Final answer:
Sustainable development refers to the practice of operating in a way that meets present needs without compromising the resources required for future generations. It is a balance of economic growth and environmental stewardship and contrasts with less sustainable practices like planned obsolescence.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of responsibility to the environment, sustainable development refers to doing business to meet the needs of the current generation without harming the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable development involves development that occurs without depleting or damaging the natural environment, thus ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources in a way that meets the needs of the present while preserving the resources for future generations. It contrasts with notions like planned obsolescence, which involves creating products with a limited lifespan to encourage frequent replacement, ultimately being less favorable toward environmental sustainability.
The concept of sustainability encompasses creating solutions that allow continuity without exhausting non-renewable resources, and it centers around three main principles: low risk not gambling the future on speculative actions, conservation of resources and environmental quality, and laying the groundwork for livable conditions for future generations.
Economic development has often come at the cost of environmental protection, with issues such as deforestation highlighting the exploitation of resources. However, sustainable development aims for the reconciliation of societal developmental goals with environmental limits, advocating for economic growth that does not compromise the environmental integrity, and can often be achieved through innovation, technology development, and regulatory intervention.