UNIT 3
Ecology
Environment is derived from the French word Environment, which mean encircle or surrounding. Environment is a complex of many variables, which surrounds man as well as the living organisms. Environmental studies describe the interrelationships among organisms, the environment and all the factors, which influence life on earth, including atmospheric conditions, food chains, the water cycle, etc. It is a basic science about our earth and its daily activities, and therefore, this science is important for one and all. Scope of environmental studies Environmental studies discipline has multiple and multilevel scopes. This study is important and necessary not only for children but also for everyone. The scopes are summarized as follows:
- The study creates awareness among the people to know about various renewable and non-renewable resources of the region. The endowment or potential, patterns of utilization and the balance of various resources available for future use in the state of a country are analysed in the study.
- It provides the knowledge about ecological systems and cause and effect relationships.
- It provides necessary information about biodiversity richness and the potential dangers to the species of plants, animals and microorganisms in the environment.
- The study enables one to understand the causes and consequences due to natural and main induced disasters (flood, earthquake, landslide, cyclones etc.,) and pollutions and measures to minimize the effects.
- It enables one to evaluate alternative responses to environmental issues before deciding an alternative course of action.
- The study enables environmentally literate citizens (by knowing the environmental acts, rights, rules, legislations, etc.) to make appropriate judgments and decisions for the protection and improvement of the earth.
- The study exposes the problems of over population, health, hygiene, etc. and the role of arts, science and technology in eliminating/ minimizing the evils from the society.
- The study tries to identify and develop appropriate and indigenous eco-friendly skills and technologies to various environmental issues.
- It teaches the citizens the need for sustainable utilization of resources as these resources are inherited from our ancestors to the younger generating without deteriorating their quality.
- The study enables theoretical knowledge into practice and the multiple uses of environment. Importance of environmental study Environmental study is based upon a comprehensive view of various environmental systems. It aims to make the citizens competent to do scientific work and to find out practical solutions to current environmental problems. The citizens acquire the ability to analyse the environmental parameters like 2 the aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric systems and their interactions with the biosphere and anthrosphere.
- World population is increasing at an alarming rate especially in developing countries.
- The natural resources endowment in the earth is limited.
- The methods and techniques of exploiting natural resources are advanced.
- The resources are over-exploited and there is no foresight of leaving the resources to the future generations.
- The unplanned exploitation of natural resources lead to pollution of all types and at all levels.
- The pollution and degraded environment seriously affect the health of all living things on earth , including man.
- The people should take a combined responsibility for the deteriorating environment and begin to take appropriate actions to space the earth.
- Education and training are needed to save the biodiversity and species extinction.
- The urban area, coupled with industries, is major sources of pollution.
- The number and area extinct under protected area should be increased so that the wildlife is protected at least in these sites.
- The study enables the people to understand the complexities of the environment and need for the people to adapt appropriate activities and pursue sustainable development, which are harmonious with the environment.
- The study motivates students to get involved in community action, and to participate in various environmental and management projects.
- It is a high time to reorient educational systems and curricula towards these needs.
- Environmental studies take a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human interactions with the natural environment. It integrates different approaches of the humanities , social sciences, biological sciences and physical sciences and applies these approaches to investigate environmental concerns.
- Environmental study is a key instrument for bringing about the changes in the knowledge, values, behaviours and lifestyles required to achieve sustainability and stability within and among countries. Environmental studies deal with every issue that affects an organism. It is essentially a multidisciplinary approach that brings about an appreciation of our natural world and human impacts on its integrity. It is an applied science as it seeks practical answers to making human civilization sustainable on the earth's finite resources. Its components include
1. Biology 2. Geology 3. Chemistry 4. Physics 5. Engineering 6. Sociology 7. Health 8. Anthropology 9. Economics 10. Statistics 11. Philosophy
Major environmental issues Man and nature have lived together and as long as man’s wants were in conformity with nature, there was no problem. But unfortunately, man’s ambition for limitless enjoyment and comfort has led him towards the exploitation of nature’s wealth so indiscriminately as to reduce nature’s capacity for self-stabilization. The indiscriminate exploitation of nature over centuries has created numerous environmental problems. Man’s voracious appetite for resources and his desire to conquer nature has put him on collision course with environment. The demands of his explosive technological society impose intense stress on the state of equilibrium with the environment. Major environmental issues threatening mankind are Global warming, water pollution, pesticide pollution, Hazardous waste, biomedical wastes, e waste, and loss of biodiversity India today is one of the first ten industrialized countries of the world. Today we have a good industrial infrastructure in core industries like metals, chemicals, fertilizers, petroleum, food etc.
