sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
writing-task-2readinglisteningspeakingformal-phrasesEnvironmentWork and economyGovernment and society
IELTS use
Useful for discussing the balance between economic growth and environmental protection, evaluating policies, and proposing long-term solutions in Task 2 essays and speaking responses.
Examples
- Many countries now see sustainable development as a way to reduce poverty without destroying natural resources.
- The essay argues that sustainable development requires a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.
- International agreements often promote sustainable development as a shared goal for governments and businesses.
Collocations
- promote sustainable development
- The government launched a campaign to promote sustainable development.
- achieve sustainable development
- It is unlikely that we will achieve sustainable development without significant investment in green technologies.
- sustainable development goals
- The United Nations set 17 sustainable development goals to guide global policy.
- commitment to sustainable development
- A strong commitment to sustainable development can help countries avoid long-term environmental damage.
Word family
- Noun
- sustainability
- Verb
- sustain
- Adjective
- sustainable
- Adverb
- sustainably
Paraphrases
- environmentally balanced growth: Use this when emphasising the economic dimension of sustainability.
- development that can be maintained long-term: Useful for clarifying the meaning in your own words.
- growth that protects the environment for future generations: A natural explanation for an IELTS speaking answer.
Common mistakes
- sustainable development is important to protect environment. to sustainable development is important for protecting the environment.. The pattern 'important for + gerund' is appropriate when describing purpose.
- We need sustainable development and sustained development. to We need sustainable development.. Sustained development means continuous development, not necessarily environmentally friendly.
- The government should do sustainable development. to The government should promote sustainable development.. The concept is not a direct action; use a verb like 'promote', 'achieve', or 'support'.