Critical Role of Sustainability Development Goals — SDGs

By Dr. Ajit Sabnis, Principal Consultant @ ASP-SDI, Sustainability Assessment Consultants

Introduction

The Built Environment casts a substantial impact on the natural environment and interacts with it in several ways. Throughout its life cycle — from the pre-construction phase to the deconstruction phase — the built environment consumes resources in the form of energy, water, and materials, and emits wastes that are detrimental to the natural environment and living species.

As estimated by past studies, human species will require another Earth by 2050 if the present rate of consumption of natural resources continues. A study by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 2002 reported that the Living Planet Index fell from 100 to 65, Earth's forest cover shrunk by 12%, freshwater biodiversity by 33%, and freshwater ecosystems by about 50% in one generation. The IGBP (2010) report observes that nearly 50% of available land surface has been transformed due to human intervention and global energy consumption increased by 84%. Demographic projections estimate population growth to touch 9 billion by 2050, aggravating existing problems such as resource depletion and global warming (UNEP, 2009).

Indian Scenario

India, with approximately 1,295 million people (2014), stands as the second most populous country in the world and must continuously address its infrastructure demands, including housing. The Indian Government promised housing for all by 2022, requiring approximately 20 million houses to be built in five years. As per the Indo-German consortium report, India consumes about 7% of total global material extraction — amounting to 4.6 billion metric tons — expected to reach 27 billion metric tons by 2050. Average material consumption per capita per annum is about 4.2 tons and likely to touch 9.6 tons by 2030.

Approximately 32% of India's total population lives in urban areas, projected to reach 50% by 2030. As per the UNEP (2011) report, 66 million urban households in 2010 are projected to double by 2050. Commercial building spaces are expected to swell from 200 million sqm (2009) to 890 million sqm by 2030. The Indian construction sector currently contributes about 22% of greenhouse gas emissions in India. High-rise buildings, driven by urbanisation and land constraints, offer optimum utilisation of land, energy, and natural resources. The Economic Survey of India (2015–16) indicates a shortage of about 20 million residential units, with economically weaker sections and lower income groups constituting 95% of urban housing shortage.

Challenges Galore

One of the most defining challenges of the 21st century is climate change. The rapidity of the climate change we are experiencing now has never happened in the last three lakh years. By 2100, we are projected to tip off from all planetary boundaries. We are already witnessing unprecedented events — melting of glaciers, ocean acidification, global warming, and changing season patterns.

To combat these challenges and draw up global mitigation goals, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were unanimously adopted by 193 Member economies of the United Nations in 2015, at COP 21, Paris.

International Commitment

At COP 21 (2015) in Paris, about 195 countries, including India, pledged to restrict global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030. Each country submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), containing strategies to achieve the sustainability goal.

Studies by the National Institute for Public Health and Environment, Netherlands (2010), show that worldwide demand for fossil and mineral resources continues to grow at a rapid pace. Use of raw materials by the built environment is directly proportional to natural resource consumption.

Sustainability Development Goals — SDGs

17 SDGs, dovetailed into 169 targets, address global challenges related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. Together, they provide a blueprint — the 2030 Agenda — for a better and more sustainable future for all. The Brundtland Commission (1983) defines sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

The SDGs replace the earlier Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 2000–2015), which drove measurable progress in poverty, water and sanitation, child mortality, maternal health, primary education, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

17 SDG Goals and Their Spheres

Social Sphere

• SDG 1 — No Poverty
• SDG 2 — Zero Hunger
• SDG 3 — Good Health and Well-Being
• SDG 4 — Quality Education
• SDG 5 — Gender Equality
• SDG 6 — Clean Water and Sanitation

Economic Sphere

• SDG 7 — Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 8 — Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 9 — Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• SDG 10 — Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities and Communities

Environmental Sphere

• SDG 12 — Sustainable Consumption and Production
• SDG 13 — Climate Action
• SDG 14 — Life Below Water
• SDG 15 — Life on Land

Peace and Partnership

• SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals

Civil Engineers, Built Environment and SDGs

Civil Engineers have a greater role to play, as they are able to contribute to achieving 6 SDGs across all four spheres. Goal No. 17, being general in character, is applicable to all 16 SDGs. All professionals directly or indirectly associated with the construction industry and infrastructure development — including manufacturing sectors — are involved to the extent of 42% of global GHG emissions, depletion of natural resources, and global warming.

Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 12 August 2020

Sustainability and COVID-19 Effect

The good news is that some temporary environmental correction has occurred due to the onset of the pandemic and lockdown. This pattern has been observed in the past — global disasters with major effects on the economy tend to drive a temporary decline in GHG emissions, only to bounce back immediately after. For instance, the 2008 economic recession saw a temporary dip in greenhouse gases. Current trends in China also confirm this pattern.