What has come out of these?
Pesticides, detergents, plastics, solvents, paints, dyes, food additives etc. Due to progress in atomic energy, there are also been an increase in radioactivity in the biosphere. Besides these there are a number of industrial effluent and emissions particularly poisonous gases in the atmosphere.
Mining activities also added to this problem particularly as solid waste. Such activities of man had adverse effect on all forms of living organisms in the biosphere. The earth planet along with the atmosphere (air, land, water) that sustains life is called the Biosphere. Due to lack of development of a culture of pollution control, there has resulted a heavy backlog of gaseous, liquid and solid pollution in our country. The solid wastes which cause pollution are Hazardous waste, pesticides, medical waste etc. they are become the major environmental issues in addition to automobile pollution, climate change, water pollution, pesticide pollution and biodiversity loss in our country and worldwide.
Industrial / Vehicular pollution
The coolest culprits of environmental degradation in metropolitan cities are vehicular and industrial pollution. Since 1975 the Indian economy has grown 2.5 times, the industrial pollution load has grown 3.47 times and the vehicular pollution load 7.5 times, in Delhi, for example 70% of air pollution is caused by vehicular pollution. Thanks to the 3 million vehicles on its roads-while industries account for 17%. The pollutants emitted by the vehicles could produce inflammatory effects on the respiratory organs, could be toxic or even carcinogenic depending upon the fuel type, In India, vehicles primarily run on diesel or petrol.
Air pollutants from automobiles Climate Change The rising concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) of anthropogenic origin in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) have increased, since the late 19th century.
According to the Third Assessment Report (TAR) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, because of the increase in concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (for e.g., CO2 by 29 per cent, CH4 by 150 per cent and N2O by 15 per cent) in the last 100 years, the mean surface temperature has risen by 0.4–0.8°C globally. The precipitation has become spatially variable and the intensity and frequency of extreme events has increased. The sea level also has risen at an average annual rate of 1–2 mm during this period. The continued increase in concentration of GHG in the atmosphere is likely to lead to climate change resulting in large changes in ecosystems, leading to possible catastrophic disruptions of livelihoods, economic activity, living conditions, and human health.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change requires the parties to protect the climate system in accordance with their ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ and respective capabilities. In the year 1990, the developed world (Australia, Canada, USA, Europe, former USSR and Japan) emitted around 66 per cent of the total global GHG emissions, which though has reduced to 54 per cent in 2000, mainly offset by the rise in Chinese emissions. The South Asian region, including three fourths emission share of India, contributed only 3 per cent of the total global GHG emissions in 1990 and the share of emissions from South Asia has grown merely by 4 per cent in 2000.
Water pollution India has 12 major rivers with a total catchments area of 252.8 million hectare. The Indian homes produce about 75 % of the wastewater, and sewage treatment facilities are inadequate in most cities and almost absent in rural India. According to the Central pollution Control Board, of the 8,432 large and medium industries in the country, only 4,989 had installed appropriate measures to treat wastewater before discharge. Of the over two million small scale industrial units, a number of which like tanneries are extremely polluting, very few have any treatment facilities whatsoever and their untreated wastes invariably find their way into country’s water systems.
