Sustainable Development

Abstract

The notion of “balanced development” requires a fresh look—deliberations—based on the reassessment of valuables, when conscience and not the value of goods and natural resources play a leading role. The well-known expression “… everything is sold, except conscience” reminds us more about the Wild West than humanistic civilization constructing the edifice of future. Concern about the future is just what we are going to hand over to our descendants, not personally to our grandsons and great-grandsons, but to future generations. Having said this, we should acknowledge that modern society is not sufficiently ready to practically deal with, rather than show, putting into practice the concept of “balanced development.” Complicated socio-economic and political dynamics in Georgia have brought about abrupt deterioration. Completely degraded landscapes can be seen in the vicinity of towns. Some of the rivers are amongst the most polluted rivers. Water systems are fully amortized. Pollution of drinking water sources does not exceed acceptable standards. More than 40 % of microbiological tests from some of the water pump stations do not meet the demands of sanitary control. This chapter deals with some aspects of sustainable development.