However, this reduction in GHG emissions will only prevent additional CO2 from being pumped into the atmosphere — it will not reduce the CO2 already accumulated. This is because CO2 stays in the atmosphere for a very long period (a few hundred years). In brief, Global Warming will still confront us even after this partial self-cleansing by nature. We can reduce its impact only if we continue to respect nature and follow the true principles of sustainability.

It is interesting to note that the USA, China, EU and UK together are responsible for about 55–60% of global GHG emissions (India contributes about 6.5%). These are the same countries most affected by COVID-19, with a mortality rate of about 80% of reported cases.

Sustainable and compassionate living is the only answer. As Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam very rightly defined it — sustainable living is our ability to draw a line between Greed and Need.

Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 12 April 2020

India's Fast-Growing Cities

Why the World Should Be Watching India's Fast-Growing Cities

The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) predicts that future increases in the world's urban population will be concentrated in just a few countries. India, China and Nigeria are together expected to account for 35% of the projected growth in the world's urban population until 2050. Of these three, the absolute growth in urban population is projected to be the highest in India. In terms of sheer numbers, the largest urban transformation of the 21st century is thus happening in India, and the Indian real estate and infrastructure industry is a key contributor to this growth.

India's real estate sector is expected to contribute 13% to the country's GDP by 2025 and reach a market size of $1 trillion by 2030. However, the environmental footprint of the Indian real estate industry is also mounting. Buildings in India account for:

• 40% of energy use
• 30% of raw material use
• 20% of water use
• 20% of land use
• 30% of solid waste generation
• 20% of water effluents

The sector is responsible for 24% of India's annual CO2 emissions, contributing to global warming and poor air quality. It is therefore critical that India adopts a holistic and sustainable approach to real estate development.

Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 1 June 2019

Civil Engineers as Nation Builders

Role of Civil Engineers as Nation Builders Towards a Sustainable Society

"Civil engineering is the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and physical sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with judgment to develop ways to utilize, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the progressive well-being of humanity in creating, improving, and protecting the environment, in providing facilities for community living, industry and transportation, and in providing structures for the use of humanity."

— American Society of Civil Engineers, 1961

From Newton's mechanistic world view to Einstein's theories of relativity, from ancient pyramids to modern engineering marvels, the pendulum of human life sways in the shadows of engineering minds. Today, the world is undergoing vast changes — technological revolution, population growth, and environmental concerns are creating unique challenges for civil engineers of every specialty. DSS (Decision Support System) and GIS (Geographical Information Systems) are becoming part of Civil Engineering design. Laser beams have replaced old survey instruments, space-age fabrics replace conventional RCC roofs, and robots manage smart buildings.

The Post-Independence Period

Post-independence India focused on economic policies to make the country self-sufficient, with stress on defence, infrastructure, and agriculture. The Green Revolution of the mid-1960s initiated new irrigation projects. Economic reforms in the 1990s introduced liberalisation, encouraging FDI and the growth of the service sector.

Construction sector development has been in focus over the last two decades, spanning highways, roads, ports, railways, airports, power systems, irrigation, telecommunication, hospitals, schools, townships, water supply, and sewerage — making it the basic input for socio-economic development.

Civil Engineer with a New Shift — The Future

The ever-increasing human demands will eventually be translated into engineering skills. The role of a Civil Engineer as the vital energy gets manifested in transforming imaginations from 2D to 3D existences through stress-force-bending moment analysis — within the framework of affordability, without compromising on quality, aesthetics, and time.

Future Civil Engineers must demonstrate the following abilities in addition to conventional knowledge:

• An ability to integrate knowledge of other sciences
• An ability to communicate effectively
• An ability to design a system, component or process to meet desired needs
• An ability to understand techniques, skills, and modern tools necessary for engineering practice
• An ability to strike a balance between physical and emotional needs and demands
• A clear understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
• Knowledge of Project Management and Asset Management
• An ability to adapt to advanced construction technologies and methodologies
• An ability to understand the value of life and apply it in terms of disaster management
• An ability to look beyond their generation and work towards establishing a sustainable future society

In conclusion, Civil Engineers have a tremendous responsibility on their shoulders in developing a nation in which all the needs and demands of human existence are met, and an optimum level of comfort and ambiance is provided for sustenance.

Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 17 December 2018

True Sustainability

Holistic Approach in Understanding True Sustainability

By Dr. Ajit Sabnis

Preamble

Sustainability, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Society, Eco-friendly communities, Global Warming, Climate Change — these are modern-day buzzwords used by professionals and the general public alike. In most cases, the understanding of true sustainability has a very limited bandwidth. Till the beginning of the 18th century, natural resources and the environment remained largely unaltered. The Industrial Revolution changed all that, with western countries consuming natural resources in the pursuit of infrastructure and better lifestyles — a pattern followed globally ever since.