Polluted tank Marine pollution Industrial pollution Poisoned by Pesticides Poisoning from pesticides affects 68,000 farmers and workers every day; annually, an estimated 25 million workers suffer from pesticide poisoning throughout the world. Farmers and agricultural workers are exposed to pesticides directly when they are mixing and spraying these pesticides, especially so in developing countries such as Asia. Every year, about 3 million people are poisoned around the world and 200,000 die from pesticide use. Beyond these reported acute cases of pesticide poisoning, evermore worrying are the chronic long-term effects such as cancers, adverse effects-not only on specific body organs and systems but also on the endocrine system which include reduction in male sperms count and undecided testes as well as increasing incidences of breast cancer. Communities and Consumers are insidiously exposed to pesticides through contamination of the soil, air and water. The chronic effects of pesticides are particularly alarming when new studies link certain pesticides to cancer, lowered fertility and disruption of the endocrine system and to the suppression of immune systems. Important pesticide episodes are
The struggles of common plantation workers in Malaysia against the impact of pesticides such as Parquet as their assertion of their rights as workers.
The tale of ex-International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) workers in the Philippines poisoned by pesticides used in the IRRI test fields and unfairly healed by IRRI. There were also details about the fisher flock community in Kamukhaan, Philips, that been poisoned, and their environment devastated by Pesticides used in the neighbouring banana plantation. The communities living in Kasar code, Kerala who have been poisoned by Endosulfan, which was aerially sprayed by the plantation corporation of Kerala, India,
Farming and Agricultural Worker communities in Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, who have been poisoned by Pesticides during spraying, Warangal is already in famous for the large number of cotton farmer suicide deaths, one the main reasons during the farmers to suicide in the resistance being developed by pests to pesticides. Pesticides Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PANAD) first launched ‘No Pesticide Use Day’ in 1998 to protest the manufacture and use of pesticides worldwide. The day is held to commemorate the thousand who dies, and the tens of thousands who still suffer and continue to die, as a result of the 1984 Bhopal Disaster.
The tragedy of Bhopal is a powerful and poignant example of chemical pesticide contamination; the victims continue to suffer to this day. Pescticides In Soft Drinks Soft drinks are non-alcoholic water-based flavored drinks that are optionally sweetened, acidulated and carbonated. Some carbonated soft drinks also contain caffeine; mainly the brown-colored cola drinks.
Key takeaways
- Environment is derived from the French word Environed, which mean encircle or surrounding. Environment is a complex of many variables, which surrounds man as well as the living organisms.
- Environmental studies focus on the interrelationships among organisms, the environment and all the factors, which influence life on earth, including atmospheric conditions, food chains, the water cycle, etc. this exposes the problems of over population, health, hygiene, etc. It teaches us the need for sustainable utilization of resources as these resources are inherited from our ancestors to the younger generating without deteriorating their quality
Understanding Environment
Environment refers to the surroundings we live in. It is a combination of physical and biological components. Environment includes all those things on which we are directly or indirectly dependent for our survival, whether it is living component like animals, plants or non-living component like soil, air water.
The environment determines the climate and weather that are extremely important to all the biological forms. Any changes in the environment can alter the natural cycles and climatic conditions. The more the life forms to create their habitat, the more resourceful the environment is.
Understanding Ecology
The term Ecology was coined by Ernst Haeckel. It is the study of relationship between living organisms and environment. Its main components include individuals, species, population, community, and ecosystem. These components are determined on the basis of composition and distribution of resources such as sunlight, heat, water, nutrients, etc.
Following table highlights the important difference between environment and ecology:
Environment | Ecology |
Environment refers to the interaction between the physical, chemical and biological components. | Ecology is the study of relationship between organisms and their environment |
The environmental issues include pollution, deforestation, global warming, and other broader issues. | The ecological issues include population size, diversity, distribution of organisms, and also the competition between them. |
Studies the internal and external factors affecting the environment. | Aims to understand life process, distribution, adaptation and biodiversity. |
Relation between Environment, Ecology and Development
The term ‘environment’ has become one of the most overused and obscure concepts in today’s lexicon of development. Literally, environment means all that which surrounds us. It is an external condition which influences our development and growth.
The surroundings not only influence human development but also development of animals, plants living or working. Environment is a totality which determines the way of the life of the people. In our contemporary situation of world order environment is clubbed with development. There is no discussion about environment without linking it with development. In the Third World countries a debate is cropped up which is hinged on development versus environment.
