In the year 2050 the world population will exceed 9 billion people. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has predicted that food production must increase by at least 70% while the number of hungry people today remain at the same level. Poverty, hunger and malnutrition, are considered as the roots of many diseases as well as issues of cultural and social instability in human societies. Access to adequate and safe food, clean water, and clean air are of the most obvious human rights of all citizens, and providing these needs for all citizens are among the inherent duties of all governments. However, besides productive agricultural and industrial activities, environmental issues must be taken into serious consideration. Unfortunately, in human societies in many cases these goals are in conflict with each other. For example, the use of pesticides and fertilizers to increase agricultural production, can impose many risks to human health and the environment. Contamination of soil and groundwater and surface water as a result of application of these poisonous chemicals without environmental considerations, and pesticide residues in our daily food and vegetables, can be considered as great threats to life on the Earth. Fortunately, the use of modern biotechnology or genetic engineering and recombinant DNA in particular, using the most advanced human achievements in the field of cellular and molecular biology which inspired from the nature can minimize these antagonisms. In this article we have tried to emphasize the importance of sustainable development to protect human health, the environment and future generations, and to enumerate the dangers that threaten it. In this regard we tried to show the important role of modern biotechnology and genetic engineering in protecting the environment, and responsible and efficient use of resources to achieve sustainable development.