Socially unsustainable development

Culturally unsustainable development

Nature

Development is socially unsustainable as long as people have inadequate control over their own lives and experience their community identity as being continually eroded. Development is culturally unsustainable as long as it is incompatible with the culture and values of the people affected by it as determined by their own participation in the development process.

One example of socially unsustainable development is the devastating effect the paper pulp industry is having upon the countries of the southern hemisphere. This industry, previously considered environmentally benign, is responsible for wide spread misery, destitution and destruction of local communities, their land and the forests around them, particularly in Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Indonesia, Thailand and South Africa.

Background

The significance of socially unsustainable development emerged in the late 20th century, as rapid economic growth and globalization exposed deepening social inequalities and community disintegration worldwide. Landmark reports, such as the 1987 Brundtland Commission’s “Our Common Future,” highlighted the neglect of social dimensions in development agendas. Since then, mounting evidence from urbanization, displacement, and social unrest has underscored the global prevalence and long-term risks of disregarding social sustainability in policy and practice.

Incidence

Socially unsustainable development is evident in numerous regions where rapid economic growth or urbanization has outpaced the capacity of social systems to adapt, resulting in increased inequality, displacement, and social unrest. This phenomenon is observed in both developed and developing countries, affecting millions through inadequate access to housing, healthcare, and education, and eroding community cohesion on a global scale.
In 2022, the city of Lagos, Nigeria, experienced significant social upheaval as large-scale infrastructure projects led to the forced eviction of thousands from informal settlements, exacerbating poverty and social exclusion among vulnerable populations and highlighting the persistent challenges of socially unsustainable development.

Claim

The many interconnected obstacles to socially sustainable development and environmental protection include poverty, powerlessness, conflict, rapid population growth, and unequal access to resources.

Counter-claim

The notion that "socially unsustainable development" is a pressing problem is vastly overstated. Societies have always adapted to change, and concerns about social sustainability are often exaggerated by alarmists. Economic growth and technological progress naturally resolve most social issues over time. Focusing on so-called "social unsustainability" distracts from real, tangible problems and needlessly hampers innovation. In reality, this topic is not an important problem and does not warrant significant attention.