Environment and Sustainable Development PDF

# Environment and Sustainable Development ## What is meant by environment? Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources. ## What happens when the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration? When the rate of resource extraction exc...

# Environment and Sustainable Development ## What is meant by environment? Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources. ## What happens when the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration? When the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration, then environment fails to perform its vital function of life sustenance and it leads to the situation of environmental crisis. ## Classify the following into renewable and non-renewable resources: - Trees: Renewable Resource - Fish: Renewable Resource - Petroleum: Non-renewable Resource - Coal: Non-renewable Resource - Iron-ore: Non-renewable Resource - Water: Renewable Resource ## Two major environmental issues facing the world today are: - Global Warming - Ozone Depletion ## How do the following factors contribute to the environmental crisis in India? What problem do they pose for the government? - Rising Population - Annual growth of about 2% has contributed to severe and accelerating degradation of the natural resources. - It is eating into natural resources more than desirable and putting into the system more wastes than they can absorb. - Air pollution - Air pollution is widespread in urban areas where vehicles are the major contributors. - Air pollution results in health problems and causes severe damage to the environment.
 - It has resulted in ozone depletion, which is leading to climate change. - The government should take serious steps to control air pollution. Public transport should be encouraged and use of cleaner fuels (like CNG) in vehicles should be promoted. - Water contamination - Water contamination (or pollution) takes place when toxic substances enter water bodies and get dissolved or lie suspended in water. - It degrades the quality of water and water either becomes health hazard or unfit for use. - Contaminated water is devastating not only people but also to animals. - Contaminated water destroys aquatic life and reduces its reproductive ability. - Polluted water is unsuitable for drinking, recreation, agriculture and industry. - The government should take reasonable steps to prevent water contamination otherwise the availability of fresh water may become the most crucial problem in India over the coming decades. - Affluent consumption standards - Affluent consumption standards have placed a huge stress on the environment as demand for resources is more than the available supply. - The affluent consumption and production standards of the developed world lead to generation of wastes, which is beyond the absorptive capacity of the environment. - As a result, government is forced to explore alternative environment friendly resources. - Illiteracy - Illiteracy and ignorance often cause irreversible damage on the environment and on critical resources. - Improper use of non-renewable resources leads to environmental crisis. - Urbanisation - Rapid urbanisation has exerted huge pressure on the natural resources. - It has reduced the availability of land for farming purpose. - There is excess pressure on the existing infrastructural facilities. - The increasing demand for houses has led to massive deforestation, which is leading to environmental degradation and ill health. - Industrialisation - The advent of industrial revolution has increased the demand for environmental resources, but their supply is limited due to overuse and misuse. - Rapid industrialisation has led to deforestation, depletion of natural resources and water contamination due to increasing volume of toxic substances and industrial wastes into the water bodies. - The government needs to take appropriate measures to restore ecological balance. - Reduction of forest coverage - Forest coverage is being reduced at such a rapid scale that it has totally disturbed the ecological balance of the country. - The per capita forestland in the country is only 0.06 hectare against the requirement of 0.47 hectare to meet basic needs. - There are very serious and dangerous consequences of forest depletion, like chances of more floods, soil erosion, heavy siltation of dams and changes in climate. - Poaching - Poaching is the illegal capturing, killing and hunting of animals. - Many species are on the verge of becoming extinct (like Tiger, Asian Elephants, etc.). - It is disturbing the entire balance of the ecosystem. - There is a serious need to take steps to save wildlife. - Global Warming - Global Warming is adversely affecting the environment. - Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the earth’s poles. - It has led to a steep, rise in sea level and coastal flooding. - Hurricanes and other tropical storms are likely to become stronger. - It has increased the incidence of tropical diseases, like malaria, cholera, dengue, chikungunya, etc. - There are thousands of species (like polar bears) in danger of becoming extinct forever. ## What are the functions of the environment? - Provides resources for production - Environment supplies renewable and non-renewable resources. The resources provided by environment are used as inputs for production. - Environment assimilates waste - The process of production and consumption activities generates a lot of wastage, which is absorbed by the environment. - Environment sustains life - Some basic necessities of life (sun, soil, water and air) are part of environment. So, environment sustains life by providing these essential elements. - It provides aesthetic services - Environment includes land, forests, water bodies, rainfall, air, atmosphere, etc. People enjoy the scenic beauty of these elements. Such elements help in