The form of socio-economic development in which the present needs, without compromising the ability of future generations, to meet their own needs is known as sustainable , sustainable or enduring development.
Sustainable development is, therefore, based on a more humane society, in which consumption, the exploitation of resources and the obtaining of benefits cease to be the main engine of society, becoming a more rational exploitation of resources that take care of the environment and the planet .
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The main characteristics of sustainable development
Sustainable development seeks that the next generations will find a world and a society that, at least, is the same, but better than the current one. For this, sustainable development is based on acting in three areas, society and people, the economy and the planet . Based on this, these are the main characteristics that a society must gather to consider that its development is sustainable or sustainable.
Water care
Fresh drinking water is a scarce commodity. One of the main goals of sustainable development is the maintenance of water reserves. As well as, use this resource in a more rational way. Some of the improvements that, for example, introduces sustainable development in this regard are the irrigation methods that require less water consumption or that the water treatment and treatment plants are improved.
Responsible and efficient use of resources
Sustainable development is concerned with the efficient use of resources , especially when it comes to non-renewable resources (such as fossil fuels).
Increase recycling
Currently many of the resources used for the manufacture of common and consumer objects are limited. This makes recycling the best way to reuse the resources available in sustainable development . In addition to reducing the consumption of resources, recycling also drastically reduces the increase in waste, generating a very interesting circular economy that, in turn, means a decrease in pollution levels.
Environmental Protection
This is undoubtedly one of the strengths and in turn more difficult to achieve for sustainable development. The protection of the environment and biodiversity is an increasingly important aspect for society as a whole. In addition to protecting the environment, sustainable development seeks to avoid environmental disasters caused by both human hands and climatic changes.
Prediction of environmental impacts
Sustainable development seeks to maintain intense communication between the economic, technological and environmental areas , in order to predict the impacts of the measures adopted, especially in the medium and long term.
Ecosystem recovery
Another of the key aspects of sustainable development is the recovery or repair of man-made damage to ecosystems. This damage has occurred in many cases due to the intensive use of resources. But it is also the responsibility of the progressive deterioration of the ozone layer.
Use of clean technologies
Another of the great challenges of sustainable development is to increase the consumption of those considered as clean technologies . In this sense, sustainable development tries to incorporate and develop clean technologies in production processes, in order to reduce pollution levels.
Increase in the quality of life
Sustainable development also focuses on improving the quality of life of the members of a society . In this sense, sustainable development is based on the fact that all the people who make up a society have the right to improve their quality of life. Unlike what happens with the current development based on obtaining benefits. In which only a few benefit from the improvements that society comes to.
Regional self-sufficiency
This name defines the ability of a community or region to engage in sustainable development through the care of natural resources that are in its area of ??influence.
These are the fundamental characteristics of sustainable development . Knowing them is essential to have a clear vision about this model or ways of understanding the world. Sometimes a diffuse vision is created about sustainable development, sought by different economic interests. However, it does not consist of other things than changing our productive processes and habits to maintain our activity without compromising the planet’s resources and damaging the environment. Interesting in learning more read on the advantages and disadvantages of sustainable development and examples of sustainable development .
