SUSTAINABILITY OF DEVELOPMENT

1.8 SUSTAINABILITY OF DEVELOPMENT

Description

Quick Overview

This section examines the concept of sustainable development and the importance of maintaining resources for future generations.

Standard

The section discusses the definition of sustainable development, emphasizing the need to manage natural resources wisely to ensure that they are available for future generations. It highlights the distinction between renewable and non-renewable resources and explores the implications of overuse of resources through specific examples like groundwater depletion and crude oil reserves.

Detailed

Sustainability of Development

Sustainability in development refers to the idea of meeting our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This concept has gained prominence since the latter half of the twentieth century, primarily due to increased awareness of environmental degradation and resource scarcity.

Key Points:

  • Definition: Sustainable development emphasizes the balance between economic growth, environmental health, and social equity. It acknowledges that while economic resources can drive development, the ecological limits must also be respected.
  • Types of Resources: The section distinguishes between renewable and non-renewable resources:
  • Renewable Resources: These can replenish themselves, such as water and forests. Overuse can result in depletion, as seen with groundwater in India, where excessive extraction threatens long-term availability.
  • Non-Renewable Resources: Resources like crude oil take millions of years to form, and their reserves are finite. The table on crude oil reserves shows how long these resources will last given current extraction rates.
  • Impact of Overuse: Overuse of both renewable and non-renewable resources can lead to serious problems like environmental degradation, economic instability, and social inequity. For instance, groundwater depletion affects agricultural productivity and can lead to water scarcity for large populations.
  • Sustainability Issues: The ongoing depletion of resources raises questions about the long-term viability of current development practices. This underscores the need for sustainable methods of resource management to ensure that future generations inherit a world capable of supporting their needs.

Conclusion

The theme of sustainability is encapsulated in the adage, ‘We have not inherited the world from our forefathers — we have borrowed it from our children.’ This calls for responsible stewardship of resources to foster a sustainable future.

Key Concepts

  • Sustainable Development: Balancing present and future needs.

  • Resource Management: Strategies for sustainability.

  • Groundwater Depletion: Consequences of overuse leading to shortages.

  • Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources: Understanding resource types.

Memory Aids

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • Sustain today, conserve the way, for our children's future, we must stay.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once in a land where water flowed like wine, the people were happy, and life was divine. But they drank too much, and the wells went dry, they learned the hard way, as time passed by.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • R-E-N-E-W: Remember Earth Needs Every Water drop - for sustainability!

🎯 Super Acronyms

SUSTAIN

  • Save Us Sustainably To Abandon Ignorance Now!

Examples

  • Groundwater depletion in India affecting agricultural productivity.

  • High crude oil reserves leading to geopolitical tensions over resources.

Glossary of Terms

  • Term: Sustainable Development

    Definition:

    Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

  • Term: Renewable Resources

    Definition:

    Natural resources that can replenish themselves, like water or trees.

  • Term: NonRenewable Resources

    Definition:

    Resources that cannot be replenished once used, such as fossil fuels.

  • Term: Groundwater Depletion

    Definition:

    The reduction of water stored underground, often due to over-extraction.