Development, no doubt, is very important for any nation. But development which comes at the cost of the environment and at the cost of future generations is not acceptable. The concept of sustainable development was emphasized by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which defined it as: ‘Development that meets the need of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs. There are many ways to achieve sustainable development. These are – using non-conventional resources, use of gobar gas in rural areas and CNG in urban areas, mini-hydel plants, bio composting, and traditional practices. Nations over the world have started realizing the importance of sustainable development. This led to conferences, conventions, agreements, and partnerships between countries. Recently, the UN Secretary-General on 4 May 2022 released a report on sustainable development recognizing COVID-19 as a “human tragedy,” resulting in more than six million deaths globally and recommending that countries fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable development is as much about health, education, and jobs as the ecosystem. UNDP and its reports have promoted such approaches to measure human progress.

Sustainable development and economic growth are ________.

Which of the following option suits best in the above blank?

Positively related

Sustainable Development means judicious use of resources which leads to economic growth. Sustainable development aims at increasing economic growth through meeting basic needs i.e. raising the standard of living.