Sustainable development for the 21st century: MSE opportunities

Abstract

Perhaps the greatest challenge we face in the 21st century is sustainable development. Sustainable development can be defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. With an average world population growth rate of 1.4%, we expect to have over 9 billion people in the world by 2040. With this boom in population comes an urgent need for technologists to channel their energies to societal issues. Consider the facts: • More than one billion people do not have access to safe drinking water (American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene) • Seventy percent of people in the developing world have no access to electricity in their homes, health clinics, or schools (Solar Electric Light Fund) • Almost half the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day. One in six people around world, or about 1.1 billion, barely exist on less than $1 a day (World Bank) • Eight hundred eighty-five million people worldwide are illiterate. Of that number, two-thirds are women (UNICEF) Moreover, the worldwide energy consumption growth rate is at 1.7% (higher than the population growth rate!), and the ramifications of our carbon footprint to say the least are irresponsible. As an example, in the United Sustainable Development for the 21st Century: MSE Opportunities