Sustainable development components

The relatively new field of industrial ecology provides a useful organizing framework for DEE (Lowe, 1993). Design for Environment (DEE) is the terminology for the third component of the LCA life-cycle improvement assessment. The principle of sustainable development suggests that companies or individuals should try both to minimize the consumption of virgin natural resources and to minimize the generation of waste material that has no productive use. 

On one hand, Responsible Care is seen as compliance focused and, while considered a component of sustainability, does not currently offer the platform for embracing all of the concepts of sustainability (focus groups above Sustain Ability, 2004). Responsible Care is viewed as a sector-specific collaborative initiative, whereas sustainability broadly encompasses issues of competitive positioning and business growth, which involve full engagement of internal and external stakeholders. Even as Responsible Care expands focus to include more sustainability parameters, it is not (seen as) sufficient to drive an overall sustainability program, performance, and the business value derived from sustainable development (Savitz, Chapter 8, Section 8.2). 

The leading sustainability companies in the chemical industry have made a public commitment to sustainable development despite the possibility that this commitment may result in extra scrutiny for those involved and present risks in terms of subsequent commercial and personal outcomes (Hemingway and Maclagan, 2004). This public commitment is a necessary component and antecedent to success in sustainable development. 

Zholdasova I (1999) Fish population as an ecosystem component and economic object in the Aral sea basin. Creeping environmental problems and sustainable development in the Aral sea basin. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 204-224... 

In a separate heading Social Component of Sustainable Development , Social responsibility YES... 

The Government s overall framework for policy on land contamination is set out in Annex 1 of DETR Circular 2/2000. Within the Government s overall objectives of achieving sustainable development, this policy approach has three essential components ... 

Sustainable development cannot be achieved without broad public participation in decision-making, a process which must overtake the publicity hype promulgated only too often by major corporations and indeed governments. Every citizen has a role to play in the creation of a sustainable future, and hence the means have to be found to allow people to voice their views, especially the growing number outside the current debating process. This needs to span the entire spectrum of institutions at international, national, and local levels. Knowledge and awareness are powerful components of active citizenship, and in order to achieve the fullest appreciation of chemical safety, there will need to be a partnership between teachers, communicators and scientists. 

The partnership model shown in Figure 12 has three major elements that lead to outcomes drivers, facilitators, and components. Drivers are compelling reasons to partner. Facilitators are supportive corporate environmental factors that enhance partnership growth and development. Components are joint activities and processes used to buUd and sustain the partnership. Outcomes reflect the performance of the partnership. 

Failure to properly account for, cost and value the environment and environment policy may lead to a wholly misleading understanding of society s wealth, it s income and it s real sustainable development potential. Policies which are designed to promote economic development are doomed to eventual failure if they do not include the environmental dimension as an integral component". 

A global systems-level study on sustainable transport has been developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development [3] and reports that although sustainable mobility can be achieved, it is beyond the capabilities of any one company, one industry, or one coimtry to resolve. The same statement could be made for contaminated sediments or any other component of the biospheric life support system. 

---