Environment

Environment can be defined as a sum total of all the living and non-living
elements and their effects that influence human life. While all living or biotic
elements are animals, plants, forests, fisheries, and birds, non-living or abiotic
elements include water, land, sunlight, rocks, and air.
 Components of the Environment
Atmosphere Lithosphere

Hydrosphere
Biosphere
 Atmosphere

An atmosphere is a layer or a set of layers of gases surrounding a planet or other material body,
that is held in place by the gravity of that body. An atmosphere is more likely to be retained if the
gravity it is subject to is high and the temperature of the atmosphere is low.
 Lithosphere

A lithosphere is the rigid, outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet, or natural satellite,

that is defined by its rigid mechanical properties. On Earth, it is composed of the crust and
the portion of the upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of
years or greater.
 Hydrosphere

The hydrosphere is the combined mass of water found on, under, and above the surface of a planet, minor planet
or natural satellite. Although Earth's hydrosphere has been around for about 4 billion years, it continues to
change in shape.
 Biosphere

The biosphere also known as the ecosphere is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It can also be termed the
zone of life on Earth, a closed system, and largely self-regulating.
 Ecosystem

• An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the

nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system.
• These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient
cycles and energy flows.
• Energy enters the system through photosynthesis and is incorporated into
plant tissue.
• By feeding on plants and on one another, animals play an important role in
the movement of matter and energy through the system.
• They also influence the quantity of plant and microbial biomass present.
• By breaking down dead organic matter, decomposers release carbon back
to the atmosphere and facilitate nutrient cycling by converting nutrients
stored in dead biomass back to a form that can be readily used by plants
Structure of Ecosystem
Abiotic Components
 Biotic Components
The biotic components include all living organisms present in the environmental system .
 Autotrophic components
• An autotroph or primary producer is an organism that produces complex organic
compounds (such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) using carbon from simple
substances such as carbon dioxide, generally using energy from light (photosynthesis)
or inorganic chemical reactions (chemosynthesis).
 Heterotrophic components
In the food chain, heterotrophs are primary, secondary and tertiary consumers, but not
producers. Living organisms that are heterotrophic include all animals and fungi, some
bacteria and protists, and many parasitic plants.
Biotic components of an ecosystem can be described under the following three heads:
1. Producers
2. Consumers
3. Decomposers or reducers and transformers
Grassland Ecosystem
Forest Ecosystem
Desert Ecosystem
Wetland Ecosystem
Freshwater Ecosystems
Marine Ecosystem
Polar Ecosystem
Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
Do you know all 17 SDGs?
Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
The Sustainable Development Goals – Action Towards 2030 CAFOD(Catholic Agency For Overseas Development) and SDGs
 Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
History of SDG
(Ref:[Link]
 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States
in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now
and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are
an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.
They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with
strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth –
all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN, including the UN Department
of Economic and Social Affairs.
 Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
 In June 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, more than 178 countries adopted Agenda 21, a
comprehensive plan of action to build a global partnership for sustainable development to improve human lives
and protect the environment.
 Member States unanimously adopted the Millennium Declaration at the Millenium Summit in September 2000
at UN Headquarters in New York. The Summit led to the elaboration of eight Millennium Development
Goals(MDGs) to reduce extreme poverty by 2015.
 The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and the Plan of Implementation, adopted at the
World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa in 2002, reaffirmed the global community's
commitments to poverty eradication and the environment, and built on Agenda 21 and the Millennium
Declaration by including more emphasis on multilateral partnerships.
 At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development(Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June
2012, Member States adopted the outcome document “The Future We Want” in which they decided, inter alia,
to launch a process to develop a set of SDGs to build upon the MDGs(Millenium Development Goals) and to
establish the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The Rio +20 outcome also
contained other measures for implementing sustainable development, including mandates for future
programmes of work in development financing, small island developing states and more.
 Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
 In 2013, the General Assembly set up a 30-member Open Working Group to develop a proposal on the SDGs.
 In January 2015, the General Assembly began the negotiation process on the post-2015 development agenda.
The process culminated in the subsequent adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with 17
SDGs at its core, at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015.
 2015 was a landmark year for multilateralism and international policy shaping, with the adoption of several major
agreements:
 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction(March 2015)
 Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development(July 2015)
 Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 SDGs was adopted at
the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York in September 2015.
 Paris Agreement on Climate Change (December 2015)
 Now, the annual High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development serves as the central UN platform for
the follow-up and review of the SDGs.
 Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
 SDG 1:End poverty in all its forms everywhere
 SDG 2:End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
 SDG 3:Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
 SDG 4:Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
 SDG 5:Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
 SDG 6:Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
 SDG 7:Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
 SDG 8:Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
 SDG 9:Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
 SDG 10:Reduce inequality within and among countries
 SDG 11:Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
 SDG 12:Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
 SDG 13:Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
 SDG 14:Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
 SDG 15:Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat
desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
 SDG 16:Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build
effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
 SDG 17:Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
 Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
Targets
Each SDG includes a set of specific targets. In total, there are 169 targets, designed to be
measurable and actionable by 2030. The targets range from eradicating extreme poverty
(less than $1.25 a day), to reducing inequality, improving infrastructure, combating
climate change, and promoting peaceful and inclusive societies. Progress toward these
targets is monitored using a series of indicators agreed upon by the UN and its member
states.
For example:
 Goal 1 (No Poverty) has targets like reducing the proportion of men, women, and
children living in poverty and implementing social protection systems.
 Goal 13 (Climate Action) includes strengthening resilience to climate-related disasters
and integrating climate change measures into national policies.
 Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
Implementation
The SDGs are intended to be implemented through national action plans, with
governments, private sectors, and civil societies working together. Countries are expected
to integrate the SDGs into their national development strategies, budgeting, and policies.
Key approaches to implementation include:
 National Ownership: Countries take responsibility for integrating the SDGs into their
policies.
 Partnerships: Collaboration among governments, international organizations, civil
society, and the private sector.
 Financial Mobilization: Countries need to mobilize significant resources, both
domestic and international, to fund SDG-related projects.
 Monitoring and Accountability: Countries are expected to report progress toward
achieving the goals via voluntary national reviews (VNRs).
 Sustainability: 17SDG targets and possible actions.
Capacity Development
Achieving the SDGs requires capacity development, which involves strengthening the ability of
individuals, institutions, and systems to implement and manage sustainable development
initiatives. Key areas of focus include:
 Human Resources: Enhancing knowledge and skills at all levels, especially within
governments and public institutions.
 Institutional Strengthening: Building robust institutions that can manage resources,
implement policies, and foster innovation.
 Data and Monitoring: Developing the capacity to collect, analyze, and use data effectively to
monitor progress and make informed decisions.
 Technology Transfer and Innovation: Promoting access to new technologies, especially in
developing countries, to facilitate sustainable solutions in energy, agriculture, and industry.
 Partnerships for Capacity Building: Working with international organizations, private
sectors, and NGOs to share knowledge, tools, and best practices.
Self-Study Component (SSC): Components of the
environment.