improving quality of life. ## Identify six factors contributing to land degradation in India. - Loss of vegetation due to deforestation. - Overgrazing, i.e. grazing of natural pastures at stocking intensities above the livestock carrying capacity. - Encroachment into forest lands. - Non-adoption of adequate soil conservation measures. - Unsustainable fuel wood and fodder extraction. - Improper crop rotation. ## Explain how the opportunity costs of negative environmental impact are high. - Extraction of resources at a speed more than its regeneration reduces the carrying capacity of the environment. - It creates the need to explore alternative eco-friendly resources to avoid environmental crisis. - Environmental crises also create various health problems, which necessitate the need for heavy health expenditure. - The costs involved in searching new alternative resources together with the greater health expenditures constitute the opportunity costs of negative environmental impact. - Such opportunity costs are very high and, therefore, it is rightly said that the opportunity costs of negative environmental impact are high. ## Outline the steps involved in attaining sustainable development in India. - Use of Non-conventional sources of energy: Non-conventional sources like wind power and solar rays are cleaner & greener technologies, which can be effectively used to replace thermal and hydro-power. - Use of cleaner fuels: The use of CNG should be promoted and in rural areas, LPG and gobar gas should be promoted. - Establishment of Mini-Hydel Plants: Such power plants are environment-friendly and generate enough power to meet local demands. - Traditional Knowledge and Practices: The old systems (Ayurveda, Unani, etc.) are environment friendly, relatively free from side effects and do not involve large-scale industrial and chemical processing. - Use of Bio-compost: The use of bio-compost needs to be encouraged as chemical fertilizers adversely affect the productive land and contaminate the water bodies. - Control of Biopest: Instead of chemical pesticides, better methods of pest control (like Neem based pesticides) needs to be promoted and awareness should be created to use various animals and birds as natural pest-controllers. - Change in unsustainable patterns of consumption and production: The desirable limits and standards for consumption and production need to be established and applied through appropriate mechanisms, including education, incentives and legislation. ## India has abundant natural resources-substantiate the statement. - The black soil of the Deccan Plateau is particularly suitable for cultivation of cotton, leading to concentration of textile industries in this region. - The Indo-Gangetic plains spread from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal are one of the most fertile, intensively cultivated and densely populated regions in the world. - India's forests, though unevenly distributed, provide green cover for a majority of its population and natural cover for its wildlife. - Large deposits of iron-ore, coal and natural gas are found in the country. India alone accounts for nearly 20% of the world's total iron-ore reserves. - Bauxite, copper, chromate, diamonds, gold, lead, lignite, manganese, zinc, uranium, etc. are also available in different parts of the country. ## Is environmental crisis a recent phenomenon? If so, why? - Yes, the environmental crisis is a very recent phenomenon. - In the early days of civilization, demand for environmental resources and services was much less than their supply. Pollution was within the absorptive capacity of the environment and rate of resource extraction was less than the rate of regeneration of these resources. As a result, environmental problems did not arise. - However, in the present period, the demand for resources is in far excess of supply and the population explosion and industrial revolution has increased the pressure on the absorptive capacity of the environment. - We are now faced with increased demand for environmental resources and services but their supply is limited due to overuse and misuse. Hence, the environmental issues of waste generation and pollution have become critical today. ## Give two instances of: - Overuse of environmental resources - Misuse of environmental resources. - **Overuse of environmental resources:** - **Deforestation:** The continuous increase in demand due to growing population has resulted in large scale deforestation. - **Land Degradation:** India suffers from land degradation due to unstable use and inappropriate management practices. - **Misuse of environmental resources:** - **Water contamination:** Discharge of domestic and industrial waste pollutes the water and makes it unfit for use. - **Ozone Depletion:** Use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in AC & refrigerators has led to ozone depletion. ## State any four pressing environmental concerns of India. - **Air Pollution:** Air pollution is widespread in urban areas where vehicles are the major contributors. Air pollution results in health problems and causes severe damage to the environment. The highest number of premature deaths in the world due to outdoor and indoor air pollution occur in India. Air pollution has resulted in ozone depletion, which is leading to climate change. - **Soil Erosion:** Soil erosion takes place when the surface soil is washed away through excessive rains and floods. As per the estimates, soil is being eroded at a rate of 5.3 billion tonnes a year, which is in excess of the recharge capacity. As a result, country loses 0.8 million tonnes of nitrogen, 1.8 million tonnes of phosphorus and 26.3 million tonnes of potassium every year. The quantity of nutrients lost due to erosion each year ranges from 5.8 to 8.4 million tonnes. - **Deforestation:** Forest coverage is being reduced at such a rapid scale that it has