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UNIT II (B) MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: MEANING, CAUSES, EFFECTS

AND REMEDIES- CLIMATE CHANGE, LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY.

Major Environmental Issues: Meaning,

Environmental degradation is one of the primary causes of diseases, health issues and long term
livelihood impact for India. Environment can be defined as the physical surrounding of
man/woman of which he/she is a part and on which he/she is dependent for his/her activities like
physiological functioning, production and consumption. The relationship between physical
environment and the well-being of individuals and societies is multi-fold and multi-faceted with
a qualitative as well as a quantitative aspect to it. The availability and use of natural resources
have a bearing on the outcome and the pace of development process

The integrity and functionality of these vital natural assets, however, are increasingly
compromised. 60 to 70 per cent of the world’s ecosystems are degrading faster than they can
recover. There are many environmental issues in India. Air pollution, water pollution, garbage,
and pollution of the natural environment are all challenges for India. Still, India has a long way
to go to reach environmental quality similar to those enjoyed in developed economies. Pollution
remains a major challenge and opportunity for India. Environmental issues are one of the
primary causes of disease, health issues and long term livelihood impact for India.

CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION /ISSUES

The major causes of the environmental degradation are modern urbanization, industrialization,
over-population growth, deforestation etc. Environmental pollution refers to the degradation of
quality and quantity of natural resources. Different kinds of the human activities are the main
reasons of environmental degradation.

