Definitions [3]
Define:
sustainable development
Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Answer the following question in about 30 words.
Define the concept of sustainable development.
Sustainable development means a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Definitions: Sustainable Development
- “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” - World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987
- “The alternative approach (to sustainable development) is to focus on natural capital assets and suggest that they should not decline through time.” - Pearce, Markandya and Barbier, 1989-
Key Points
Key Points: State of India's Environment
- India holds vast natural resources but faces severe pressure from a large population (17.5% of world's population on 2.4% of land).
- About 130 million hectares of land is degraded due to erosion, salinisation, and deforestation.
- Soil erosion causes a loss of 5.3–8.4 million tonnes of nutrients annually.
- Motor vehicles grew from 3 lakh (1951) to 35 crore (2022), making them a leading source of air pollution.
- The Chipko/Appiko Movement was a people's movement to protect forests by physically preventing tree-felling.
- CPCB sets national pollution standards; SPCBs implement them at the state level.
- Sustainable development requires balancing economic growth with environmental conservation for future generations.
Key Points: Concept of Sustainable Development
- Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
- It balances economic growth, social well-being and environmental protection.
- It is based on inter-generational equity and meeting the basic needs of all, especially the poor.
- The Brundtland Commission (1987) gave the most widely accepted definition.
- Lester Brown, Edward Barbier and Herman Daly made important contributions to the concept.
- The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 provide a global framework for achieving sustainable development by 2030.
Key Points: Strategies for Sustainable Development
- Sustainable development meets present needs without harming future generations.
- Renewable and clean energy (solar, wind, CNG, LPG, gobar gas, mini-hydel) reduces pollution.
- Traditional knowledge and eco-friendly practices help conserve natural resources.
- Biocomposting, vermicomposting, and biopest control promote sustainable agriculture.
- Sustainable development balances economic growth with environmental protection.
- It ensures conservation of resources and long-term welfare for present and future generations.
