Author: Prodyut Mondal & Dr. Pawan Kumar
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/PP/030400007
Abstract: Environmental sustainability has emerged as a fundamental condition for achieving inclusive and sustainable development. Economic growth, poverty reduction, social well-being and environmental protection are increasingly interconnected, as ecological degradation can undermine livelihoods, health, food security, access to natural resources and the resilience of vulnerable populations. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognize this interdependence by integrating economic, social and environmental dimensions within a universal development framework. However, persistent climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, resource depletion and unsustainable patterns of production and consumption continue to threaten development gains. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized that climate impacts, poverty and inequality can reinforce one another, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities and constraining opportunities for sustainable development (IPCC, 2022). Similarly, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, 2024) has highlighted the increasing pressure of resource extraction and the unequal distribution of environmental impacts. Against this background, the present conceptual article examines environmental sustainability as a foundation for inclusive and sustainable development. It discusses the relationship between environmental sustainability and poverty reduction, social equity, public health, sustainable livelihoods, economic resilience, gender equality and intergenerational justice. The article also identifies major challenges and proposes strategies based on green economic transformation, circular economy, renewable energy, sustainable resource management, environmental education, inclusive governance and climate-resilient development. The article argues that environmental sustainability should not be treated merely as an environmental policy objective but as a central development principle capable of supporting equitable prosperity and long-term human well-being.
Keywords: Environmental Sustainability, Inclusive Development, Sustainable Development, Climate Change, Social Equity, Green Economy, Sustainable Livelihoods, Circular Economy.
Page No: 54-63