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ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT

Environment

Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources. In
other words, Environment is the sum total of all the biotic and abiotic factors that influence
each other.

Biotic Elements: Biotic elements include all living elements like birds, animals and plants,
forests, fisheries etc.
Abiotic Elements: Abiotic elements include Non-living elements like air, water, land etc.

Functions of Environment: The Environment performs four vital functions:

1. Provides Resources for production: Environment provides renewable and non-
renewable resources.
Renewable Resources: Which can be used without the possibility of the resources become
depleted or exhausted like trees, fishes etc.
Non-renewable Resources: Which get exhausted with the extraction and use like fossil fuel.

2. Environment assimilates (Absorbs) waste: The process of production and

consumption activities generates a lot of wastages, which is absorbed by the
government.
3. Environment Sustain Life: Some basic necessities of life (Sun, Soil, Water and Air) are
part of environment. So, environment sustains life by providing these essential
elements.
4. Environment Provides aesthetic services: Environment includes land, forests, water
bodies, rainfall, air, atmosphere etc. People enjoy the scenic beauty of these
elements (like that of hill stations). Such elements help in improving quality of life.
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Environmental Crisis
The environment is able to perform its functions without any interruptions as long as
demand on these functions is within its ‘Carrying Capacity’.

‘Carrying Capacity’ implies two things:

1. Resource extraction should remain below the rate of resource regeneration.
2. Generation of waste should remain within the absorption capacity of the
environment.

If above two conditions are not fulfilled, then environment fails to perform its vital function
of life sustenance and it leads to the situation of ‘Environmental Crisis’.

Reasons for Environmental Crisis

1. Population explosion and advent (arrival) of industrial revolution: Due to this
demand for environmental resources has increased but their supply is limited.
2. Extensive extraction of both renewable and non-renewable resources: Due to this
some of the vital resources has been exhausted.
3. Extinction ( वलु त होने) of many resources.
4. The wastes generated are beyond the absorptive capacity of the environment due
to affluent consumption and production standards.
5. Air and water pollution due to development process.
6. Global warming and Ozone depletion.

Global Warming
Global warming is the observed and projected increase in the average temperature of
earth’s atmosphere and oceans. During the past century, the atmospheric temperature has
risen by 1.1 °F (0.6°C) and sea level has risen several inches.

Cause of Global Warming

1. Increase in the greenhouse gas concentration

2. Burning of Coal and petroleum products
3. Deforestation, which increases the C02 in the atmosphere
4. Methane gas released in animal waste

The atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and Methane (CH4) have increased
by 41% and 160% respectively above pre-industrial levels since 1750.
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Effects of Global Warming

1. Ice melting worldwide, especially at earth’s poles. It has led to a steep rise in sea
level and coastal flooding.
2. Hurricanes and other tropical storms are likely to become stronger.
3. Increased incidence of tropical diseases, like malaria, cholera, dengue, chikungunya
etc.
4. There are thousands of species (like polar bears) in danger of becoming extinct
forever.

Ozone Depletion
Ozone depletion refers to destruction of ozone in the ozone layer due to presence of
chlorine from manmade chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other forces.

Causes of Ozone depletion

1. CFC, which is used as cooling substances in AC and refrigerators; or

2. Aerosol propellants and Bromo fluorocarbons (halons), which is used in fire
extinguishers.

Effects of Ozone Depletion: As a result of depletion of the ozone layer, more UV radiation
comes to earth and causes damage to living organism. UV radiation seems to be responsible
for skin cancer in human beings, affects aquatic organism and also influence the growth of
terrestrial plants.

Montreal Protocol
It is historical Treaty designed by members of UN to protect the Ozone layer by phasing out
CFC, which is supposed to be main reason for Ozone depletion.
All the signing members agreed to freeze the consumption and production of CFC by the
year 2013.
India signed the Montreal protocol on 17.09.1992.

Land
Degradation

Air Pollution Soil Erosion

Challanges to
India's
Environment

Biodiversity
Deforestation
Loss
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Land Degradation: It refers to a decline in the overall quality of soil, water or vegetation
condition, commonly caused by human activities.
It occurs through natural and manmade processes of wing erosion, water erosion and water
logging. Such kind of degradation leads to the loss of invaluable nutrients and lower food
grain production.
Causes of Land Degradation

1. Encroachment (अ त मण) into forest Lands.

2. Improper crop rotation.
3. Extraction of ground water in excess of the recharge capacity.
4. Poverty of agriculture-dependent people.
5. Unsustainable Fuel wood ( धन क लकड़ी) and fodder (चारा) extraction.
6. Non-adoption of adequate soil conservation measures.
7. Excessive use of Agro-chemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides.

