Correct answer: (b) Sustainable development
Explanation
- A
Resource conservation
Resource conservation claims that we should only protect resources without emphasizing development. However, this option misses the balance between current use and future preservation.
- B
Sustainable development
Sustainable development claims the practice of balancing the need to use resources for the present while carefully conserving them for future generations. This comprehensive approach ensures that economic growth meets current needs without compromising the ability of upcoming generations to meet theirs, making it the officially correct key for this question.
- C
Future resources
Future resources claims a category of assets that will become available later. This term does not describe the active balancing act required between usage and conservation.
- D
Reducing consumption
Reducing consumption claims cutting down on resource usage entirely. While conservation involves efficient use, simply reducing consumption fails to fully capture the development aspect of resource management.
Summary. Official key is (b) Sustainable development. This question tests the foundational definition used in environmental studies and economics for intergenerational equity. Option (a) focuses solely on protection, while option (d) emphasizes cutting usage without development. Only option (b) correctly identifies the delicate balance between utilizing resources today and preserving them for tomorrow.