HHD Unit 4 AOS 1 (Ch 9 & 10)

Sustainability

meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Pillars of sustainability

Social

Economic

Environmental

Economic sustainability

ensuring that average incomes in all countries are adequate to sustain a decent standard of living and continue to rise in line with inflation and living costs in the future

Ways economic sustainability can promote health and human development

-ensuring all people can earn a decent income

-increasing the capacity of governments to provide services and infrastructure

-ensuring children can stay in school

Considerations for achieving economic sustainability

-innovation and diversity of industries

-job creation

-economic growth

-trade

Innovation and diversity of industries

-low and middle income countries rely on agriculture which is dependent on weather patterns and global markets, which is unstable

-many established industries in high income countries undergoing significant change due to technological advancements such as robotics and automation, meaning new and innovative industries must be developed to ensure employment opportunities

Job creation/employment

-adequate employment opportunities allow people to earn a wage, avoid poverty and contribute to the country's economy.

-as world population grows, economic sustainability will provide employment opportunities.

Economic growth

-requires sustained GNI per capita to counter the impact of inflation, ensure governments can provide services, infrastructure and developments

Trade

-to keep prices low in high income countries, producers in low and middle income countries have traditionally been paid less than what their products are worth.

-unfair trading model has made it difficult for lower income countries to promote their economy and reduce poverty.

-fair trade is about achieving greater opportunities for international trade, decent working conditions and fair prices for producers in low and middle income countries

Social sustainability

creating an equitable society where all people can access social resources, both now and into the future.

Social sustainability is to ensure that all people:

-have their human rights upheld

-can participate in the society in which they live, including establishing and maintaining community connections

-can participate in the decisions that affect their lives, including political empowerment

-experience equal access to social resources such as education and healthcare

Considerations for achieving social sustainability

-promoting equality through the elimination of poverty and the provision of social protection systems

-gender equality

-access to safe and decent working conditions

-promotion of political and legal rights

-peace and security

Social protection

assistance provided by governments to vulnerable people to meet basic needs such as income, food and housing

Promoting equality through the elimination of poverty and the provision of social protection systems

-unequal access to financial resources

-provide access to essential resources such as housing, food and basic healthcare for a decent standard of living

-absence of social protection systems drives vulnerable groups further into poverty

Gender equality

-women and girls must be able to access the same opportunities as men and boys in relation to education, employment

-more educated people working productively, promoting economic sustainability

-elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls

Access to safe and decent working conditions

-ensure that all people can access meaningful employment.

-see an end to child labour and forced and unsafe conditions and assist in reducing poverty, benefitting health and wellbeing (socialising, education etc)

Promotion of political and legal rights

-opportunities available in a society must be equitable for all people. Minorities are often under-represented in governments, and often do not have their rights upheld.

-specific groups not adequately represented in government, policies are less likely to be developed that promote awareness and action towards issues, which makes it difficult to break the cycle of poverty and achieve social sustainability.

-laws can be developed to protect the citizens' human rights by making discriminatory acts illegal.

-Unfortunately, many groups are still not adequately protected under the law of the country in which they live.

Peace and security

-a peaceful environment and society are essential for promoting optimal health and wellbeing. On the other hand, when a country is in conflict, its level of health and wellbeing may be significantly lower than in times of peace.

During times of peace and security, besides the obvious reduction of death and injury from the conflict, there are a range of associated effects on health and wellbeing for all members of society

Environmental sustainability

ensuring the natural environment is used in a way that will preserve resources into the future

Considerations for achieving environmental sustainability

-biodiversity

-use of natural resources

-waste removal and pollution

-climate change

Biodiversity (definition)

the variety of different plants, animals and microorganisms, their genes and ecosystems of which they are a part.

Biodiversity

-provision of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide

-protection of water resources

-soil formation, including nutrient storage and recycling

-nourishment of plants and animals that are used for food

-wood products used for building, heat and cooking

-fibres used for clothing

-resources used for medicine

-opportunities for recreation and tourism

-balanced ecosystems with species (eg. bees pollinating plants)

Use of natural resources

-the manner in which natural resources are used must be considered to ensure sustainable biodiversity

-allows future generations to be able to earn an income by utilising natural resources

-preserves natural environments that people may value for cultural reasons (spiritual hwb)

Sustainable energy production can increase hwb by:

-children able to complete homework in artificial light, increasing ability to escape poverty

-hospitals can function effectively and people can receive treatment for many conditions

