What is 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."

The resources are under stress (water, minerals, food production, ecosystems, the atmosphere, etc.) while human population has been increasing and out level of living has been escalated by economic growth. However, trash, atmospheric carbon dioxide and other gases, synthetic chemicals and wastes, human health, etc. are seriously under attack due to unlimited human activities.

Sustainable development underlines that resources should be used wisely, environmental pollution should be controlled, recycling and reusing materials/minerals and a better solution for all problems (such as wise of of waters, irrigating agricultural fields at nights using the best efficient technology, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions by using renewable energy systems) should be developed and implied.

All these activities are for the sake of future generations. Because there is no other living planet.

Visit: http://www.iisd.org/topic/sustainable-development for further details.