Environment

Environment refers to all the surroundings which have an impact on human lives. It is the sum
total of the surroundings and resources that effect our existence and quality of life.

• It includes all the biotic and abiotic factors.

• Biotic factors include all the living creatures like plants, animals, forests, etc.

• while abiotic factors include all non-living things like air, water, land, etc. that are provided
free of cost by nature.

• Biotic and abiotic both make up our surroundings and impact our existence and quality of
life.

• In other words, environment encompasses the biotic and abiotic components and their
relations.
 Resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration

• Environment performs several functions, but its essential function of sustaining

life carries much significance.

• Environment provides us with life supporting elements like Sun light, soil, water
and air.

• On extracting resources at a more rapid pace than its regeneration, the carrying
capacity of the environment reduces, leading to a failure in its life sustaining
function.

• This results in environmental crises, one of the common problems faced by

almost all the countries of the world.
 Renewable and non-renewable resources
• Renewable resources are those inexhaustible resources capable of
being replenished easily. Water, trees and fish are the renewable
resources.

• Non-renewable resources are those resources that are likely to be

exhausted or depleted on use. Petroleum, coal and iron ore are non-
renewable resources. The pace of re-occurrence of these resources is
slower than that of their exploitation
 Environmental issues facing the world today are global
warming and ozone depletion.
• Global warming refers to the phenomenon of constant increase in global temperature due to
environmental pollution and deforestation.

• It is caused by the emission of Green House Gases, particularly, carbon dioxide.

• The increase in the level of carbon dioxide raises the temperature of the earth surface, accelerating
the melting of polar ice.

• This leads to the rise in the sea level. Thus, the disturbed ecological balance leads to increasing
natural calamities, posing a threat to human survival.
 • Ozone acts as a cover for the earth surface that is very essential for the
sustenance of life.

• It prevents the harmful ultra violet radiations from penetrating the earth
surface.

• But its depletion is becoming a global concern these days. This is due to the
excessive use of cooling substances in the air conditioners and the
refrigerators.

• As ozone depletes, the possibility of ultra violet radiations penetrating to the

earth surface increases, posing a threat to the life on earth.
Following factors contribute to the environmental crisis in India
(i) Rising population
(ii) Air pollution
(iii) Water contamination
(iv) Affluent consumption standards
(v) Illiteracy
(vi) Industrialization
(vii) Urbanization
(viii) Reduction of forest coverage
(ix) Poaching
(x) Global warming.
 (i) Rising Population
• Rising population has applied an excessive burden on the environment in terms of two basic
aspects.

• The intensive and extensive extraction of both renewable and non-renewable resources has led
to exhaustion of the vital resources.

• Also, the explosive population size has triggered excessive demand for housing, thereby,
resulting in widespread deforestation and fast depletion of other natural resources leading to
ecological imbalances.

• Therefore, it is high time for the Indian government to take preventive measures to control
population explosion.
 (ii) Air Pollution
• Air consists of oxygen that supports life. Air pollution implies impurity of air, i.e.
absence of fresh air (oxygen) to breathe.

• Various pollutants like CO2, CO, SO2, SO, etc. pollutes air. Air pollution causes
hypertension, asthma, respiratory and cardio-vascular problems.

• Thus, the Indian government should take various steps to control air pollution, avoid
deforestation, increase health investment and also search for new alternative pollution
free technology such as CNG, etc.
 (iii) Water Contamination
• Contamination of water or pollution of water is posing a serious threat to human life.

• It is one of the principal causes of all deadly diseases such as diarrhea, hepatitis,
cholera, etc. It occurs due to dumping of industrial waste, agricultural waste and
sewerage into the water bodies.

• Thus, the Indian government should put a check on wastewater disposal. This calls for
high capital investment for installation and maintenance of purifier machines.
 (iv) Affluent Consumption Standards

• Affluent Consumption Standards have placed a huge stress on the environment in

terms of resources supply and assimilation of waste.

• The resources have become extinct and wastes generated are beyond the absorptive
capacity of the environment leading to environmental crises.

• The government is required to spend huge amounts on research and development to

explore alternative environment friendly resources. Also, upgradation of
environmental quality entails huge cost
 (v) Illiteracy
• Man, if illiterate will not use the resources sensibly that will ultimately lead to
overuse or misuse of the scarce resources.

• The resources can be carefully and efficiently exploited (with minimum waste) only
when people are aware of and skilful in utilising the resources.

