What is sustainable development? Is it possible in today's world of rapid development and huge energy demand?

Question

How can we protect our environment and still develop? Can solar energy replace existing power plants, or is it only environment or development?

Answer 1

Not possible as long as human population keeps increasing. We're seeing signs that it is already exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet. We won't destroy the planet, but we will be responsible for the most abrupt and widespread extinction event in the planet's history, including the possibility of our own extinction.  

Answer 2

selfish men who protect their own interests, who refuse to acknowledge or accept (or do not care) the truth of a world that is collapsing in on itself, are the only thing blocking us from progress.

Answer 3

Mother nature and plants are already taking care of the CO2 ,and have done a great job. The more CO2 the better it is for the plants.

Answer 4

"Sustainable development" means exploitation of natural resources at the same rate that they regenerate.

It is impossible.  Some resources, such as copper, do not regenerate at all.

Answer 5

The way you ask the question leads me to believe that you already have a clue what sustainable development is.  To answer your first question, yes, I believe it is.  There are a number of 'off the shelf' solutions out there, and a lot of new ground to be broken in adjusting the way we do business and delving into some of the new technologies that exist.

In answer to your solar question, I believe the successful energy palette will be a colorful mix of options. We'll be weaning ourselves off of fossil fuels, and through conservation, solar, wind, geothermal, etc. etc. we can make up the balance handily.  I believe India and China will by necessity pay attention to what's being accomplished and will emulate and eventually even surpass outside efforts.  China's poor air quality is now world reknowned,  and with all the new coal-powered plants it will get worse, but they're a world power and want to increase and solidify  their position in the world, so they'll come around. I hope so, anyway, for all our sakes.

I'd like to share a few of the sites I've found in my online travels that might give you encouragement.  If you want more, just email me and I'll share the whole list.

Answer 6

Forget sustainable development for an ever increasing population.

Sustainable energy production might be all solar/ geothermal/ wood and other biological fuels/ hydro/ etc, if we control population growth,  get energy efficient, and possibly still use some nuclear power on our way to that.

But we can not plan to provide for an unlimited supply of energy for an unlimited population, whether or not we try to go sustainable.

For non-renewable resources, we may have almost infinite supplies or we have to recycle. This is easier to conceive of with a population that is not growing out of control.

Answer 7

Its were u can use resources and they still keep they number e.g when u take a tree down in the forest u plant 2 more trees. The way people can protect the enviroment could be that we set quotas and sticking by them solar engery can take over in sunny countries but not in cold climates