Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is the practice of meeting current human needs while ensuring that future generations will also have the resources they require. Three major areas of development, social, economic and ecological, are intertwined within this concept.

From a biological perspective, sustainable development requires research to understand ecological issues and implement conservation efforts to preserve biodiversity and natural resources.

Studying how organisms interact with one another and their environment, and how ecosystems are affected by human activities, can drive efforts to maintain or improve standards of living for humans while also protecting wildlife and preserving biodiversity.

The energy requirements of industrial nations are a major environmental challenge in sustainable development. Fossil fuels are still relied upon heavily for energy, but they are a finite resource. Further, burning these fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, driving climate change.

Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar energy, provides an example of sustainable development in action.

Land and water are also finite resources, so sustainable development in agriculture is essential to produce enough food for people now and in the future.

Crop rotation in fields is one example of a sustainable agricultural practice. Rotating crops minimizes nutrient loss in the soil over time, which allows for more efficient crop growth, and reduces the impact of pests that infest specific crops, such as corn, across multiple growing seasons.