ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

1. WHAT IS ENVIRONMENT? WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENT?

ANS. ENVIRONMENT REFERS TO SUM TOTAL OF SURROUNDINGS AND THE TOTALITY OF

RESOURCES THAT AFFECT OUR LIFE. IT INCLUDES ALL THE BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS THAT
INFLUENCE EACH OTHER.

THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENT ARE-

I ) ENVIRONMENT SUPPLIES RESOURCES. IT INCLUDES BOTH RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE

RESOURCES.

II) IT SUSTAINS LIFE BY PROVIDING SUN , SOIL, WATER, AIR,ETC.

III) PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION ACTIVITIES GENERATES WASTES. ENVIRONMENT

ASSIMILATES WASTES.

IV ) IT ALSO PROVIDES AESTHETIC SERVICES LIKE SCENARY, ETC.

2. IDENTIFY THE SIX FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO LAND DEGRADATION IN INDIA.

ANS. I) DEFORESTATION

II) SHIFTING CULTIVATION

III) UNSUSTAINABLE FUEL WOOD

IV) ENCROACHMENT INTO FOREST LANDS

V) FOREST FIRE AND OVERGRAZING

VI) NON ADOPTION OF ADEQUATE SOIL CONSERVATION MEASURES

VII) IMPROPER CROP ROTATION

VIII) IMPROPER PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF IRRIGATION SYSTEM

IX) POVERTY OF THE AGRICULTURE- DEPENDENT PEOPLE.

3. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE RATE OF RESOURCE EXTRACTION EXCEEDS THAT THEIR
REGENERATION?

ANS. ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES SUN,OIL,WATER AND AIR WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL

REQUIREMENT OF HUMAN LIFE. THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT IMPLIES THAT
THE RESOURCE EXTRACTION IS NOT ABOVE THE RATE OF REGENERATION OF RESOURCES AND THE
WASTES GENERATED ARE WITHIN ASSIMILATING CAPACITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
 WHEN RESOURCE EXTRACTION EXCEEDS RESOURCE GENERATION, ENVIRONMENT FAILS TO
PERFORM ITS FUNCTION OF LIFE SUSTENANCE. THIS RESULTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS.

4. EXPLAIN THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS HIGH.

ANS. * OPPORTUNITY COST IS THE COST OF ALTERNATIVE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN UP.
* THE COUNTRY HAS TO PAY MORE DUE TO DEGRADED ENVIRONMENT.
* DEGRADED ENVIRONMENT HAVE RESULTED IN INCREASED INCIDENCE OF RESPIRATORY AND *
* WATER BORNE DISEASES.
* IT HAS RESULTED IN LOW AIR AND WATER QUALITY.
* EXPENDITURE ON HEALTH HAS INCREASED.

5. WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO INDIA S ENVIRONMENT?

ANS. I) LAND DEGRADATION II) BIO-DIVERSITY LOSS III) AIR POLLUTION

IV) MANAGEMENT OF FRESH WATER AND SOLID WASTE

6. WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION?

ANS. I) INCREASING POPULATION DENSITY
II) URBANISATION
III) USE OF HYV SEEDS
IV) RISE IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

7. EXPLAIN THE SUPPLY – DEMAND REVERSAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES.

ANS.
• BEFORE INDUSTRIISATION, THE DEMAND FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES WERE LESS.
• SO, THE RATE OF EXTRACTION OF THE RESOURCES WAS LESS THAN THE RATE OF
REGENERATION OF RESOURCES.
• BUT, WITHINCREASE IN POPULATION AND THE ADVENT OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION,
THE DEMAND FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES HAVE INCREASED.
• THIS HAS INCREASED THE RATE OF EXTRACTION OF THE RESOURCES COMPARED TO THE
RATE OF REGENERATION.
• SO, THE SUPPLY –DEMAND REVERSAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ARISES.

8. GIVE TWO INSTANCES OF a) OVERUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES b) MISUSE OF

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES .

ANS. A ) OVERUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

I) EXCESSIVE EXPLOITATION OF FOSSIL FUELS
II) DEFORESTATION

B ) MISUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

 I) USE OF WOOD AS A HOUSEHOLD FUEL
II) EXCESSIVE USE OF ELECTRICITY LEADS TO DEPLETION OF RESOURCES COAL AND
WATER.

GLOBAL WARMING

GLOBAL WARMING IS A GRADUAL INCREASE IN THE AVERAGE TEMPARATURE OF THE EARTHS

LOWER ATMOSPHERE.

IT IS MAINLY CAUSED BY-

i) BURNING OF COAL AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS.

ii) DEFORESTATION
iii) INCREASED CATTLE PRODUCTION

THE LONG TERM EFFECT OF GLOBAL WARMING –

i) RISE IN SEA LEVEL

ii) DISRUPTION OF WATER SUPPLY
iii) EXTINCTION OF SPECICES

OZONE DEPLETION

OZONE DEPLETION REFERS TO THE PHENOMENON OF REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF OZONE

IN THE STRATOSPHERE. IT PROTECTS THE EARTH FROM THE ULTRA VIOLET RAYS OF THE SUN.

IT IS MAINLY CAUSED BY –

I) HIGH LEVELS OF BROMINE COMPOUNDS AND

II) HIGH LEVELS OF CHROMINE COMPOUNDS

THE LONG RUN EFFECTS OF OZONE DEPLETION ARE-

I) IT CAUSES SKIN CANCER IN HUMAN BEING

II) IT LOWERS THE GROWTH OF TERESTRIAL PLANTS.

KYOTO PROTOCOL

A UN CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE HELD IN KYOTO, JAPAN IN 1997 , TO FIGHT GLOBAL

WARMING BY REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASES BY INDUSTRIALISED NATIONS.
 MONTREAL PROTOCOL

AN INTERNATIONAL TREATY TO PROTECT THE OZONE LAYER DEPLETITION.

CENTRAL POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD (CPCB)

IT WAS SET UP IN 1974 TO ADDRESS TWO MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN INDIA-

WATER AND AIR POLLUTION

Q. CLASSIFY THE FOLLOWING INTO RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE ESOURCES –

TREES , FISH, PETROLEUM, COAL, IRON-ORE AND WATER

RENEWABLE RESOURCES- TREES, FISH, WATER

NON- RENEWABLE RESOURCES – PETROLEUM , COAL, IRON-ORE

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

DEVELOPMENT THAT MEETS THE NEED OF THE PRESENT GENERATION WITHOUT

COMPROMISING THE ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATION IS CALLED SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

MAIN FEATURES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• SUSTAINED RISE IN REAL PER CAPITA INCOME AND ECONOMIC WELFARE.

• JUDICIOUS USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES
• MAINTAIN THE ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATION TO FULFILL THEIR NEEDS
• CHECK THE LEVEL OF POLLUTION

OUTLINE THE STEPS INVOLVED IN ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• USE OF NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY INSTEAD OF CONVENTIONAL SOURCES
OF ENERGY.
• USE OF LPG AND GOBAR GAS IN RURAL AREAS.
• USE OF CNG IN URBAN AREAS TO REDUCE POLLUTION
• USE OF SOLAR POWER THROUGH THROUGH PHOTOVALTAIC CELLS.
• USE OF WIND POWER.
• USE OF MINI- HYDEL PLANTS IN MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS.
• USE OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES.
• USE OF INPUT EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY.
• USE OF BIOCOMPOST.
• USE OF BIOPEST CONTROL.
• SHIFT TO ORGANIC FARMING.