CBSE Class 11 Economics Environment And Sustainable Development Notes Set 03

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• Concept of Environment
• Significance/Functions of Environment
• Two Basic Problems Related to Environment:
  • Problem of pollution and
  • Problem of excessive exploitation of natural resources
• Causes of Environmental Degradation
• State of Environment in India
• Sustainable Development
• Strategies for Sustainable Development

I. CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENT

Environment is defined as all those conditions and their effects which influence human life. It is the sum total of surroundings and the totality of resources that affect our existence and the quality of our life. According to the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, "Environment includes water, air and land and the interrelationship which exists among and between water, air, land and human beings and other creatures, plants, micro-organisms and property."

The above definition suggests that:

(i) There are physical (or abiotic) as well as living (or biotic) elements of environment.

(ii) Physical elements include land, water, air, soil, climate, mountains, minerals and all other resources which nature has provided to us as a free gift.

(iii) Living elements include all kinds of living creatures like plants and animals which impact human life.

Environment includes living elements or biotic elements (plants and animals) as well as non-living elements or abiotic elements (air, water, land, soil, minerals and other natural resources) which make up our surroundings and impact our existence and the quality of our life.

2. SIGNIFICANCE/FUNCTIONS OF ENVIRONMENT

Following observations highlight the significance (of functions) of environment:

(1) Environment Offers Resources for Production: Environment includes physical resources (minerals, wood, water, soil and others) which are available to us as a free gift of nature. These resources are used as inputs for production. In fact, production is simply the process of conversion of natural resources into useful things.

Renewable and Non-renewable Resources

Resources are often classified as: (i) renewable, and (ii) non-renewable.

• Renewable resources are those which can be replenished and are not likely to be exhausted or depleted on use. Example: Wood, sea animals.
• Non-renewable resources are those which are likely to be exhausted or depleted on use. The rate at which these resources re-emerge is far short of the rate at which these resources are being exploited for use. Example: Fossil fuels.

(2) Environment Sustains Life: Environment includes sun, soil, water and air which are essential ingredients for the sustenance of human life. Absence of these elements of environment implies the end of life.

(3) Environment Assimilates Waste: Production and consumption activities generate wastes. This occur mostly in the form of garbage. Where does it go? Environment absorbs it.

(4) Environment Enhances Quality of Life: Surroundings include rivers, oceans, mountains and deserts. Man enjoys these surroundings, adding to the quality of his life.

Carrying Capacity of Environment and Environmental Crises

• Carrying capacity of environment refers to the situation when:
  • exploitation of resources does not exceed the regeneration of resources, so that the resource endowment is not exhausted or depleted, and
  • generation of wastes does not exceed the absorption capacity of environment, so that environment is not polluted.
• Environmental crises occur when carrying capacity of the environment is challenged (or exceeded) through excessive exploitation of natural resources and/or through excessive generation of wastes.

3. TWO BASIC PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENT

Two basic problems related to environment are:

(1) Problem of pollution, and

(2) Problem of excessive exploitation of natural resources, or degradation of natural resources.

Following sections offer a brief description of these problems:

(I) Pollution

Pollution refers to those activities of production and consumption which challenge purity of air and water and thereby pollute the environment. It is a serious emerging challenge related to the process of growth, particularly related to the process of industrialisation. Pollution has three forms:

• Air pollution,
• Water pollution, and
• Noise pollution.

(i) Air Pollution

Air carries oxygen which is an essential element of life. Pollution of air implies pollution of an essential element of life. Accordingly, quality of life is impaired.

What causes Pollution of Air?

Air pollution occurs owing to the presence of pollutants in the air. These pollutants may be poisonous gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide or these may be suspended particles such as dust, pollen and smoke. Following factors contribute to air pollution:

• Smoke emitted by the industries, particularly those using coal as an energy.
• Poisonous gases emitted (particularly by the plastic and leather industries) in the process of chemical treatment of the materials.
• Emission of gases by the motor vehicles which has risen to a threatening level owing to exponential rise in the number of vehicles.

