Chapter 9 Environment And Sustainable Development

9.1 Introduction

India's economic development has come at a significant environmental cost. As the country integrates further into the global economy and aims for higher growth, it is crucial to acknowledge the negative environmental consequences of past development models. This chapter emphasizes the need to consciously adopt a path of sustainable development.

To fully grasp the challenges of sustainable development, we must first understand the vital role the environment plays in the economy. This chapter is structured to explore this relationship by:

1. Examining the functions and role of the environment.
2. Assessing the current state of India's environment.
3. Discussing strategies to achieve sustainable development.

9.2 Environment — Definition And Functions

The environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the sum of all resources. It comprises all biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors and their interactions.

• Biotic elements: Include all living organisms such as plants, animals, forests, and fisheries.
• Abiotic elements: Include non-living components like air, water, land, rocks, and sunlight.

The study of the environment involves understanding the complex inter-relationships between these biotic and abiotic components.

Functions Of The Environment

The environment performs four critical functions that are essential for life and economic activity:

1. Supplies Resources: It provides both renewable and non-renewable resources.
   • Renewable resources can be used without being depleted, as they regenerate naturally (e.g., trees, fish).
   • Non-renewable resources are finite and get exhausted with use (e.g., fossil fuels like coal and petroleum).
2. Assimilates Waste: It absorbs and neutralizes waste generated by production and consumption activities.
3. Sustains Life: It provides the essential conditions for life to exist, including genetic and biodiversity.
4. Provides Aesthetic Services: It offers intangible benefits like beautiful scenery, which enhance the quality of life.

The environment can perform these functions sustainably as long as the demand placed upon it remains within its carrying capacity. Carrying capacity implies that the rate of resource extraction does not exceed the rate of regeneration, and the waste generated is within the environment's absorptive capacity (its ability to absorb degradation).

However, due to rapid population growth and high consumption levels, human demand has surpassed the environment's carrying capacity. This has led to an environmental crisis, characterized by:

• Depletion and extinction of vital resources.
• Pollution of air and water (70% of water in India is polluted).
• High health costs due to increased respiratory and water-borne diseases.
• The emergence of global environmental issues like global warming and ozone depletion.

This reversal of the supply-demand relationship for environmental quality—where demand is high and supply is limited—has made environmental problems a critical issue today.

Box 9.1: Global Warming

Global warming is the gradual increase in the Earth's average atmospheric temperature, primarily caused by the man-made increase in greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. This is a result of burning fossil fuels and large-scale deforestation. The consequences are severe and include:

• Melting of polar ice caps, leading to rising sea levels and coastal flooding.
• Disruption of drinking water supplies.
• Extinction of species.
• Increased frequency of extreme weather events like tropical storms.
• Higher incidence of tropical diseases.

International agreements like the Kyoto Protocol (1997) were established to combat this by calling for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Box 9.2: Ozone Depletion

Ozone depletion refers to the thinning of the ozone layer in the stratosphere, which protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This depletion is caused by chlorine and bromine compounds, particularly chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used in refrigerators and air conditioners. The consequences of ozone depletion include:

• Increased risk of skin cancer in humans.
• Damage to aquatic life and terrestrial plants.

The global concern over this issue led to the adoption of the Montreal Protocol, which banned the use of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances.

9.3 State Of India’s Environment

India is endowed with abundant natural resources, including fertile land like the Indo-Gangetic plains, numerous rivers, rich forests, and vast mineral deposits (iron ore, coal, bauxite, etc.). However, developmental activities have put immense pressure on these finite resources, leading to severe environmental degradation.

The environmental threat in India presents a dichotomy:

1. Poverty-induced degradation: Poor communities often rely on natural resources for survival, leading to deforestation and over-extraction.
2. Pollution from affluence: A rapidly growing industrial sector and rising consumption standards lead to increased pollution.

Key environmental challenges facing India include:

• Land Degradation: Caused by factors like deforestation, overgrazing, improper crop rotation, and excessive use of agro-chemicals. The per capita forest land in India is only 0.06 hectares, far below the required 0.47 hectares.
• Biodiversity Loss: The destruction of natural habitats threatens many species of plants and animals.
• Air Pollution: A major problem in urban areas, primarily due to vehicular emissions. In 2016, there were 23 crore motor vehicles in India, with personal transport (two-wheelers and cars) accounting for 85%.
• Freshwater Management: Pollution and over-extraction have created a severe water crisis.
• Solid Waste Management: Unplanned urbanization has led to a massive problem of managing solid waste.

Box. 9.3: Chipko Or Appiko — What’s In A Name?

This box highlights grassroots environmental movements in India. The Chipko Movement in the Himalayas aimed to protect forests by hugging trees to prevent them from being cut. A similar movement in Karnataka was named 'Appiko' (meaning 'to hug'). In 1983, villagers in Sirsi district successfully protected 12,000 trees by hugging them and forcing commercial woodcutters to leave. These movements demonstrate the deep connection local communities have with their environment and their power to protect it when their livelihoods are threatened by indiscriminate commercial felling.

