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UNIT-5




                                                                      GREEN SKILLS-II













                 "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children"          — Chief Seattle

                 Humans interact with the environment to get food, water, fuel, and many other things. This interaction is crucial for
                 our survival. However, we have exploited the environment extensively to meet our needs and have contaminated
                 it with various types of pollution. This exploitation has led to land degradation, disrupted ecosystems, and drastic
                 climatic changes. In the last two decades, humans have caused more damage to the planet and the environment
                 than ever before. It seems that we will end up leaving a barren land with no water and intense global warming for
                 the generations to come.

                 The solution to the above problem is that we all work together to promote the progress of society by sustaining
                 our environment. This unit deals in detail about the importance and challenges related to sustainable development.


                         What is Sustainable Development?


                 As per the Collins English Dictionary, ‘the ability to be maintained at a steady level’ is sustainability. Sustainable
                 development was defined in the World Commission on Environment and Development 1987 Brundtland Report
                 “Our Common Future” as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
                 future generations to meet their own needs”.

                 Sustainable development is the development that satisfies the needs of the present without compromising the capacity
                 of future generations, guaranteeing the balance between economic growth, environmental care, and social well-being.
                 The purpose of sustainable development is to keep a balance between economic, environmental, and social needs.
                 It requires the active participation of individuals, businesses, administrations, and countries around the world to find
                 better ways of doing things so that the present generation can give back to nature for our future generations to
                 thrive. All nations across the globe need to stand together to contribute through small actions to bring long-term
                 sustainability of the environment for sustainable social and economic growth.

                 This effort will help companies with innovative technologies flourishing all across the globe, people will have
                 better jobs, everyone will be able to afford nutritious foods without moving out of their native place, living in a
                 clean, healthy setup with proper sanitation facilities, they will have quality and affordable education, and technical
                 advancement to bring social and economic equality while keeping the environment safe.

                         Importance of Sustainable Development



                 We now know that sustainable development focuses on saving the planet along with the social and economic
                 development of society for the present and future generations to come. The importance of sustainable development
                 lies in the fact that:
                 •  It initiates and promotes approaches for development, conservation, and protection of natural resources to stop
                   environmental degradation.
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