The question of economic and social development has been a
constant theme of international debate since the 1950s. But, over
these years the objective of universal well-being remains
unfulfilled. In some respects it seems further away than ever. But
despite many mistakes and failed initiatives in the past, we can see
just as many signs of hope and some clear paths to a brighter
future. We need to rethink development, building upon what has
worked and rigorously rejecting failed approaches.
One lesson we have learned is that people must be at the centre of
development-not only in the traditional sense that people are the
engine of change, but also in the less-traditional sense of
development that puts people first. People are the critical factor in
development: firstly in terms of their numbers and the social,
health, economic and environmental consequences of their
actions; and secondly in terms of the decisions they make
concerning the size of their families and the way they live their
lives. People-centred development also means full community
participation at both decision-making and implementation levels.
A second lesson is that development must be sustainable and
environmentally sound. If economic development destroys the
earth's natural resource base in the process, it is self-defeating.
The other aspect of sustainable development is population growth;
the numbers of people must be in balance with the resources to
sustain them, or the whole system will collapse.
This paper is a systematic effort towards assessing the sustainable
consumption initiatives specifically recycling programs, energy
efficient living, and organic food systems in terms of what they
represent, what they may lead to, where they came from, and
whether they are or can be successful. The paper concludes with
some reflections on how sustainable consumption initiatives can
be made more effective using people centric approach
Real Time Impact Factor:
Pending
Author Name: Dr. Rashmi Tripathi
URL: View PDF
Keywords: Sustainable development, Sustainable consumption, People centred approach
ISSN: 2350-0557
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