500+ Words Essay on Sustainable Development with PDF |Leverage Edu (2024)

One of the most debatable and relevant issues in the contemporary times, Sustainable Development is becoming the need of the hour. Selfishly pursuing modernization, humans have frequently compromised with the requirements of a more sustainable environment. As a result, the increased environmental depletion is evident with the prevalence of deforestation, pollution, greenhouse gases, climate change etc. The concept of Sustainable Development in India has even greater relevance due to controversy surrounding the big dams and megaprojects and related long term growth. Since it is quite a frequently asked topic in school tests as well as competitive exams, we are here to help you understand what this concept means as well as the mantras to drafting a well-written essay on Sustainable Development with format and examples.

What is Sustainable Development?

As the term simply explains, Sustainable Development aims to bring a balance between meeting the requirements of what the present demands while not overlooking the needs of future generations. It acknowledges nature’s requirements along the human’s aim to work towards the development of different aspects of the world. It aims to efficiently utilise resources while also meticulously planning the accomplishment of immediate as well as long-term goals for human beings, the planet as well as future generations. In the present time, the need for Sustainable Development is not only for the survival of mankind but also for its future protection.

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300 Words Essay on Sustainable Development

To give you an idea on the way to deliver a well-written essay, we have curated a sample on sustainable development below:

In the past 20 years, the overall population in industrialized countries has been boosted to somewhere around 28%. These countries are facing many problems such as environmental degradation and over-dependence on non-renewable sources of energy, resulting in a decline in the standards of living. Sustainable development aims to facilitate growth that aligns with the present needs without compromising with the availability of resources for future generations.

Sustainability is all about long term preservation of energy and resources rather than consuming them incessantly for satiating short-term needs. In the process of urbanization, industries are degrading the environment with their continuous use of natural resources. Sustainable development is all about creating new technology, companies and environment, without causing harm to the environment. Human survival has been brought under threat due to environmental degradation due to increasing population, economic development and deforestation. With the increase in vehicles and industries, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane are polluting the earth which has led to an escalation in the temperature. The greenhouse gases have resulted in the melting of ice caps leading to a rise in sea levels. The government and citizens of the country must take necessary important steps to bring sustainable development.

Usage of eco-friendly technology like electric vehicles instead of petrol and diesel cars can be carried out. Following the 3-R Approach (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), minimization of resource use, reusing poly bags or jute bags, instead of throwing them and recycling the materials goes a long way in achieving the goals of sustainability. The government and NGOs should also spread awareness and promote environmental education.

Summing it up, the economic development which we have achieved so far has adopted various techniques that proved to be harmful to the environment. The compelling need is for sustainable development which aims at the development of the society without having a negative impact on the environment.

250-300 Words Essay on Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development has become a controversial topic in today’s world. If we take the example of India, its relevance can be seen surrounded by big dams and mega projects related to the growth and development of the country. Environmental degeneration is exponentially increasing due to all these activities clubbed with exercises such as over-grazing, global warming, deforestation, forest fire, etc. Thus shifting to sustainable development methods and technologies has become a need of the hour.

What is sustainable development? A report issued by the World Commission on Environment and Development issued a report – Our Common Future (1987) which defined sustainable development as – “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. One major thing to understand here is that sustainable development does not talk about shifting to pre industrial era, but promotes alternative ways of working that preserve the environment.

The environment was earlier treated as a source of raw material by various industries and businesses. But restoring a balance between development and conservation of surroundings can help in the reduction of global climatic changes like ozone depletion, water crises, population, species loss and deforestation. Strict Environment laws have been created by the countries which are now being implemented across the globe with the help of state and volunteers. NGOs play an important role in reducing this number to a great extent.

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500 Words Essay on Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development as a concept gained popularity in the year 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development. It spoke about the urgency and the need for people to meet the needs of the present without compromising on the needs of the future. It emphasized that we not should strip the Earth of its natural resources.

The idea behind development is to always meet the requirement of the present without paying heed to what its impact may be on the future and the generations to come. The selfish idea of thinking only about ‘ourself’ will lead to severe crises in the near future. We must think about our planet Earth and the generations to come. The drastic effects of unsustainable development can already be seen. Some of the notable problems are climate change, which is due to the depletion of the ozone layer due to incessant pollution of the air and the land. Our fossil fuel resources are also non-renewable and are slowly depleting due to increased demand and wastage. The longer we take to address the problem of unsustainable development and the effects it is causing and going to cause in the future, the more drastic its consequences are going to be.

To practice the concept of sustainable development, it is very important to understand what sustainable development is. The main idea behind sustainable development is that any kind of progress, be it economic, environmental and social, everything can be achieved without depleting Earth’s resources and using only what we need. The concept of taking more than we need should be aborted and removed from all procedures we follow. Our ecosystem does not have a limitless capacity so we should keep our growth in check and sustained so that we can leave a sufficient amount of resources for the later generations.