-future generations can access transport systems, maintaining social connections

-less reliance on fossil fuels will reduce smoke and fumes from these sources, reducing respiratory conditions

Renewable resources

resources that are replenished naturally and over a relatively short period; includes crops, water, oxygen, forests and fish stocks

Non-renewable resources

resources that are not replenished in a short period, so once they are used they are not available for future generations; includes coal, natural gas, petroleum and nuclear substances

Adequate waste removal and maintaining environmental purity benefits health and human development by:

-ensuring sustainable access to clean water

-reducing the risk of disease

-providing nutrient rich soil

Ensuring climate change is minimised is vital for promoting health and human development for a number of reasons:

-reduce the rate and severity of natural disasters, reducing injuries and deaths.

-sea levels will not continue to rise, preventing displacement from low-lying areas

-incidence of communicable diseases will decrease (environmental conditions prevent spread)

-ecosystems can be maintained if temperatures do not continue to rise, providing resources essential for human survival.

Relationship between 3 dimensions of sustainability

The 3 dimensions are related, and impact each other. Failure to consider one dimension will affect the others.

In many ways, the environmental aspect of sustainability is considered the largest dimension of sustainability because social and economic sustainability depend on it. Without access to natural resources, humans cannot survive, let alone earn an income.

Global trends

patterns of social, environmental and economic activity that affect many countries and require action to be taken at a global level.

Global trends include:

- Climate change

- Conflict

- Mass migration

- Increased world trade (global distribution and marketing of tobacco products, e-cigarette products and processed foods)

- Tourism

- Digital technologies

Climate change

about long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns

The increase in the earth's temperature has many consequences such as (3 components of climate change):

-rising sea levels

-changing weather patterns

-more intense and frequent extreme weather events

Impact of rising sea levels

-forced relocation of people living in coastal areas

-reduction in the availability of fresh water

-reduced availability of food

-changes in biodiversity

Relocation of people living in coastal areas

-lose villages and farms due to flooding

-low and middle income countries have greater impact as they don't have resources to put preventative measures in place

Less availability of fresh water

-sea levels rising cause salt water to gradually seep into fresh underground water sources (aquifers and freshwater springs)

-costly to build and maintain distillation plants

Reduced ability to grow foods

-Salt water is unsuitable for many trees, plants and crops, meaning they may not be able to be grown in low lying areas.

-Ocean warming causes acidity which affects marine life, such as fish and seafood.

Changes in biodiversity

-important for keeping resources such as water and soil health and capable.

-helps ensure a sustainable food and medicine supply

-rising sea levels and salinity have the potential to disrupt ecosystems and threaten many of the systems that sustain life.

double burden of disease

when conditions associated with both poverty and wealth, such as undernutrition and obesity, exist side by side in one community

Climate change impact on health status

-increase burden of disease of various conditions (eg. malnutrition, respiratory problems, malaria, asthma)

-increase extreme weather events increase mortality and injury

-increased greenhouse gases increase air pollution and prevalence of respiratory diseases

-salinity prevents food growth and contributes to malnutrition (especially infant and under 5)

-higher morbidity from waterborne diseases

Climate change impact on hwb

-Relocation due to rising sea levels causes stress and interferes with existing social networks (decreased mental hwb)

-increased grief and distress from losing family/friends and homes due to extreme weather events (emotional hwb)

-children may be not able to attend school and develop relationships (social hwb)

-loss of job and disconnection from community can cause loss of sense of belonging (spiritual hwb)

-less availability of fresh water and food will increase hunger and poor immune functioning (physical hwb)

Climate change impact on human development

-unable to live a long and healthy life due to illness and disease

-interrupts schooling for children and employment for adults

-reduces access to resources such as food, water and shelter

-increases levels of poverty

-increases gender inequality

-reduces people's ability to make decisions that affect their own lives

-disrupts communities reducing opportunities to participate in community life

Conflict

when a group of people or countries do not get along, and have disagreements or disputes that can increase the likelihood of violence and disruption of peace and harmony

displaced people

those who are forced to leave their home because of war or persecution

Mass migration

the movement of large groups of people from one geographical area to another in response to a crisis.

It occurs when large numbers of people are forced to leave their homes due to a crisis such as conflict, persecution, violations of their human rights and issues relating to climate change.

Conflict impact on health status

-burden of disease (injuries) increased in young and adult males enlisted in the military

-conditions such as childbirth are left untreated in times of conflict (increase maternal mortality)

-governments invest resources into defence rather than health, education etc, decreasing health status.

