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9. Environment and Sustainable Development, #Meaning of Environment, Environment is defined as total planetary inheritance and the totality of all, resources. It includes, Biotic Elements:, All living elements, like animals, fish,, forests etc, , Abiotic Elements:, All Non -living, elements like air,, water, land, etc, , #Functions of Environment, a) Sustains Life: Since environment includes abiotic elements like water, air, land; it supports life., b) Improve quality of life: People enjoy the scenic beauty such as land,, waterfall, forest. Hence, it improves quality of life, c) Absorbs Waste: The waste generated during the production are, absorbed by the environment., , d) Provides resources: Resources whether renewable or non-renewable, are provided by environment which serve as source of inputs and help, in the production process., ❖ Resources extraction should remain below the rate of resource, generation., ❖ Generation of Waste should be remain within the absorption capacity, of the environment., ✓ The combination of above two are collectively known as ' Carrying, Capacity', ✓ If the above two conditions are not fulfilled then it leads to a situation, which is called 'Environment crisis', # Reason for Environment Crisis, a) Rising Population: Increase in population has increased the demand of, environment resources but the supply has not increased due to misuse, , 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 1
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Of resources, b) Depletion of Resources: Intensive and extensive extraction of, resources, both renewable and non-renewable has reduced the vital, resources. Further, huge amount is being spent on technology to explore, new resources., c) Pollution: The development process has polluted both air and water, which has led to decrease in the quality of air and water. As per, survey approx. 70% of the water in India is polluted. This has affected, the health of Indian people., d) Extinction of many resources has also affected the environment to a, great extent., e) Global Warming: Depletion of ozone layer and global warming have also, affected the environment., f) Waste generated by the companies are beyond the carrying capacity of, the environment., Note: The opportunity cost of negative environmental impacts are high and, issues of waste generation and pollution have become critical now a days, # Reason for Environment Degradation, ❖ Earlier Demand was less than, ❖, Supply., ❖ Pollution was within the, ❖, prescribed limit., ❖ Extraction rate was less than, ❖, regeneration rate of resources, ❖ Hence, no environmental issues, ❖, were generated., , Now Demand is greater than, Supply., Pollution level has crossed the, prescribed limit., Extraction rate is higher than, regeneration rate of resources, Hence, there are environmental, issues., , → Hence it can be said that reversal of demand and supply relation, has led to degradation of environment., , 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 2
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# Global Warming, ✓ The increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere and, ocean is known as Global Warming., ✓ Over the years approximately the temperature(atmospheric) has risen, by around 0.6 degree( equal to 1.1 degree Fahrenheit), ✓ Because of which sea level has been risen by several inches., , # Causes of Global Warming, ✓ One of the major cause for global warming is increase in the greenhouse gas connections like water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and, ozone in the atmosphere., ✓ Burning of coal and petroleum products., ✓ Deforestation( It leads to increase in the carbon dioxide in, atmosphere), ✓ Animal waste(Methane gas is released), ✓ Use of fossil fuels, Increased cattle production., Note: Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and methane have, increased by 41% and 160% respectively., # Effects of Global Warming, ❖ Melting of Polar ice. This has led to increase in the sea level and, coastal flooding., ❖ Tropical diseases like malaria, cholera, dengue have increased., ❖ It has led to extinction of various species such as Polar bear., ❖ There has been increase in tropical storms and hurricanes., , # Ozone depletion, ✓ The destruction of ozone in the ozone layer due to presence of, chlorine form of manmade Chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) and other forces., , 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 3
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# Causes, ✓ Presence of high level of chlorine and bromine compounds in the, stratosphere., ✓ These are originated through:, → CFC, which is used as cooling substances in AC and refrigerators., → Aerosol propellants and Bromoflurocarbons(halons) which are used in, fire extinguishers., # Effects, ❖ Increase in the Ultra Violet radiation., ❖ Increase Ultra violet radiation may lead to skin cancer., ❖ It effects the growth of terrestrial plants., ❖ It leads to reduction in phytoplankton, which affects other aquatic, organisms, # Montreal Protocol, ❖ It is a treaty designed by the members of United Nations to protect, the ozone layer by phasing out CFC., ❖ All the members agrees to freeze the consumption and production of, CFC by 2013., ❖ India signed this Protocol along with its amendment on 17/09/1992., ❖ It has significantly reduced the CFCs and helped in the recovery of, ozone., # Challenges to India's Environment, a) Land Degradation:, ✓ It refers to the decline in the overall quality of soil, water, or vegetation, conditions commonly caused by human activities., ✓ Man-made process is the main cause of land degradation., ✓ Poor land use practice is also one of the reason responsible for rapid, land degradation in India., 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 4
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# causes of land Degradation, ❖ Deforestation, ❖ Overgrazing, ❖ Encroachments into forests, ❖ Improper crop rotation, ❖ Improper management of irrigation systems, ❖ Excess usage of ground water, ❖ Indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals such as fertilizers etc, ❖ Poverty of agriculture dependent people., ❖ Shifting Cultivation., # Facts, → 53% of the total land area i.e. around 174 million hectares in India is, facing serious problem of land degradation., → Out of these 144 million hectares is subjected to Soil erosion through, water and wind, → Balance 30 million is subject to some other problems, b) Deforestation/Degradation of Forest:, ✓ Permanently destruction of forest is known as deforestation., ✓ It involves cutting of trees, clearing and removal of rainforest and, converting the land to non-forest uses., ✓ In recent years there has been considerably increase in deforestation, which has disturbed the ecological balance of the country., ✓ The requirement of forestland is around 0.47 hectare to meet the basic, requirement but at present it is only 0.08hectare., ✓ The negative impact if deforestation involves: air pollution, soil erosion,, biodiversity loss, heavy rainfall leading to floods, c) Soil Erosion:, ✓ It is a situation where the surface soil is washed away due to heavy, 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 5
