Need for redefining sustainable development: policies, practices and consequences in Sri Lanka focusing on to be a Hub in Asia

Abstract

The concept of "sustainable development" (SD) has an internationally accepted definition: "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." (Brundtland 1987, p9). In this respect, it entails a notion that socio-economic, environmental and political decisions within one country impact globally. In practice this concept has faced challenges in implementation in an age of globalisation, where competition for protecting status-quo or the struggle for development has intensified. The reality is that the negative impacts of development cannot be limited to developed-developing or any particular region. The harm is to the very survival of human beings. This paper argues for the need to re-define SD concept from a Human Security angle. The paper will focus on the Sri Lanka practices on SD with the support of International norms and ethics on the sustainability. If Sri Lanka is to thrive, it is essential to focus on environmental issues like climate change, global warming and melting icecaps where we have more sensitivity towards our security and survival. Development is imperative for Sri Lanka to be a hub in any level like economic, social, political and environmental, but narrow boundary level thinking will undermined the same. This paper argues that Sri Lanka being an island country should take a more comprehensive initiative towards developing through accepting a practical and apt SD concept. To attain this goal it examines Sri Lanka's practical experiences of attempting to realise sustainability both issues and its consequences. Since South Asian region is in the middle of accelerated development; with post-neoliberal economic policy post-war Sri Lanka is aiming to be the "Wonder of Asia". Yet, it is fact that, Sri Lanka faces several practical issues in sustainability in implementing policies. The paper concludes that a re-defined SD might allow for a more practical yet indigenous success in SD. In order to realize the research objectives the paper will use both the primary and secondary data from many sources. To generate new epistemological knowledge on related discipline qualitative method will be employed by the author as a methodology for the paper. Therefore, both descriptive and analytical methods will make more comprehensive conversation on the selected discipline to understand the policies practices and consequences related to sustainable development of Sri Lanka to be a hub in Asia in the present context.