Section 1 · 23.1–23.1.1
Environmental Degradation and Environmental Problems
Textbook pp. 249–250
Core Concept / Definition
Environment includes all living and non-living objects. Human beings live in the environment and use resources such as air, land and water to meet their needs. Development also means meeting people’s needs, but growing needs put pressure on the environment. When that pressure exceeds the environment’s carrying capacity to repair or replace itself, serious environmental degradation occurs.
The chapter gives ground water as an example: if an environmental resource is used beyond its limit of replacement, it may be lost forever. Therefore, awareness about environmental protection is necessary. Protection is both a national and international effort, but every citizen also has a responsibility to use resources carefully and protect them from degradation.
Why Degradation Has Increased
All human activities affect the environment, but the chapter says that during roughly the last two centuries human influence increased manifold because of rapid population growth and the fast development of science and technology. These are identified as major factors reducing environmental quality and causing degradation.
Environmental degradation creates a danger to human survival. The chapter emphasizes that conservation and improvement of the environment are vital for survival and well-being. Land, air and water resources are to be used wisely, as a trust, to ensure a healthy environment for present and future generations.
Major Environmental Problems
| Problem | Chapter description |
|---|
| Land, Air and Water | Pollution affects plants, animals and human beings; soil quality deteriorates, agricultural land is lost, soil erosion occurs, floods bring deforestation and silt, and oceans are polluted by dumping of nuclear wastes. |
| Population Growth | More people place excessive pressure on land and forests, disturb ecological balance, reduce productivity, contribute to deforestation and extinction of wildlife, and affect social, economic and political aspects as well. |
| Urbanization | The movement of people from villages to cities increases pollution and produces dirt, disease and disasters; sanitation, health, housing, water-supply and electricity problems expand. Rural areas also face firewood collection, overgrazing and depletion of natural resources. |
| Industrialization | Industrialization with transport and communication pollutes the environment and shrinks natural resources. Heat fluxes, carbon dioxide, particulate matter and radioactive nuclear wastes create hazards, while conventional energy use causes loss of natural resources. |
Section 2 · 23.2
Awareness about Environmental Protection
Textbook p. 251
Growing Awareness
The chapter states that during the past two decades of the textbook period, environmental issues attracted the attention of decision makers, scientists and laymen across many parts of the world. Awareness grew about famines, droughts, floods, scarcity of fuel, firewood and fodder, air and water pollution, hazardous chemicals and radiation, depletion of natural resources, extinction of wildlife, and dangers to flora and fauna.
People became increasingly aware of the need to protect natural resources such as air, water, soil and plant life, described as the natural capital on which human beings depend. The chapter stresses that the need of the planet and the needs of people have become one.
Conservation and Survival
Environmental protection and conservation are presented as necessary to make future life possible. Nature has accommodating and regenerative capacity, but it has limits, especially when population and technological pressures continue to mount. What is required is the sustenance, conservation and improvement of a changing and fragile environment.
From Awareness to Responsible Use
Resource responsibility: Natural resources must be used with care so that the environment remains healthy for present and future generations.
Pressure awareness: Growing population and technology can push environmental pressure beyond nature’s regenerative capacity.
Future concern: The chapter warns that unresolved environmental issues could make the Earth unfit for future generations.
Conservation principle: “To conserve or to perish” is presented in the “What You Have Learnt” section as the slogan of the hour.
Section 3 · 23.3
Sustainable Development
Textbook pp. 251–252
Definition
The World Commission on Environment and Development, known as the Brundtland Commission, submitted its report Our Common Future in 1987. The report highlighted and popularised the concept of sustainable development. The chapter defines it as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations.
Balance between Development and Environmental Protection
All developmental activities involve some amount of environmental degradation. Therefore, the chapter says the damage produced by development must be taken into account and a balance must be struck between development and environmental protection. The aim is to achieve sustainable levels of people’s welfare and development, while asking how many people can ultimately be supported by the environment and at what level of quality of life.
The chapter also records the emphasis of mainstream “green” scholars on sustainability together with development. It lists three emphases: energy resources should be renewable and kept renewing; waste should be changed into raw material and recycling encouraged; and instead of pursuing gross national product and its growth targets, satisfaction of real human needs should be sought.
Small Scale, Decentralization and Accountability
The chapter states that the “greens” accept industry when it is on a small scale and serves self-sufficiency, and advocate extensive decentralization. It describes sustainable development as more about environment and stability, restricting wants, a non-exploitative attitude toward the environment, and smaller communities. The lesson expresses this in strong comparative language, calling it “environment without growth.”