It is argued that development in the end leads to degradation of environment. Or, there cannot be development without exploitation of environment. The debate environment versus development has assumed national significance in our country. The environmentalists suggest that all programmes of development should be cancelled as they lead to degradation of environment and ecology.
Recently, the environmentalists have become lesser doctrinnaire and have agreed to sustainable development, that is, the development which also maintains the requirement of environment. As, at present, in our country, there appears to be an agreement in the nexus between environment and development that we should make all efforts to attain development to the extent that it does not permit any degradation of environment.
‘Ecology’ is basically concerned with the relationship between plants and man. As a matter of fact, environment is a comprehensive term which relates to man-nature relationship. It relates to plant, wildlife, water, land and man-made things as pollution resulting from industry and other such technological development.
The context of environment, that is, degradation of land, forest and water resources in India’s villages occupies a crucial importance. The village people have been living in the villages and they are much closer to natural environment compared to their counterparts in urban communities.
Thus, Environment is the sum total of all conditions and influences that affect the development and life of all organisms on earth. Ecology is the branch of science that deals with the study of interactions between living organisms and their physical environment. Both are closely interrelated, and they have continuous interaction so that any change in the environment has an effect on the living organisms and vice-versa.
Ecological Balance:
In an ecosystem, the abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) environmental factors keep interacting with one another to maintain a mutual balance called ‘ecological balance’. If by any natural or artificial means this balance is disturbed, it leads to harmful results for mankind as a whole. Environmental studies reveal that this balance is disturbed by unlimited exploitation of natural resources, indiscriminate felling of trees, deforestation, A diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes, killing of wild birds and animals and pollution of every kind water, air, land etc. The latter half of the twentieth century has generated what some environmentalists have called the ‘ecological crisis’, which may be understood as the breakdown of the natural system, thus, jeopardizing the existence of living being in the universe.
Life can only survive when there is a balance between different species, when there is interdependence between them. But the moment it is disturbed with one species taking over the others, consuming far more resources than it should and producing a waste immensely harmful for the life of others, the crisis will inevitably surface. The crisis will not be for one life system or the other, rather it will be for all, although some may be affected far more than the others. Because of ecological crisis, some species may become extinct, some may survive precariously, thus, causing imbalance in nature. It is natural synergism, the dependence of one species on the other, which guarantees the continued survival of all. Its collapse is a cause of worry; it generates ecological crisis.
The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has stressed the need for striking a proper balance between economic development and ecological balance. The Commission Chairperson, in a recent order, has said that it is a constitutional duty not only of the State but also of every citizen to protect and improve the environment. He said that the right to life, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution, includes all those aspects of the life which go to make a man’s life meaningful, complete and worth living, and it also includes right to a decent environment. It would be worthy to mention that industrial development is necessary for the economic growth of the country, but the industrial growth should not be sought to be achieved by haphazard and reckless working resulting in loss of life, properly and public amenities
Key takeaways
- Ecology is basically concerned with the relationship between plants and man. As a matter of fact environment is a comprehensive term which relates to man-nature relationship. It relates to plant, wildlife, water, land and man-made things as pollution resulting from industry and other such technological development.
- Ecology’ is basically concerned with the relationship between plants and man. As a matter of fact environment is a comprehensive term which relates to man-nature relationship. It relates to plant, wildlife, water, land and man-made things as pollution resulting from industry and other such technological development.
- Because of ecological crisis, some species may become extinct, some may survive precariously, thus, causing imbalance in nature. It is natural synergism, the dependence of one species on the other, which guarantees the continued survival of all. Its collapse is a cause of worry; it generates ecological crisis.
Natural capital refers to the elements of the natural environment which provide valuable goods and services to people. For example, a woodland can be regarded as a natural capital asset, from which flows valuable benefits, or ecosystem services, such as flood risk reduction and carbon capture.
Natural capital is a way of thinking about nature as a stock that provides a flow of benefits to people and the economy. It consists of natural capital assets – such as water, forests and clean air which are huge parts of the General Environment.
The goods and services that natural capital provides – such as foods, water, or climate regulation – are called ecosystem services. These provide people everywhere with the means for healthy lives and underpin all economic activity.
