Business and Sustainable Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business and Sustainable Development - Essay Example Thus, both government and business are faced with huge challenges of issues related to climate change and global warming across the globe. Changing climate and global warming Climate change broadly refers to drastic change in weather conditions that adversely impact the living conditions across the globe. The recent changes observed in the global climate have become a huge concern for the environmentalists. The last few years have seen long and hot summers in Australia and Europe. The rising of sea levels at alarming rate due to melting of Antarctica and arctic oceans and climate related disasters are few of the repercussions of using natural resources with little or no sense of responsibility. Pielke et al (2003) assert that climate change that causes extreme weather conditions and natural calamities is much greater in regions having poor infrastructure, huge populations etc. In the recent times, the huge damage to the coral reefs and their gradual decline has been a great concern t o the scientists. Wilkinson (2002) claims that about 30% of coral reefs are already seriously damaged and close to 60% may be lost by 2030. This is highly distressing because coral reefs are major facilitator of ecosystem services to the human societies. They contribute through industries like fisheries, coastal protection, building materials, new biochemical compounds, and tourism (Hoegh-Guldberg, et al, 2007). Thus, threat to their existence would not only have adverse impact on environment leading to climate change but would also have long term repercussions on the survival of human societies. Drivers of climate change Dyson (2005) says that economic development is correlated to the fossil energy – coal, oil and natural gas. The industrial revolution has been a catalyst to the exploitation of natural resources like coal, wood and other types of natural resources. The technological advancements and globalization has further accelerated the misuse of the same. The conservati on and preservation of natural resources become vital part of survival because they are important part of population dynamics as its sustenance depends on the available resources. Indeed, human threats to the environment incorporate significant factors that are intrinsic part of development process. Social scientists have contested that various drivers of climate change contribute towards sustenance of life forces and determine the characteristics of natural and managed system comprising of cryosphere, hydrology and water resources, marine and freshwater biological systems, terrestrial biological systems, agriculture and forestry etc. (Parmesan and Yohe, 2003; Thomas et al., 2004). Managed system broadly refers to systems that are dominated by considerable human input like agriculture, fisheries, health etc. Another important fact is that an unprecedented increase in population growth in the last quarter has introduced new challenges in its wake. While it has put great burden on the land resources, availability of the other natural resources like clean drinking water and fresh air have also been adversely impacted. Carbon emissions, green house effects etc. are also key factors that have direct impact on climate change leading to global warming and erratic weather schedule. Management