Sustainable Development:
Sustainable development is a concept that involves meeting
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs. It aims to achieve a balance between economic
development and the preservation of the environment. It is often visualized as
the intersection of three components: economic prosperity, social equity, and
environmental protection.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA):
EIA is a process of evaluating the likely environmental
impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related
socio-economic, cultural, and human-health impacts, both beneficial and
adverse. It is a tool used to inform decision-makers and the public about the
environmental implications of planned actions, and to suggest how adverse
effects can be mitigated.
The EIA process includes screening, scoping, impact
assessment, mitigation, reporting, review of the EIA report, decision making,
and monitoring and follow-up.
Environmental Morality:
Environmental morality refers to a system of moral and
ethical beliefs about the environment, which guide individual and collective
actions. It encompasses a range of views about the relationship between humans
and the natural world, and the responsibilities of humans to protect and
preserve the environment.
There are various philosophical perspectives in
environmental morality. For instance, anthropocentrism places human beings at
the center and values the environment for its usefulness to humans. In
contrast, biocentrism and ecocentrism extend moral consideration to all living
beings and ecosystems, respectively, and argue for the inherent value of nature
beyond its usefulness to humans.
Environmental morality shapes attitudes towards
sustainability, conservation, and environmental justice, and is a key factor in
individual and societal responses to environmental challenges.