Sustainable Development is maintaining a delicate balance between the human need to improve lifestyles and preserving natural resources and ecosystems on which we and future generations depend. One of the biggest challenges facing Governments’ world wide is how to balance Environmental protection and Development, this is one blazing issue that a lot of people are concerned about. One can not overlook development and only think environment, it is necessary to strike a balance between the two, if development is stagnated in the name of preservation of environment, this will not only throw us back a bundle of years, but put our lives in danger too!Much as we have to protect the environment, we can’t outrightly pause or toss development in the trash bin. Human activity is what makes our countries develop, it’s true development harms Nature because cases development is impossible without natural resources, but we shouldn’t sit in our air-conditioned offices with piles of papers on our Mahogany tables and yell on the telephone “Crucify Development”! Take a look at how Information Technology positively changed and simplified millions of lives across the globe. Take a close look at the importance of roads and other infrastructures, we can’t overlook their importance; imagine if your loved one in Cyangugu got an accident and you have to carry them all the way to King Faical Hospital in Kigali, without the roads it would be a miracle if they made it on time. Besides that, would Rwanda be where it is now without schools, hospitals and Airports? Our beautiful waterfalls and the amazing Game Parks would be of little importance without roads and hotels, and that would hurl us years back economically. We should first ask ourselves if there is something we can do to reduce the effects of human activities and development on environment. In my view, ‘sustainable development’ is the answer, Sustainable Development is maintaining a delicate balance between the human need to improve lifestyles and preserving natural resources and ecosystems on which we and future generations depend. If we all come together and embrace Sustainable Development, then we can balance Economic growth and environmental conservation. Development that is sustainable and not damaging to the environment is possible, so let’s adopt ways that can balance the two. This can be done without rejecting the many benefits of what modern technology has brought. martin.bishop18@yahoo.com
