The shifting of the earth planes to accommodate the amount of water that
increases from the melting of the icebergs results in tornadoes, cyclones, earth-
quakes, and tsunamis. Toxin released from industries causes air, water, and soil
pollution that hastens the extinction of certain species. Desertification and defor-
estation out of greed and ignorance are also the cause of more natural disasters,
such as mudslides and draught. Bacteria are more and more resistant to antibiotics.
Cross human and animal viruses appeared for thefirst time in this era. Though
genetically modified organisms or GMO products were developed to cope with
environmental problems, they may in the long run cause more disasters to human
beings who consume this kind of food.
Sustainable development, in the view of Beckerman ( 2003 : 7), has no clear
conceptual basis. In many scholars’views, sustainability concerns many aspects:
human rights, appropriate basic needs, a sound environment, considering the future
of the offspring, and income distribution. There is, as of yet, no good enough
measurable index according to economist Beckerman. This is the result of being
trapped in the modernization paradigm that postulates that every variable should be
quantified and measured. According to Beckerman, who cherishes economic
growth the most, energy shortages and the depletion of non-renewable resources,
extinction of certain kinds of animals, and dangers from climate change should not
be taken too seriously because he believes that there will be a kind of compensation
to balance out the loss in economic terms ( 2003 :9–41). This makes me think that
the most unsustainable element of development isour mind.
According to many Western scholars, sustainable development has four main
components: economic, environmental, cultural, and human. Without a good pro-
portion of these four elements, we will not be able to reach sustainability. Current
discourse on sustainable development involves sustainable yield, environmental
sustainability, sustainable society, and sustainable development. To elaborate,
Baker ( 2006 : 26) explains:
Sustainable yield means maintaining the regenerative capacity of natural systems—for
example, forests;
environmental sustainability: preservation of natural environment systems and processes, or
addressing environmental issue to maintain social institutions and processes;
sustainable society: living within boundaries established by ecological limits, but linked
with ideas of social equity and justice;
sustainable development: maintaining a positive process of social change.
From this view, we can see that sustainable development relies heavily on
humans who can design social change in a desirable direction; who could safeguard
the ecological balance; who could help prevent social justice from exploitation from
other human beings. Humans need to be trained to have the right attitude toward the
natural environment and conserve one’s own natural resources. That is what we call
“being educated.”P.A. Payutto, a renowned Thai Buddhist monk, proposes that
sustainable development in a Thai Buddhist perspective is comprised of three
components: economy, ecology, and evolvability. In his view, the middle way or
6.2 Globalization and Sustainable Development 91