Unit 1 – Introduction to

Environmental Studies
Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies;
Components of Environment: atmosphere, hydrosphere,
lithosphere and biosphere
Scope and importance; Concept of sustainability and
sustainable development; Brief history of Environmentalism

Dr. Nawin Kumar Tiwary

Assistant Professor
Department of Environmental Studies
Indraprastha College for Women
University of Delhi
 Environment
‘Environment’ is a term derived from the Latin word ‘Environ’ that means ‘to surround’.

As per Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, environment includes all the physical and
biological surroundings of an organism along with their interactions.

Environment is “the sum total of water, air and land and the inter-relationships that exist
among them and with the human beings, other living organisms and materials.”
Components of Environment
 Sustainable development
Sustainable development is defined as “meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

This definition was given in Brundtland Commission Report, ‘‘Our Common Future’’, by the
Norwegian Prime Minister, G.H. Brundtland, who was also the Director of World Health
Organisation (WHO).

History: A clear discussion on sustainable development emerged on an international level in

1992, in the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), popularly known as
The Earth Summit, held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Rio Declaration aims at “a new and
equitable global partnership through the creation of new levels of cooperation among states
….” Out of its five significant agreements Agenda-21 proposes a global programme of action on
sustainable development in social, economic and political context for the 21st century. This was
followed by UN World Summit on Sustainable Develpment (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South
Africa in 2002 which emphasized on national strategies for sustainable development.
 Sustainable development
The key aspects for sustainable development are:

(a) Inter-generational equity: This emphasizes that we should minimize any adverse impacts
on resources and environment for future generations i.e. we should hand over a safe,
healthy and resourceful environment to our future generations. This can be possible only
if we stop over-exploitation of resources, reduce waste discharge and emissions and
maintain ecological balance.

(b) Intra-generational equity: This emphasizes that the development processes should seek
to minimize the wealth gaps within and between nations. The Human Development
Report of United Nations (2001) emphasizes that the benefits of technology should seek
to achieve the goals of intra-generational equity. The technology should address the
problems of the developing countries, producing drought tolerant varieties for uncertain
climates, vaccines for infectious diseases, clean fuels for domestic and industrial use. This
type of technological development will support the economic growth of the poor
countries and help in narrowing the wealth gap and lead to sustainability.
Sustainable development goals
 Measures for Sustainable Development
(i) Using appropriate technology, the one which is locally adaptable, eco-friendly, resource
efficient and culturally suitable. It mostly involves local resources and local labour.
Indigenous technologies are more useful, cost-effective and sustainable.
(ii) Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle approach: The 3-R approach advocating minimization of
resource use, using them again and again instead of passing it on to the waste stream
and recycling the materials goes a long way in achieving the goals of sustainability. It
reduces pressure on our resources as well as reduces waste generation and pollution.
(iii) Promoting environmental education and awareness: Making environmental education
the centre of all learning process will greatly help in changing the thinking pattern and
attitude of people towards our earth and the environment
(iv) Resource utilization as per carrying capacity: Any system can sustain a limited number
of organisms on a long-term basis which is known as its carrying capacity. In case of
human beings, the carrying capacity concept becomes all the more complex. It is
because unlike other animals, human beings, not only need food to live, but need so
many other things to maintain the quality of life. In order to attain sustainability it is very
important to utilize the resources based upon the above two properties of the system.
Consumption should not exceed regeneration and changes should not be allowed to
occur beyond the tolerance capacity of the system.
(v) Improving quality of life including social, cultural and economic dimensions:
Development should not focus just on one section of already affluent people. Rather it
should include sharing of benefits between the rich and the poor.
 Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies
Environmental science looks at our surroundings, including how we view, interpret, fit into,
interact with, and alter our surroundings. Bearing ecological principles at its core,
environmental science draws and integrates inputs from different disciplines in science,
social science and humanities. For examples:

- Zoologists study animals,

- Botanists study plants,
- Ecologists study how plants and animals interact with their environment,
- Geologists study the formation, history, structure, and physical composition of the earth,
- Chemists study the composition of both living, and non living materials, and the reactions
controlling the distribution of materials,
- Social scientists and economists study how we use and interact with our environment,
- Philosophers examine how we value our environment,
-Journalists describe and interpret our environment, and illustrators show us our
environment.

Because, the environment is complex and actually made up of many different environments,
including natural, constructed and cultural environments, environmental studies is the inter-
disciplinary examination of how biology, geology, politics policy studies, law, geology, religion
engineering, chemistry and economics combine to inform the consideration of humanity’s
effects on the natural world.
 Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies

This subject educates the students to appreciate the complexity of environmental issues and
citizens and experts in many fields. By studying environmental science, students may
develop a breadth of the interdisciplinary and methodological knowledge in the
environmental fields that enables them to facilitate the definition and solution of
environmental problems.
 Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies
Ex: Air Pollution:
Environmental issue/topics Major subject/ Topic knowledge required
Nature and reaction of air pollutants Chemistry and Chemical engineering
Effects of air pollutants on human beings, Zoology and botany and various branches of life
animal and plants science. Physics and Chemistry
Effect of air pollutants on materials Meteorology, Thermodynamics, Geography
Effect of climate on air pollution Mathematical modeling, etc.
Air pollution control devices Physics, chemistry and various branches of
Engineering
History of air pollution and air pollution History
episodes
Economic impacts of air pollution Economics, Demography
Sociological impacts of air pollution Sociology
Alternative fuels Various branches of physical sciences
Conservation of resources and pollution Various branches of physical and political sciences
control
Ozone hole and global warming Almost all fields under the sun have got something
to contribute to the understanding and prevention
of this phenomenon.
 Brief history of Environmentalism
International Efforts for Environment

Environmental issues received international attention about 35 years back in Stockholm

Conference, held on 5th June, 1972. Since then we celebrate World Environment Day on
5th June. At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held at Rio
de Janeiro, in 1992, known popularly as Earth Summit, and ten years later, the World
Summit on Sustainable Development, held at Johannesburg in 2002, key issues of global
environmental concern were highlighted. Attention of general public was drawn towards the
deteriorating environmental conditions all over the world.
 Brief history of Environmentalism
Contemporary Indian Environmentalists in Environmental Awareness

Justice Kuldeep Singh, known popularly as the green judge and Sh. M.C. Mehta, the green
advocate, who have immensely contributed to the cause of environment.
Sh. Sunderlal Bahuguna, known for his ‘Chipko movement’ and ‘Tehri Bachao Andolan’
Smt. Medha Patkar and Ms. Arundhati Roy known for their ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’
The Magsaysay awardee Sh. Rajender Singh known for his water conservation efforts are
some such contemporary figures.
Dr. Salim Ali was a renowned ornithologist, famous for his work on Indian birds.
In modern India, late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi was instrumental in introducing
the concept of environmental protection in the Constitution of India as a fundamental duty
Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, former environment minister, has worked a lot for the cause of
wildlife protection.
Citizen’s report on environment was first published by late Sh. Anil Aggarwal, the founder
Chairman of Centre for Science & Environment.

Even with many such key persons leading the cause to environment, India is yet to achieve a
lot in this field.