Comments on: First Summary – Contributors Inputs http://www.buildingabetterasia.com/baba/2008/10/first-summary-contributors-inputs-5/ The Future Leader's Dialogue Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:14:45 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anupam Saraph http://www.buildingabetterasia.com/baba/2008/10/first-summary-contributors-inputs-5/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Anupam Saraph Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:27:00 +0000 http://www.buildingabetterasia.com/baba/2008/10/first-summary-contributors-inputs-5/#comment-7 I've had the privilege to work with Dana Meadows (see:http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/limits_to_growth:paperback/excerpt) and Malcolm Slesser (see:http://ekvitec.com/seminar02/malcolm.htm) for almost two decades.<br/><br/>Dana spared no effort to underline the challenges of managing systems that grow exponentially. A key generic learning about <i>limits to growth</i> from her: if a systems resource demand grows exponentially, there will be a point after which the growth of the system cannot be sustained.<br/><br/>Malcolm Slesser recognized the insights of Gorgescu Roegen that <i>energy</i> was the key resource for economic activity. Without energy no economic activity can happen. He developed ingenious ways to estimate the rate of growth of economies as well as to find ways to sustain it.<br/><br/>The state of todays world- its conflicts, economic successes and failures and the challenges before nations are a testimony of the insights of these two remarkable persons.<br/><br/>Sustainability, enduring economic activity, is an important prerequisite for development. I am not sure if the debate on <i>what is development</i> is settled even today. The multi trillion dollar debt ridden "developed" nations are borrowing from China in a dramatic reversal of roles. <br/><br/>Should the term Sustainable Development be revised? 20 plus years of use of this term, have we evolved the <i>practice</i> of sustainable development? I’ve had the privilege to work with Dana Meadows (see:http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/limits_to_growth:paperback/excerpt) and Malcolm Slesser (see:http://ekvitec.com/seminar02/malcolm.htm) for almost two decades.

Dana spared no effort to underline the challenges of managing systems that grow exponentially. A key generic learning about limits to growth from her: if a systems resource demand grows exponentially, there will be a point after which the growth of the system cannot be sustained.

Malcolm Slesser recognized the insights of Gorgescu Roegen that energy was the key resource for economic activity. Without energy no economic activity can happen. He developed ingenious ways to estimate the rate of growth of economies as well as to find ways to sustain it.

The state of todays world- its conflicts, economic successes and failures and the challenges before nations are a testimony of the insights of these two remarkable persons.

Sustainability, enduring economic activity, is an important prerequisite for development. I am not sure if the debate on what is development is settled even today. The multi trillion dollar debt ridden “developed” nations are borrowing from China in a dramatic reversal of roles.

Should the term Sustainable Development be revised? 20 plus years of use of this term, have we evolved the practice of sustainable development?

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