Overuse of Resources and Misuse of Resources

• Overuse of resources refers to excessive exploitation of natural resources to achieve higher rate of growth. Examples:
  • Excessive exploitation of fossil fuels,
  • Excessive tree-felling.
• Misuse of resources refers to the situation when resources are diverted to wrong use causing environmental degradation. Examples:
  • Use of wood as a household fuel,
  • Use of rivers to absorb industrial effluents.

Question. Did You Know?
Answer: Air pollution causes hypertension, asthma, respiratory and cardio-vascular problems. These are very deadly diseases. Let us contribute our bit and keep air pollution under check by not smoking and by not violating the emission norms as prescribed for the vehicles we use.

(ii) Water Pollution

Like air, water is also an essential element of human life and its pollution is equally serious. Pollution of water relates to contamination of water. Use of polluted/contaminated water leads to the diseases like diarrhoea and hepatitis. Following are the principal factors contributing to water pollution in India:

(a) Industrial waste (particularly of those using chemicals as inputs) streaming into the rivers.

(b) Domestic sewerage that flows into streams and rivers.

(c) Agricultural run-off (mixed with pesticides and insecticides) that runs into streams and rivers.

(d) Thermal power houses discharging ash mixed with water.

A Bitter Truth: Farmers often wash vegetables in the 'nullas' full of the untreated sewerage water. If eaten raw, such vegetables are a sure source of deadly diseases.

(iii) Noise Pollution

Mechanisation has raised the levels of efficiency, but it has equally raised the level of noise pollution. Noise pollution has recorded an exponential growth, because millions of vehicles fitted with loud horns and noise-generating engines are plying on the roads. Excessive noise causes irritation and unnecessarily fatigues the body and the mind. Accordingly, quality of life deteriorates and efficiency is reduced. You may note the following sources of noise pollution:

(a) Sound produced by machines used in industries.

(b) Sound produced by cars, trucks and other means of transport.

(c) Sound produced by machines in construction works.

Be Sure About it: Sound itself is not bad. Who is offended when the birds chirp or when the clouds thunder? But unwarranted and unwanted sounds (like when you play your music system full blown) generate noise pollution which must be stopped as a social evil.

(2) Excessive Exploitation of Natural Resources

Second aspect of environmental problem relates to excessive exploitation of natural resources or degradation of resources. Natural resources refer to forests, minerals, soil, etc. Natural resources are also called natural capital. Following observations may be noted in this regard:

(i) In order to achieve economic growth, man needs natural capital along with physical capital.

(ii) As a result of increase in production, there is depreciation of both physical capital and natural capital.

(iii) Often, we make provision for the replacement of physical capital. But the depreciation or degradation of natural capital (in terms of deforestation or degradation of land) is often ignored or poorly addressed.

Let us attempt a brief description of the problems of Deforestation and Degradation of land.

Deforestation

Industrialisation is a boon as it offers a variety of things to consume, enhancing the quality of life. But it is a bane when it causes deforestation. This is how it happens:

(i) Trees are felled to meet the growing demand for wood and other forest products by the industries.

(ii) Industrialisation leads to urbanisation and urbanisation induces deforestation. More and more forests are cleared for the development of townships. Industrialisation apart, requirement of wood by the households (used as fuel) also leads to deforestation. In India, explosive population size has contributed to explosive demand for firewood; consequently tree-felling has happened at a rapid pace.

(iii) Multi-purpose River Projects (like Bhakra Dam or Damodar Valley Project) are another factor contributing to deforestation.

Environmental Degradation is an Avoidable Opportunity Cost of Development

• Opportunity cost is the cost in terms of foregone opportunities of doing a thing.
• Example: Using land for the production of pulses implies foregoing the opportunity of using it for the production of (say) rice. Thus, loss of production of rice is the opportunity cost of producing pulses on a given land.
• However, this is an unavoidable opportunity cost.
• But environmental degradation, occurring due to growth and development is not unavoidable. It is an avoidable opportunity cost.