• Otherwise lack of knowledge and skills may lead to excessive extraction of

resources and, thereby, its misuse.

• Thus, the government should take measures to create awareness and spread
technical knowledge among people about various efficient and economising
methods
 (vi) Industrialisation

• Industrialisation, on one hand, enhances our living standards but, on the other hand, it
causes deforestation, depletion of natural resources.

• In the blind rage to achieve economic development, industrialisation acts as a catalyst.

• In order to speed up the process of industrialisation, natural resources are exploited at a

rapid pace. More trees are being felled and, increasing volume of toxics and industrial
wastes are dumped into the water bodies.

• All these rise to ecological imbalances posing threat to sustainable economic development.

• Thus, the government should take measures to check undue and unnecessary industrial
growth in order to restore ecological balance.
 (vii) Urbanisation
• Urbanisation, on the one hand, infuses modernisation of lifestyle but, on the other
hand, it leads to deforestation.

• In order to meet the growing demand for houses, more trees are to be felled, decreasing
the land-per-man ratio. Rapid urbanisation puts an excess burden on the natural
resources, causing depletion.

• Urbanisation also reduces the availability of land for farming purpose and lowers farm
outputs.

• Hence, the government should take measures to mitigate the impact of urbanisation by
promoting small and cottage rural industries, rural infrastructural development, thereby,
reducing the rural-urban migration.

• Further, the government should also promote afforestation and most importantly, adopt
measures to arrest population explosion.
 (viii) Reduction of forest coverage
• The need for reduction of forest coverage or deforestation arises due to the growing
demand for land, wood, rise in population and river valley projects.

• Deforestation leads to reduction in oxygen level in air, soil erosion, climate change and
global warming due to rise in the CO2 level.

• Thus, measures are needed to promote forestation, opening up of sanctuaries and

national park such as Jim Corbett National Park.
 (ix) Poaching
• Poaching is the illegal capturing, killing and hunting of animals. Due to this, many
animals are on the verge of extinction.

• The excessive hunting and killing of animals result in serious ecological imbalances.
Thus, in order to save the rare species such as Tiger, Asian Elephants, Gravy's
Zebra, etc. more sanctuaries and national parks are to be set up.

• There is also need for various environmental legislations like Endangered Species
Act in the USA that imposes strict penalties on the law breakers.
 functions of the environment
The environment performs the following four dynamic functions:

1. Offer Production Resources: Environment provides us with wide tangible resources like
minerals, water and soil. These are the gifts of nature. These resources act as an input for converting
natural resources into productive and useful things. In other words, environment provides input for
production that enhances human life qualitatively.

2. Sustains Life: Environment provides us with vital ingredients like sun, soil, water and air that are
necessary for the survival of life. Absence of these essential elements implies absence of life. It supports
biodiversity.

3. Assimilates Waste: The activities of production and consumption generate waste. This waste in
the form of garbage is absorbed by the environment automatically.

4. Enhances Quality of Life: Environment includes surroundings such as rivers, oceans,

mountains and deserts. It provides scenic beauty that man admires in life and adds to the quality of human
life.
 Factors contributing to land degradation in India.

Degradation of land refers to the gradual but consistent loss of fertility.. This is emerging as a serious
concern in the context of environmental issues in India.

The following are the factors that contribute to land degradation in India:

a. Soil Erosion: The removal of upper layer of the soil caused by agents like strong winds or floods is
termed as soil erosion.
• The top most layer of the soil carries major and essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and
potassium. Consequently, the loss of this layer fades the quality and productivity of land.

b. Alkalinity and Salinity of Soil: The salinity and alkalinity is caused by the problem of water
logging. Water logged on the top layer of soil absorbs all the nutrients present in the soil, thereby, reducing
its fertility.
 c. Deforestation: The growing population along with their ever growing demand lead to large scale
destruction of forest cover. The reduction of forest coverage leads to soil erosion that in turn causes climate
change

d. Shifting Cultivation: The practice of shifting cultivation and subsistence farming carried by the
small and the marginal farmers result in the replenishment of soil nutrients and, hence, its fertility.

e. Excessive use of Fertilisers: The excessive use of chemical fertilisers, insecticides and
pesticides lowers the quality and fertility of soil.

f. Desertification: The spread of deserts in arid and semi arid areas is referred to as desertification. It
occurs due to overgrazing of the animals. This results in the reduction of lush green areas that in turn leads
to replenishment of soil fertility.
 Opportunity costs of negative environmental impact are high.
Opportunity cost is the cost that is foregone when we make a choice or a decision. If a piece of land is to
be used for wheat production then the production of say, rice, is to be sacrificed. The loss of rice
production is the opportunity cost of producing wheat.