At the same time, the chapter asks why the pace of development should stop simply because ecological degradation should stop. It states that disciplined use of environmental benefits can support overall development. Scholars and activists are said to argue that degradation can be controlled and reversed when the parties causing damage are held accountable and participate in improving environmental conditions. The chapter therefore calls for norms that bring development demands and environmental compulsion closer together.
Section 4 · 23.4–23.5
National and International Efforts
Textbook pp. 252–253
India’s Environmental Efforts
Environmental awareness gained importance in India since the 1970s after the UN-sponsored Stockholm Conference (1972). The Indian Government undertook environment-friendly activities, established the Ministry of Environment and Forest, and enacted laws on environment protection in 1986.
Objectives of India’s National Environment Policy
| No. | Objective stated in the chapter |
|---|
| 1 | Conserve and develop a safe, healthy, productive and aesthetically satisfying environment. |
| 2 | Upgrade, develop and manage rural and urban settlements to enhance quality of life. |
| 3 | Plan development on sound ecological principles with environmental impact assessment and suitable safeguards. |
| 4 | Promote environment safety-technologies, recycling of resources and utilisation of wastes. |
| 5 | Conserve biotic diversity through nature reserves and sanctuaries for specified habitats. |
| 6 | Safeguard the environment within the national maritime Exclusive Economic Zone. |
| 7 | Evolve environmental norms and effective mechanisms for monitoring, surveillance, information collection and dissemination. |
| 8 | Preserve scenic landscapes and historic and cultural monuments and their environs. |
| 9 | Promote environmental education at all levels and create public awareness. |
| 10 | Encourage research in environmental science and related technological and social investigation. |
| 11 | Develop adequate manpower of ecologists, environmental scientists, planners and managers and recognise their work as part of national development. |
International Commitment
The chapter highlights the Stockholm Conference of 1972 and the Rio Conference twenty years later, called the UN Conference on Environment and Development. It records the view that poverty was the greatest polluter and that poverty elimination is central to sustainable development. UNDP, the World Bank and other UN institutions are described as advocating poverty elimination in this context.
The chapter also identifies the Montreal Convention and conventions on climate change, biodiversity and forests adopted at Rio as landmarks in the world movement for sustainable development and environmental protection. India accepted these conventions and undertook systematic implementation measures. The text also notes UNDP-funded environmental action, World Bank-supported industrial pollution-control schemes, prior environment clearance for certain industries, cleaner transport efforts, a National Forestry Plan, NGO environmental brigades, wildlife conservation projects, environmental laws and audits, and efforts to develop solar, wind and wave energy.
Section 5 · 23.6
Measures Taken by the Indian Government to Check Pollution
Textbook pp. 254–256
Key Measures
| Measure | Purpose / working stated in the chapter |
|---|
| Environmental Courts | Special courts to ensure speedy justice for poor people against factories that pollute the environment. |
| Environment Friendly Products | Stringent standards for products; those meeting production and performance standards receive a label of excellence such as the ISI mark. |
| Unleaded Petrol | Refineries are persuaded to make petrol lead-free because automobile pollution is linked to lead content. |
| Ban on Harmful Pesticides | Eight chemical pesticides are identified; plans are described to replace harmful pesticides with safe biopesticides. |
| National Waste Management Council | Converting fly ash into bricks, city garbage into energy and sewage into fertilizer. |
| Public Liability Insurance | Makes it mandatory for companies to take out public liability insurance, to be paid in 48 hours according to the chapter. |
| Pollution by Motor Vehicles | Anti-pollution standards are strictly enforced; vehicles not following standards may be fined heavily or taken off the road. |
| Hotels near Sea Shore | Action against hotels encroaching on beaches in violation of laws. |
| National River Action Plan | Proposal for a National river authority to plan water-use and waste-management policy at national level. |
| Solar Energy Commission | Proposal to create decentralised energy at village level rather than multiplying the mainstream producer. |
| No Smoking in Public Places | A proposed ban on smoking in public places; the Delhi Government is noted as taking a lead. |
Chapter Synthesis
The “What You Have Learnt” section states that the environment is the surrounding in which we live, unplanned human activities cause environmental degradation, and sustainable development means development that is environment oriented and does not harm the natural order. It lists carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, pesticides, sewage, smoke and noise among causes of environmental degradation.
The chapter concludes that awareness about conservation is growing, the United Nations and its agencies are working to conserve the environment for future generations, and the Indian Government has introduced laws and measures to promote awareness and preserve nature.
Textbook visual note: The final pages contain “What You Have Learnt,” terminal exercises, intext answers and then an unrelated adolescence/drug-addiction box. That unrelated material is excluded from this Chapter 23 study page.