Question. Yes, it is Alarming!
Answer: According to India State of Forest Report, 2017, area of 'very dense forest' in India is merely \( 98,158\text{ km}^2 \) (= 2.99 per cent of total land area), and area of 'moderately dense forest' is about \( 3,08,318\text{ km}^2 \) (= 9.38 per cent of total land area). Read it in the backdrop of the fact that the recommended forest cover for country is 1,000 lakh hectares (= 33 per cent of the total land area).

WHAT SOCIAL FORESTRY AIMS AT?

Social forestry aims at:

(i) Restoring or rehabilitating the forestry. It amounts to reversing the process of deforestation.

(ii) Spreading the vegetation cover on land, to further enhance the area under forests.

(iii) Encouraging commercial production of raw material for the paper industry as well as the match industry, so that the existing forests are not invaded.

(iv) Encouraging the growth of fast growing trees meeting the emerging requirement of timber as well as firewood.

(v) Generating employment opportunities through afforestation.

Degradation of Land

Degradation of land means loss of fertility (or loss of productivity) of land which occurs due to the following factors:

• Soil erosion caused by strong winds or floods. When we talk of soil erosion, we are referring to loss of upper-layer of the soil (also called top soil) which contains major nutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) for growth of the plants.
• Alkalinity and salinity of soil caused by water logging.
• Excessive water logged on the top soil. It tends to suck up the nutrients of the soil and reduces its fertility.

In India, nearly 50 per cent of the total landed area is exposed to degradation of one type or the other. Some urgent steps relating to soil conservation is the need of the hour.

4. CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

Principal causes of environmental degradation are as under:

(1) Population Explosion: One of the main causes of environmental degradation is population explosion. Pressure of population on land has tremendously increased and consequently land has been ruthlessly exploited. Population explosion has caused substantial conversion of forest land into industrial and residential buildings.

(2) Widespread Poverty: A large section of the Indian population is absolutely poor. These people cut trees for fuel wood which they sell to earn their livelihood. This causes a massive erosion of natural capital.

(3) Increasing Urbanisation: Increasing urbanisation has caused pressure on housing and other civic amenities. It has resulted in increasing demand for land and excessive exploitation of other natural resources.

(4) Increasing Use of Insecticides, Pesticides and Chemical Fertilizers: Increasing use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides has also added to environmental pollution.

(5) Rapid Industrialisation: Rapid industrialisation has also contributed to air, water and noise pollution. Industrial smoke is a serious pollutant.

(6) Multiplicity of Transport Vehicles: Multiplicity of transport vehicles has substantially increased noise and air pollution.

(7) Disregard for the Civic Norms: The general public in India tends to disregard the civic norms. Often, the roads are littered, and horns and loudspeakers are indiscriminately used.

Briefly, environmental pollution is the consequence of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, besides man's disregard to the civil norms. It is culminating into global crises, and needs urgent redressal at the national and international levels.

Supply-Demand Reversal

• Environmental degradation owes a great deal to supply-demand reversal of resources over a period of time.
• Prior to industrialisation, when the pace of life was slow, demand for natural resources did not exceed their supply.
• Man lived as a component of nature, never as its commander or its exploiter.
• As industrialisation progressed, there was a surge in human wants.
• Accordingly, there has been an exponential growth in demand for natural resources, leading to their overuse as well as misuse.
• Supply of resources has suffered a reversal from abundance to paucity. Demand, on the other hand, has reversed from manageable to unmanageable limits.

GLOBAL WARMING

It is a situation referring to a gradual but consistent increase in global temperature, thanks to environmental pollution and deforestation. Owing to emission of Green House Gases (carbon dioxide in particular), the earth's surface is becoming increasingly warmer, showing a rise of \( 0.6^\circ\text{C} \) during the past century. Warming temperature is escalating the melt of polar ice, in turn, implying a rise in sea level. Consequently, ecological balance is impaired, inflicting greater incidence of natural calamities. Ultimately, it implies a threat to human life, though poor countries are to be the first and worst sufferers.