In the similar way, the cost of negative environment is the opportunity cost of huge expenditure incurred
on health and searching new alternatives.
This is explained elaborately in the following paragraph;
• When the resources are extracted at a more rapid pace than its regeneration, then we say that the
carrying capacity of the environment reduces. In such situation, environment fails to perform its
function of sustaining life, thereby, resulting in environmental crises.

• In other words, environmental crises are an aggregate outcome of excessive exploitation of natural
resources and excessive generation of wastes. Therefore, there arises a need for exploration of new
alternative eco-friendly resources to avoid environmental crisis.
 • 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 require huge financial assurances by the government.
Therefore, the opportunity costs of negative environmental impact are high.
 Steps involved in attaining sustainable development in India
• Sustainable development refers to the achievement of economic development by careful and
sensible utilisation of the natural resources so that the present generations’ needs are fulfilled
without compromising that of the future generations’.

• It becomes our moral responsibility to hand over earth in good order to the future generation.
Aligned with the view of a leading environmental economist, Herman Daly, India has taken the
following steps to achieve the aim of sustainable development:

i. Population Control Measures

India has promoted various measures to arrest population explosion. The various population control
measures include spread of awareness and knowledge of birth control measures and literacy.
ii. Use of Environment Supportive Fuel
As the fuels such as petrol and diesel emit huge amount of carbon dioxide that leads to global
warming, so, the Indian government has promoted the use of CNG and LPG. These are clean, eco-
friendly fuels that emit lesser smoke.
 iii. Use of Solar and Wind Energy
India being a moderate country is enriched with sunlight and wind power. These are two free gifts of nature
that is non-exhaustible. It solves the problem of economic growth with due focus on sustainable
development.

iv. Recycling and Ban on Plastic Bags

The industrial and household wastes are accumulated on daily basis. There is a need to develop the habit of
recycling of waste products in order to sustain the environment. Household waste can be used as manure for
organic farming. A very recent step taken by the Indian government is banning the use of plastic bags. This
is a very good step as plastic bags do not get decomposed easily and leads to pollution while recycling.

v. Pollution Tax and Fines

Indian government has taken many steps to control pollution. Some of the measures are regular vehicle
check-ups, levying pollution tax on the industries emitting smoke. These measures are coupled with huge
fines and even imprisonment for the law breakers.
 vi. Use of the Input Efficient Technology
The input efficient methods have been developed that not only increases the production and
productivity but also efficiency with which the inputs are used. The efficient use of input, on one hand,
leads to lesser exploitation of the natural resources and, on the other hand, enhances the future
economic growth prospects of India.
 India has abundant natural resources - substantiate the statement
• India is fortunate enough to have abundant natural resources. It contains of rich and fertile soil, plenty
of rivers and tributaries, green forests, mineral deposits, mountains, etc.

• The Indo-Gangetic plains are the most fertile, densely populated and cultivated plains in the world. It
stretches from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. The black soil of the Deccan Plateau is suitable
for the cultivation of cotton in the country.

• India’s lush green forests serve as a natural cover for the majority of the population. India holds more
than 20 % of the world’s total iron ore reserves. There are mountain ranges that facilitate the operation
of the mini hydel plants.

• It also has vast variety of flora of 15,000 species of plants. The country is also endowed with numerous
minerals that are found under the earth’s surface like coal, natural gas, copper, diamonds, etc.
 Is environmental crisis a recent phenomenon
Yes, the environmental crisis is a very recent phenomenon; the sparks of such crisis were never visible in the
past. In the early centuries before industrialisation, the population growth was on a tight rein.

• The demand of the environmental resources was much lower than its supply. the rate of regeneration of
resources exceeded the rate with which the resources were exploited.

• In other words, the threat of environment crisis was never felt in the past as the exploitation of natural
resources was within the carrying capacity of the environment. But, today, due to heavy industrialisation,
urbanisation, man has started exploiting nature to its maximum.

• Nuclear and industrial wastes being dumped into the water bodies, pollution of land and air has affected
the environment in three-fold manner.

