UPSC Prelims 2010·GS1·geography·ecology and environment

Sustainable development is described as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this perspective, inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined with which of the following concepts?

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. ASocial justice and empowerment
  2. BInclusive Growth
  3. CGlobalization
  4. DCarrying capacityCorrect

Explanation

The correct answer is D because the concept of sustainable development is based on the idea that the earth has a finite limit to the resources it can provide and the waste it can absorb. This limit is known as the carrying capacity. If the human population or its consumption exceeds the carrying capacity of the environment, resources become depleted and the environment degrades, which directly compromises the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, staying within the earths carrying capacity is the fundamental requirement for achieving long term sustainability. While social justice and inclusive growth are goals of sustainable development, carrying capacity is the inherent scientific constraint that defines its physical possibility.
geography: Sustainable development is described as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the abi

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