“The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not for every man's greed. “The industrial revolution has changed the way people live: automation and the growth of science and technology have led to a better standard of living for people, in general. But how expensive was this development? Can the planet sustain the incessant exploitation of nature to satisfy ever-increasing consumption? The issue is recognized globally and in 2015 193 countries took an important step by endorsing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals with targets set for the year 2030. Turning back the clock to the first half of the twentieth century, there is he was a frail, unassuming man who understood the concept of sustainable development very well. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay This visionary was Mahatma Gandhi and he explained the concept in his book “The Hind Swaraj”. It is generally believed that Gandhi was against machines. But as Gandhi explained in his book “What I oppose is the craze for machines, not machines as such.” And this subtle difference is the basis of sustainable development. The sustainable vision is that people should use machinery to provide the essential things in life. Once humanity goes too far, it becomes enslaved and slowly but surely destroys the delicate balance that nature has provided. The advent of modern life also saw people flocking to cities for a seemingly “better” life. Gandhi, on the other hand, believed in 'swadeshi' and encouraged self-sufficient villages. This is a simple but powerful way to not overburden already exploited natural resources. “Swadeshi” encouraged people to consume produce locally and this, in turn, helped generate local employment and prevent mass migration to cities. This principle is still true today and can lead to an environmentally friendly and sustainable development model. Gandhiji, in his book "The Keys to Health" talks about the five elements of which the human body is composed: earth, water, empty space, light and air. He emphasized the importance of "clean" air and water and how they are essential to civilization. Closely linked to the issue of sustainable development is the issue of poverty. Gandhiji, covered this topic in the book “The Hind Swaraj”. Gandhiji advocated a "simple life" in which a limit was placed on indulgences. And this measure would help twofold: ensuring that people have all the basic necessities and preserving the environment. This can be linked to today's debate about “developing” versus “developed” countries. “Developed” countries have had unlimited access to fossil energy and have used it to improve their lifestyles. However, today, when there is growing concern about environmental issues, “developed” countries would shift the burden to “developing” countries by asking them to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. The idea of ​​“simple living” may be one of the most powerful themes for sustainable development today. Closer to home, it would be relevant to look at the example of the Aboriginal people in Australia. Aboriginal people view their relationship with the land in a spiritual way and believe that the land owns them. This is in contrast to non-indigenous peoples who view land as a commodity and believe they own it. Prof. David H. Bennett in the article “The Cinderella Syndrome” described how Aboriginal people can teach us about moderation and ecological competence. Although Aboriginal people lived on the land for between 40,000 and 80,000 years, in the last 200 yearsapproximately caused less damage to the land than non-Aboriginal inhabitants. This reinforces the need to balance the needs of man versus nature. Equally important is the idea of ​​cooperating and integrating with nature instead of dominating it. Gandhiji emphasized the spiritual connection with nature like the aborigines, as discussed above. Today's society would do well to understand the above connection with the environment and not test nature's resistance to the extreme. (Creative Spirits, n.d. )“I oppose violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the harm it does is permanent. ”In 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first bilateral visit to Australia and inaugurated a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhiji in Brisbane. Prime Minister Modi in his speech at this event said, “The world is grappling with two great challenges – terrorism and global warming – and these problems cause anxiety. . . If we look at Gandhi's life and his teachings, we will be able to find solutions to the problems facing the world today. ” (The Indian Express, 2014). And indeed, Gandhiji's approach to violence and terrorism remains relevant today. Amartya Sen describes Gandhi's idea of ​​violence prevention as encompassing social institutions and public priorities as well as individual beliefs and commitments. One of Gandhiji's fundamental teachings is that the loss of one's moral stature gives enormous strength to one's violent adversaries. The war against terrorism cannot be won by using power in an amoral way bad behavior of those who claim to fight for democracy and human rights has been used by terrorists to gain more recruits and some sympathy from the general public, may have surprised military strategists sitting in Washington or London, but they are entirely in line with what it was Mahatma Gandhiji trying to teach the world. (Sen, n.d.) Gandhiji believed that violence led to more violence and terror led to more terror. It can lead to an endless vicious cycle of escalating violence. A manifestation of this can be seen in the current surge in terrorist activity around the world. And therefore, the means of addressing violence must be carefully considered. There is a sacred connection between ends (sadhya) and means (sadhan). “The means may be compared to a seed, the end to a tree; and between the means and the end there is precisely the same inviolable bond that exists between the seed and the tree. (Hind Swaraj, 1997). “Remember the face of the poorest and weakest man you have seen and ask yourself whether this step you are contemplating will be useful to him. “The world's richest 1% own half of the world's wealth. At the other end of the spectrum, the poorest 3.5 billion adults, representing 70% of the world's working-age population, account for just 2.7% of global wealth ( Neate, 2017). The above data shows, there is a great disparity in the world. Gandhiji adopted “sarvodaya” which basically motivated welfare measures for all, especially for the non-privileged class unjust business models, for example, grabbing of farmers' lands by governments and corporates over the years, this conflict has continued to lead to social and economic inequality and unrest. Gandhiji considered 'sarvodaya' to be a constructive programme and was a step towards achieving the goal of “Ramraj”. “Sarvodaya” focuses on cooperation, mutual aid and decentralization. For example, in Australia, making indigenous culture central to an organization or program has been highlighted as critical to the success of policies and programs, 2015).