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rainfall or flood., ✓ Deforestation is one of the major reason for soil erosion., ✓ As per data available, soil is being eroded at the rate of 5.3 billion, tonnes a year., ✓ Because of this there is a loss of around 0.8 million tonne nitrogen, 1.8, million phosphorous and 26.3 million tonnes of potassium every year., ✓ Around 5.8 million to 8.4 million tonnes of nutrients are lost each year., , d) Biodivers ity Loss:, ✓ The variability among living organisms from all sources, including, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystem and the ecological, complexes of which they are a part., ✓ There is an immediate need for biodiversity conservation., ✓ This is because Biodiversity loss has serious economic and social cost, because it leads to destruction of many plants and animals, e) Air pollution:, ✓ Presence of materials in air in such concentration, which are harmful to, man and the environment., ✓ There has been phenomenal increase in the number of cars which have, considerable increased the pollution level.( 3 lakhs in 1951 to 14.18 crore in, 2011), ✓ Personal transport vehicles are around 80% of the total registered, vehicles., # Central Pollution control Board, ✓ It was set-up in 1974, ✓ Central Pollution control Board has identified 17 categories of industries, as significantly polluting., ✓ The main functions are:, ❖ Assess the air quality through regulation of industries, ❖ Organising awareness programmes., ❖ Carrying out research, investigation related to water and air pollution, problems., , 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 6
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❖ Preparing manuals, codes, guidelines relating to treatment and disposal of, sewage and trade effluents., ❖ Providing background air quality data needed for industrial siting and town, planning., ❖ Monitoring quality of water in 125 rivers., # Sustainable Development, It refers to the development which ensures that all future generations, have potential average quality of life in similar manner as that of current, generation., , Note:, ❖ According to World Commission Strategy report: Sustainable, Development refers to: the development, that meets the need for the, present, Without compromising the ability of future generation, to, meet their own needs., ❖ It is a development which meets the basic needs of poor people and, ensures that sectors like agriculture, manufacturing and service are, able to meet their needs, # Aims, ✓ Prevention of Damage of our life support damage., ✓ Conserve and nurture the bio-diversity and other resources, ✓ Meeting the present and future needs of the generations without, causing any damage to the environment., ✓ Helps in the basic needs of the poor people., #Achieving Sustainable Development, Rules for following Sustainable Development are given below:, a) Use of Renewable Resources: There should be restriction on the use of, renewable resources. We should ensure that rate of extraction does, not exceed rate of regeneration., , 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 7
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b) Replace Non-renewable with renewable: Non-renewable sources are, those resources which deplete over a period of time. Hence, it is, necessary that suitable renewable sources substitutes should be, developed., c) Pollution: Necessary steps should be taken to control pollution so, that it remains within the prescribed limit., d) Population: Necessary steps should be taken to control population so, that it is within the carrying capacity of the environment., e) Become Input efficient: Effort should be made so that we are able, to produce more per unit of input. This will ensure that there, reduction in exploitation of resources., #Strategies of Sustainable Development, a) Using Non-Conventional Sources of Energy:, ✓ Presently India depends on thermal and hydro power plants to generate, electricity., ✓ Using these sources have a great negative impact on environment., ✓ Hence, it is important that we should focus on using non-conventional, sources of energy., ✓ Wind, water and solar are cleaner form of energy. But due to lack of, technology these have not been explored on larger scale., ✓ With the help of Photovoltaic cells Solar energy can be converted into, electricity., ✓ Using Non-Conventional sources of energy have initial cost of investment, but in the long run the huge benefits easily absorbs this cost., b) Using Cleaner fuels:, ✓ In urban areas people should be encouraged to fuels that helps in, reducing pollution levels, ✓ Eg: In Delhi Compressed Natural Gas(CNG) is being used in almost all, public transport system., ✓ In Rural areas, people are still using wood, cow dung or bio mass, , 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 8
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as fuel., ✓ These fuels have adverse impact on environment., ✓ Hence, these people should be encouraged to use LPG or Gobar gas., ✓ These fuels are cleaner and help in reducing the pollution to great extent., c) Bio-Compost:, ✓ The demand of organic food have increased the usage of Bio-Compost, made from organic wastes of different types., ✓ Cattles are being maintained by some farmers only to obtain cow dung, which is an important fertiliser and soil conditioner., , d) Mini-Hydel Plants:, ✓ With the help of hydel plants and turbines electricity can be, generated.(This was also Shown in Indian Movie-'Swadesh'), ✓ Such power plant are usually environment friendly and are able to, generate electricity that meets the requirement of rural people., e), ✓, ✓, ✓, , Traditional Practices and knowledge:, India is well known for its AYUSH treatment., There are about 15000 species of plants that have medicinal properties, However, advent of western system of treatment we have ignored our, traditional system., ✓ The benefit of these system are that they normally do not have any, side effect and are free from chemical processing., f) Control of Biopest:, ✓ Green revolution, no doubt, have led to increase in crop production., ✓ But it has also led to increase in chemical fertilisers which in turn have, led not only contamination of food but have also led to rise in pollution, of water., ✓ People should be encouraged to use neem based pesticide which are, free from side effects and are also environmental friendly., ✓ Awareness should be created so that people should use various, animals as natural pest controllers., ✓ Various practices such as multiple cropping should be implemented by, 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 9
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farmers., h) Change in patterns of consumption and production:, ✓ As there has been increase in purchasing power of people, there has, been considerably increase in the wasteful consumption. This has, effected the development of country., ✓ This problem can be solved by creating awareness and education., , 9. Enviornment and Sustainable Development Page 10
