Ecology: Biology of Interaction. VI-15. Sustainable Development

VI-15. Concept of Sustainable (Non-depleting) Development (in development) I think the philosophy of the type I believe in is useful in that it enables people to act energetically when they are not fully certain of the correctness of their actions. And I think no one should be certain of anything. If you are certain, you are probably wrong, because nothing in the world is worth certainty. So one should always view all one's beliefs with a certain degree of doubt. But one must also be able to act energetically despite these doubts. After all, that's what a general does when he plans a battle. He doesn't know what the enemy will do, but if he's a good general, he'll figure it out; if he's a bad general, he'll fail. But in practical life, you have to be guided by probabilities in your actions. And what I would expect from philosophy is that it should encourage people to act energetically without complete certainty. Bertrand Russell The necessity of changes in humanity's relationship with its environment, with the biosphere, has become not only an object of philosophical reflection but also a reason for practical activity of international structures. The International Commission on Environment and Development ("Brundtland Commission") presented the report "Our Common Future" in 1987. This forecast formulated the concept of sustainable development. This concept was adopted as a programmatic goal for humanity at the UN Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. This conference adopted a document called "Agenda 21." According to the adopted definition, sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In other words, sustainable development is the development of humanity that satisfies its needs without narrowing its capabilities (see also section 6.23). In 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the document "Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." According to this document, the following Sustainable Development Goals have been announced: Goal 1. No Poverty. Goal 2. Zero Hunger. Goal 3. Good Health and Well-being. Goal 4. Quality Education. Goal 5. Gender Equality. Goal 6. Clean Water and Sanitation. Goal 7. Affordable and Clean Energy. Goal 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth. Goal 9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Goal 10. Reduced Inequalities. Goal 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities. Goal 12. Responsible Consumption and Production. Goal 13. Climate Action. Goal 14. Life Below Water. Goal 15. Life on Land. Goal 16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Goal 17. Partnerships for the Goals. It is obvious, for example, that the rapid burning of fossil fuels does not align with the idea of sustainable development. So what should be done? To somehow limit humanity's current needs, for example, through agreements like the Kyoto Protocol. But are these measures insufficient? Unfortunately, today, the international community does not have the ability to ensure compliance even with such half-measures. Unfortunately, this example shows that perhaps humanity has not yet reached a stage where its development is guided by reason, rather than anachronistic motivations and group egoism. Unfortunately, the longer the start of the process of decisive changes is postponed, the more drastic these changes will have to be. What will they be like? Let's hope that our species will cope with the evolutionary challenge it faces, and each of us will have the opportunity to make a feasible contribution to it.