Sustainable Development is defined as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987).

It guarantees a balance between economic growth, care for the environment, and social well-being, ensuring that natural resources are preserved for future generations.

Source: Chapter 5, Session 1 — Sustainable Development

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• The exact definition from WCED 1987 must be quoted — examiners expect it for full marks.
• The second sentence adds the three pillars (economic growth, environment, social well-being), which secures the second mark.
• Avoid writing a long paragraph; two focused sentences are sufficient for 2 marks.

(A) Population

"Population" is not a Sustainable Development Goal. The 17 SDGs by the United Nations include No Poverty, Quality Education, and Reduced Inequalities, but not Population.

Source: Chapter 5, Session 2 – Check Your Progress

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The textbook's own MCQ (Session 2, Check Your Progress) lists "Population" as the option that is not an SDG, confirming option (A) is correct. The 17 SDGs focus on goals like No Poverty, Quality Education, Clean Water, Gender Equality, and Reduced Inequalities — "Population" is not among them. Remember this as a direct one-liner fact for 1-mark questions.

Sustainable Development: It is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Two problems related to sustainable development:

1. Food/Soil: Fertile land is decreasing as it is being used for other purposes, and chemical fertilisers are depleting soil nutrients.
2. Water: Rivers and ponds are getting polluted due to dumping of garbage, leading to scarcity of clean water.

Source: Chapter 5, Session 1 — Sustainable Development

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• The definition must mention both present needs and future generations — examiners look for both parts.
• For the two problems, pick any two from Food, Water, or Fuel; name the problem clearly and give one supporting point each.
• Do not write long paragraphs — short, labelled points score better for this type of question.

(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).

Green skills promote eco-friendly practices and reduce environmental impact, which are core requirements for sustainable development.

• The textbook states that sustainable development requires using environment-friendly technologies and practices, reducing environmental impact, and conserving resources — all of which are what green skills enable.
• Reason (R) directly explains why green skills are essential for sustainable development, making option (A) correct.
• In Assertion-Reason questions, check: (1) Is A true? (2) Is R true? (3) Does R logically explain A? Here, all three conditions are met.

(i) Water: We use fresh water from rivers and ponds for drinking and cleaning but dump garbage into them, causing pollution. If this continues, after several years we will have no clean water left for our use.

(ii) Fuel: We use large amounts of wood from trees as fuel and for construction. As more trees are cut, it affects the climate, leading to extreme weather conditions like floods, extreme cold or heat.

Source: Chapter 5, Problems Related to Sustainable Development

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• Each sub-question gets roughly 1 mark, so 1–2 crisp sentences each is sufficient.
• Examiners look for: (i) the problem (pollution/dumping garbage) and the consequence (no clean water); (ii) the cause (cutting trees for fuel) and the consequence (climate change/extreme weather). Include both for full marks.
• Use the exact textbook language where possible — it matches the marking scheme closely.

(C) (A) is correct but (R) is not correct.

Sustainable agriculture is indeed environment friendly, but it does not prevent use of chemical fertilizers — it involves avoiding/preventing adverse effects to soil, water and biodiversity by reducing chemical use, not an absolute prevention.

The Assertion is correct — sustainable agriculture uses environment friendly farming methods without damaging natural systems. However, the Reason is worded incorrectly; the textbook states sustainable agriculture "involves preventing the use of chemicals so as to avoid adverse effects to soil, water and biodiversity" — it aims to minimise harmful impacts, and the reason's phrasing ("prevents use of chemical fertilizers to protect soil") is an oversimplification/inaccuracy. Hence (R) as stated is not fully correct, making option (C) the right answer.

Two examples of how individual choices contribute to sustainable development:

1. Using cloth bags instead of plastic bags — Carrying cloth bags to the market reduces plastic waste, protecting soil and water from pollution.

1. Switching off lights and fans when not in use — This saves energy, reduces dependence on non-renewable fuels, and lowers environmental pollution.

Source: Chapter 5, Session 2 — Our Role in Sustainable Development

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The examiner expects two distinct, practical examples with a brief reason for each. Points like reusing materials, planting trees, using solar energy, repairing leaking taps, or avoiding plastic are all acceptable. Always link the action to an environmental benefit — that's what earns the full mark per point. Avoid vague answers like "save the environment" without specifying how.

(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation for (A).

Organic farming avoids chemical pesticides, uses natural fertilisers like cow dung, and maintains soil quality — directly making it an environment-friendly green skill essential for sustainable agriculture.

The source passage explicitly states that organic farming is "a true example of sustainable development" where farmers use natural fertilisers, avoid chemical pesticides, and maintain soil quality for future use. This directly supports both the Assertion and shows the Reason correctly explains why organic farming qualifies as a green skill — making option (a) the correct choice. Examiners expect you to pick (a) when both statements are true AND the Reason logically justifies the Assertion.

To reduce inequality, we can:

1. Be helpful to one another.
2. Be friendly with everyone.
3. Include everyone while working or playing.
4. Help others by including everyone, whether they are small or big, girl or boy, or belong to any class or caste.

Source: Chapter 5, Session 2 — Our Role in Sustainable Development, Reduced Inequalities

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The question asks specifically about reducing inequality, which is one of the 17 SDGs. The textbook lists exactly four points under "Reduced Inequalities" — write all four as numbered points for full marks. Avoid mixing in points from other SDG sections (like clean energy or water). In a 2-mark question, a neat numbered list is ideal — no lengthy explanations needed.

The major purpose of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

Source: Chapter 5, Sustainable Development Goals section

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The examiner expects the three-part purpose directly from the UN definition given in the textbook: end poverty + protect the planet + ensure peace and prosperity. Mentioning the 2030 deadline adds value. Do not write a long paragraph — one crisp sentence is enough for 1 mark.

Food is a major problem because fertile land is decreasing as it is being used for other purposes, soil nutrients are getting depleted, and chemical fertilisers are spoiling the soil quality.

For 1 mark, one clear sentence covering the key points is enough. Examiners look for: (1) loss of fertile land, (2) soil nutrient depletion, and (3) damage due to chemical fertilisers. All three are directly from the "Problems Related to Sustainable Development" section. Avoid writing more than one to two lines.