The research on sustainable development is both a challenge to and an opportunity for geography.While developing the discipline of themselves, geographers should take the responsibility to deepen the research on sustainable development.The concept of sustainable development seems to be commonly accepted.Geographers may either recognize or criticize the concept.However, they must bring forward certain challengable ideas.The theses of sustainable development should be concretized at three levels.At the notion or ethics level, the traditional geographical idea, human-earth harmony development, should be advocated.At the level of socio-economic institution or system, we should contribute to the reformation of existing production manner, consumption pattern, social institution, political system, international interrelationship, administration system and technological system.At the scientific and technological level, the role of geographer seems clear, yet we should pay more attention to the selection of appropriate technology suitable for various localities.The spatial and temporal scales of the topics should be definitely identified.There are different issues at such various scales as global, national, regional, local and site.The sustainable development research at regional and local scales should be paid more attention to in particular for geographers.Regarding temporal scale, sustainable development should be planned in long, middle and short terms respectively.Economical growth and the reversal of impoverishment degradation spiral in short term are the most urgent tasks for some poverty areas.Only if the short-term objects are realized, the sustainability concept can be operationalized.