• Now, the rate of exploitation of natural resources is lagging behind the rate of regeneration of the
natural resources. Consequently, the mounting pressure on the carrying capacity of the environment is
paving the way for environmental crises.
 Give two examples of
(a) Overuse of environmental resources
(b) Misuse of environmental resources.
Overuse of environmental resources
i. Drying up of Rivers: The increasing irrigation and construction of flood storage reservoirs are resulting in
the drying up of rivers.

ii. Excessive Deforestation: The growing population and their ever growing demand are resulting in large
scale deforestation. This leads to soil erosion, making the soil infertile.

(b) Misuse of environmental resources.

i. Use of Rivers to Discharge the Waste: Water is essential for life. The misuse of water as a resource is
responsible for its pollution and infection. The factors responsible for water pollution are the discharge of
domestic sewerage, industrial waste, and thermal power plants into the rivers.

ii. Use of Wood for Cooking Food: Wood is a non-renewable source of energy. It is obtained from trees.
Using wood instead of eco friendly alternative fuels for cooking purposes brings about deforestation.
 Four pressing environmental concerns of India. Correction for environmental
damages involves opportunity costs. Explain
• Air pollution, water contamination, soil erosion, deforestation and wild life extinction are some of the
most pressing environmental concerns for India. But the priority issues include global warming, land
degradation, ozone depletion and management of fresh water.

• The opportunity cost of correction for environmental damages refers to the huge amount of
expenditure incurred on searching for new efficient alternatives. The heavy intensive and extensive
extraction of both renewable and non-renewable resources demands expenditure for exploring new
alternative resources in order to avoid an environmental crisis.

• The discovery of such resources requires heavy investment by the government. Also, implementation
and maintenance of these alternative resources involve very high cost. The best example is the advent
of CNG in order to reduce the rising problem of pollution in Delhi. The government has incurred heavy
investment to popularise CNG and to make the consumers aware regarding its uses. Therefore, the
correction for environmental damages involves opportunity cost that is very high.
 Supply-demand reversal of environmental resources
• From the very beginning of civilisation till the start of industrialisation, the rate of extraction of the
natural resources was far behind the rate of their regeneration. That is, in other words, the demand
for resources falls short of the supply of the resources. The exploitation of nature by man was
within the absorptive capacity of the environment.

• But, in today’s scenario with population explosion and industrial revolution, the demand for
resources for both production and distribution has risen at a much more rapid rate. However, the
rate of regeneration of these resources is relatively much lower than the rate of their extraction.

• In other words, the rate of consumption (demand) of the natural resources exceeds that of their
supply. This is beyond the absorptive capacity of the environment and has made environmental
crisis more probable. This reversal in the demand and supply relationship is referred to as the
supply-demand reversal of the environmental resources.
 Keeping in view your locality, describe any four strategies of
sustainable development.
Sustainable development means a judicious or optimum utilisation of resources in such a manner that the
pace of economic growth sustains with inter-generational equity.

The following are the four strategies of attaining sustainable development:

1. Use of Environment Friendly Fuel

The growing use of fuel such as petrol and diesel emits huge amount of carbon dioxide that adds to the
Green House impact. In order to control pollution, the use of CNG and LPG should be promoted. These fuels
are cleaner fuels, smokeless and eco-friendly.

2. Use of Renewable Resources

India is well enriched with sunlight, water and wind energy. These are the free gift of nature that are non–
exhaustible and pollution free. Thus, attempts should be made to harness solar and wind energy by
employing different technologies. It not only solves the problem of economic growth but also the problem of
sustainable economic development.
 3. Recycling

The industrial and household wastes should be accumulated on daily basis. These wastes 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.

4. Use of the Input Efficient Technology

The input efficient methods and techniques should be devised so that more production is
possible at per unit of input. This efficient utilisation of the natural resources leads to lesser
exploitation of the natural resources.
 Explain the relevance of intergenerational equity in the definition of
sustainable development.
• Meeting the basic needs of all that requires the distribution of resources is our moral obligation. It
becomes necessary to hand over the earth to the future generation in a good order.

• But, it is realised that if the resources (non renewable) are utilised fully, then these will deplete so fast
that it will reduce the production capacity of the future generations. The economic development
achieved today in such manner cannot be sustained for a long time as the production capacity of the
future generations in absence of productive resources reduces.

• Therefore, sustainable development is the process of economic development that aims at meeting the
needs of the present generation without comprising the needs of the future generations. Sustainable
development maximises the welfare of both present and future generations.

• This development does not mean a check on the existing pace of economic growth. It only means a
judicious or optimum utilisation of resources in such a manner that pace of economic growth sustains
with inter generational equity.