The Complexity

Sustainability as a phenomenon is very complex, and no one can actually claim to have understood it in its entirety. It is considered one of the Big Questions by the scientific community.

The Definition

Sustainability has different definitions in different contexts:

• Forestry context: Harvesting trees and forest products at a rate that does not exceed the capacity of the forest to regenerate itself.
• Urban planning context: Managing growth within the capacity of infrastructure to service the population.
• Dr. Abdul Kalam: Sustainability is the line between Need and Greed.
• United Nations: Development that meets the needs of our generation without compromising the needs of future generations.
• Recent studies: True Sustainability is establishing harmony with Nature and the Environment it provides.

India's Position

India, after agriculture and industrial revolutions, focused on infrastructure development and remains a developing economy largely due to uncontrolled population growth. Global GHG emissions by the USA, China, and EU together amount to 56%, while India contributes only 6.5%. Yet, developing nations face pressure from developed nations to control their growth patterns — even as they look to the West for sustainable solutions, having forgotten their own ancient wisdom and sustainable practices.

Why the Big Concern?

In the name of materialistic development, especially since the beginning of the 19th century, Planet Earth has been brought to the brink of disaster. The three major challenges we now face head-on are:

• Global Warming: The average global temperature is increasing rapidly due to emission and accumulation of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
• Climate Change: Long-term effects impacting seasons, health, migratory patterns, ocean acidity, and acid rains. Polar Amplification causes ice caps to melt, exposing underlying rocks that absorb and reflect more heat.
• Natural Resource Depletion: Unscrupulous use of natural resources, with no sign of relenting.

Conventional Sustainable Society

Establishing a sustainable society traditionally called for integrating three fundamental spheres — the Social, the Cultural, and the Economic. As environmental concerns grew critical, a fourth sphere — the Environment — was added. This too proved inadequate. Unless an individual wilfully and ethically participates in achieving the Sustainability Development Goals, establishing a sustainable society is not possible. Hence a fifth sphere of ethics (Spiritual) was included.

Science–Spirituality Convergence

These five spheres — Physical, Vital, Mental, Spiritual, and Psychic — represent the development of a society as described by Sri Aurobindo. Only when these five spheres integrate harmoniously can a true sustainable society emerge. Science and Spirituality are converging. Sri Aurobindo and Einstein both extensively delved on the same subject of Matter and Energy, almost simultaneously. The advent of quantum physics and several physicists leaning towards the philosophy of Shankara to answer Big Questions stand as testimony to this convergence.

Identification with Nature — The Only Way Forward

In creating a sustainable society, we have consistently ignored one fundamental aspect: our identification with nature — becoming one with nature. In reality, Spirituality and Sustainability go hand in hand; one cannot proceed without the other. Sustainability is an attitude, a way of life. A spiritual person cares deeply about people, animals, plants, the oceans, and the entire planet — knowing that we are all One. Conversely, living in a conscious, sustainable manner promotes spiritual growth. Spiritual practice soon reveals the truth: I am a part of the Whole. If I fail to preserve the latter, I fail to preserve myself.

The Indian Concept of Sustainability

The concept of Sustainability is not new to India. Since time immemorial, Indians have lived respecting nature. The essence of Indian philosophy is founded on the very concept of oneness — Prakruthi and Purusha as two facets of the same Absolute. We have always revered our planet earth as Mother:

"Maata bhumihi, putroham pruthivya" — Earth is my Mother, I am her son.

"Samudra vasane devi, Parvatsya Stana mandale, Vishnu patni namastubhayahm, Padasparsham Kshmaswame" — O! Mother Earth, pardon me as I touch you with my feet.

"Sarve Janaha Sukhino Bhavantu" — May all beings be happy.

As Sri Aurobindo puts it, every society passes through different stages in the evolutionary process — the Symbolic age, the Conventional, the Individualistic, the age of Objectivism, and finally the Spiritualised Society. We are presently in the age of Objectivism, where reason, logic, and half-truth mental perceptions dominate. We need to rise above this stage.

Sri Aurobindo's triple transformation formula — Psychicisation (looking within), Spiritualisation (finding All in One and One in All), and Supramentalisation (realising the supramental truth) — describes our journey from one state of consciousness to a higher one. Sustainable living is then just a byproduct of our spiritual journey in the Evolutionary Process.

Conclusion

There is no inherent disorder or evil in the universe. Such evil and disorder come into creation through our ignorance. The present environmental crisis is one such thing. True Sustainable Development calls for conservation and preservation of natural resources and the environment. This requires a paradigm shift from our present self-gain mindset to a sustainable mindset. True sustainability is probably the first step towards establishing a spiritualised society — and that is our aim too. Let us work towards it individually and collectively. The time has come to find reconciliation between all subjects and anti-subjects.

Posted by Dr. Ajit Sabnis — 4 December 2018