Beyond GDP: Why sustainable development must incorporate human empathy
True sustainability and development go far beyond environmental protection or economic balance. They are about justice, empathy, and respect — for people, place, and the planet
Every time I hear about communities being displaced in the name of "development", I wonder what development really means.
When a new embankment, highway, or industrial project is built, thousands of people are often forced to leave the land they have lived on for generations. The government offers them financial compensation, but the question remains: does money really solve everything?
How can a cheque replace the feeling of belonging to a place where one's ancestors are buried? How can money compensate for the emotional and psychological loss of being uprooted from one's home? Can it ever replace the laughter that once echoed beneath the mango tree — the one cut down to make way for a road?
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Development may bring progress on paper, but it often leaves invisible scars on the hearts of those who are displaced.
Today, the concept of development has become overly simplified; almost mechanical and technological in nature. The same applies to the popular definition of sustainable development, improving the economy without harming the environment.
It sounds ideal, but where does the essence of the Anthropocene fit in? The interactions between people, nature, and the economy cannot be captured by simple definitions or slogans. These relationships are layered, emotional, and deeply rooted in identity and culture.
In the race to become sustainable, we seem to have forgotten that true sustainability and development go far beyond environmental protection or economic balance. They are about justice, empathy, and respect—for people, place, and the planet.
We talk about building a better world, yet we continue to prioritise short-term economic growth over long-term sustainability for our communities and ecosystems. That contradiction, I believe, lies at the heart of why we have yet to find effective solutions to the crises we continue to face.
Our world remains highly systematic and structured in ways that perpetuate inequality. We often hear slogans like "equality and equity for all," yet in practice, the system we live in continues to favour the elite.
As the Marxist view suggests, "the rich get richer while the poor get poorer." This is a reality that repeats itself in both local and global contexts. Displacement for development is not merely an economic issue; it is also a class issue. Those who lose their homes and lands are rarely the ones sitting in boardrooms deciding where a new project will be built or how people like them will be compensated.
Consumption has become one of the defining challenges of sustainable development. We tend to place all the blame on consumers. We urge them to buy less, recycle more, or adopt sustainable habits. But I wonder why we are not holding producers accountable? Why do we allow industries and corporations to exploit natural resources, emit harmful pollutants, and then shift the responsibility onto individuals? If we truly want change, it's time to change the producers—not just the consumers.
As an emerging researcher and professional in the field of sustainability, I believe we all have a role to play, perhaps not one of direct power, but of voice, knowledge, and truth. Our greatest weapon is awareness. Through research, writing, and dialogue, we can challenge entrenched structures. We can become the voices for communities that cannot speak for themselves. While we may not change the world overnight, even small acts of awareness, every story we tell and every question we dare to ask, can spark meaningful change.
Sustainable development, after all, begins with empathy. It begins with understanding that progress and development cannot be measured solely in GDP or infrastructure, but also in the well-being of the people and ecosystems that make up our world.
True development should not mean cutting down the mango tree that holds a family's memories, or erasing the soil where generations have lived. It should mean growth that is inclusive and compassionate, where no one is left behind and no memory is priced with money.
Because, in the end, development that destroys belongings is not progress at all.
Sanzida Alam Lisa is a Master's student in Sustainability Management (SUSM) at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and a Project Associate at the V2V Global Partnership. She can be reached at lisasanzida@gmail.com
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