OZONE DEPLETION

This refers to reduction in ozone (a protective layer) in the atmosphere. This occurs owing to the excessive use of cooling substances in air conditioners and refrigerators. As ozone depletes, there is greater ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth which is a danger to living organisms. In the recent past, nearly 5 per cent depletion in ozone layer has been recorded which is an issue of global concern.

5. STATE OF ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA

India is the habitat of nearly 18 per cent of the world's population, occupying just 2.5 per cent of the world's geographical area. This along with the fact that 21.9 per cent of the country's population is below poverty line (struggling for food, clothing and shelter) points to certain obvious environmental issues, as these:

• Natural endowment is getting excessively exploited, exceeding the rate of its regeneration,
• Production and consumption wastes are being generated beyond the absorption capacity of the environment, and
• Air pollution, water pollution and sound pollution are peaking up to the alarming limits.

India certainly is in the midst of environmental crises.

The Dichotomy of Environmental Degradation in India

The environmental degradation in India points to a paradoxical situation in the country. It is occurring and expanding owing to its staggering poverty as well as rapid growth of production activity. The hard facts that:

• Poverty is the principal cause of environmental degradation in rural areas. It is owing to poverty that tree-felling becomes almost an economic compulsion for the millions of poor in rural areas. But, it leads to deforestation.
• Expanding production activity is the principal cause of environmental degradation in the urban areas. Industrial smoke is polluting the air and industrial waste is polluting the water. Expansion of vehicular traffic (in the wake of expanding production activity) is generating noise pollution, besides contributing to air pollution and global warming.

Degradation of land in terms of soil erosion is a serious concern in the context of environmental issues in India. According to one estimate, India is suffering soil erosion to the tune of nearly 5 billions tonnes a year.
\( \implies \) a colossal loss of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are the essential ingredients of soil fertility and essential inputs of crop production.

Principal Factors Contributing to Land Degradation in India

(i) Loss of vegetation due to desertification and deforestation (Desertification refers to spread of deserts in arid and semi-arid areas. It occurs due to excessive grazing).

(ii) Multiple cropping along with subsistence farming by the small and marginal holders who fail to replenish fertility of the soil.

(iii) Excessive use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides which raise productivity but are a challenge to soil fertility.

(iv) Low water-table, owing to excessive use of groundwater.

(v) Soil erosion occurring due to floods and strong winds, and soil alkalinity/salinity occurring due to water logging.

How to Save Environment?

Following measures need to be taken to protect environment:

(1) Social Awareness: There is an urgent need to spread social awareness about (i) the dangers of pollution, and (ii) the way each individual can combat it.

(2) Population Control: It is absolutely essential to check rising population if environment is to be protected.

(3) Enforcement of Environment Conservation Act: The Environment (Protection) Act was passed in 1986 in India. Its objective is to check deterioration in the quality of environment. This legislative measure should be strictly enforced.

(4) Afforestation Campaign: Extensive afforestation campaign should be launched to protect environment.

(5) Control over Industrial and Agricultural Pollution: It is essential for environmental protection that air and water pollution caused by industrial development are managed and controlled. To avoid agricultural pollution, use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers should be restricted.

(6) Water Management: River waters should be kept clean and provision be made to supply clean drinking water to the rural people.

(7) Management of Solid Waste: Planned management of solid waste is very essential. It should be treated chemically. Rural garbage should be converted into compost.

(8) Improvement in Housing: Houses should be neat and clean. Slums should be replaced by airy and well-lighted dwelling houses.

In short, economic development and environment protection should be made complementary to each other. Clean environment is an essential prerequisite of healthy living.

Pollution Control Boards

• Central Pollution Control Board was set-up in 1974, followed by similar boards at the state level to address the major environmental concerns in India.
• These boards specify benchmarks of the tolerable range of effluent and emissions.
• Besides, they are spreading awareness among the people about the extent and possible dangers of environmental pollution.
• Also these boards offer technical assistance relating to improvement of environment.

6. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable Development is that process of economic development which aims at raising the quality of life of both present and future generations, without threatening natural endowment and environment. The most widely recognised definition of sustainable development, as phrased by the Brundtland Commission in 1987 is, "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present generation without impairing/reducing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

In the recent past, the process of economic growth was viewed in complete disregard to the resource endowment and environment. Notably:

• Diverse crops grown on land have led to a fall in soil fertility.
• Excessive mining of iron, coal, gold, silver and extraction of crude oil has led to the depletion of their stock.
• Smoke and other injurious emissions from factories and transport vehicles has led to pollution of environment.

Briefly, the competitive process of growth and development has led to environmental degradation and environmental pollution to an alarming extent.

It is only recently that environmental degradation and environmental pollution have been recognised as an emerging challenge to the quality of life (of the present and future generations). What the planners and the politicians are now seeking is not merely growth, but the growth that sustains the quality of life over a much longer period of time. This requires rational utilisation of the resources, rather than fuller utilisation of the resources.

Sustainable development is that process which fulfils the needs of present generation without challenging the ability of the future generations to fulfil their needs. Implying that the resources are not fully exploited, but rationally utilised.

Features of Sustainable Development

Main features of sustainable development are as under:

(1) Sustained Rise in Real Per Capita Income and Economic Welfare: There should be a sustained rise in real per capita income and economic welfare over time.

(2) Rational Use of Natural Resources: Sustainable development does not mean that natural resources should not be used at all. It simply means that natural resources be rationally used in a manner such that they are not excessively exploited.

(3) Ability of Future Generations to Fulfil their Needs not to be Impaired: Sustainable development stresses the point that the ability of the future generations to fulfil their needs is not impaired in the wake of competitive growth process. For example, if non-renewable sources of energy (like oil) are irrationally used to increase present production, it would only be at the cost of lesser resource endowment for the future generations. Such a development process is not sustainable over a long period of time.

(4) Check on Pollution: Sustainable development discards (or does not approve of) those activities (related to growth) which induce environmental pollution. Environmental pollution is to be viewed as an element of social cost.

7. STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The concept of sustainable development does not suggest delimiting the process of growth and development. Sustainable development only suggests a judicious or optimum utilisation of resources and in a manner such that the pace of economic growth is sustained without challenging the ability of the future generations to grow and prosper.

• Sustainable development does not mean a check on the existing pace of economic growth.
• It only means a judicious or optimum utilisation of resources and in a manner such that the pace of growth is sustained without challenging the ability of the future generations to grow and prosper.

How can it be achieved? What are the possible strategies for achieving sustainable development? Following observations may be noted in this context:

(1) Input-Efficient Technology: We are to devise such production technologies which are input-efficient. It means output is maximised. This will moderate the stress on resource endowment per unit of input.

(2) Use of Environment-Friendly Sources of Energy: LPG and CNG are cleaner fuels and environment-friendly. The use of these fuels must be encouraged in place of petrol and diesel which emit huge amount of carbon dioxide adding to the stock of Green House Gases. People in rural areas should be discouraged from using wood as a fuel. It causes deforestation and unwarranted degradation of resources. Instead, gobar gas plants may be developed as a source of domestic fuel.

(3) Integrated Rural Development: Integrated rural development must be given a high priority in the programmes of state planning. This will generate employment opportunities in rural areas, restricting migration to urban areas. If rural-urban migration is checked, transportation needs will automatically be reduced. Also, this will reduce the stress on social infrastructure in urban areas. Accordingly, one can expect a check on environmental pollution.

(4) Convert Sunlight into Solar Energy and Solar Energy into Electricity: Here, following observations may be noted:

India is endowed with abundant sunlight which is a rich source of energy.

Sunlight is both environment-friendly as well as a non-exhaustible source of energy.

Conversion of solar energy into electricity is no longer a distant dream, though the technology is yet to become widely innovative.

Solar energy (and its conversion into electricity) is an effective answer, not only to the problem of economic growth, but also to the problem of sustainable development.

(5) Shift to Organic Farming: Use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides has raised crop yield. But, it has damaged/lowered soil fertility.
\( \implies \) loss of production capacity for the future generations. It is high time that we switch over to organic farming which focuses on soil-health rather than the plant-health.

