One of the central ethical issues to a modern practising civil engineer [gloss.] is that of sustainability (see H21IP1 Industry & Profession module, or refer back to this page when you've covered that topic!) Basically, a civil engineer will appear to have a bad image if (s)he has not taken into account the environment when planning, designing and building a project. Road schemes are typical scapegoats for this. However, note how a 'new' motorway such as the M40 looks more acceptable to the environment than an older one, such as the M1 or M6. Indeed you will know from Industry & Profession that part of the civil engineer's job description is 'enhancing both the built and natural environment for the benefit of all.'
One of the biggest civil engineering sectors is transport, that is construction and maintenance of infrastructure for transport [gloss.] . Transport in itself is unsustainable as it harms the environment, which will in turn affect future generations. Briefly these problems are:
The development of sustainable transport [gloss.] should aim to promote economic growth and prosperity but at the same time provide equal opportunities for all and the availability of certain modes of transport should not affect the quality of one's life.
Balancing the needs of a mobile population with the environment can often be a complex task
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Transport Issues
last modified: 06-Oct-2004
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