Sustainable development and its role in containing crises: Corona virus pandemic crisis (COVID‐19) in China as a model

• Published date: 01 November 2020
• Author: Zeyad S. Al‐Dabbagh
• Date: 01 November 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2339

ACADEMIC PAPER

Sustainable development and its role in containing crises:

Corona virus pandemic crisis (COVID-19) in China as a model

Zeyad S. Al-Dabbagh

Public Policy, College of Political Science,

University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq

Correspondence

Zeyad S. Al-Dabbagh, Public Policy, College of

Political Science, University of Mosul, Mosul,

Iraq.

Email: z-psc@uomosul.edu.iq

Sustainable development has become an indispensable thing in our current world, as

it constitutes a strong support factor for the process of facing crises if they are pre-

sent properly, and if their aims that were approved by the United Nations are

achieved, countries will rise to an advanced level as in China that has turned from a

third world country to a major country after its success in achieving sustainable

development, which made it able and ready to face crises such as the COVID-19 pan-

demic, which has received international and global attention, whether from the

United Nations or other countries, organizations and companies interested and

donors to reduce the pandemic because of its great dangers In all dimensions, the

fact that the virus has troubles that exacerbate the situation in the event that no nec-

essary measures are taken immediately, and indeed the virus has shifted from a local

health crisis in Wuhan, China to a global economic, social and environmental crisis

that transcends geographical boundaries, but China is linked to the developmental

policies and environmental and social policies were able to face the pandemic, and to

overcome it and overcome it quickly, as it has real sustainable development.

1|INTRODUCTION AND THEORETICAL

BACKGROUND REVIEW

Sustainable development in its contemporary concept is no longer

confined to one side but rather extended to include the social,

political, economic, cultural and environmental aspects and its

various activities, it is an interrelated process of sustainable activ-

ities according to an integrated approach based on justice and

participation, as the concept of sustainability emerged closely

with development in an attempt to expand the dimensions of

development.

Therefore, sustainable development isvery important require-

ment to cope the negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic crisis (Al

Eid & Arnout, 2020). Sustainable development seeks to achieve the

optimal use of resources in a manner thatserves the members of

society and in a manner that guarantees the rights of future genera-

tions and work to address all areas within society (water, health,

food, services, education, income, awareness, institutional building,

good governance, etc.).

1.1 |Historical of sustainable development

As a result of increasing awareness among individuals, governments,

institutions and countries in general, a new concept for development

emerged taking the name of sustainable development that was the

beginning of the crystallization of its lines at the Stockholm Confer-

ence in 1972 in Sweden. As it was announced that protecting and

improving the human environment represents A fundamental issue

related to the welfare of peoples, where discussions took place on the

use of natural resources available to any country in order to achieve

economic and social development without depleting the natural

resources but rather preserving them so that they remain available for

use for the future (Abdul Rahman, 2011; Abu Al-Nasr, 2017).

In light of the need to provide a detailed explanation of sustain-

able development, the report of the Global Committee on Environ-

ment and Development called the (Burnland) Committee was

published in 1987 (Abdul Rahman, 2011). Where the committee

issued its report entitled “Our Common Future”and the report

included the definition of sustainable development and developed

Received: 8 July 2020Accepted: 28 July 2020

DOI: 10.1002/pa.2339

J Public Affairs. 2020;20:e2339.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pa© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd1of9

https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2339