Environmental Management: Concepts and

Issues…..

Dr Mohammed Nasir Uddin

Professor & Former Head
Department of Agricultural Extension Education
Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU, https://agext.bau.edu.bd/)
Mymensingh -2202
&
Former Associate Fellow
Center for Asian Climate and Environmental Policy Studies (CACEPS, https://www.caceps.ca/)
ON, CANADA
Email: nasiragext@bau.edu.bd,
http://agext.bau.edu.bd/profile/AGEXT1011
Cell: 01716026164
 What is Environment?

• Environment is derived from French word

‘Environ’ which means ‘Encircle’.

• Simply, everything which surround us is

called environment.

• Environment is the surrounding in which an

organization operates, including air, water,
land, natural resources, flora fauna, human
beings, and their relationship.
 What is Environment?

“Environment is anything immediately surrounding an object and exerting

a direct influence on it.” (P. Gisbert ).

According to E. J. Ross “Environment is an external force which

influences us.”
 Functions of Environment

(1) Supply of Resources

• The environment offers resources
for production.
• It includes both renewable and
non-renewable resources.
• Example: Wood for furniture, soil,
land, etc.

(2) Sustains Life

• The environment includes the sun,
soil, water, air which are essential
for human life.
• It sustains life by providing genetic
and biodiversity.
 Functions of Environment

(3) Assimilation of Waste

• Production and consumption
activities generate waste.
• This occurs mostly in the form of
garbage.
• The environment helps in getting rid
of the garbage.

(4) Enhances Quality of Life

• Man enjoys natural beauty like rivers,
mountains, deserts, etc.
 Four Components of Environment

• Lithosphere (soil)

-It is the outermost layer of earth called crust,

which is made of different minerals. Its depth can
reach up to 100 kilometers and is found on both
land (terrestrial crust) and oceans (oceanic crust).

•Hydrosphere (water)

-It comprises of all forms of water bodies on earth

including oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, ponds,
streams etc. It covers 70% of earth’s surface.
97.5% of water found on Earth is in the oceans in
the form of salt water. Only 2.5 % of water on Earth
is freshwater.
 Four Components of Environment

• Atmosphere (air)

-It is gaseous layer enveloping the Earth. The

atmosphere with oxygen in abundance is unique to
Earth and sustains life. It mainly comprises 78.08%
nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.038%
carbon dioxide, and traces of hydrogen, helium, and
noble gases.
•Biosphere (Life)

-It refers to all the regions on Earth where life

exists. The ecosystems that support life could be in
soil, air, water or land. Biosphere refers to the sum
total of all living matter, the biomass or biota.
 Diagram showing the interrelationships between
the systems in the environment and human society
Pictorial View of Components of Environment
Services of Environment
 Environmental Management

Environmental management is defined as a system that

incorporates processes for summarizing, monitoring,
reporting, developing and executing the environmental
policies.
The aim of encouraging an environmental management
system is to ensure the healthy state of our planet for future
generations.
It also works towards preserving all forms of life.
 Environmental Management

• Environmental management is described as a process to

minimize waste and maximize compliance.
• It is created to address the environmental issues that have
a direct and indirect impact on the globe and is affecting it
adversely.
• It deals in finding appropriate solution s to environmental
crises and preventing ecological disasters. Environmental
management also investigates potential sources of
renewable energy so that fossil fuel does not become
depleted.
Objectives of environmental management

• Establishing limits to avoid overuse

• Help to renew natural resources
• Minimize the use of natural resources
• Developing monitoring systems and research
institutions
• Regeneration of degraded environment
• Review the environmental goals of an organization
• Minimize the environmental impact of an organization
Objectives of environmental management

• Make maximum utilization of natural resources

• Assess the impacts of potential activities on the

environment

• Encourage resource conservation programs

• Develop strategies for improving the quality of life

• Minimize the impact of natural disasters

• Identify, develop and implement policies related to

sustainable development
 Importance of Environmental management

• Reducing carbon emissions

• Processing all the waste in a
safe and effective manner
• The effective and wise use of
energy and resources
• Preventing pollution
Environment Management System
Environmental Conservation
Issues of environmental sustainability
 Issues of environmental sustainability

• Long-term health of ecosystems.

-Protecting the long-term productivity and health of resources
to meet future economic and social needs, e.g. protecting
food supplies, farmland and fishing stocks.
• Intergenerational decision making.
-When making economic decisions, we should focus on
implications for future generations, and not just the present
moment. For example, burning coal gives a short-term
benefit of cheaper energy, but the extra pollution imposes
costs on future generations.
• Renewable resources
- Diversifying into energy sources that do not rely on non-
renewable resources. For example, solar and wind power.
 Issues of environmental sustainability
• Prevent the consequences of man-made global warming.

- Policies to ensure the environment of the planet does not deteriorate

to a point where future generations face water shortages, extreme

weather events, excess temperature.

• Protection of species diversity and ecological structure.

-Sometimes medicines require elements within specific plant species. If

some species go extinct, it limits future technological innovation.

• Treating environmental resources as if they have intrinsic
rights and value.
- we should protect rainforests because they deserve to be protected
rather than using a cost-benefit analysis of whether we gain financially
from protecting rainforests.
Advantages of environmental management
• Effective use of resources

• Improve sustainability

• Helps in staying out of trouble

• Pollution control

• Improved public image

• Economic progress

• Improved management efficiency

• Empowered employees

• Certification of recognized standards etc.

 Disadvantages of environmental management

• Cost

• Too much of trouble

• Time and resources

• Training costs
 Lesson learned

• Understand the concept of environment and

related issues
• Environmental management system
• Sustainability issues
• What we need to do to keep sound environment ?
Thank you very much for your patience
hearing

Question Please!!!!!