The sudden explosion in the human population is one of the major caused for the unsustained tendency of development. In countries which are still on the way of development such as India, Africa, it is essential to keep the population in check. Unfortunately, the population count in these countries is on the rise and will be the same in the coming years unless it is checked to immediate effect. With more people, there is an increase in poverty. The number of people living below the poverty line and managing to get two meals so that they survive is also on the rise. The more the people the lesser there is for everyone.

The main objective of sustainable development is to bring stability to our social, economic and environmental requirements, it will further lead to welfare and availability of resources for the coming generations.

Sustainable development is a wonderful way to conserve the natural resources we have by changing our approach towards the use and development of technologies. We should not stop using these resources rather we should use it in a sustained manner so that it does not become extinct and lead to the extinction of species.

Importance of Sustainable Development

The importance of sustainable development is that it meets the needs of the present generations without compromising on the needs of the coming future generations. Sustainable development teaches us to use our resources in the correct manner. Listed below are some points which tell us the importance of sustainable development.

• Focusses on Sustainable Agricultural Methods – Sustainable development is important because it takes care of the needs of future generations and makes sure that the increasing population does not put a burden on Mother Earth. It promotes agricultural techniques such as crop rotation and effective seeding techniques.

• Manages Stabilizing the Climate – We are facing the problem of climate change due to excessive use of fossil fuels and killing the natural habitat of animals. Sustainable development plays a major role in preventing climate change by development practices that are sustainable. It promotes reducing the use of fossil fuels which release greenhouse gases that destroy the atmosphere.

• Provides Important Human Needs – Sustainable development promotes the idea of saving for future generations and making sure that resources are allocated to everybody. It is based on the principle of developing an infrastructure that is can be sustained for a long period of time.

• Sustain Biodiversity – If the process of sustainable development is followed, the home and habitat of all other living animals will not be depleted. As sustainable development focusses on preserving the ecosystem it automatically helps in sustaining and preserving biodiversity.

• Financial Stability – As sustainable development promises steady development the economies of countries can become stronger by using renewable sources of energy as compared to using fossil fuels, of which there is only a particular amount on our planet.

Examples

Mentioned below are some important examples of sustainable development. Have a look:

• Wind Energy – Wind energy is an easily available resource. It is also a free resource. It is a renewable source of energy and the energy which can be produced by harnessing the power of wind will be beneficial for everyone. Wind mills can produce energy which can be used to our benefit. It can be a helpful source of reducing the cost of grid power and is a fine example of sustainable development.

• Solar Energy – Solar energy is also a source of energy which is readily available and there is no limit to it. Solar energy is being used to replace and do many things which were first being done by using non-renewable sources of energy. Solar water heaters are a good example. It is cost-effective and sustainable at the same time.

• Crop Rotation – To increase the potential of growth of gardening land, crop rotation is an ideal and sustainable way. It is rid of any chemicals and reduces the chances of disease in the soil. This form of sustainable development is beneficial to both commercial farmers and home gardeners.

• Efficient Water Fixtures – The installation of hand and head showers in our toilets which are efficient and do not waste or leak water is a method of conserving water. Water is essential for us and conserving every drop is important. Spending lesser time under the shower is also a way of sustainable development and conserving water.

• Sustainable Forestry – This is an amazing way of sustainable development where the timber trees that are cut by factories are replaced by another tree. A new tree is planted in place of the one which was cut down. This way, soil erosion is prevented and we have hope of having a better, greener future.

Introduction

How to write the introduction of sustainable development essay? To begin with your essay on sustainable development, you must mention the following points:

• What is sustainable development?
• What does sustainable development focus on?
• Why is it useful for the environment?

Conclusion of Sustainable Development Essay

How to write the conclusion of sustainable development essay? To conclude your essay on sustainable development, mention why it has become the need of the hour. Wrap up all the key points you have mentioned in your essay and provide some important suggestions to implement sustainable development.

Essay Format

Before drafting an essay on Sustainable Development, students need to get familiarised with the format of essay writing, as to know how to structure the essay on a given topic. Take a look at the following pointers which elaborate upon the format of 300-350 word essay.

Introduction (50-60 words)
In the introduction, students must introduce or provide an overview of the given topic, i.e. highlighting and adding recent instances and questions related to sustainable development.
Body of Content (100-150 words)
The area of the content after the introduction can be explained in detail about why sustainable development is important, objectives and highlighting the efforts made by the government and various institutions towards it.
Conclusion (30-40 words)
In the essay on Sustainable Development, you must add a conclusion wrapping up the content in about 2-3 lines, either with an optimistic touch to it or just summarizing what has been talked above.

Hence, we hope that this blog helped you understand the key features of an essay on sustainable development. If you are interested in Environmental studies and planning to pursue sustainable tourism courses, take the assistance of Leverage Edu’s AI-based tool to browse through a plethora of programs available in this specialised field across the globe and find the best course and university combination that fits your interests, preferences and aspirations.