Environment Conservation and Management

Dr. Santosh Kumar Sharma

Mobile No: 09406660463, Email: santosh_ujj@yahoo.com

What is the Environment?

• The environment encompasses thewhole of life on earth and thecomplex interactions that link theliving world with the physical world.

• Covers everything contained withinthe air, land and water.

• Spatial and temporal changes arethe characteristics of environmentaldynamics.

As per Environment (Protection)Act, 1986, environement includesall the physical and biologicalsurroundings of an organismalong with their interactions.Environment is thus defined as“the sum of water, air and landand the inter-relationship thatexist among them and with thehuman being, other livingorganisms and materials”.

Environment Defined…

Gaia hypothesis: James Lovelock (1974)Earth existed as a single living organism. He described howorganic and inorganic components interact through complexreactions to balance an environment where life can exist.

Our Atmosphere

Environmental ChangeHumans are the most significant agent of environmental change:

• Overpopulation• Overconsumption of natural

resources: topsoil, water, air• Transforming and destroying

natural environments • Eradicating unique species• Human-induced climate change

Human Impacts on the Environment

• Overpopulation: Earth’s central environmental problem.

• More people consume more resources and produce more waste.

• Gap between Rich and Poor:

Highly Developed Countries: 18 % of the world’s populationUS, Canada, Japan, most of Europe

Poor Countries: 82% of world’s population (ModeratelyDeveloped and Less Developed)

• Rapid population growth can cause resources to be overexploited• Poverty drives natural resource exploitation

Population Size and Resource Consumption

• Highly developed countries have less than 20% of the world’s population, but consume:

– 86% of aluminum

– 76% of timber

– 68% of energy

– 61% of meat

– 42% of fresh water

• Also, produce 75% of waste and pollution.

Human Impacts on the Environment

The Tragedy of the Commons!

Human Impacts on the Environment

• Sustainability:– Ability to meet current needs without

compromising the ability of futuregenerations to meet their needs

– Environment will function indefinitely

– Based on:• Effects of our actions on the environment

• Earth’s resources are finite

• Understanding impacts of consumption

• Shared responsibility for environmentalsustainability

• Currently are not we livingsustainably…?

Sustainability and Earth’s Capacity to Support Humans

Why protect, conserve, or manage our environment…

• a sustained, wise, and rational use of natural resources

• keeping some natural resources for use by future generations

• attaining a balance in the natural ecosystem to reduce environmental damage

• maintaining a balance between economic growth and sustainable development

• Securing the future for humankind.

Interdisciplinary nature of Environmental Science

Goals of Environment Management

Establish general principles about how the natural world functions.Identifying, understanding, & solving problems that we have created.

Global Environmental Issues

• Global Warming

• Ozone Layer Depletion

• Acid Rain

• Deforestation

• Loss of Biodiversity

• Water Pollution

• Desertification

• Waste Disposal and

• Energy Crisis

Global Warming

Global Warming• Greenhouse gases – maintain earth’s

temperature.

• Anthropogenic activities emit GHGs trappingmore heat.

– According to IPCC global surfacetemperatures have increased by 0.88°C sincethe late nineteenth century. It is projected toincrease by 1–2ºC by 2050 and 2–5ºC by2100 (IPCC 2001, 2007).

– sea-level rise of 15–23 cm during thetwentieth century

• Predicted effects:

– Higher sea levels

– Higher temperatures

– Variability in climate

– Impact on agriculture and ecosystems

• The Kyoto Protocol (1997)

Ozone Layer Depletion

Sea level is rising: 20 cm in the last century

R.A. Rhohde, www.globalwarmingart.com

Recent sea-level contributions of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets (2007) Science 315:1529-1532.

Ozone Layer Depletion

• Stratosphere ozone (~15-30 km) absorb harmful UVradiation (UVB, 290-320nm) from sunlight.

• Ozone depletion – various free radical catalysts, the mostimportant are the hydroxyl radical (OH·), the nitric oxideradical (NO·) and atomic chlorine (Cl·) and bromine (Br·).

• Human activity has dramatically increased the chlorineand bromine. These elements are found in certain stableorganic compounds, especially chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),which may find their way to the stratosphere withoutbeing destroyed in the troposphere due to low reactivity.

• CFCs are used as refrigerants, solvents and insulation.

CFCl3 + UV Light ==> CFCl2 + Cl Cl + O3 ==> ClO + O2

ClO + O ==> Cl + O2

Ozone Depletion process

• One chlorine atom candestroy from 10,000 to100,000 ozonemolecules before it isfinally removed fromthe stratosphere

• ~ 84% of stratospheric chlorine comes from manmade sources.

• A ‘hole’ is observed over Antarctica.

• Depleted ozone levels cause the following impacts:

Increased penetration of UV light to earth

Increased risks of skin cancer and eye diseases

Damage to agricultural crops

Disruption to marine food chains

• At near ground level, ozone is an air pollutant. Even at alow concentration (ppm), it is irritating to respiratorysystem.

• Ozone Depletion Counter MeasuresMontreal Protocol: International agreement signed in

September 1987 to phase out ozone depletingchemicals.

Tax imposed for ozone depleting substancesOzone friendly substitutes- HCFC (less ozone depleting

potential and shorter life)

Acid Rain

Acid Rain• The burning of fossil fuels

leads to atmosphericemissions of NOx and SO2

• React with water and O2 tomake sulfuric and nitric acids.Sunlight increases the rate ofthese reactions

• Rain, snow and fog can bepolluted with these acidiccompounds and deposit atthe earths surface

• The deposition of acids can:

– Damage forests and soils

– Causes acidification of water bodies

– Disturb wildlife

– Cause the decay of building and other structures

– Impact on human health

Deforestation

Deforestation• Tropical rainforests deforestation – wood

products, mining, dams, wildlife etc.

