**5. Dimensions of sustainable development**

Sustainable development is essentially about improving quality of life in a way that can be sustained, economically and environmentally, over the long term supported by the institutional structure of the country (Adams, 2006; Chambers et al, 2000).

Scheme of sustainable development: at the confluence of three constituent parts

**ENV10:** Ratio of solid radioactive waste awaiting disposal to total generated solid

Sustainable development is essentially about improving quality of life in a way that can be sustained, economically and environmentally, over the long term supported by the

**ENV8:** Ratio of solid waste properly disposed of to total generated solid waste

Amount of radioactive waste (cumulative for a selected period of time)

institutional structure of the country (Adams, 2006; Chambers et al, 2000).

Scheme of sustainable development: at the confluence of three constituent parts

**ENV9:** Ratio of solid radioactive waste to units of energy produced

Amount of solid waste properly disposed of

Amount of radioactive waste awaiting disposal

**5. Dimensions of sustainable development** 

Total amount of solid waste

Total volume of radioactive waste

Energy produced

radioactive waste

**Social dimension:-** Availability of energy has a direct impact on poverty, employment opportunities, demographic transition, pollution and health. Social equity is one of the principal values underlying sustainable development, involving the degree of fairness and inclusiveness with which energy resources are distributed, energy systems are made accessible and pricing schemes are formulated to ensure affordability. Energy should be available to all at a fair price.

The use of energy should not damage human health, but rather should improve it by improving conditions. Yet the production of non renewable has the potential to cause injury or disease through pollution generation or accidents. A social goal is to reduce or eliminate these negative impacts. The health indicators have the sub theme of safety, which covers accident fatalities caused by the extraction, conversion, transmission / distribution and use of energy. Oil rigs and particularly coal mines are subjected to accidents that injure, main or kill people. Oil refineries and power stations may release emissions into the air that cause lung or respiratory diseases.

**Economic dimension:-** Modern economics depend on a reliable and adequate energy supply, and developing countries need to secure this as a prerequisite for industrialization. All sectors of the economy – residential, commercial, transport, service and agriculture demand modern energy services. These services in turn foster economic and social development at the local level by raising productivity and enabling local income generation. Energy supply affects jobs, productivity and development.

The prices of end-use energy by fuel and sector have obvious economic importance. Efficient energy pricing is a key to efficient energy supply and use and socially efficient levels of pollution abatement.

Addressing energy security is one of the major objectives in the sustainable development criteria of many countries. Interruptions of energy supply can cause serious financial and economic issues. To support the goals of sustainable development, energy must be available at all times, in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices. Secure energy supplies are essential to maintain economic activities and providing reliable energy services to society.

**Environmental dimension:-** The production, distribution and use of energy create pressures on the environment in the household, workplace and city and at the national, regional and global levels. The environmental impacts can depend greatly on how energy is produced and used, the fuel mix, the structure of the energy systems and related energy regulatory actions and pricing structure. Gaseous emissions from the burning of fossil fuels pollute the atmosphere. Large hydropower dams cause silting. Both the coal and nuclear fuel cycles emit some radiation and generate waste. And gathering firewood can lead to deforestation and desertification Daly & Cobb, 1990; Hilgenkamp, 2005).

Water and land quality are important sub-themes of the environmental dimensions. Land is more than just physical space and surface topography; it is in itself an important natural resource, consisting of soil and water essential for growing food and providing habitat for diverse plant and animal communities. Non – renewable energy activities may result in land degradation and acidification that affect the quality of water and agricultural productivity.

Land is also affected by energy transformation processes that often produce solid wastes, including radioactive wastes, which require adequate disposal. Water quality is affected by the discharge of contaminants in liquid effluents from energy systems, particularly from the mining of non renewable energy resources, which is environmentally unsustainable (Daly & Cobb1990; Hilgenkamp, 2005).

Renewable Energy Use and Energy Efficiency – A Critical Tool for Sustainable Development 59

it a number of environmental problems, such as water and air pollution and the contamination of soils." Utilizing sustainable energy would then lead to the conservation of the environment which would eventually lead to a development which meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own

Adams, W.M. (2006). The future of sustainability: Rethinking environment and

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (2007). The twin pillars of sustainable

Arrow KJ, P. Dasgupta, L. Goulder, G Daily, PR Ehrlich, GM Heal, S Levin, K-G Maler, S

Associated Plasma Laboratory (LAP) (n.d.) *http://www.plasma.inpe.br* Accessed June June 24,

Barbier, E. (2007). *Natural Resources and Economic Development*, Cambridge University

Chambers N., C. Simmons & M. Wakernagel (2000). Sharing Nature's Interest: Ecological

Dasgupta, P. (2001). Human Well-Being and the Natural Environment. Oxford University

Daly H. & J.B. Cobb Jr (1990). For the Common Good, Green Print. The Merlin Press,

Fatona, P. Olugbenga (2009). Energy exploitation, utilization and its environmental effects –

H. Nash (Ed.) (1979). *The Energy Controversy: Soft Path Questions and Answers*, Friends of the

Hasna, A. M. (2007). "Dimensions of sustainability". *Journal of Engineering for Sustainable* 

Hilgenkamp, K. (2005). Environmental Health: Ecological Perspectives. London: Jones &

Jacobson, Mark Z. (2009). Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and

Krech, Shepard (2004). "Encyclopedia of World Environmental History: A-E".

Ott, K. (2003). "The Case for Strong Sustainability." In: Ott, K. & P. Thapa (eds.)

energy security. *Energy and environmental science* (Royal Society of Chemistry) 2:

(2003).*Greifswald's Environmental Ethics.* Greifswald: Steinbecker Verlag Ulrich

the choice to make and the decision to take. *Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry*,

Footprint as an Indicator of Sustainability. Earthscan, London.

*Development: Energy, Environment, and Health* 2 (1): 47–57.

development in the twenty-first century. Report of the IUCN renowned Thinkers

energy: Synergies betweenenergy efficiency and renewable energy technology and

Schneider, DA Starrett, B Walker. (2004). Are we consuming too much? *Journal of* 

needs. In other words, sustainable energy use leads to sustainable development.

**7. References** 

2011

Press

Press, Oxford.

91: 5, 1015-1019

Earth, San Francisco, CA.

London.

Bartlett.

Routledge.

148

Rose.

Meeting, 29-31 January 2006

*Economic Perspectives,* 18(3):147–172

policy report E074

Environmental sustainability is the process of making sure current processes of interaction with the environment are pursued with the idea of keeping the environment as pristine as naturally possible based on ideal-seeking behavior.


An "unsustainable situation" occurs when natural capital (the sum total of nature's resources) is used up faster than it can be replenished. Sustainability requires that human activity only uses nature's resources at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally (Barbier, 2007). Inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined with the concept of carrying capacity. Theoretically, the long-term result of environmental degradation is the inability to sustain human life. Such degradation on a global scale could imply extinction for humanity.
