Why is the question of sustainability of development becoming challenging in the present times ? Analyse the appropriate reasons.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:55 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Sustainability of development is becoming increasingly challenging due to the following reasons:
- Overuse of Renewable Resources: Resources like groundwater are being used faster than they are replenished. About 300 districts in India have reported a water-level decline of over 4 metres in 20 years. If this continues, 60% of the country will overuse groundwater within 25 years.
- Exhaustion of Non-Renewable Resources: Resources like crude oil cannot be replenished. World crude oil reserves will last only about 47 years at the current rate of extraction.
- Environmental Degradation: Consequences of environmental damage cross national boundaries, making it a global problem affecting all nations collectively.
- Development vs. Resource Use Conflict: Present levels of development depend heavily on resource exploitation, making it difficult to maintain development without damaging the environment.
- Interdependence of Nations: Countries like India depend on importing oil; rising prices burden developing economies, threatening sustained growth.
Source: Chapter 1, Sustainability of Development
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Explanation
Examiners expect 5 distinct, specific points each linked clearly to the textbook content. The key ideas to hit are: overuse of renewable resources (groundwater example), exhaustion of non-renewable resources (crude oil data), cross-boundary environmental degradation, and the tension between development and sustainability. Always support points with the textbook examples/data — that shows you've read the source, not just memorised general knowledge.