The Role and Responsibilities of Professionals in the Built Environment in Contributing to Sustainable Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Since the end of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, termed the Earth Summit in 1992 to the Bonne Agreement in 2001, all countries, people and particularly professionals whose activities impact the natural environment have been asked to re-consider issues related to environmental sustainability and adopt new ways of addressing such issues at global, regional and local scales. Despite increasing concern on the influence of human activities on the natural eco-system and global climate, professionals engaged in shaping the built environment in Nigeria appear to be oblivious of the demands of the sustainability agenda and the accompanying responsibilities it places on all. Shifting paradigms in contemporary thinking now emphasise the fact that professionals have to be accountable for the environmental effects of design decisions and developments. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role and responsibilities of professionals in the built environment in promoting and contributing towards achieving sustainable development. Expectations of society from professionals remain the delivery of competent services based on specialized knowledge. For this reason, professionals need to constantly engage themselves in improving knowledge and developing relevant environmental skills. How knowledgeable are planners, architects and construction professionals in Nigeria today in the principles of sustainable development and how is such knowledge translated into design decisions and physical interventions in every day practice? The paper stresses the need for professionals to understand their roles and environmental responsibilities in society, and concludes by suggesting ethical approaches in engaging public awareness and participation. Keywords: built environment, natural environment, sustainable development, environmental sustainability, professionals