THE ENVIRONMENT FROM UNSUSTAINABLE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Sustainable development has been defined as Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (The World Commission on Environment and Development, Brundtland Commission 1987).
In other words, when people make decisions about how to use the Earths resources such as forests, water, minerals, wildlife, etc. they must take into account not only how much of these resources they are using, what processes they used to get these resources, and who has access to these resources. Are enough resources going to be left for our future generations to use and will the environment be left as we know it today? Is it true sustainable development Few developed countries have reached the greatest heights of scientific and technological development. But the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat all have been badly polluted. Sustainable Development The sustainable development is a process of betterment of life, in all sectors of society i.e. social, economic, educational, health, national security, food and education
Need for Sustainable Development Almost all environmental problems are the results of unsustainable development
Overuse of natural resources leads to pollution, cutting of trees has created global warming
Laws for Air, Water, Land, Wild Life, Forest have failed to control environmental losses
Only way is to accept the concept of sustainable development by making people aware about the needs and methods to control their demands and control over the overuse of resources
Aspects (or) aim of sustainable development a) inter- generational equity: it states that we should hand over a safe, healthy, and resourceful environment to our future generations.
b) intra generational equity: it states that the technological development of rich countries should support the economic growth of the poor countries and help in narrowing the wealth gap lead to sustainability. Concept or Approaches or significance for sustainable development Developing appropriate technology
Reduce , Reuse, Recycle approach
Providing environmental education and awareness
Consumption of renewable resources
Conservation of non renewable resources
Population control Urban problems related to energy Urbanization is the movement of human population from rural areas to urban areas for the want of better education, communication, health, employment. Causes of urbanization Cities are main centers of economic growth, trade, transportation, education, medical facilities and employment Urban sprawl: Urban growth is fast , so difficult to accommodate with their limited area .So cities spread into rural areas Urban energy requirement: Residential and commercial lighting Public and private transportation Electrical and electronic appliances
Energy demanding activities In developing countries, urban growth is very fast and pollution is uncontrollable and unplanned growth. When compared to rural people, urban people consumes a lot of energy and materials and generates a lot of waste. This is because urban people have a higher standard of life and their life style demands more energy inputs. Example for energy demanding activities Residential and commercial lightings Transportation means including, motor cycle, car and public transport for moving from residence to work place. Industries using a large proportion of energy Modern life style using a large number of electrical gadgets( fan, fridge, washing machine, A/C, water heater,etc) in everyday life. Control and prevention of pollution, need more energy dependent technologies. Solution: Use public transport instead of motor cycles Energy consumption must be minimized Use solar and wind energy Impose strict laws, penalty, and energy audit Water conservation: Process of saving water for future utilization Water source: Fresh water River Stream Pond Ocean Lakes
Need for water conservation:
Population increases water requirement also increases Due to deforestation annual rainfall decreases Over exploitation of ground water
Ways of water conservation
Reducing evaporation loss Reducing irrigation loss Reuse of water Preventing wastage of water Decreasing run-off losses Avoid sewage discharge Water conservation method Rain water harvesting Watershed management
Rain water harvesting Objective: To meet increasing demands of water Raise water table by recharging ground water Reduce ground water contamination from salt water intrusion. Roof top rainwater harvesting Involves collecting water that falls on roof of house Rainwater from roof top, road surface, play ground diverted to surface tank
Advantages of rainwater harvesting
Increases the well water availability Raise ground water level Minimizes soil erosion Watershed management: It is defined as land area bounded by divide line from which water drains under influence of gravity in to stream, lakes, reservoir. Eg. Pits, dams, ponds, Himalaya
Watershed Management; The management of rainfall & resultant runoff. Forestry Halt deforestation, provide vegetative cover, degraded land and supplement folder and fuel wood resources available to rural communities Agriculture
Aims to increase agricultural productivity in sustained manner and to diversify crop production - Major objective shall be achieved through organizing farmers, training camps and exposure visits. - Construct check dams, water harvesting tanks, storage tanks and channels , repair of old channels , implementing measures to check soil erosion
Horticulture
establishment of private orchard Rejuvenation of existing orchards Distribution of horticulture plant for home garden planting. Animal husbandry Energy conservation Community participation Training and awareness programme.
