Sustainable Development: An Analysis
Development refers to the progressive transformation of society, and the economy[footnoteRef:1]. Sustainable development is "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"[footnoteRef:2]. Some consider sustainable development an oxymoron, arguing that it is impossible to achieve development without causing harm to the environment through pollution[footnoteRef:3]. Fortunately, there is proof that a country could actually achieve development in a sustainable manner. This is only possible if social and environmental factors are integrated into the economic component of development[footnoteRef:4]. [1: The World Bank, "What is Sustainable Development?" The World Bank, http://www.worldbank.org/depweb/english/sd.html (accessed February 21, 2014).] [2: Ibid.] [3: Ibid.] [4: Ibid.]
Certification in the Developing World
Certification is one way through which sustainable development could be achieved[footnoteRef:5]. It seeks to ensure that companies all over the world comply with the international standards governing sustainable development[footnoteRef:6]. The developing world is, in my opinion, the greatest beneficiary of such certification. This is because although developing economies rely, to a great extent, on foreign direct investment, they are usually characterized by poorly developed and inefficient sustainability-governing national laws[footnoteRef:7]. Certification ensures that all companies operating in such economies meet certain standards, and prevents situations where foreign companies invest in a country, and then take advantage of loopholes in the national laws to pursue their own economic interests at the expense of the population's rights[footnoteRef:8]. [5: HREA, "Sustainable Development" Human rights Education Associates, http://www.hrea.org/index.php?base_id=166 (accessed February 21, 2014).] [6: Ibid.Ibid.] [7: ] [8: HREA, "Sustainable Development" Human rights Education Associates, http://www.hrea.org/index.php?base_id=166 (accessed February 21, 2014).]
Measuring Sustainable Standards
The measurement of sustainability standards is based on the economic, environmental, and social characteristics of the community in question[footnoteRef:9]. Take, for instance, the Turkana people of Kenya (a country in East Africa), who live around the recently-discovered oil mines that have attracted the interest of the entire world. These people lack proper housing, food, electricity, have very high illiteracy levels and mortality rates, and levels of activity that are probably too low to cause pollution. Sustainable development, in this case, would...
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