Sustainable Development in U.K and Jordan

• Ayoub Abou-Dayyeh
• P.o. Box 83035, Amman, Jordan.
• Email: Ayoub101@hotmail.com
• International Conference About the Sustainable Development in the Syrian Coast

Abstract

This Paper demonstrates the successes that the United Kingdom achieved in sustainable development since the Great Smog of London in the fifties of the twentieth century when thousands of people died due to excess pollution.
In developed countries, such as in Jordan or Syria, a comprehensive study of the different factors affecting development is vital in order to sustain human power and natural resources in the most efficient manner. Otherwise development is impossible. Therefore learning from the experiences of a fully developed country, such as the U.K. is a central issue.
Yet, this mode of comprehensive development is almost impossible in under-development countries, because funds are limited and the national overall plan is directed by foreign influences, such as international funds, which are in many cases based on short term turnovers and political interests which shatter production and direct the economy towards foreign interests rather than national interests.
In Jordan, which is much like Syria and many other under-development countries, people cannot afford to thermally insulate their homes, and even governments cannot afford to sustain the national development due to scarcity of capital and resources. So, development reaches an impasse, resources are overused, the environment is severely polluted and thus sustainable development becomes a far fetched dream. The prime objective of this paper is to encourage using environmentally friendly practices, such as thermal insulation in private and public buildings, in order to reduce the amount of fuel burnt, which in tern reduces poisonous fumes emitions to the atmosphere. Town planning is also encouraged to reduce vehicle activity, seek Hyprid technology and improve fuel quality.
In conclusion, under-development countries should learn from central capitalized countries how to reduce pollution and make the utmost use of wind, ground hot water, building physics, passive design and solar energy. This cannot be achieved without the support of rich and developed countries which have a global environmental responsibility to support and promote sustainable development in countries of the south in general.