MODULE 1

The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

Definition, Scope and importance, Need for public awareness

DEFINITION

What is Environmental Studies? It. It is a relatively new field of study which has evolved from integrated use of many disciplines It deals with every issue that affects an organism Is a multidisciplinary / Interdisciplinary subject which deals with each and every aspect of life related with us

 Requires the knowledge of various other subjects like biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, micro-biology, bio-chemistry, geology, economics, law, sociology etc. It is essentially a multidisciplinary approach that brings about an appreciation of our natural world and human impacts on its integrity

 It is an applied science as it seeks practical answers to making human civilization sustainable on the earth's finite resources

What is the scope of Environmental Studies?

Everything around us forms our environment and our lives depend on keeping its vital systems as intact as possible Environment is nothing but the nature composed of both biotic and abiotic factors Its components include Anthropology, Biology, Economics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Geology, Health, Philosophy, Physics and Sociology Is related with every science and scientific aspects in general and biology in particular Awareness of environment Environment and real life situations

 Conservation of resources and Sustainable development of individuals Profound effect over the living organisms Awareness about cause and effect of environmental problems Exerts influence over metabolic activities of all living beings Makes us understand its importance and enables us to take necessary steps to protect it Will be a growing field for the future with the growing concerns about our global warming and climate changes

The Importance of Environmental Studies Is concerned with the day to day interaction with the surroundings with which human being is closely associated Is concerned with the issues of development, international environment and population Is related to many branches of the science and is an interdisciplinary science. Is concerned with the importance of wild life and its protection Explains the significant role of biodiversity in establishing ecological balance

 Is concerned with different types of food chains, food webs, productivity, biomass, carrying capacity of ecosystems. Deals with various types of interrelationships existing between living and non living organisms and also between different types of living organisms such as symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, etc. Gives information relating to population explosion, growth and development, impact of population growth on the resource consumption and national economy. Explains the coexistence of both living and non living organisms and their contribution to the nature for its sustenance.

 Deals with relation with ethos and the impact of ethical principles in the conservation of wild life, biodiversity and environment Deals with different types of ecosystems, biotic and abiotic factors and their role in the significance and sustenance of ecosystems Explains the significance of forests and their products in the human routine and in country's economy Gives information about water conservation, watershed management and the importance of water as a universal solvent and the importance of the same in various physiological, biochemical, internal systems and external environment

 Environment Issues are of International Importance

It has been well recognized that environment issues like global warming and ozone depletion, acid rain, marine pollution and biodiversity are not merely national issues but are global issues and hence must be tackled with international efforts and cooperation

 Problems as a side effect of development

Development, in its wake gave birth to Urbanization, Industrial Growth, Transportation Systems, Agriculture and Housing etc. When the West developed, it did so perhaps in ignorance of the environmental impact of its activities. Evidently such a path is neither practicable nor desirable, even if it is followed by the developing world

 Exponential increase in population

World census reflects that one in every seven persons on this planet lives in India With 16 per cent of the world's population and only 2.4 per cent of its land area, there is a heavy pressure on the natural resources including land Agricultural experts have recognized soils health problems like deficiency of micronutrients and organic matter, soil salinity and damage of soil structure

 Need for an alternative solution

It is essential, specially for developing countries to find alternative paths to an alternative goal: A goal, which is environmentally sound sustainable A goal common to all citizens of our earth A goal distant from the developing world in the manner it is from the over-consuming wasteful societies of the developed world

 Need to save humanity from extinction It is incumbent upon us to save humanity from extinction consequent to our activities constricting the environment and depleting the biosphere, in the name of development

 Need for wise planning of development Our survival and sustenance depend on the environment Withdrawal of resources, processing and use of the product have all to be synchronized with the ecological cycles in any plan of development our actions should be planned ecologically for the sustenance of the environment and development

REASONS FOR STUDYING ENVIRONMENT

Need for information about environmental concepts Need to change the way in which we view our own environment Need to create a concern for our own environment

NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS

It is essential to make the public aware of the formidable consequences of the Environmental Degradation. If reformative measures are not undertaken, it would result in the extinction of life To save our dwindling Natural Resources and continuously degrading Environment, the public can play a major role in environment management by reducing wastage of Natural Resources and Pollution To recognize the interdependence among materials into physical environment, plant and animal life for survival, growth and development

 To take decisions individually and collectively and initiate actions for social, cultural and economic survival, growth and development and for conservation of nature and natural resources To identify human, material, space and time resources in the environment To recognize ways of making effective use of environmental resources for social, economic and cultural survival, growth and development To take decisions for the effective use of resources, to recognize the special significance of conservation of natural resources and initiate or support community efforts for the purpose

 Population Growth
A population of over thousands of millions is growing at 2.11 per cent every year. Over 17 million people are added each year It puts considerable pressure on its natural resources and reduces the gains of development. Hence, the greatest challenge before us is to limit the population growth Population control automatically leads to development

POVERTY
Poverty and environmental degradation have a nexus between them The vast majority of our people are directly dependent on the natural resources of the country for their basic needs of food, fuel shelter and fodder About 40% of our people are still below the poverty line Environment degradation has adversely affected the poor who depend upon the resources of their immediate surroundings Thus, the challenges of poverty and environment degradation are two facets of the same coin

AGRICULTURAL GROWTH The people must be acquainted with the methods to sustain and increase agricultural growth without damaging the environment High yielding varieties have caused soil salinity and damage to physical structure of soil

USE OF GROUND WATER Factors like community wastes, industrial effluents and chemical fertilizers and pesticides have polluted our surface water and affected quality of the groundwater

DEGRADATION OF LAND
At present out of the total 329 mha of land, only 266 mha possess any potential for production. Of this, 143 mha is agricultural land and 85 suffers from varying degrees of soil degradation. Of the remaining 123 mha, 40 are completely unproductive. The remaining 83 mha is classified as forest land, of which over half is denuded to various degrees Nearly 406 million head of livestock have to be supported on 13 mha, or less than 4 per cent of the land classified as pasture land, most of which is overgrazed. Out of 226 mha, about 175 mha or 66 per cent is degraded to varying degrees. Water and wind erosion causes further degradation of almost 150 mha This degradation is to be avoided

REDUCTION OF GENETIC DIVERSITY Proper measures to conserve genetic diversity need to be taken At present most wild genetic stocks have been disappearing from nature The protected areas network like sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves are isolating populations thereby decreasing chances of interbreeding Remedial steps are to be taken to check decreasing genetic diversity

CONSEQUENCES OF URBANIZATION Nearly 27 per cent Indians live in urban areas Over 30 percent of urban Indians live in slums Out of Indias 3,245 towns and cities, only 21 have partial or full sewerage and treatment facilities Hence, coping with rapid urbanization is a major challenge

AIR AND WATER POLLUTION Majority of our industrial plants are using outdated technologies and makeshift facilities devoid of any provision of treating their wastes Large number of cities and industrial areas have been identified as the worst in terms of air and water pollution People are to be made aware of the rules, regulations an acts related to environment Support of the people is indispensable to implement these rules

GLOBAL WARMING There are clear signs of global warming The permafrost and glaciers in the polar and other regions are melting and the resultant rise in the sea level is threatening the very existence of various islands and continents Glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating with alarming speed