 The smoke emitted by the vehicles and factories increases the amount of poisonous
gases in the air. The waste products, smoke emitted by vehicles and industries are the
 main causes of pollution. Unplanned urbanization and industrialization have caused
water, air and sound pollution.
 Urbanization and industrialization help to increase pollution of the sources of water.
Similarly, the smoke emitted by vehicles and industries like Chlorofluorocarbon, nitrogen
oxide, carbon monoxide and other dust particles pollute air. Poverty still remains a
problem at the root of several environmental problems.
 Population The rapid population growth and economic development in country are
degrading the environment through the uncontrolled growth of urbanization and
industrialization, expansion and intensification of agriculture and the destruction of
natural habitats. One of the major causes of environmental degradation in India could be
attributed to rapid growth of population which is adversely affecting the natural resources
and environment. The growing population and the environmental deterioration face the
challenge of sustained development without environmental damage. The existence or the
absence of favorable natural resources can facilitate or retard the process of economic
development.
 Poverty is amongst the consequences of population growth and its life style play major
role in depleting the environment either its fuel demands for cooking or for earning
livelihood for their survival. The unequal distribution of resources and limited
opportunities cause push and pull factor for people living below poverty line that in turn
overburdened the population density in urban areas and environment get manipulated by
manifolds, consequently, urban slums are developed in urban areas. Moreover, degraded
environment can accelerate the process of impoverishment, again because the poor
depend directly on natural assets.
 It has widened the gap between demand and supply of infrastructural services such as
energy, housing, transport, communication, education, water supply and sewerage and
 Economic Factors Environmental degradation, to a large scale, is the result of market
failure, namely the non-existent or poorly functioning markets for environmental goods
and services. In this context, environmental degradation is a particular case of
consumption or production externalities reflected by divergence between private and
social costs/benefits. Lack of well-defined property rights may be one of the reasons for
such market failure.
 On the other hand, market distortions created by price controls and subsidies may
aggravate the achievement of environmental objectives. The level and pattern of
economic development also affected the nature of environmental problems.
 India’s development objectives have consistently emphasized the promotion of policies
and programmes for economic growth and social welfare. The manufacturing technology
adopted by most of the industries has placed a heavy load on environment especially
through intensive resource and energy use, as is evident in natural resource depletion
(fossil fuel, minerals, and timber), water, air and land contamination, health hazards and
degradation of natural eco-systems.
 Transport activities have a wide variety of effects on the environment such as air
pollution, noise from road traffic and oil spills from marine shipping. Transport
infrastructure in India has expanded considerably in terms of network and services. Thus,
road transport accounts for a major share of air pollution load in cities such as Delhi. Port
and harbor projects mainly impact on sensitive coastal eco systems. Their construction
affects hydrology, surface water quality, fisheries, coral reefs and mangroves to varying
degrees. Direct impacts of agricultural development on the environment arise from
farming activities which contribute to soil erosion and loss of nutrients.
 Land Degradation: Land degradation is any change or disturbance to the land perceived
to be undesirable. Land degradation can be caused by both manmade and natural reasons
such as floods and forest fires. It is estimated that up to 40 per cent of the world’s
agricultural land is seriously degraded. The main causes of the land degradation includes
climate change, land clearance and deforestation, depletion of soil nutrients through poor
farming practices, overgrazing and over grafting.
 In India, water erosion is the most prominent reason of land degradation. The growing
trends of population and consequent demand for food, energy, and housing have
considerably altered land-use practices and severely degraded India's environment.
Effects:
There are very adverse effects of environmental degradation. These effects can be
enumerated as: Impact on Human Health .The greatest effects on the health of individuals
and populations result from environmental degradation. Human health might be at the
receiving end as a result of the environmental degradation. Areas exposed to toxic air
 pollutants can cause respiratory problems like pneumonia and asthma. Millions of people
are known to have died of due to indirect effects of air pollution.
 CLIMATE CHANGE: Climate change is term that refers to any significant and long-
term change in average weather in a given region or entire Earth. Every significant
variability of average weather over longer time period can be classified as climate
change. The change in the climate had been the continuous process. Previously the nature
was the main reason of this change. But the revolution in human civilization and the way
of living has impeded that change to a considerable level in past two centuries.
NATURAL CAUSES
• CONTINENTAL DRIFT: This drift also had an impact on the climate because it
changed the physical features of the landmass, their position and the position of water
bodies. The separation of the landmasses changed the flow of ocean currents and winds,
which affected the climate. The continents that we are familiar with today were formed
when the landmass began gradually drifting apart, millions of years back. This drift of the
continents continues even today; the Himalayan range is rising by about 1 mm
(millimeter) every year because the Indian land mass is moving towards the Asian land
mass, slowly but steadily
• VOLCANOES: When a volcano erupts it throws out large volumes of Sulphur dioxide
(SO2), water vapour, dust, and ash into the atmosphere. Although the volcanic activity
may last only a few days, yet the large volumes of gases and ash can influence climatic
patterns for years. Volcanic eruptions can reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching
the Earth's surface, lowering temperatures in the lower levels of the atmosphere (called
the troposphere), and changing atmospheric circulation patterns.
• THE EARTH’S TILT: The greater the tilt, the more extreme the climate changes. If
there was no tilt we would not have experienced seasons. Changes in the tilt of the earth
can affect the severity of the seasons - more tilt means warmer summers and colder
winters; less tilt means cooler summers and milder winters
• OCEAN CURRENTS: The Ocean is a fundamental part of the climate system, some
changes in it occurring at longer timescales than in the atmosphere. Ocean currents have
been known to change direction or slow down. Much of the heat that escapes from the
oceans is in the form of water vapour, the most abundant greenhouse gas on Earth. Yet,
 water vapor also contributes to the formation of clouds, which shade the surface and have
a net cooling effect. Any or all of these phenomena can have an impact on the climate, as
is believed to have happened at the end of the last Ice Age, about 14,000 years ago.
• HUMAN CAUSES
Natural resources are being used extensively for construction, industries, transport, and
consumption. Consumerism (our increasing want for material things) has increased by
leaps and bounds, creating mountains of waste. Also, our population has increased to an
incredible extent. All this has contributed to a rise in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide is undoubtedly, the most important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
Changes in land use pattern, deforestation, land clearing, agriculture, and other activities
have all led to a rise in the emission of carbon dioxide.
• AGRICULTURE
With the world’s population growing at an exponential rate, it is also clear that while
agriculture is linked with climate change, it is also currently essential for our survival. So
how do we navigate the need for agriculture in our lives, and at the same time critically
recognize the need for change
• DEFORESTATION: Deforestation, are also of concern in the roles they play – both
separately and in conjunction with other factors – in affecting climate, microclimate, and
measures of climate variables. One of the main contributors to climate change is the
increase of agricultural development. This development has caused deforestation and
desertification in many countries, along with issues of water runoff in over developed
cities, changes in atmospheric circulation… the list goes on and on.
 EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
• Sea level rising: During the 20th century, sea level rose about 15 cm (6 inches) due to
melting glacier ice and expansion of warmer seawater. Models predict that sea level may
rise as much as 59 cm (23 inches) during the 21st Century, threatening coastal
communities, wetlands, and coral reefs.
• Melting glaciers: - Arctic sea ice is melting. The summer thickness of sea ice is about
half of what it was in 1950. Melting ice may lead to changes in ocean circulation. Plus
melting sea ice is speeding up warming in the Arctic.
• Glaciers and permafrost are melting. Over the past 100 years, mountain glaciers in all
areas of the world have decreased in size and so has the amount of permafrost in the
Arctic. Greenland's ice sheet is melting faster too.
Extreme conditions:-
• Heavier rainfall cause flooding in many regions. Warmer temperatures have led to
more intense rainfall events in some areas. This can cause flooding.
• Extreme drought is increasing. Higher temperatures cause a higher rate of evaporation
and more droughts in some areas of the world.
• Hurricanes have changed in frequency and strength. There is evidence that the
number of intense hurricanes has increased in the Atlantic since 1970. Scientists continue
to study whether climate is the cause.
• Less productivity:- Crops are withering. Increased temperatures and extreme drought are
causing a decline in crop productivity around the world. Decreased crop productivity can
mean food shortages which have many social implications. More hunger in the world,
because of new pests and new diseases that will have the negative impact on crop health.
This will lead to wars and frequent famines.
• Water Shortage. Severe water shortages in some parts of the world. This, just like
hunger issue, could lead to droughts and new wars.
• Extinction of species: - Ecosystems are changing. As temperatures warm, species may
either move to a cooler habitat or die. Species that are particularly vulnerable include
endangered species, coral reefs, and polar animals. Warming has also caused changes in
the timing of spring events and the length of the growing season.
• Emigration of humans: Climate change has the potential to make living impossible in
certain areas of our planet which could turn lot of people into refugees.
 REMEDIES:
• Cleaner alternative energy sources one important way to fight climate change is to use
alternative sources of renewable energy which will not release harmful emissions.
• Some of these cleaner sources of renewable energy include wind energy, solar energy,
water or hydropower, biomass, and geothermal energy sources of energy, not only are we
helping to reduce the release of greenhouse gases (especially carbon dioxide) into the
 atmosphere, and hence helping to reduce global warming and fight climate change, we
are also helping to ensure the sustainability of the world’s living and development.
• Energy saving tips: we can adopt energy saving tips like using energy-saving appliances
like the compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, switching off our electrical appliances
when they are not in use.
• Green driving tips: Given the number of automobiles in the world today, they emit a
substantial amount of greenhouse gases and contribute significantly to global warming
and climate change.
• Reduce Reuse Recycle practices: For each item that we purchase and use, energy and
resources are used in its manufacture, packaging, transportation and retail, and ultimately
its disposal. Pollution is created each step of the process, and substantial greenhouse
gases are also released. Reducing, reusing and recycling help us conserve resources and
energy, and reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions produced, for example in the
raw material extraction and disposal processes. In turn, reducing our greenhouse gas
emissions substantially would help us reduce global warming and fight climate change.
• Stop Deforestation: The main cause of increase n Green House .gases is impeded rate of
deforestation. Plants are the natural and efficient carbon dioxide eater. This reduces the
CO2 level in the atmosphere. We as Human can’t progress at the expense of other
species.
• The best strategy on how to reduce climate change is definitely to reduce the use of
automobiles.
• Use public transport or carpool if you can, instead of driving your own car.
• If you must drive, then use an eco-friendly and fuel efficient car, and ensure that your
vehicle’s engine is working in impeccable condition at all times.

