Environmental Management

In 1983, the United Nations (UN) established the World Commission on Environment and Development. This Commission resulted in the Brundtland Report, also called Our Common Future, published in 1987, which contained numerous findings and recommendations. This was the first time the concept of sustainable development appeared. This concept is defined as follows: 

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. 

Society meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This means we know that economic development shouldn’t create social or environmental issues. Economic development must take both criteria into consideration.

The environment, economy and society must be interdependent, in other words they depend on each other.

This diagram shows that in order for development to be considered sustainable, it must be viable, durable and equitable. It refers to development that ensures a healthy and comfortable environment, uses natural resources efficiently and is based on respect for others. So, it could be said that the values of sustainable development are based on economic efficiency, respect for the environment and social solidarity.

Environmental problems have been increasing steadily in recent decades and humans need to find solutions. No single person or group is responsible for protecting and improving the environment: it is a responsibility shared by all, including:

• international organizations

• companies and multinational corporations

• environmental groups

• states (governments of different countries)

• cities and municipalities

• citizens

International organizations, sometimes called intergovernmental organizations, are associations of governments, created through agreements between different nations. They have resources that facilitate cooperation between member states and the pursuit of a common goal. They can have various objectives, such as protecting education, culture or the environment.

Companies must comply with the environmental laws of the country in which they operate. However, due to a desire to increase productivity, reduce production costs and/or improve the company’s reputation due to public pressure, these companies can decide to adopt practices to reduce harmful effects on the environment.

These groups organize projects focusing on the environment and sustainability. They aim to take steps to create awareness campaigns to encourage governments and citizens to take real action. 

Some environmental groups are also made up of scientists and experts who conduct research and present their findings to citizens, governments or companies. They strive to increase awareness and understanding of environmental issues. Some environmental groups work on international projects while others act on a smaller, more local scale in neighbourhoods, districts or cities. 

It should be noted that these groups don’t fall under any government or international organization. In most cases, environmental groups are politically and financially independent from the government, so they have no obligation to that government and vice versa. A large number of environmental groups are non-governmental organizations (NGO).
 

Governments can impose regulations and new laws regarding the environment on polluting companies operating on their territory. Since they have financial means (money), they can finance the research and development of new products or environmentally friendly technologies.

In addition to the federal government, cities and municipalities also have the power to implement regulations. Initiatives and new projects implemented by cities and municipalities are important because the effects can be seen within the community right away. They’re also easier to implement because fewer residents are involved. For these reasons, citizens are often more interested in local projects than in provincial (Quebec government) or federal (Government of Canada) projects.

Citizens have the power to change their lifestyles by adjusting their level of consumption to avoid wasting resources and reduce pollution. They can also have a say in politics by voting for elected officials. 

People also have economic power by choosing whether or not to purchase certain products. Anyone can decide to boycott (stop buying) products from a certain company or products that contain ingredients that aren’t eco-friendly.
 

It may feel as though individual people have less power than governments or IO, but their influence shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s clear, though, that all the different parties involved must work together to achieve sustainable development.

The following personal actions might seem small, but they can have big impacts:

• sort waste and compost food waste

• reduce waste by buying in bulk

• walk, bike or use public transport

• buy sustainable and reusable products rather than disposable or low-quality products (for instance, pay a bit more for high-quality shoes that will last several years instead of paying less for shoes that need to be replaced after six months)

• turn off the faucet when not in use

• only run the dishwasher when full

• buy local products whenever possible

• recycle responsibly, with appropriate and clean materials

Cooperation between different collaborators is essential. Environmentalism is a global issue that transcends borders and impacts the entire planet, including the biodiversity of plants and animals, the ocean, freshwater, the atmosphere and more. These aspects of the environment are shared by all humankind. It’s up to everyone to protect the entire planet. One country’s environmental protection policy won’t have much impact, which is why everyone must do their part. This is also why it’s important for different governments to work together. This conclusion was reached by the various countries present at the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992).