Sustainable Development

Direct answer: A is the wrong approach. Sustainable development means meeting present needs while considering the long-term availability of resources and the well-being of future generations. Step one is to recognise limits: water, land, energy, and public services are not unlimited. Step two is to manage them carefully so that use does not create avoidable shortages or damage. Step three is to combine environmental, social, and economic planning. Water and land management are therefore relevant. Education and health improve people’s capabilities and help communities use opportunities responsibly. Jobs and skills support livelihoods and reduce pressure caused by insecure work. A is wrong because ignoring resource limits and service capacity can make development harmful or impossible to maintain. B, C, and D are suitable parts of balanced planning. Memory cue: sustainable development balances people, prosperity, and resources.

Sustainable development is important because human societies depend on land, water, energy, biodiversity and other resources that can be degraded or exhausted. Its governing principle is to meet present needs without undermining the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In human geography, this requires examining the relationship between population, settlement, economic activity, inequality and environmental limits. Sustainable development therefore combines economic opportunity, social inclusion, intergenerational fairness and ecological protection. It does not mean unlimited resource use or attention only to present growth. Option D states the essential balance and is correct.

The governing concept of sustainable development is intergenerational balance. Development should improve human well-being and meet present needs without destroying the ecological resources and environmental quality required by future generations. This involves careful planning, efficient resource use, pollution control, conservation of biodiversity, and attention to social as well as economic needs. Therefore, option B is correct because it expresses the balance between present development and future security. Option A is too short-term, while rapid use of all resources would cause depletion and environmental damage. Option D is also incorrect: sustainable development does not require refusing all use of nature; it requires responsible and renewable use wherever possible.

The governing concept of sustainable development is intergenerational responsibility. Development should improve living conditions and meet legitimate present needs, but it must not destroy the resource base or environmental quality required by future generations. This requires balancing economic activity, social well-being and ecological protection rather than pursuing immediate consumption alone. Option A expresses this balance accurately: present needs are addressed while future security and opportunities are protected. Profit, industry, trade, cities and villages may all be part of planning, but none alone defines sustainability. Therefore option A is correct because it captures the essential present-and-future relationship.

Environmental impact assessment, or EIA, is a systematic process used before approval or implementation of a major project. It identifies likely effects on air, water, soil, biodiversity, livelihoods, and communities, compares alternatives, and proposes mitigation and monitoring measures. Therefore, option A is correct: studying possible environmental effects in advance allows planners and authorities to modify, relocate, regulate, or reject a project when necessary. Option B is too narrow because EIA considers benefits and harms, not benefits alone. Options C and D are incorrect because EIA does not stop every development project and is not merely a cost-reduction exercise.

The governing concept is sustainable development: meeting present food needs while protecting the resources needed in the future. Organic farming relies more on compost, manure, crop rotation, biological pest control, and other natural processes, while reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This can support soil organisms, improve soil structure, and reduce the risk of chemical runoff into water, although good management remains essential. Option A is correct because reduced chemical use is a central feature. Options B, C, and D describe effects that conflict with the intended principles of organic and sustainable farming.

A dam reservoir may displace people from their homes or land and disrupt their livelihoods. A rehabilitation plan helps address these impacts by providing suitable housing and support to restore livelihoods. Therefore, option A is correct.

Permeable surfaces let some rainwater pass through into the soil instead of running off immediately. This can reduce surface runoff and support groundwater recharge where local soil conditions allow, so option A is correct.