Increasing pressures on nature, from climate change and biodiversity loss for instance, are degrading the ecosystems on which our economies depend. This carries real and immediate risks for businesses.
In the words of Inger Anderson, Director General- International Union for Conservation of nature - “The environment provides some $72tn a year of “free” support to the global economy. That’s more than four times the size of the US economy!”
Connection of Environment to quality of Human Life
The quality of the local living environment has a direct impact on human health and well-being. An unspoiled environment is a source of satisfaction, improves mental well-being, and allows people to recover from the stresses of everyday life and perform physical activities.
Environmental hazards increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and many other illnesses. These hazards can be physical, such as pollution, toxic chemicals, and food contaminants, or they can be social, such as dangerous work, poor housing conditions, urban sprawl, and poverty.
Poor water quality can lead to gastrointestinal illness and a range of other conditions, including neurological problems and cancer. Some chemicals in and around homes and workplaces can contribute to acute poisonings and other toxic effects.
The built environment (such as schools, parks, greenways, and transportation systems) affects both individual health and environmental quality. For example, supporting bicycling as a primary mode of transportation increases physical activity and reduces pollution and accidents from motor vehicles
Pesticides disrupt essential biological processes, for example through affecting nerve transmission or mimicking hormones. Thus, human health concerns related to exposure via water, food, or close proximity to spraying have been raised. Due to their intrinsic properties, pesticides can also be harmful to organisms in the wider environment, including freshwater organisms.
The benefits of contacts with wildlife and access to safe green spaces for a child’s exploratory, mental and social development have been shown both in urban and rural settings. Health is generally perceived to be better by people living in more natural environments, with agricultural land, forests, grasslands or urban green spaces near the place of residence. Furthermore, the perceived availability of green urban areas has been shown to reduce annoyance due to noise.
Key Takeaways-
- Natural capital refers to the elements of the natural environment which provide valuable goods and services to people
- The quality of the local living environment has a direct impact on human health and well-being. An unspoiled environment is a source of satisfaction, improves mental well-being, and allows people to recover from the stresses of everyday life and perform physical activities. Environmental hazards increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and many other illnesses
3. 4 Environmental degradation – causes and impact on human life
Environmental Degradation:
Man being a dominant organism of most ecosystems, controls and modifies environments more extensively than any other organism. In fact, there have been significant changes in the natural environments due to man’s intervention and his rapid progress in colonization, urbanization and technology. Thus, deforestation has provided land for agriculture and rural inhabitation, rural land has been converted in to urban settlements and open spaces are fast vanishing. The mass scale destruction of flora and fauna has become detrimental to ecological balance. Quite ridiculously, much of this environmental degradation is done in the name of economic development.
Environmental degradation is the disintegration of the earth or deterioration of the environment through the consumption of assets, for example, air, water and soil; the destruction of environments and the eradication of wildlife; and pollution. It is characterized as any change or aggravation to nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or undesirable.
In the present century, environmental degradation has emerged as a major global concern for human survival. In the opinion of the World Commission on Environment and Development, the future is to face an ever-increasing environmental decay, poverty, hardship and an ever more polluted world. The strains of the ecological crisis are so apparent that the task to preserve and protect the environment has become the primary requisite of the economics of development. Modernization is steadily transforming the nature into products. The resource squeeze has led to an ever-intensification of ecological damage. Land, water and air. Air being polluted every minute. Approximately 10,000 million tons of oxygen is being burned and about 24,000 million tons of carbon dioxide is being discharged every year.
The green revolution has turned red. Deforestation is proceeding an alarming rate depleting the genetic store. Loss of trees and plants is shaking the base of the ecosystem globally. Our world is losing almost 17 million hectares of forests per year and in India, it is 1.3 to 1.5 million hectares per year.141 Mega technology has created problems of waste disposal and industrial revolution has now become a great hazard to the environment, as well as, to humanity. Man’s environment, by now, is sufficiently saturated by the complex chemical emissions, aerosols, toxic dust and radiation. Global 2000 Report, 1980, reveals’42 that the globe will become more crowded, more polluted, ecologically less stable and more vulnerable to disruption than the world we live in today.
