SUSTAINABLE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
What is environment?
• Environment is defined as the total planetary
inheritance and the totality of all resources. It
includes all the biotic and abiotic elements that
influence each other.
• All living elements-the birds, animals and plants,
forests, fisheries etc. are biotic elements.
• Abiotic elements of the environment includes non-
living elements like air, water, land, rocks and
sunlight etc.
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Functions of the Environment:
(i) it supplies resources: resources here include both renewable
and non-renewable resources.
• Renewable resources are those which can be used without the possibility of
the resource becoming depleted or exhausted. That is, a continuous supply of
the resource remains available. Examples of renewable resources are the trees
in the forests and the fishes in the ocean.
• Non-renewable resources, on the other hand, are those which get exhausted
with extraction and use, for example, fossil fuel
(ii) it assimilates waste: Waste generated by production and consumption
(iii) it sustains life by providing genetic and bio diversity and
(iv) it also provides aesthetic services like scenery etc.
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Carrying Capacity of Environment
• It refers to the state of balance between the rate at
which natural resources are exploited and the rate
at which these resources are regenerated.
Absorptive Capacity of Environment
• It refers to the ability of the environment to absorb
wastes occurring due to production and
consumption activities in the environment
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Carrying Capacity implies two things:
1. Resources extraction should remain below
the rate of resource generations.
2. Generation of wastes should remain within
the absorption capacity of the environment.
• If these two conditions are not fulfilled, then
environment fails to perform its vital
functions of life sustenance and it leads to
the situations of environmental crises.
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Reason for Environmental Crises
• Population explosion and Industrial revolution
• The intensive and extensive extraction of both renewable
and non-renewable resources
• Extinction of many resources
• Affluent consumption and production.
• Uncontrolled development process
• Widespread poverty
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Environmental crisis have high opportunity cost
Opportunity cost is the sacrifice made for enjoying an
opportunity. It is of two types:
Avoidable: Rice is grown instead of wheat on land
Unavoidable: Growth of industries causing pollution
Environmental crisis have high opportunity cost because:
• Unsustainable developmental practices
• Affluent consumption and production
• Increasing emission of Green House gases
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Impact of Environmental crises
• Global warming is a gradual increase in the average
temperature of the earth’s lower atmosphere.
Global warming is caused by man-made increase in carbon
dioxide (Co2) and other greenhouse gases through the burning
of fossil fuels and deforestation.
• Some of the long-term results of global warming are as follow:
(i) Melting of polar ice with a resulting rise in sea level and
coastal flooding.
(ii) Extinction of species as ecological niches disappear.
(iii) more frequent tropical storms and
(iv) An increased incidence of tropical diseases.
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Impact of Environmental crises
• Ozone depletion refers to reduction in the amount of
Ozone (a protective layer) in the stratosphere.
• The problem of Ozone depletion is caused by high levels
of CFC used as cooling substances in air conditioners
and refrigerators or as aerosol propellants and Bromo
Fluro-carbons used in fire extinguishers.
• As a result of depletion of the ozone layer, more ultra
violet (UV) radiation comes to earth causing damage to
living organism.
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State of environment in India
Is India in the midst of Environmental crisis?
Yes, India is in the midst of Environmental
crisis.
Reasons:
Exploitation of natural resources is more
than their regeneration.
Production and consumption wastes is
beyond absorption capacity.
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State of environment in India
India is abundant with natural resources like
the most fertile plains in the world, Indo-
Gangetic plains; abundant minerals, but
contrasting with these India is the habitat of
18% worlds population, whereas it has only
2.5% of the world’s geographical area. This
exerts huge pressure on the country’s
environment.
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The dichotomy of environmental degradation in
India
• Poverty induced environmental degradation
• Affluence induced environmental
degradation
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Principal concerns of environmental degradation
in India
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Causes of Degradation of land in India
Degradation of land means loss of fertility of land which occurs due to
inappropriate use of land.
[Link]: Increased demand for lumber, fuel, and forest products.
[Link]: Cattle overgraze when eating too many grasses and other green
plants. Agricultural Practices:
[Link]
[Link]: One of the causes of land degradation is population growth
and the demand for greater residential areas and commercial sectors.
[Link] use of agro-chemicals
[Link] extraction of ground water
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Degradation of land in India
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CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION IN INDIA
Industrial Dust and Waste
A substantial amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic substances, and chemicals are released into
the air by manufacturing industries, reducing air quality. Additionally, hydrocarbons and a number of other
pollutants are released by petroleum refineries, harming the air and land.
Mining Operation
Mining is the use of large machinery to remove minerals from below the surface of the earth. During the
process, chemicals and dust are released into the air, causing serious air pollution. This is one of the elements
causing the local population and workers’ declining health.
Fossil Fuels
Sulfur dioxide, which is released through the burning of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum for energy in power
plants, and other industrial combustibles, is one of the main causes of Air Pollution. The energy for the
hundreds of millions of cars and trucks on the road comes from the combustion of gasoline and diesel fuel.
Hydrocarbons, which make up petroleum, do not burn cleanly in engines.
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Causes of loss of biodiversity
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Factor influencing bio diversity
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Solid waste Management
The unplanned development of
township and urbanisation has
caused massive problem of
Solid waste Management
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability
as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.”
Main features of sustainable development is as under:
(i) Sustained rise in Real per Capita Income and Economic welfare.
(ii) Rational use of natural resources.
(iii) No reduction in the ability of the future generation to meet
their own needs.
(iv) Check on pollution.
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Strategies for Sustainable Development
(i) Use of non-conventional sources of energy.
(ii) Use of cleaner fuels: LPG, Gobar gas in rural areas and
CNG in Urban areas.
(iii) Use of Solar energy and wind power.
(iv) Shift to organic farming.
(v) Recycle the wastes
(vi) Public means of transport.
(vii) Traditional knowledge and practices.
(viii) Establishment of Mini-Hydel plants.
(ix) Bio-pest Control
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Initiatives to solve Environmental crisis
• Chipko movement was launched in Uttarakhand in 1973 and
Appiko movements in Karnataka in 1983 are related to protect
forests.
• In order to address two major environmental concerns in
India, viz, water and air pollution, the government set up the
central pollution control board (CPCB) in 1974. Board
investigate, collect and disseminate information relating to
water, air and pollution, lay down standards of sewage/trade
effluent and emissions.
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