MCN 201 Sustainable Engineering

Module 1
Sustainability_ What does it mean???
❖DEFINITION
“Sustainability is the ability to achieve continuing economic
prosperity while protecting the natural systems of the planet and
providing a high quality of life for its people”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTamnlXbgqc
Did you know????
• Adopting sustainable practices, whether large or small, can
have significant impacts in the long run.

For eg : If every office worker in the United Kingdom used one less
staple a day by using a reusable paper clip, 120 tonnes of steel would
be saved in one year.
 CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY
• Mainly 3 components (3 pillars)
• Society
• Environment
• Economy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaSe85Mcwp0
This is how the 3 pillars work

⮚ Environment gives resources, raw materials to the Economy for

production activities.
⮚ Economy creates products and sells it to society for use.
• Production by Economy and Consumption by Society leads to the
many environmental impacts such as Exhaustion of Resources, Loss
of Biodiversity, Deforestation, Ozone Depletion, Global Warming,
Acid Deposition, Desertification, Eutrophication etc
These environmental impacts leads to the following
damages to human life.
• Fresh water scarcity
• Climate change
• Exposure to toxics in food, air, water and soil
• Emerging diseases
• Food insecurity resulting in poverty
• Energy scarcity due to depletion of non-renewable resources
• Ecosystem damage and habitat loss due to pollutant discharges
• Sea level rise
NEED OF SUSTAINABILITY
⮚ The need of is to reduce these damages and create a livable
planet earth for the future generations.
⮚ Forthis, UnitedNations presented the following key
sustainability concepts:-
(1) Inter- generational equity - Expects the present generation to hand
over a safe, healthy and resourceful environment to the future generation.
(2) Intra-generational equity -Emphasize the technological development
should support economic growth of the poorer section, so as to reduce the
gap between nations
SOCIAL- ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
SUSTAINABILITY CONCEPTS
1. SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
• Six principles
1. Maintain residents’ quality of life
2. Enhance local economic vitality
3. Promote social and intergenerational equity
4. Maintain the quality of the environment
5. Incorporate disaster resilience and mitigation into
its decisions and actions
6. Use a consensus-building, participatory process when making
decisions
2. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
• Environmental sustainability requires:
1. Maintenance of biodiversity (genes, species and ecosystems)
2. Protection of natural capital (air, water, soils etc)
3. Maintenance of the energy and material cycles of the planet
4. Health and resilience of all life support systems
3. ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
• The economic sustainability ensures that making profit without creating much
damage to environment
• Economic growth is expressed in terms of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP)
• GDP = Total amount of production produced within a nation, within one year
• Economic growth has to be sustainable, if it improves quality of human life
• Thus population factor must be included to ensure
fair resource consumption.
ECONOMIC-SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
MATRIX
Sustainable Development
• “Development that ,meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.” (The world commission of Environment 1987- Bruntland
Commission)
Features of Sustainable Development
⮚ Satisfying human needs
⮚ Favoring a good quality of life through decent living standards
⮚ Sharing resources between rich and poor
⮚ Acting with concern for future generations
⮚ Looking at the “cradle-to-grave” impact when consuming (Eg:
Consider the use of a 3rs pen, Cello Gripper and an Ink pen)
⮚ Minimizing resource use, waste and pollution
WHAT IS TO BE SUSTAINED? WHAT IS TO BE DEVELOPED?

Nature – Earth, Biodiversity, People – Child survival, Life

Ecosystems expectancy,
Education, Equity, Equal opportunity

Life support – Resources, Economy – Wealth, Production,

Environment Consumption

Community – Cultures, Places Society – Institutions, Social capital,

States, Regions
Measures of Sustainable Development/How
to achieve Sustainable Development
1. Technology
• Using appropriate technology - locally adaptable, eco- friendly, cost
effective, resource efficient and culturally suitable
• Nature is often taken as a model, using the natural conditions of that
region as its components. This concept is known as “design with
nature”

• https://youtu.be/620omdSZzBs
2. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Approach (3-R)
• The 3-R approach advocating minimization of resource use, using
them again and recycling of materials
• It reduces the pressure on our resources as well as reduces waste
generation and pollution
3. Promoting Environmental Education and Awareness
• Making environmental education the center of all learning process
• It will help in changing the thinking pattern and attitude of people
4. Resource Utilization as Per Carrying Capacity
• Any system can sustain a limited number of organisms on a long-term basis
which is known as its carrying capacity.
• If the carrying capacity of a system is crossed (say, by over exploitation of a
resource), environmental degradation starts.

5. Improving Quality of Life Including Social, Cultural

and Economic Dimensions
• Development should not focus just on one-section of already affluent people
• It should include sharing of benefits between the rich and the poor
• The tribal, ethnic people and their cultural heritage should also be conserved
Threats/challenges for Sustainability
• Accumulation and polarisation of wealth
• Economy is not steady
• Increased population – Increased emissions – Increased waste
production
• Migration pressure – for better facilities and education
• Change in land use patterns- loss in biodiversity
• Scarcity of natural resources
• Attitude of society
Nexus between Technology and Sustainable
Development
● Sustainable development is probably the most daunting challenge that
humanity has ever faced
● Achieving it requires fundamental issues be addressed immediately at
local, regional and global levels.
● Technological innovation can be seen as a “double edged sword”, with
respect to sustainable development.
● Technology improves quality of life, eliminate diseases and increase life
expectancy
● On the other hand, technology creates an irreparable environmental
damage due to resource extraction and pollution of environment
● Scientific knowledge and appropriate technologies are central to
resolving the economic, social and environmental problems making
current development paths unsustainable.
● The benefits of technological innovations are mostly enjoyed by the
developed countries
● The technology remains as a dream for underdeveloped countries
● Hence it is essential to integrate technology into sustainability