totally disturbed the ecological balance of the country. The per capita forestland in the country is only 0.06 hectare against the requirement of 0.47 hectare to meet basic needs. There are very serious and dangerous consequences of forest depletion, like chances of more floods, soil erosion, heavy siltation of dams and changes in climate. - **Water Contamination:** Water contamination (or pollution) takes place when toxic substances enter water bodies and get dissolved or lie suspended in water. The contaminated water is devastating not only to people but also to animals. Polluted water is unsuitable for drinking, recreation, agriculture and industry. There is a serious need to prevent water contamination otherwise the availability of fresh water may become the most crucial problem in India over the coming decades. ## Correction for environmental damages involves opportunity costs- explain - Extraction of resources at a speed more than its regeneration reduces the carrying capacity of the environment. - It creates the need to explore alternative eco-friendly resources to avoid environmental crisis. - Environmental crises also create various health problems, which necessitate the need for heavy health expenditure. - The costs involved in searching new alternative resources together with the greater health expenditures constitute the opportunity costs of negative environmental impact. - Such opportunity costs are very high and, therefore, it is rightly said that correction for environmental damages involves opportunity costs. ## Explain how the supply-demand reversal of environmental resources account for the current environmental crisis. - In the past, demand for environmental resources and services was much less than their supply. Pollution was within the absorptive capacity of the environment and rate of resource extraction was less than the rate of regeneration of these resources. As a result, environmental problems did not arise. - However, presently, the demand for resources is in far excess of supply. With the population explosion and with the advent of industrial revolution, the pressure on the absorptive capacity of the environment has increased tremendously. - Thus, a reversal of supply-demand relationship is responsible for the current environmental crisis. ## Highlight any two serious adverse environmental consequences of development in India. India's environmental problems pose a dichotomy, they are poverty induced and, at the same time, due to affluence in living standards-is this true? - **Deforestation:** In India, forest coverage is being reduced at such a rapid scale that it has totally disturbed the ecological balance of the country. The per capita forestland in India is only 0.06 hectare against the requirement of 0.47 hectare to meet basic needs. There are very serious and dangerous consequences of forest depletion, like chances of more floods, soil erosion, heavy siltation of dams & changes in climate. - **Air Pollution:** In India, air pollution is widespread in urban areas where vehicles are the major contributors. Air pollution results in health problems and causes severe damage to the environment. The highest number of premature deaths in the world due to outdoor and indoor air pollution occurs in India. Air pollution has resulted in ozone depletion, which is leading to climate change. - It is true that India's environmental problems pose a dichotomy: - Poverty is causing environmental degradation through cutting down of trees (to use fuel wood), overgrazing of animals, pollution of water resources, encroachment into forest land. - Affluence in living standards is causing environmental degradation because with affluence (wealth), the demand for goods and services increases. Higher demand necessitates the need for increase in production. For increasing the production, the demand for finite natural resources increases. It raises the pollution, resulting from more vehicles and industries. ## What is sustainable development? Sustainable development is the development, which will allow all future generations to have a potential average quality of life, that is, at least as high, which is being enjoyed by the current generation. ## Keeping in view your locality, describe any four strategies of sustainable development. - Use of Environment Friendly Fuel: The use of CNG should be promoted instead of petrol and diesel. - Use of Renewable Resources: Solar energy should be preferred (like solar geyser). Solar energy is free gift of nature and is non-exhaustible and pollution free. - Recycling: The household waste should be distinguished as bio-degradable and non-biodegradable wastes. The bio-degradable wastes are those wastes that can be decomposed and can be used as manure for organic farming. The non-biodegradable wastes like plastic, etc. can be recycled and re-used. - Avoid Plastic Bags: People should be encouraged to use jute, paper or cloth bags as plastic bags are harmful to the environment. ## Explain the relevance of intergenerational equity in the definition of sustainable development. - Intergenerational equity is a key principle of sustainable development because inequities are a cause of environmental degradation. According to Brundtland Commission: - Poverty is causing environmental degradation through cutting down of trees (to use fuel wood), overgrazing of animals, pollution of water resources, encroachment into forest land. - High levels of affluence (wealth) are damaging the environment as they are accompanied by high levels of consumption, which lead to resource depletion and waste accumulation. Many environmental problems, such as global warming and chemical contamination, are the result of affluence rather than poverty. - Other equity concerns relevant to sustainable development policies include inequities in the impact of environmental policies and inequities in the decision-making process.