ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

MEENA KAPAHI
 UNIT 1

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SUBJECT
 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SUBJECT

Environment

The sum of all external conditions affecting the

life, development and survival of an organism.

The complex of physical, chemical and biotic

factors (as climate, soil and living things) that act
upon an organism or an ecological community and
ultimately determine its form and survival.
 Environmental Studies
The study of the environment and the
status of its natural and induced changes
on organisms. It is application of scientific
principles to the study of human
interaction with their natural environment.
 Multidisciplinary Nature

It includes current environmental problems which

have evolved into interdisciplinary issues involving
political, economic, social, as well as physical and
biological considerations.
It emphasizes the links between different subjects
related to these issues including Ecology, Geography,
Geology, Meteorology, Chemistry, Economics, Political
Science etc.
It deals with the study of abundance,
distribution and heterogeneity of biotic
components, their interactions among
themselves and abiotic components
highlighting the need of knowledge inputs
from life sciences including Botany, Zoology,
Microbiology, Genetics, Biochemistry and
Biotechnology.
and ener
with sub
and Geog
chemical
To study the socio-economic features related to
various developmental activities, we need to have
knowledge of areas like Economics, Sociology and
Mass Communication.
In order to manage and design sustainable
engineering systems including areas like air
pollution control, radioactive and solid waste
management and remediation, engineering
disciplines like Civil Engineering, Chemical
Engineering are required.
 Scope

Its scope is wide-ranging:

 Natural Resources: exhaustion, associated
problems, conservation and management.
 Ecology: nature and interrelationships
existing among complex ecosystems.
 Biodiversity: crisis confronting biodiversity
and its preservation.
 Environmental Pollution: sources, effects and
control measures.
 Social Issues: impact and quality of life
assessment related to developmental
activities.
 Human Population: growth and impact on
environment.
 Importance

Each one of us is a part of environment. The

environmental issues can be local (for e.g. clean
drinking water, hygienic living conditions) or
international (for e.g. global warming). The actions
taken locally can affect the other parts of the
world sooner or later. Environmental education is a
learning process that increases people's knowledge
and awareness about the environment and
associated challenges, develops the necessary skills
and knowledge to deal with the challenges.
 Need for Public
Awareness

Environmental Studies creates awareness to

have a pro-environmental mindset. The need
for sustainable development is a key to the
future of mankind. The biggest threats that
the nature faces mainly stem from the
current means the natural resources are
utilized. The utilization of the natural
sources is irrespective of the future
concerns and is against the exploitation-
conservation balance.
Ongoing problems of pollution, degradation of
environment and issues like global warming and
loss of biodiversity have made everyone aware of
environmental issues. There is a need to promote
environmental education and awareness to educate
and inform the public that irrational depletion of
national natural resources is destroying the basis
of prosperity for future generations.
It is the poor of today, especially children and
women, who are the sufferers. It is clear that no
citizen of the earth can afford to be ignorant of
environmental issues.
It is now even more critical than ever before for
mankind as a whole to have a clear understanding
of environmental concerns and to follow
sustainable development practices.