-landmines laid during conflict can cause death/injury many years after.

Conflict impact on hwb

-injuries and limited access to essential resources due to destruction can increase disease and illness

-breaks down social networks, destroys families and communities and causes grief (mental, emotional and social)

-rape, sexual assault, trafficking etc of women increase during conflict

Conflict impact on human development

-destroy people's human rights

-victimisation and discrimination (often women)

-disempowerment and disconnectedness

-reduced access to education and resources (infrastructure destruction)

-cycle of poverty

Mass migration impact on health status

-generally associated with poorer health status

-crowding and unclean conditions can increase infectious diseases (especially older, or infants/children)

-women and children can suffer gender based violence and child abuse

-high BOD of depression, anxiety, PTSD and other stress disorders

Mass migration impact on hwb

Physical:

-lack of safe water, food, shelter

-violence

-infectious disease

Mental:

-trauma

-anxiety and depression

-fear of persecution

-loss of identity

Emotional:

-fear, loss and grief

-loss of pride and resilience

-inability to process emotions

Spiritual:

-disconnection from communities

-loss of sense of belonging

-feeling hopeless

Social:

-social exclusion and discrimination

-disconnection from family and friends

Mass migration impact on human development

-disruption of formal education

-lack security and denied basic human rights

-countries who open borders to migrants may increase stress on resources such as healthcare

globalisation

the process in which boundaries between countries are reduced or eliminated allowing individuals, groups and companies to act on a global scale; a reduction in barriers to trade, communication and transport contributes to this process. It can be described as transforming the different societies of the world into one global society.

Tobacco impact on health status

-mortality

-foetal growth and development issues (eg. LBW)

-asthma

-cardiovascular and respiratory diseases

Tobacco impact on hwb

-healthcare costs can cause family to fall into poverty (inability to afford resources)

-weakened immune system

-shame (emotional) can cause disconnection from community (social and spiritual)

Tobacco impact on human development

-prioritising funds for tobacco over education or nutritious foods

-human right of access to clean air is not upheld for second-hand smokers

E-cigarette impact on health status

-increase inc. and prev. of CVD, cancer (lung), diseases of nervous and respiratory system

-poisoning, anxiety and depression

E-cigarette impact on hwb

-affect functioning of main organs in the body (lungs and heart)

-harm to brain development and cause learning difficulties

-can provide social network, or cause conflict within a social group

-addiction can lead to feelings of guilt and shame (emotional)

E-cigarette impact on human development

-long term affects not fully known but could likely affect ability to live long and healthy lives

-low income using vapes can cause reduced access to essential resources

ultra processed foods

highly processed foods, usually containing cheap ingredients and many artificial additives. They contain high levels of salt, fat and refined sugars.

Processed foods

relate to any food items that have been deliberately changed before being made available to eat.

Processed foods impact on health status

-increase in obesity and associated conditions

-many middle and some low income countries suffer double burden of disease, where they experience conditions associated with under and over nutrition simultaneously.

Processed foods impact on hwb

-chronic diseases affect the functioning of the organs in the body

- find it harder to exercise, become physically fit and maintain muscle tone. This can contribute to sleeping issues such as sleep apnoea and fatigue.

-obesity can lead to lower levels of self-esteem and confidence, increased level of anxiety and stress about illness

-embarrassment

-social networks can also be reduced if people are unwell

Processed foods impact on human development

-chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes may impact on their ability to lead long and healthy lives or standard of living

-High levels of noncommunicable diseases in high-income countries due to the over-consumption of processed foods adds additional pressure on healthcare systems and increases the level of funding that is needed to meet the health needs of the population, which can reduce the level of human development.

Tourism

refers to the activities that people get involved in when they travel to and stay in places where they do not normally live. It includes visiting tourist attractions, engaging in cultural experiences, exploring new places, and participating in activities specific to where they are staying.

Economic advantages of tourism

-developing and promotes jobs for local people and improves living standards

-Improves economic growth

-contributes taxes that can be used to improve infrastructure such as water supplies, telecommunications and rail improvements

Social advantages of tourism

-promotes local culture and products

-contributes to social inclusiveness, with almost twice as many women than men employed in the tourism sector

-provide incentives to invest in education and training

-breaking down barriers that exist between cultures and provides opportunities to build trust and peace

-increase understanding of and appreciation for other countries' cultures

-preserves cultural values and diversity, and raises awareness of the value of heritage

Environmental advantages of tourism

-can promote environmental protection, as tourism is effective in raising money for the conservation of wildlife and the environment.