Types of Environmental degradation:
Land and soil degradation: Degradation of soil quality from poor farming practices excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, leakage from landfills etc.
Water degradation: Pollution of water from trash dumped in oceans, illegal dumping, disposal of large amounts of industrial waste into nearby rivers or lakes etc.
Atmospheric degradation: This includes air degradation, particle pollution, depletion of the ozone layer
Several other kinds of pollution: Such as noise pollution, light pollution, etc are part of the degradation.
Causes of Environmental degradation:
Land disturbance: Numerous weedy plant species like garlic and mustarf are foreign and obtrusive which damages land. These plants can assume control over nature, eliminating the local greenery
Pollution: Whether Air, water, land or noise is harmful to the environment
Overpopulation: rapid population puts strain on the natural resources. More population simply means more demand for food, clothes and shelter. You need more space to grow food and provide homes to millions of people which in turn causes deforestation.
Landfills: These pollute the environment and destroy the beauty of the city. Landfills come within the city due to the large amount of waste that gets generated by households, industries, factories and hospitals. Pose risk to the health of environment and people too.
Deforestation: Cutting down of trees to make way for homes and industries. the use of forest land for agriculture, animal grazing, harvest for fuelwood and logging are some of the other causes of deforestation. Deforestation contributes to global warming and decrease forest cover which puts carbon back into environment
Natural causes: Avalanches, quakes, tidal waves, storms, and wildfires can totally crush nearby animal and plant groups to the point where they can no longer survive in those
Impact of Environmental degradation on Human Life
Atmospheric changes:
Environment degradation often leads to changes in atmosphere. The water cycle and the natural habitat of plants and animals also changes drastically. The natural biodiversity degradates. Air, water and land pollution adds up to promote these atmospheric changes. The climate and the weather changes owing to increased pollution. This in turn increases global warming that can prove harmful to the generations to come. The rate of depletion of ozone layer multiplies rapidly owing to environment degradation.
Human health:
This environment degradation has a negative impact on health of humans. Since there is considerable reduction in the quality of air, water and land, the average life span of humans decreases. Lakhs die due to illness caused by pollution. As the quality of air diminishes, lots of people die due to chronic diseases like lung cancer and heart attack. Landfills on the other hand promote environmental degradation. Hazardous waste from these landfills can easily enter the food chain that can further cause biomagnifications. Apart from all these. Dumping of toxic waste by the industries adds to the pollution which dangerously affects the health of the humans.
Biodiversity lost:
Due to continuous degradation of the environment, the natural habitat, the forests, and the ecosystem get disrupted. Most of the species are under the threat of extinction. The reproductive capacity, the ability to withstand the changes in temperature and all are disturbed. All these are mainly due to human activity which has caused exploitation of natural resources, acidifying water resources, soil erosion due to large scale deforestation and making the air impure even to breathe. Al these combined has hampered the natural biodiversity.
Key takeaways:
- Environmental degradation is the disintegration of the earth or deterioration of the environment through the consumption of assets, for example, air, water and soil; the destruction of environments and the eradication of wildlife; and pollution. It is characterized as any change or aggravation to nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or undesirable.
- Environmental degradation is caused by land disturbance, overpopulation, pollution, landfills, deforestation and natural causes.
- It leads to atmospheric changes, negative impact on human health, and loss of biodiversity.
The term development is generally used to denote growth or progress. However, the term, particularly in last two centuries, has become synonym to economic growth in terms of gross domestic product or the per capita income of the nation. This definition has created a rat race amongst the nations to attain and retain development goals. These goals are often contradictory to the idea of preservation or sustenance of environment. In order to re-build the harmonious relationship between man and nature, world organizations like UN, has begun the campaign to have a sustainable development.
The Concept of Sustainable Development:
The most frequently used definition of Sustainable development is from the Brundtland Report “Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present (people) without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs”. In other words, it is improving the quality of life of the present generation without excessive use or abuse of natural resources, so that they can be preserved for the next generation. The term was first coined in 1972 at the United Nations Conference on Human Environment at Stockholm. The most important piece of writing on Sustainable development is in the publication by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) in 1987 titled “Our Common Future”.
