This Newsletter is published quarterly for the WFEO Committee on Engineering and Environment (CEE) at 
The Institution of Engineers (India), 8, Gokhale Road, Calcutta 700 020, 
Phone: 223-8311/14/15/16, 223-8333/34, 223-3155, Fax: 91 33 223-8345, 91 61532911, 
E-mail: intnl@ieindia.org ; gplal@hotmail.com 
Secretary & Director General : Cdr. A K Poothia, IN (Retd.)

Vol. 27 No. 2 June 2006  Editor: Mr. B. J. Vasoya

Editorial ... 1               

Energy Management on a Global Perspective........           2-4

Engineering and technology for better poverty reduction?...     5

Forthcoming Events...      6

CEE Meeting FIESCA Gen Assembly & India Hosts - 2007 WFEO General Assembly.........                 7

We look forward to WEC 2008.......               8

Acronyms
commonly used ... 8

Editorial      

           Sustainable Development for Better Future

Present day mankind takes pride in advancement in all spheres of its activities. Yet, the world around the mankind suffers from all conceivable varieties of pollutions and the earth which is the habitat of all living creatures is burdened beyond its carrying capacity. Indiscriminate use of natural resources to satisfy its greed and misuse of the tools provided by science and technology have led mankind to a point where the process of development has reached almost a dead end. Development and progress has not only failed to improve the quality of life on earth, but also made it to a great extent dangerous. Further development appears to be impossible without adversely affecting the living conditions for those whose benefit it is meant for. We, of this generation, have forgotten that it was our obligation to protect the earth we inherited and we have to hand over the earth to the posterity in good condition. We have, in our urge to fulfil our aspiration, have usurped the right of the posterity to fulfil theirs. Development and progress are two sides of the coin; but development devoid of sustainability, is at the root of malady around us. History has witnessed collapse of number of civilisations in spite of their attaining very high level of development. Rising aspirations and capability to transform the environment have set us on the same path trodden by those ancient civilisations towards their colllapse.

Should we appreciate, take care and protect as our homeland the place where we have our family and friends of our youth, where we study and develop our personalities? Are we ourselves satisfied when we contribute to improve the aspirations, possibilities and realities of this own environment with our cultural, personal and productive knowledge and training or should we be inclined to prefer and adopt the scenario that offers us better chances of individual development and comforts for our adult lives? Should we emigrate and begin a new life in a different and foreign country?

We can surely take pride in scientific development endowing us with better capabilities to understand the problems and devise responses than what the people of those ancient civilisations had. But mere capability to understand the problem and devising responses are not enough. It is already late that we set ourselves to solve the problems for good of our own and of the posterity by finding means for handling the hazards created by our actions.

It is a fact that major changes in patterns of climate, diseases, soil conditions etc. have taken place through past decades coupled with pressure of population, lack of education and awareness, poverty and other factors. But this must not baffle us. Halting further deterioration of the quality of life on earth and protecting the already impaired environment are dire necessities of the hour. It may be necessary to develop newer technologies for non-green house gas emission, conserving bio-diversity in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner, revitaling rural strategy emphasising the links between poverty and land degradation, solving water issues in a holistic way, phasing out all chloroflourocarbon production and in similar other areas. In all these we shall have to follow the basic principle of any bargain viz., how much we should pay to get as much we need.

The engineers and technologists have a big role to play in this. Engineering and technology are two esential components of search for new pathway to serve our civilisation from collapse. We, the engineers and technologists, shall have to work for a unified and concerted effort in fulfilling the aspirations of mankind as a whole and for that we shall have to work joining hands with people of all walks of life without, however, making environmental activisim a gainful means of our life.

B J Vasoya

Chairman-CEE