-a way of protecting and restoring biodiversity

Disadvantages of tourism

-pressure on local infrastructure and services

-increased global emissions

-spreading of diseases between countries

-environmental risks

Tourism impact on health status

money generated can be used to:

-provide affordable healthcare services so children can be vaccinated, have regular medical check-ups and get medical treatment when needed. (decreases infant and under-5 mortality rates)

-pregnant women will be able to be monitored throughout their pregnancy and have their baby delivered by trained healthcare workers, reducing maternal mortality rates. -improving infrastructure will help reduce the burden of disease associated with communicable and respiratory diseases

-support girls' education

-increased incidence of infectious diseases such as COVID-19

Tourism impact on hwb

Economic growth can allow earn an income to purchase food, water, clothing, shelter and health care and school.

-preserves cultural values, diversity, heritage and traditional values and customs, that empower communities and foster pride (emotional and spiritual) -diseases spread as a result of tourism

Tourism impact on human development

- more women are employed in the tourism sector which increases female empowerment and gender equality

-incentives to invest in education and vocational training. This helps develop people's knowledge and skills, which expands their capabilities

-promotes cultural diversity and raises awareness of the value of heritage which promotes the participation of all people in decision-making processes such as voting.

-responsible for lifting many countries out of poverty and provides opportunities for governments to invest in health care, welfare and infrastructure.

-more income, people have more choices and resources

digital health technologies

the use of digital tools, platforms and devices in health care

digital health technologies include:

-wearable health devices such as smart watches, which can monitor vital health signs and other health indicators

-telehealth services

-mobile health apps

-artificial intelligence

-robotics

-digital health platforms.

concerns about the use of technology to deliver health care:

-difficult to navigate, which may isolate some people.

-ability of healthcare providers to properly diagnose and treat conditions without a physical examination.

-personal health data that is collected is sensitive and must be stored safely and securely. These systems are not always in place, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Digital technologies impact on health status

-increase access to health care, particularly for those in rural and remote communities. This means people do not have to take time off work to travel to larger centres to get health care.

-Symptoms of ill health may be treated more quickly decreasing prevalence and mortality

-improve the efficiency and sustainability of healthcare systems by reducing healthcare costs

-reduce waiting lists in hospitals, which can help reduce the burden of disease.

-improve health promotion and disease prevention by using digital platforms to communicate key health promotion messages and reminders about medical screenings.

-help track patients' vital signs and behaviours, allowing for early detection of potential health issues and timely interventions.

-procedures are less invasive, which means recovery time is shorter and there is less chance of infections.

Digital technologies impact on hwb

-empower people to be actively engaged in their own health. more informed and have the tools to self-manage.

-increase social networks and reducing social isolation

-older people will be able to remain at home for longer because digital technologies can be used to monitor their hwb remotely (which can reduce their stress)

-can create problems with addiction. This has led to poor sleep patterns and eye damage

-increasing incidence of hacking into people's bank accounts and social media accounts causes anxiety and stress.

-Issues regarding the safety of children and young people online, such as cyberbullying, pornography, sexting and sharing of personal information. Adults are also subject to harassment, with females often more likely to be targeted. Digital technologies can also be used to groom children and to radicalise people. (mental)

Digital technologies impact on human development

-improve health status and help people lead a long and healthy life and enjoy a decent standard of living. -Access to health care means less time off when they are ill, less income lost for families and fewer productivity losses for communities.

-Women often have the responsibility of caring for family members. The use of technology can help them feel empowered, which increases their confidence and helps promote gender equality.

-opportunities for people to be connected and involved in political decisions that affect their lives, their families' lives and those of their communities.

-has the capacity to reduce the level of human development, especially when sensitive data is shared and identities are stolen. This violates people's human rights.

The elements critical to human development

Lazy Lizards Always Hug Purple Penguins
-lead long and healthy lives
-lead productive and creative lives according to their needs and interests
-access to knowledge and expand their choices and capabilities
-have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living (such as housing and a reliable food and water supply)
-participate in the life of the community
-participate in the decisions that affect their lives

Human development

creating an environment in which people can develop to their full potential and lead productive, creative lives according to their needs and interests. It is about expanding people's choices and enhancing capabilities (the range of things people can be and do), having access to knowledge, health and a decent standard of living, and participating in the life of their community and decisions affecting their lives.
(adapted from the UN Development Programme, 1990).