Box 9.4 : Pollution Control Boards

To tackle air and water pollution, the Indian government established the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 1974, followed by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs). Their primary functions are to:

• Investigate and disseminate information about pollution.
• Set standards for emissions and effluents.
• Provide technical assistance to governments.
• Conduct research and mass awareness programs.
• Monitor the quality of air and water bodies.

These boards play a crucial role in regulating industries and enforcing environmental standards.

9.4 Sustainable Development

Given the interdependence of the economy and the environment, a new model of development is needed—one that does not destroy the very environment that sustains us. This model is called sustainable development.

The most widely accepted definition comes from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Brundtland Commission report, "Our Common Future":

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs."

Key principles of this concept include:

• Meeting Basic Needs: It prioritizes meeting the essential needs of all people, especially the poor, for employment, food, energy, and housing. This involves a more equitable distribution of resources.
• Intergenerational Equity: It emphasizes our moral obligation to leave future generations with a planet that is in good order, with a stock of "quality of life" assets no less than what we inherited.
• Limiting Population: It requires limiting the human population to a level that is within the Earth's carrying capacity.
• Conservation and Regeneration: It involves conserving natural assets and ensuring that the rate of extraction of renewable resources does not exceed their rate of regeneration.
• Technological Progress: Technology should be input-efficient rather than input-consuming. For non-renewable resources, the rate of depletion should not be faster than the rate at which renewable substitutes are created.

9.5 Strategies For Sustainable Development

To achieve sustainable development, India needs to adopt a range of strategies focused on cleaner technologies and traditional, eco-friendly practices.

Use Of Non-conventional Sources Of Energy

Reducing dependence on thermal and hydropower, which have adverse environmental impacts (carbon emissions from thermal plants, forest submergence from hydro projects), is crucial. This involves promoting cleaner energy sources like solar power and wind power.

Lpg, Gobar Gas In Rural Areas

To reduce reliance on fuelwood and dung cakes, which cause deforestation and air pollution, the government is promoting the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) through subsidies. Additionally, gobar gas plants are being encouraged. These plants use cattle dung to produce clean cooking fuel (biogas) and leave behind a nutrient-rich slurry that serves as excellent organic fertilizer.

Cng In Urban Areas

The use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in public transport, as successfully implemented in Delhi, has significantly reduced urban air pollution. Many other cities are now adopting this cleaner fuel.

Wind Power

In windy regions, wind turbines can generate electricity with minimal environmental impact. Though the initial investment is high, the long-term benefits of clean energy often justify the cost.

Solar Power Through Photovoltaic Cells

India has abundant sunlight. Using photovoltaic (PV) cells, solar energy can be converted directly into electricity. This technology is ideal for remote areas where grid connectivity is difficult or expensive. India is also leading the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to promote solar energy globally.

Mini-hydel Plants

In mountainous regions, small-scale (mini) hydel plants can harness the energy of perennial streams to generate electricity for local use. These plants are environmentally friendly as they do not require large dams or disrupt land use patterns.

Traditional Knowledge And Practices

India has a rich heritage of environment-friendly practices in agriculture, healthcare, and housing. Reviving these traditional systems is key to sustainable development. For example, traditional healthcare systems like Ayurveda, Unani, and Yoga use medicinal plants and are gaining popularity for their effectiveness and minimal side effects. The use of herbal products is a move away from large-scale industrial and chemical processing.

Biocomposting

Instead of relying on chemical fertilizers that degrade the soil and contaminate water, farmers are being encouraged to return to using compost made from organic waste. A popular method is vermicomposting, where earthworms are used to speed up the composting process.

Biopest Control

To counter the harmful effects of chemical pesticides, there is a growing focus on biopest control. This includes:

• Using pesticides derived from plants like neem.
• Adopting practices like mixed cropping.
• Protecting natural predators of pests, such as snakes, owls, and lizards, which help maintain ecological balance in agricultural areas.

9.6 Conclusion

The pursuit of economic development has placed enormous pressure on the environment. Initially, the demand for environmental resources was well within the Earth's supply, but today, overuse and misuse have led to a critical crisis. The path forward lies in sustainable development, which seeks to balance the needs of the present generation with the well-being of future generations.

This approach aims to minimize environmental damage while ensuring that development is inclusive and lasting. Adopting sustainable practices is not just an option but a necessity for the long-term survival and prosperity of our planet and its people.

Recap

This section summarizes the key points of the chapter. It reiterates the four main functions of the environment and explains how population growth and high consumption have put a severe strain on it. It outlines the major environmental challenges facing India, arising from both poverty and affluence. The recap defines sustainable development as a model that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own, and highlights key strategies like promoting natural resource conservation and preserving ecological balance.

Exercises

This section includes a series of questions for self-assessment, designed to test the learner's understanding of the concepts discussed in the chapter, such as the definition of environment, the causes and consequences of environmental degradation, the principles of sustainable development, and the strategies for achieving it in the Indian context.

Suggested Additional Activities

This section provides ideas for practical projects and discussions to deepen the understanding of the chapter's themes, such as analyzing the depletion of resources due to increased car usage, preparing a chart on soil erosion, and debating the impact of population explosion on the environment.

References

This section lists academic books, government reports, journals, and websites that serve as sources for the chapter and provide avenues for further reading on environmental issues and sustainable development in India.