It is time we think twice about the way we are living life.

  LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: Biodiversity is important for maintaining balance of the
ecosystem in the form of combating pollution, restoring nutrients, protecting water
sources and stabilizing climate. The main cause of loss of biodiversity are deforestation,
global warming, overpopulation and pollution are few of the major causes for loss of
biodiversity. In fact human beings have deeply altered the environment, and have
modified the territory, exploiting the species directly, for example by fishing and hunting,
changing the biogeochemical cycles and transferring species from one area to another.
 Ozone Layer Depletion: Ozone layer is responsible for protecting earth from harmful
ultraviolet rays. The most important reason for ozone layer depletion is the production
and emission of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). This is what which leads to almost 80
percent of the total ozone layer depletion. There are many other substances that lead to
ozone layer depletion such as hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs). Such substances are found in vehicular emissions, by-products of
industrial processes, aerosols and refrigerants.
 Global warming is another result of environmental degradation. Environmental
Degradation in India: Causes and Consequences 1601

CONCLUSION: the primary causes of environmental degradation in India are attributed to the
rapid growth of population in combination with economic development and overuse of natural
resources. Major environmental calamities in India include land degradation, deforestation, soil
erosion, habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity. Economic growth and changing
consumption patterns have led to a rising demand for energy and increasing transport activities.
Air, water and noise pollution together with water scarcity dominate the environmental issues in
India. According to World Bank estimate, between 1995 through 2010, India has made one of
the fastest progresses in the world, in addressing its environmental issues and improving its
environmental quality. Still, India has a long way to go to reach environmental quality similar to
those enjoyed in developed economies.