Advantages of Watershed projects Improved access to drinking water in project areas during drought - Increase in cultivation area leading to increase in employment - Increase in crop yield, resulting better income to rural population - Improved availability of fodder for animals and increase in milk yield - Increase in employment & involvement of women - Increase in net returns from all crops. Decrease in soil erosion. - Restoration of ecological balance.
Resettlement and Rehabilitation of people: Resettlement simple relocation or displacement of human population.
Rehabilitation making, system to work again by allowing, system to function naturally. Includes replacing the lost economic assets, Safeguard Employment, Provide safe land for building Causes of displacement of people Due to developmental activities- hirakund dam, tehri dam. Due to disaster- natural disaster, manmade disaster Due to conservation initiatives- park, sanctuary, forest reserve, biosphere reserve,
Effects: Loss of land Loss of recourse Unsatisfactory comp[enasation Social and cultura problems Changes in tradition of indigenous people Spread of disease Submergence of valuable forest Waterlogging Extinction of wild life
Rehabilitation issues Tribal's are usually the most affected among the displaced , who are already very poor, displacement further increases their poverty due to loss of home, land, jobs, food, security and social isolation. The land acquisition laws ignore the communal ownership of property, which is an built system among the tribal's. Marriages, social and cultural functions, their folk songs, dances and activities vanish with their displacement. Environmental ethics:- Environmental ethics refers to the issues, principles, and guidelines relating to human interactions with their environment. Functions of environment: It is the life supporting medium for all organisms It provides food, air, water, and other important natural resources to the human beings. It disintegrates all the waste materials discharged by the modern society It moderates the climatic conditions of the soil
Environmental problems Deforestation activities Population growth and urbanization Pollution due to discharge of effluent and smoke discharge from the industries. Water scarcity Land degradation and degradation of soil fertility
Solutions to environmental problems Reduce the waste of matter and energy resources. Recycle and reuse as many of our waste products and resources as possible. Over exploitation of natural resources must be reduced Soil degradation must be minimized Biodiversity of the earth must be protected Reduce population and increase the economic growth of our country. climate Climate is the average weather of an area. It is the general weather conditions, seasonal variations of a region. The average of such conditions over a long period is called climate. Causes of climate change Presence of green house gases in the atmosphere increases the global temperature. Depletion of ozone layer also increases the global temperature. Un even distribution of rainfall Rotation of earth on its axis Seasonal changes Effect of climate change Even small changes in climate conditions may disturb agriculture that would lead to migration of animals including humans. Climate change may upset the hydrological cycle, results in floods and droughts in different regions of the world Global pattern of winds and ocean currents also gets disturbed by climate. Green House Effect and Global Warming: The raise of earths surface temperature due to intense green house effect is called global warming. Causes: Over the last century, the level of carbon dioxide in the atm. Has increase by 25%, the level of nitrous oxide by 19% and the level of methane by 100%. These 3 major global warming gases are released into the atm. by burning of fossil fuels, industrialization, mining, deforestation, exhaust from increasing automobiles and other anthropogenic activities. Effects:
1. Increase evaporation of surface water influence climate change 2. Leads to declining biodiversity 3. Melting of mountain glaciers and polar ice, which cause rise in sea level 4. Change the climate and rainfall reduction in food production 5. The biological productivity of ocean also decreased due to warming of earths surface 6. With more carbon dioxide in the air, the plants will grow bigger with increase in yield and resulting in the soils getting poor quality 7. If proper precautions are not taken, the conc. Of green house gases may double in the atom. with in next 50 years, and will makes the average global temp. to 450 C.
Ozone layer depletion Ozone is an important chemical species present in the stratosphere. Its conc. is about 10 ppm. It acts as a protective shield for the life on the earth. Ozone is produced and also broken down by photochemical reactions, thus maintaining equilibrium. Causes for ozone layer depletion:
1Chlorine released from CFC and Bromine released from halogens are the most important chemicals associated with ozone layer depletion 2. The halogens are used in fore extinguishers and CFC are extensively used in air conditioners and refrigerators. 3. Methyl bromide used during packaging of fruits to prevent bacterial action flows out into the atmosphere as soon as the packing is opened. This cause heavy damage to ozone. 4. High altitude aircrafts and chemicals emitted by industrial plants and automobiles.
Effects:
Marked rise in cause skin cancer Damage immune system Eye ailment such as cataract Shorter life of paints and plastics Restricted growth and crop damage Destruction of aquatic life