Sustainable Development through Recent and Higher Education in India

Abstract

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is maintaining a balance between the human need to improve lifestyles and feeling of well-being on one hand, and preserving natural resources and ecosystems, on which we and future generations depend. Thus, it does not focus solely on environmental issues. More broadly, it encompasses the three general policy areas namely economy, environment and society. It was a key issue on the agenda at the 1992 U.N. Conference on environment and development (UNCED) on the Earth Summit, held in Rio and Janeiro. Higher Education for sustainable development means including key issues of sustainable development into teaching and learning like climate change, disaster risk reduction, greenhouse effect and poverty reduction. In other words, it is a critical training for promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of the people to address environment and development issues (Melnychuk, 2003). It allows every human being to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to shape a sustainable future. In this research paper, an attempt has been made to create awareness among people about benefits of sustainabledevelopment and highlights the role of recent and higher education for sustainable development in India.