but you really help us to see the world in a far more encouraging way.
BY Stuart Scadron-Wattles
ON July 1, 2010 05:34 PM
Dr. Sachs has just described the sustainable development process that has been carried out in Central America for the last 25 years by Agros International
BY Harold Smith
ON July 1, 2010 10:43 PM
We won’t do anything, because there is no global we. We are completely overwhelmed by problems of our own making – which includes, above all, the destruction of us. Dr. Sachs seems to be correctly identifying our problems, while ignoring the main one – that people have ceased to exist, in the sense of people who are aware and in control – both key properties of human existence. We have no word to define what we are, but we seem to be hollow shells.
BY C Mahapatra
ON July 1, 2010 11:20 PM
Q. What can be the integrated planetary sustainable solutions in a scenario where:
(1) A crowed and still crowding planet is putting ever increasing pressures on renewable, not-so-renewable, and non-renewable resources, and
(2) The ever increasing consumption and associated toxic foot-prints of the top of the population pyramid is having a continuous cascading catch-up effects to successive bottom layers?
A. There must be a cap to both the factors. No rocket science! The 1st cap applicable to poor but biologically productive (population/countries); the 2nd cap to rich but biologically under-productive. Unless there is a trade/policy bargain between these two caps, I don’t see much voluntary progress towards a sustainable sustainability on a global scale.
BY Katie Ragazzi
ON July 2, 2010 11:41 AM
Poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability require more than a technology fix and won’t be addressed by markets, as Sachs notes. Political action theoretically follows political will, which derives from the electorate (in democracies.) As we have seen however, part of the thinking and behavior of people with any degree of material affluence is a reliance on “experts,” business leaders and politicians…partly because these issues involve complex and dynamic systems most people aren’t educated to understand, and partly because “success” is often accompanied by a detachment from these “intractable, unsavory” matters. And so the circle goes round and round - politicians prioritize getting elected and claim there is little political will on these tough, transregional decisions, while citizens assume politicians are making everything alright. In the meantime, globalized business pursues profits, which as we know by now, often come at the cost of resources we all depend on to live healthfully (clean air, water, soils, biological diversity, etc.)
The rules of the game (survival or thriving) have changed, but most of us keep playing with assumptions, tools, and aspirations that keep us locked in this tail-chasing dilemma. Also, the rising costs and complexities of our outdated development model have the unfortunate effect of discouraging many from thinking differently, much less getting involved. Still, the planet holds us accountable whether we realize it or not… Perhaps the most effective approach is to hold up specific examples of projects that do make a difference, so that the various protagonists can see the benefits of changing our MO.
BY Mahesh Bhatt
ON July 5, 2010 08:33 AM
Human race is feeling dangers of the so called development, where there is always room for debate. Sustainable development in all the communities is being realized. Should it be the center of action? In democracies, there are a lot of political compulsions arising within the nations and between the nations that a large part of the resources is being allocated to the activities that are harmful to the concept of the sustainability. They are giving short political gains. Even people are mis-informed about the harms and benefits of such strategies. Five main areas for the sustainable develpoment noted by Dr. Sachs, requires strong political will by the Governments and other functionaries of civil society. Development may require different inputs for different communities and countries, but sustainablity of development and larger issues of environment protection are burning questions in front of the mankind, and they are going to be more critical in near future.
BY Francesca Loy
ON July 29, 2010 08:13 AM
With all said, I agree that a change in the attitudes among the people of the earth being firs for making a real difference in moving the political machine into action. I can only speak for myself and the attitudes of my peers. I see so much wasted time and money spent on frivolous luxury items and not enough true earth saving practices. The time has come to unite the world on a global task to work together and put the earth and its inhabitants first. Disease and famine are ignorant byproducts of people not caring enough to help themselves and the world around them. I see it everyday right here in my own neighborhood. Ignorance abounds not because the technology dosen’t exsit. The only hope for the people is, for the intectuals to come up with easy enough ways for them to slide into these changes without even noticing. Good luck and thank you for trying.
BY Ishak
ON July 30, 2010 09:47 AM
I must thank Dr. Sachs for his enlightening view on global issues and for highlighting such a colossal mega-problem for just any one party or few parties to handle, much less solve. I think the root of the problems that humanity face today be it environmental degradation, climate change, poverty, chronic disease is a result of mankind adopting a secular approach to life, divorcing ourselves totally from the Creator and therefore to a sense of accountability of one’s action; by not believing in the next life and totally hogwashing the coming of the Day of Judgement. The Book of Final Revelation (the Quran) states;” Do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered.” (7:56) (The Message of the Quran ; Translation by Muhammad Assad) So the antidote of mankind’s seemingly perpetual malaise is to go back to just two fundamentals; belief in the One True God and belief in the Day of Judgement and read the Quran.
BY Mark
ON February 10, 2012 01:29 AM
The problem I find with publications such as this, is that the author’s experience of both poverty and the cultures in which they exist are limited. It’s all well and good having social engineering theories on how to end poverty, but all previous attempts seem to have failed due to unforeseen environmental factors.