Environmental pollution and degradation occurring today are largely anthropogenic in nature; the greatest proportion of the decline in environmental quality on this planet is caused by human activities, whether intentional or not. The responses that have emerged include various resolutions and preventive efforts, which tend to be anthropocentric in nature, as proposed by many experts. This has led to the hypothetical assumption that environmental management is essentially the same as the management of human activities.
The concept of sustainable development refers to the consensus that development efforts aimed at meeting the needs and ensuring the survival of the present generation must be carried out without compromising the rights of future generations to fulfill their own needs. Environmentally conscious sustainable development means efforts to improve human quality of life while remaining cautious not to disturb or exceed the capacity of ecosystems that support life.
Human development and efforts to protect and preserve the environment must be integrated with one another if the goal of achieving sustainable human communities is to be realized.