In 1992 at the Earth summit at Rio-de-Janerio, 170 countries signed many important documents on sustainable development pledging preservation of environment. Sustainable development is often referred as the marriage of economy and ecology. i.e., to attain economic development without compromising the ecological balance. It can be attained by rigorous 215 policy change, taking action and altering practices. There are three aims of sustainable development: - a) Economic- to attain balanced growth b) Ecological- to preserve the eco system c) Social-guarantying equal access to resources to all human communities The objective laid down in the Brundtland report is as follows Dividing growth Changing the quality of growth Meeting essential needs of all in terms of job, food, energy, water and sanitation. Ensuring a sustainable population Conserving and enhancing the resource base. Reorienting technology, building technology that’s less exploitative Managing environment and economics in decision making.
Need for sustainable development: There are several challenges that need attention in the arena of economic development and environmental depletion. Hence the idea of Sustainable development is essential to address the following issues. To curb or prevent the environmental degradation To ensure a safe human life To check the exploitative technology and find alternative sources To check the over exploitation and wastage of natural resources To regenerate renewable energy resources The concept of Sustainable development is based on following principles Integration of environment and economic decision Stewardship or humans as the caretaker of the environment Shared responsibility, accountability and decision making Prevention and mitigation Conservation Waste minimization Enhancement of productivity, capability, quality of nature and human life Rehabilitation and reclamation 216 Scientific and technological innovations
Components of sustainable development:
While discussing the components of sustainable development different criteria have been used depending on the context and the levels of decision making. The components are broadly divided into three elements namely social, economic and environmental.
Economic Social Environment
a) Social components- • Workers health and safety • Impact on local communities, quality of life • Benefits to disadvantaged groups
b) Economic components: • Creation for new markets and opportunities for sale growth • Cost reduction through efficiency and improvements and reduced energy and raw material inputs • Creation of additional value
c) Environmental components: Reduce waste, effluent generation, emission into environment
• Reduce impact on human health • Use of renewable raw material • Elimination of toxic substances
Poverty and Environment
Poverty and environmental issues are interrelated. Poverty among people puts stress on the environment whereas environmental problems cause severe suffering to the poor. People, whether they be rich or poor, consume water, food, and natural resources in order to remain alive. All economic activities are directly, indirectly or remotely based on natural resources and any pressure on natural resources can cause environmental stress. Environmental damage can prevent people, especially the poor, from having good and hygienic living standards. As poor people rely more directly on the environment than the rich for their survival, they are mostly on the receiving end of environmental problems
Poverty often causes people to put relatively more pressure on the environment which results in larger families (due to high death rates and insecurity), improper human waste disposal leading to unhealthy living conditions, more pressure on fragile land to meet their needs, overexploitation of natural resources and more deforestation. Insufficient knowledge about agricultural practices can also lead to a decline in crop yield and productivity etc.
On the other hand, environmental problems add more to the miseries of poor people. Environmental problems cause more suffering among them as environmental damage increases the impact of floods and other environmental catastrophes. Soil erosion, land degradation and deforestation lead to a decline in food production along with a shortage of wood for fuel contribute to inflation. In short, the worst consequences of environmental deterioration, whether they be economical, social, or related to mental or physical wellbeing, are experienced by poor people.
More rigorous efforts should be undertaken by the governments of all countries to eradicate poverty and in turn, to save deprived people from the dreadful implications of environmental damage. There should be more collaborative partnerships among all sections of the society so that even the people living in poverty are linked to the world through their participation in social, political, and economical spheres along with their active participation in environmental regeneration.
It can be concluded that there cannot be any environmental solution without alleviating poverty from the world.
Key takeaways-
- The most frequently used definition of Sustainable development is from the Brundtland Report “Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present (people) without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs”. In other words it is improving the quality of life of the present generation without excessive use or abuse of natural resources, so that they can be preserved for the next generation
- Environmental damage can prevent people, especially the poor, from having good and hygienic living standards. As poor people rely more directly on the environment than the rich for their survival, they are mostly on the receiving end of environmental problems
References:
- R. Rajagopalan’s Environment and Ecology
- The Ecology book- DK