(6) Manage the Wastes: Rather than allowing the industrial waste and household garbage to litter around or flow into the streams and rivers, we must systematically manage them. Household waste can be recycled into compost and used as a manure for organic farming.

(7) Stringent Laws on the Disposal of Chemical Effluents: India is a land where laws lack enforcement. Chemical effluents from the industrial units are invariably driven into the streams and rivers, polluting water and endangering aquatic life. Such a serious violation of the laws must be checked in case growth and environment are to go together.

(8) Awareness to Conserve Natural Assets for Inter-Generational Equity: Inter-generational equity means equal opportunities (to grow and prosper) for the present and future generations. Indians are highly conscious of inter-generational equity at the micro level. But this awareness is absolutely negligible at the macro level (the national level). Seldom we think of conserving our natural wealth for the future generations. Of course, there are examples like of 'Chipko' movement in the north and 'Appiko' movement in the south as attempts to stop tree-felling.

(9) Public Means of Transport: Public means of transport are to be rapid, comfortable and economical. Example: Metro in Delhi. Such means of transport must be extended to the sub-urban areas as well. This will cut the private vehicular traffic in and around the metro cities. Accordingly, environmental pollution (air and noise pollution in particular) will be curbed/reduced.

Briefly, sustainable development is a process to be adopted as a daily-life activity. It is not simply a specially designed programme or process of production to be pursued by the government. It is more about our awareness of the implications of what we are doing as producers and consumers. It is more about our concerns for future generations and our social responsibilities. More than monetary costs, it involves real costs in terms of our efforts for the betterment of society as a whole.

Note that:

• As producers, we are to be conscious of using environment-friendly techniques of production and environment-friendly techniques of disposal of the wastes.
• As consumers, we are to be conscious of using environment-friendly goods and services, and environment-friendly means of garbage disposal.

The government should contribute its bit through enforcement of the laws relating to the protection of environment.

Stretching our environment to serve us beyond its capacity would only mean reducing its capacity to serve us in the future. This is where the process of development fails to be sustainable.

Power Points & Revision Window

• Environment: It is defined as all those conditions and their effects which influence human life. It includes: biotic components, viz., plants and animals, and abiotic components, viz., water and air.
• Significance/Functions of Environment: (i) It offers resources for production, (ii) It sustains life, (iii) It assimilates wastes, (iv) It enhances quality of life.
• Two Basic Elements of Environmental Degradation: (i) Problem of pollution, (ii) Problem of excessive exploitation of natural resources.
• Environment Pollution includes: (i) Air pollution, (ii) Water pollution, (iii) Noise pollution.
• Excessive Exploitation of Natural Resources implies: (i) Degradation of land, (ii) Deforestation, (iii) Excessive use of non-renewable resources.
• Causes of Environmental Degradation: (i) Population explosion, (ii) Widespread poverty, (iii) Increasing urbanisation, (iv) Increasing use of insecticides, pesticides and chemical fertilisers, (v) Rapid industrialisation, (vi) Multiplicity of transport vehicles, (vii) Disregard to the civic norms.
• Global Warming refers to a gradual, but consistent rise in atmospheric temperature.
• India's Environment: A typical situation of dichotomy of environmental degradation—a situation where both poverty and prosperity contribute to environmental degradation.
• How to Save Environment?: (i) Social awareness, (ii) Population control, (iii) Enforcement of Environment Conservation Act, (iv) Afforestation campaign, (v) Control over industrial and agricultural pollution, (vi) Water management, (vii) Management of solid waste, (viii) Improvement in housing.
• Sustainable Development: A process of development that does not cause environment degradation and therefore, does not reduce production capacity of future generations.
• Strategies for Sustainable Development: (i) Input-efficient technology, (ii) Use of environment-friendly sources of energy, (iii) Integrated rural development, (iv) Convert sunlight into solar energy and solar energy into electricity, (v) Shift to organic farming, (vi) Manage the wastes, (vii) Stringent laws on the disposal of chemical effluents, (viii) Awareness to conserve natural assets for inter-generational equity, (ix) Public means of transport.