● https://youtu.be/_OubT2IzisE
What technology can do to help SD……??
⮚ Conserving natural capital (renewable and non-renewable
resources)
⮚ Reducing waste generation and pollution
⮚ Raising efficiency standards
⮚ Finding substitutes for toxic/hazardous materials
Technological Applications
1. Sustainable agricultural technology
Sustainable agriculture integrates three main goals-
environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity
Some of the common ways towards sustainable agriculture are:
o Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
o Cover crops
o Crop/ landscape diversity
o Nutrient management
o Agro-forestry
o Rotational Grazing
o Soil conservation
o Water quality/wetlands
2. Sustainable energy
Sustainable energy is the energy that, in its production or consumption, has
minimal negative impacts on human health and the healthy functioning of vital
ecological systems, including the global environment.
This can be achieved by using the following:
Renewable energy sources Energy efficient systems
Solar upgrading the efficiency of the existing equipment

Biomass reduction of energy loss

Wind saving of fuel

Tide optimization of its operating condition

Geothermal heat Service life

What are Multilateral Environmental
Agreements? (MEAs)
• They have a goal of environmental protection (sustainable
development)
• They take measures to remedy, mitigate or otherwise deal with
global
and/or regional environmental concerns;
Listing a few MEAs
• Global Environmental Summit in Stokholm,1972 - 26 principles regarding
environment and development. Human rights, natural resources, wildlife,
environmental education etc
• The Vienna Convention (1985) - Ozone depletion was the theme of
discussion. Framework was made to protect ozone layer
• Montreal Protocol (1987) -Montreal Protocol was developed from Vienna
Convention for the control of CFCs
• Earth Summit (1992)- Poverty, War and gap between industrialised and
developing countries were discussed
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
,1992 -to get solutions for stabilizing GHG concentrations to prevent
climate change.
• Kyoto Protocol - to reduce industrial emissions of GHGs. Signed in 1997,
but enforced in 2005
 Millennium Development Goals(MDGs)
• In September 2000, leaders of 189 countries gathered at the United Nations
headquarters and signed the historic Millennium Declaration
• To achieving a set of eight measurable goals that range from halving extreme
poverty and hunger to promoting gender equality and reducing child mortality, by
the target date of 2015.
• The MDGs were revolutionary in providing a common language to reach global
agreement.
• The 8 goals were realistic and easy to communicate, with a clear
measurement/monitoring mechanism.
• To monitor the progress, for MDGs there are 60 indicators
Millennium Development Goals(MDGs)
Millennium Development Goals

Goal 1 Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 2 Achieve universal primary education

Goal 3 Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4 Reduce child mortality

Goal 5 Improve maternal health

Goal 6 Combating HIV/AIDs, malaria, and other diseases

Goal 7 Ensure environmental Sustainability

Goal 8 Develop a global partnership for development

 Millennium Development Goals(MDGs)
• Substantial progress has been made regarding the MDGs.
• However, the achievements have been uneven.
• The MDGs are set to expire in 2015 and the discussion of a post-2015 agenda
continues.
• The focus is now on building a sustainable world where environmental
sustainability, social inclusion, and economic development are equally valued.
The Global Consultation of Sustainable
Development Goals

• The Rio+20 Conference (the United Nations Conference on Sustainable

Development) in Rio de Janeiro, June 2012, galvanized a process to develop a
new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• It will carry on the momentum generated by the MDGs and fit into a global
development framework beyond 2015.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• In July 2014, the UN General Assembly Open Working Group (OWG) proposed a
document containing 17 goals to be put forward for the General Assembly’s
approval in September 2015. This document set the ground for the new SDGs and
the global development agenda spanning from 2015-2030.
• The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with their 169 targets, form the
core of the 2030 Agenda.
• They balance the economic, social and ecological dimensions of sustainable
development, and place the fight against poverty and sustainable development on
the same agenda for the first time.
17 Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as proposed by the OWG
Goal 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities
for all
Goal 5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all
Goal 8 Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive
employment, and decent work for all
Goal 9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster
innovation
Goal 10 Reduce inequality within and among countries
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as proposed by the OWG
Goal 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable
development
Goal 15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage
forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice
for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable
development
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
• The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), established under the
Kyoto Protocol
• It is one of the most important internationally implemented market
based mechanisms to reduce carbon emissions
• CDM was designed to help developed nations meet domestic
greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction
• The GHG reduction was done by investing in low-cost emission
reduction projects in developing countries
• A mechanism that allows Annex B Countries to undertake GHG
emission reduction projects in non-annex B countries, and to use
the achieved emission reductions to meet their own emission goal.
• In CDM projects, the Annex B country fund the project and
provides any necessary know-how and technology transfer to the
non-annex B country where the project is implemented.
• CDM works because emission reductions are many times more
expensive to achieve in Annex B countries than in non-Annex B
countries (the opportunities for emission reduction are bigger
there).
• CDM generates offset through investments in GHG reduction
• These offset credits, called Certified Emission Reduction credits
(CERs), represent a reduction in one metric ton of carbon dioxide
(CO2) emitted to the atmosphere
Thank You all for listening