Name : Dhruvika Kokate

Roll No : 286

STD : FYBCOM

DIV : 2

CAUSES AND IMPACT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
 INDEX

• Introduction

• Causes of Environmental Degradation

1. Population
2. Poverty
3. Urbanization
4. Economic Development
5. Transportation
6. Agriculture
7. Natural Calamities

• Impacts of Environmental Degradation

1. Impact on Human Health
2. Poverty
3. Loss of Biodiversity
4. Atmospheric Changes

• Conclusion

• Bibliography
➢ INTRODUCTION

The environmental degradation is a process through which the natural environment is

compromised in some way, reducing biological diversity and the general health of the environment
which includes all the biotic and abiotic elements that is air, water, soil, plants, animals, etc. This
process can be entirely natural in origin, or it can be caused by human activities. Now-a-days,
different kinds of human activities are the main reasons for environmental degradation. The
automobile and industries increase the number of poisonous gases like SO2, NO2, CO, and smoke
in the atmosphere. It can be a major threat to our planet as the environment is irreplaceable.

➢ CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

The major cause of environmental degradation is human disturbance. The degree of the
environmental impact varies with the causes, the habitat, and the plants and animals that inhabit
it. Various types of the human exercises also cause environmental degradation. These have
prompted condition changes that have turned out to be harmful to every single living being.
Environmental changes are based on factors like urbanization, population growth, economic
growth, etc. Pollution is also a cause of environmental degradation it refers to the degradation of
quality and quantity of natural resources.

1. Population

The rapid growth of population and economic development are degrading the environment. It puts
strain on the natural resources. Mortality rate has gone down due to better medical facilities, which
has resulted in an increased lifespan. The developing population and ecological weakening face
the test of maintained improvement without natural harm. More population simply means more
demand for food, clothes and shelter. More space to grow food and provide homes to millions of
people is needed. This would lead to deforestation which is also a factor of environmental
degradation.

2. Poverty

Poverty and environment degradation are closely interrelated. Whilst people living in poverty are
rarely the principal creators of environmental damage, they often bear burnt of environmental
damage and are often caught in a downward spiral, where the poor are forced to deplete resources
to survive and the degradation of environment further impoverishes people. When the self-
reinforcing downward spiral becomes extreme, people are forced to move in increasing numbers
to marginal or economically fragile lands or to cities.

3. Urbanization

Urbanization refers to general increase in population and the amount of industrialization of

settlement. It includes increase in the number and extent of cities. It symbolizes the movement of
people from rural to urban areas. Urbanization happens because of increase in the extent and
density of urban areas. Due to uncontrolled urbanization, environmental degradation occurs very
rapidly and cause many problems like land insecurity, worsening water quality, excessive air
pollution, noise and the problems of waste disposal. Although it is impossible to restrict
urbanization it has to be ensured that urbanization proceeds in the right path causing minimal
impact on environment.

4. Economic Development

The environmental impact of economic growth includes the increased consumption of non-
renewable resources, higher levels of pollution, global warming and the potential loss of
environmental habitats. The pace of economic growth in the past century has led to decline in
the availability of natural resources as forest, decline in sources of oil, loss of fishing stocks due
to overfishing and loss of species diversity. The manufacturing technology adopted by most of
the industries has placed a heavy load on environment, especially through intensive resource and
natural use, as in evident in natural resources depletion which leads to the degradation of natural
eco-systems.

5. Transportation

The environmental impact of transport is significant because transport is a major user of energy,
and burns most of the world’s petroleum. Transport activities effect a environment a lot such as
air pollution, noise pollution and oil spills from ships. Smog is a nuisance that is created because
of vehicular pollution, and hydro- carbons released from engines are the cause of creation of
lower-level ozone that is harmful to humans. Port and harbor projects have a large impact on the
sensitive coastal eco-system. Their construction affects surface water quality, fisheries, coral
reefs and mangroves.

6. Agriculture

Agricultural development has direct impact on environment which arise from activities which
cause soil erosion, land salination and loss of nutrients. Excessive water-supply and wind
removes the top fertile layer of the farm which leads to loss of nutrients from and reduces
productivity, it also results in accumulation of soil in water bodies and streams and induces
release of soil carbon which lead to global warming. When the water runoff with chemical
fertilizers reach to nearby water bodies water plants grow in excess, it prevents intermixing of
atmospheric oxygen to dissolved oxygen in water. The water plants and animals start dying due
to lack of oxygen and deposit at the bottom of water body. The process continues and cause
threat to the water body. Due to improper drainage system, water gets accumulated in farm and
leads to water-logging. When water evaporates, it causes salinity in the soil. As a result, the crop
dies.

7. Natural Calamities

Volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires and mudslides often permanently alter an area’s
landscape, leading in some cases to the destruction of the local species. This can either come
to fruition through physical demolition as the result of a specific disaster or by long term
degradation of assets by the presentation of an obtrusive foreign species to the environment.
The latter frequently happens after tidal waves, when reptiles and bugs are washed ashore.
➢ IMPACTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
1. Impact on human health

Human health is heavily impacted by environmental degradation. Areas exposed to toxic air
pollutants can cause respiratory problems like pneumonia and asthma. Reduction in water quality
can be responsible for more than billions of illnesses annually across the globe. Due to environment
degradation, there is scarcity and decline in quality foods. Landfills increase the risk of hazardous
materials getting into food chain which cause the ultimate risk of developing of chronic diseases.
Altogether, the toxic wastes and harmful chemicals from factories, agriculture and automobiles
cause illness and death in children and adults.

2. Poverty

In the majority of developing countries, poverty is attributed to poor crop harvest and lack of
quality natural resources that are needed to satisfy basic survival needs. Poor countries, especially
those around the Equator, are vulnerable to weather changes, water shortages and urbanizations.
Most vulnerability situations brought about by water shortage, climate change, and poor crop yield
in developing countries are tied to environmental degradation. Hence, the lack of access to
adequate basic needs such as water and food directly induce poverty.

3. Loss of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is important for maintaining the balance in ecosystem. Degradation of environment

has recorded a continued destruction of wild forests and the damage of natural ecosystems that has
greatly contributed to the mass extinction of species. The number of threatened species persists to
multiply worldwide whereas some have gone completely extinct. This is because of the human
activities such as acidifying water systems, over-exploitation of natural resources, overpopulation,
and the destruction of natural systems necessary for the survival of different species. These
activities simply destroy the natural ecosystems supporting biodiversity.

4. Atmospheric changes

Environmental degradation can alter natural process like water cycle and the normal processes
of animals and plant activities. It also aspects such as deforestation and mining destroy the
natural land cover. This together with air, water and land pollution pose several atmospheric
alteration threats. This alteration includes global warming and climate change which increase
the risks of climatic natural disasters, and ozone layer depletion which increases the risk of
skin cancer, eye disease, and crop failure.

➢ CONCLUSION

The impact of environmental degradation is one of the most urgent of environmental issues.
Some damages are to an extent which may never recover. The primary cause of environment
degradation is due to rapid growth of population with economic development and overuse of
natural resources. Major environmental calamities include land degradation, deforestation, soil
erosion, habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity. In order to reduce any future impacts
management of resources regarding the long-term effects of development on the environment
should be considered. With proper planning, management, public awareness and community
participation future environment degradation can be prevented.

➢ BIBILOGRAPHY
• https://www.conserve-energy-future.com
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_degradation
• https://www.ripublication.com