May 2006

What is industrial development?

Industrial policy can aim to incorporate economic, social and environmental objectives of the sustainable development, such as (1) to create an open, competitive, and stable global economy while strengthening capacity and competitiveness of developing countries; (2) to create productive and equitable employment that can help alleviate poverty and improve access to education and health care; and (3) to protect the natural environment through the efficient use of renewable and nonrenewable resources.

How has industrial development impacted sustainable development internationally?

On the international level, discovery of the ozone hole and heightened public awareness on the impacts of ozone-depleting gasses led the international community to coordinate and develop the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Successful adoption and implementation of the Protocol by the industries led to a significant reduction of the pollutant worldwide.

How has industrial development impacted sustainable development within the U.S.?

In the United States, rapid growth of the industry and increased employment opportunities contributed to an expansion in women's participation in the labor force. Enhanced economic power of women, and subsequently increased access to education and health has helped to make progress towards the elimination of gender inequality.

How has industrial development impacted youth?

Rapid industrial development in developing countries, especially those with which inadequate labor regulations regarding informal sector and child labor, has allowed some industries to exploit child labor. There are a significant number of under protected youth currently being exploited in unsafe working conditions with little wage.

Policy review for Industrial Development:

Industrial development is a pattern of development that balances a country's concerns for competitiveness, social development and environmental security. However, the management of policies regarding industrial development so far have focused on sustainable production rather than taking a critical approach on sustainable consumption. For example, policymakers and industrial leaders do not take into account the disposable economy mentality that exists within the U.S. industry.

Nevertheless, there have been efforts by governments and civil society have recognized the need for education and policy approaches to addressing the unsustainable of American consumption patterns. Ecological footprint tools for example, provide a tool for critical assessment of our own contributions to unsustainable development. .

It works by tracking how much carbon dioxide citizens of states or cities emit each year. Although ecological footprinting has been implemented only in California and Almada, Portugal, it is a great way to allow people to conserve energy and cut down on unnecessary consumption.

Case Study 1:

British Petroleum allows you to calculate your own personal ecological footprint on www.bp.com. Through studies, it was proven that higher income economies, such as the United States, have the largest per capita ecological footprint. This means that our level of personal consumption is extremely high, and the amount of fossil fuels that we emit needs to be greatly reduced. If we introduce these ideas in the realm of industrial development, it would shed some light on the necessity of greener means of production. It may also allow us to focus more on the necessity of arable land, and less on factories that merely lead to over production and over consumption.

Case Study 2:

The fair trade movement helps insert local industries into foreign markets, diversifying export products and developing economic capacity in developing countries. Fair trade’s contributions towards sustainable development have been profoundly seen in the world coffee market. The United States consumes one-fifth of all the world's coffee, making it the largest consumer in the world. But few Americans realize that agriculture workers in the coffee industry often toil in what can be described as "sweatshops in the fields." Many small coffee farmers receive prices for their coffee that are less than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt.

Fair Trade is a viable solution to this crisis, assuring consumers that the coffee we drink was purchased under fair conditions. To become Fair Trade certified, an importer must meet stringent international criteria; paying a minimum price per pound of $1.26, providing much needed credit to farmers, and providing technical assistance such as help transitioning to organic farming. Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education, and environmental stewardship.

By linking directly with markets, farmers in Fair Trade cooperatives are able to earn 3 to 5 times more than they would receive by selling their coffee through conventional mechanisms.

To learn more about Fair Trade and the student movement in the U.S. to promote it, visit the web site of the United Students for Fair Trade at http://www.usft.org.

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