• Deforestation rates in some countriescontinue to increase despite worldwidepressures.

• The impacts of deforestation include:

– Loss of livelihood for local inhabitants.

– Habitat & biodiversity loss (soil erosion,food, drought etc.)

– Loss of carbon sink

Forests Provide Important Economic and Ecological Services

• Support energy flow and chemical cycling

• Reduce soil erosion

• Absorb and release water

• Purify water and air

• Influence local and regional climate

• Store atmospheric carbon

• Habitats

• Wood for fuel

• Lumber

• Pulp to make paper

• Livestock grazing

• Recreation

• Employment

Forest Certification

Loss of Biodiversity

Biodiversity• Refers to the numbers, variety and

variability of living organisms andecosystem. Includes all terrestrial,marine and other aquatic organisms.

• Biodiversity has three key components:

– Genetic diversity

– Species diversity

– Ecological diversity

• About 2.1 million spp. are known toexist.

BIODIVERSITY IN INDIA

Thar desert - The climate and vegetation

in this area is a contrast to the Himalayan

region.

Western Ghats - One of the two

biodiversity hotspots in India.

Sunder bans - The largest mangrove

forest in India.

Chilika - This wetland area is protected

under the Ramsar convention.

Himalayas - This majestic range of

mountains is the home of a diverse range

of flora and fauna. Eastern Himalayas is

one of the two biodiversity hotspots in

India.

Source: earthtrends.wri.org

Loss of Biodiversity• BD provide ecosystem services,

maintaining ecological stability,aesthetic and cultural benefits.

• Need not the Greed!

• Causes of BD loss

Pollution of wetlands.

Over-exploitation of resources.

Construction of large dams.

Commercial hunting and poaching.

Habitat fragmentationEmergence

of discontinuities in

organism’s preferred

environment.

Fragmentation and

destruction of

Great Ape habitat

in Central Africa.

Edge Effects

Threats to Reefs10% of the coral reefs around the world are already dead. Coral bleaching is another manifestation of the problem and is showing up in reefs across the planet.

Impact of loss of BD

• Increased vulnerabilityof species extinction

• Ecological imbalance

• Reduced sources offood, structuralmaterials, medicinal

• Loss of genetic resources

• Cost increase to thesociety

Water Pollution

• Direct impacts on living organisms

• Effects of water pollution include:

– Diseases such as typhoid,cholera etc.

– Eutrophication

– Toxic materials, throughmining

– Organic chemicals

– Sediments disrupt aquatic ecosystems

– Aesthetic quality loss

Desertification

Desertification• Removing ground cover and

degrading fertile land initiates desertification.

• Water washes away nutrients, the land becomes inhospitable.

• The process is accelerated by overuse fragile areas of land

Waste Disposal

Waste Disposal• Waste disposal methods include:

– Open dumping and landfill

– Ocean dumping

– Exporting waste

– Waste to energy plants

• Minimising the waste stream:

– 3R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle

– Composting

– Waste to energy

• Hazardous waste disposal: environment and human health

Energy Crisis

Energy Crisis• Overexploitation of

existing non-renewable energy resources

• Pollution• Quest for clean energy

source• Renewable energy

Other Issues

• Land Degradation• Air Pollution• Urbanization

• Habitat Fragmentation• Sound Pollution

• Introduction of exotic species

Stockholm conference – June 5, 1972World Environment Day – June 5 United Nations Conference on

Environment and Development – Riode Janeiro, June 1992

World Summit on SustainableDevelopment – Johannesburg, 2002

Nobel Peace Prize first time in 2004was awarded to KenyanEnvironmentalist Wangari Maathaifor her contribution to SustainableDevelopment.

International efforts to for environmental protection:

Environmental laws

• The Department of Environment was established in India in 1980 to ensure a

healthy environment for the country.

• This later became the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1985.

• The EPA (Environment Protection Act), 1986 came into force soon after the

Bhopal Gas Tragedy and is considered an umbrella legislation as it fills many

gaps in the existing laws.

General

1986 - The Environment (Protection) Act

1986 - The Environment (Protection) Rules

1989 - The objective of Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules

1989 - The Manufacture, Storage, and Import of Hazardous Rules

1989 - The Manufacture, Use, Import, Export, and Storage of hazardous

Microorganisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells Rules

1991 - The Public Liability Insurance Act and Rules and Amendment, 1992

1995 - The National Environmental Tribunal Act

1997 - The National Environment Appellate Authority Act

1998 - The Biomedical waste (Management and Handling) Rules

1999 - The Environment (Siting for Industrial Projects) Rules

2000 - The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules,

2000 - The Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules

2001 - The Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules,

2002 - The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) (Amendment)

2002 - The Biological Diversity Act

Environmental laws

Forest and wildlife

1927 - The Indian Forest Act and Amendment, 1984

1972 - The Wildlife Protection Act, Rules 1973 and Amendment 1991

1980 - The Forest (Conservation) Act and Rules, 1981,

Water

1882 - The Easement Act

1897 - The Indian Fisheries Act

1956 - The River Boards Act

1970 - The Merchant Shipping Act

1974 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act The CPCB

(Central Pollution Control Board) was constituted under this act.

1977 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act

1978 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Rules

1991 - The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification

Air

1948 – The Factories Act and Amendment in 1987

1981 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act

1982 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules

1982 - The Atomic Energy Act

1987 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act1988 - The Motor Vehicles Act

Thank you all