Natural resources should be used by the present generation in such a way that if there is minimum degradation of natural resources, then what kind of development would it be called?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — B, Sustainable Development. This is exactly the classic Brundtland Commission idea (Our Common Future, 1987): 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' Using natural resources so that degradation is kept to a minimum — i.e., not drawing them down faster than they can regenerate — is the defining feature of sustainable development, which balances the environmental, economic and social dimensions.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Not a standard development-studies term for inter-generational resource use; 'organic' usually refers to chemical-free farming or to slow, unforced growth — it does not name the present-vs-future resource principle described.  (c) Concerns improvement in human well-being — health, education, equity and social institutions — rather than the conservation of natural resources for future generations.  (d) Refers to a rise in real income, output and living standards; it can occur even while natural resources are being depleted, so it does not require the 'minimum degradation' condition in the stem.

Concept: Sustainable development is development that satisfies present needs without eroding the resource base future generations will depend on. It rests on three interlocking pillars — environmental protection, economic viability and social equity — and is tied to the idea of an ecosystem's carrying capacity: resources should be used at or below the rate at which nature can replenish them.

State PCS 2023 Q51 — Environment & Ecology PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q51 — Environment & Ecology PYQ with Answer