Deforestation (Degradation of Forests): It involves the permanent destruction of

indigenous forests and woodlands. It refers to cutting, clearing and removal of rainforest
(वषावन), where land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use.
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.

Soil Erosion: Soil erosion takes place when the surface soil is washed away through
excessive rains and floods. Deforestation is one of the major reasons for soil erosion.

Biodiversity Loss: It defined as the variability among living organism from all sources,
including terrestrial ( थल य), marine (समु ) and other aquatic (जल य) ecosystem and
ecological complexes of which they are a part.
Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity is fundamental to ecologically sustainable
development.

Air Pollution: Air pollution is the presence of materials in air in such concentration, which
are harmful to man and the environment. In India, air pollution is widespread in Urban areas
where vehicles are major contributors, and in few other areas, which have a high
concentration of industries and thermal power plants.

The number of motor vehicles increased from 3 lakh in 1951 to 14.18 crores in 2011.
Personal transport vehicles (Two-wheeler vehicles and cars only) constitute about 80% of
the total number of registered vehicles, thus, contributing significantly to total air pollution
load.
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Ways to control Air Pollution

Air Pollution causes health problems and also causes damage to environment and property.
It has resulted in ozone depletion, which is leading to climate change. So, there is a serious
need to take step to control it. Some of the ways to control it are:

 Promotion of public transport like use of Delhi Metro instead of private vehicles,
 Promotion of use of CNG instead of petrol and diesel.,
 Promotion of use of LPG in households to reduce indoor air pollution, etc.

Pollution Control Board (PCB)

In order to control water and air pollution in India, the government setup the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 1974.
Main Functions of PCB
1. They investigate, collect and disseminate information relating to water, air and land
pollution, lay down standards for sewage/trade effluent and emissions.
2. PCB provide technical assistance to govt in promoting cleanliness of streams and
wells by prevention, control and abatement of water and air pollution in country.
3. PCB also organise, through mass media, a comprehensive mass awareness
programme for the same.
4. PCB assess the air quality through regulation of industries and also monitor the
quality of water in 125 rivers (including the tributaries), wells, lakes, ponds, drains
and canals.

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. The basic aim of sustainable development is to ensure that present
generation should leave stock of ‘quality of life’ for the next generation, which is no less
than what we have inherited.

According to International Union for the conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN),

Sustainable Development refers to the development, that meets the need of the present,
without compromising the ability of future generations, to meet their own needs.

Sustainable Development Aims: -

 Sustainable and equitable use of resources, to meet the need of the present and
future generation, without causing damage to environment;
 To prevent further damage to our life-support system;
 To conserve and nurture (पोषण) the biodiversity (जैव व वधता) and other resources
for long-term food security.
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How to Achieve Sustainable Development?

 Restrict use of renewable resources: It means, rate of extraction should not exceed
rate of regeneration.
 Substitute Non-renewable with renewable resources
 Efforts should be made to produce more per unit of input
 Control over Pollution
 Control the growth of Population

Strategies for Sustainable Development

1. Use of Non-conventional Sources of Energy: India is hugely dependent on thermal

and hydro power plants to meet its power needs. But both these sources have
adverse environmental impacts.
Non-conventional Sources like wind power and solar panel are cleaner and greener
energy sources, but are not yet been explored on a large scale due to lack of
technological devices.
Both the sources (Wind power and solar rays) are totally free from pollution.
Although, their initial cost is high, but the benefits are such that the high cost gets
easily absorbed.
2. Use of Cleaner Fuels: Use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is promoted to be used
as fuel. Use of LPG and Gober Gas is being promoted is being promoted as they are
cleaner fuel and helps in reducing household pollution to a large extent.
3. Establishments of Mini-Hydel Plants: In mountainous regions, perpetual streams
can be found almost everywhere. These streams can be used to generate electricity
(via turbines) through Mini-Hydel plants.
4. Traditional Knowledge and Practices: Traditionally, Indian people have been closed
to their environment. All practices relating to agriculture system, Healthcare system,
Housing, Transport etc. used to be environment friendly.
The shift from traditional system has caused large scale damage to the environment
and to our rural heritage.
Ex: India is well known for its AYUSH treatment with about 15000 species of plants,
which have medicinal properties.
5. Use of Bio-compost: The use of chemical fertilizers to increase the agricultural
production has not only adversely affected the large area of productive land but also
contaminated the water bodies.
6. Control of Biopest: The advent of green revolution has increased the use of chemical
pesticides, which not only contaminates the food products, but also pollutes the
water bodies. To meet this challenge, Neem based pesticides, use of various animals
and birds like snakes, lizards, owl and peacock etc are used as natural pest
controllers.
7. Change in Unsustainable pattern of consumption and production