Very Short Question and Answers - Sustainable Development

Sustainable development means fulfilling present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It aims to balance economic growth, environmental protection, and social well-being.

Conservation of the environment ensures that natural resources like water, air, soil, and forests are available for future generations, and it prevents environmental damage that can harm life and development.

Judicious use of resources refers to using resources efficiently, logically, and responsibly so that they are not wasted or depleted, ensuring their availability for the future.

Examples include rainwater harvesting (to conserve groundwater) and afforestation (planting new trees to balance out deforestation).

Overuse leads to depletion and degradation of resources, making them unavailable for future generations and causing environmental problems like pollution and loss of biodiversity.

Punjab (also Haryana and Rajasthan) has experienced groundwater depletion mainly because of excessive irrigation using tube wells.

Deforestation causes loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, disturbance of rainfall patterns, and contributes to climate change.

Overfishing depletes fish stocks, negatively impacting fisherfolk communities by reducing their income and affecting the entire food chain of the ocean.

Unsustainable: Over-use of groundwater; Sustainable: Rainwater harvesting. Unsustainable: Deforestation for timber/farms; Sustainable: Afforestation or controlled logging.

Renewable sources like solar and wind energy are sustainable because they do not get exhausted, reduce pollution, and help conserve non-renewable resources.

Overuse of minerals without restoration leads to land degradation, exhaustion of non-renewable minerals, and environmental pollution.

Chennai faced a water crisis due to severe groundwater depletion, caused by over-extraction and insufficient recharge of water tables.

Large-scale mining can lead to exhausted mines (resource depletion), deforestation, and polluted water bodies (environmental damage).

The three main pillars are economic growth, environmental protection, and social well-being.

Afforestation is planting new trees in areas without forests. It helps balance deforestation, maintains ecological balance, and supports biodiversity.

Resource depletion means the exhaustion of natural resources due to overuse, making them unavailable for future use.

Population growth increases demand for resources like water, food, energy, and land, often leading to overextraction and unsustainable use.

True development also ensures environmental protection and social well-being, providing a better quality of life for current and future generations.

The depletion of fish stocks in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal due to overfishing is an example of overuse of aquatic resources in India.

Recycling conserves natural resources by reusing materials, reducing the need for new extraction and minimizing waste.