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Unit I-Fundamentls

The document provides an overview of environmental studies as a multidisciplinary field that investigates human-environment interactions and impacts. It discusses key concepts in environmental science including the components of the environment, goals and principles of environmental studies, importance of public awareness and education, and challenges like population growth, pollution, and ensuring sustainable development. The document also outlines the scope and goals of environmental studies as a field aimed at promoting conservation and sustainable resource use.

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Ridhi Gupta
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85 views19 pages

Unit I-Fundamentls

The document provides an overview of environmental studies as a multidisciplinary field that investigates human-environment interactions and impacts. It discusses key concepts in environmental science including the components of the environment, goals and principles of environmental studies, importance of public awareness and education, and challenges like population growth, pollution, and ensuring sustainable development. The document also outlines the scope and goals of environmental studies as a field aimed at promoting conservation and sustainable resource use.

Uploaded by

Ridhi Gupta
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Unit – I

Environmental Studies:
Fundamentals, Ecosystems, Biodiversity and its
Conservation

Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

Department of Applied Sciences, BVCOE, New Delhi


ENVIRONMENT (French word: environner)
Definition
The complex set of physical, geographic, biological, social, cultural and political
conditions that surround an individual organism that ultimately determines its
form and nature of its survival.
OR
The surrounding external conditions influencing development or growth of
people, animal or plants; living or working conditions etc.
This involves three questions:

 What is surrounded
 By what surrounded
 Where surrounded
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
An interdisciplinary branch of science that investigates questions related to the
human population, resources, and damages caused by pollution and
disturbance.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
It is the systematic study of the scientific principles, economic influences and
political action, and inter-relationship among biotic and abiotic components
which affect the environment.
Scope of Environment: Four segments
 Atmosphere
 Hydrosphere
 Lithosphere
 Biosphere
Elements of environment
Environment is constituted by the interacting systems of physical,
biological and cultural elements inter-related in various ways,
individually as well as collectively.

Physical elements: space, landforms, water bodies, climate, soils, rocks


and minerals. These determine the variable character of the human
habitat, its opportunities as well as limitations.
Biological elements: flora, fauna, microorganisms and humans
constitute the biosphere.
Cultural elements: economic, social and political elements are
essentially man-made features, which make cultural surroundings.
Understanding the working of environment requires knowledge of
various fields
Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

A multi-disciplinary science as
it comprises: biology, geology,
chemistry, physics,
engineering, sociology, health,
anthropology, economics,
statistics, computers and
philosophy as its components
Scope of Environmental Studies
 Conservation and management of natural resources
 Conservation of ecology and biodiversities
 Control of environmental pollutions
 Control of human population
 Replacement of development and economic growth with sustainable
development
Goals of Environmental Studies
 To enable people understand the interdependence of all the life on this planet.
 To increase people’s awareness of the economic, political, social, cultural,
technological and environmental forces which foster sustainable development.
Guiding Principles of Environmental Studies :
According to UNESCO
Environmental education should
 Be compulsory, right from the primary up to the post graduate stage.
 Have an interdisciplinary approach by including physical, chemical,
biological as well as socio-cultural aspects of the environment. It should build
a bridge between biology and technology.
 Take into account the historical perspective, the current and the potential
historical issues.
 Emphasize the importance of sustainable development i.e., economic
development without degrading the environment.
 Emphasize the necessity of seeking international cooperation in
environmental planning.
 Lay more stress on practical activities and first hand experiences.
Importance of Environmental Studies
1. To clarify modern environmental concept like how to conserve
biodiversity.
2. To know the more sustainable way of living.
3. To use natural resources more efficiently.
4. To know the behaviour of organism under natural conditions.
5. To know the interrelationship between organisms in
populations and communities.
6. To aware and educate people regarding environmental issues
and problems at local, national and international levels.
Need for public awareness
Earth’s resources are dwindling and our environment is being

increasingly degraded by human activities and hence


something needs to be done.
Government alone cannot perform all the clean-up functions.

Individual/group efforts in their own every possible way have

to be made to protect our environment.


Mass public awareness: newspapers, radio, television strongly

influences public opinion on conserving our environment.


Global environmental problems
1. Growing Population
2. Poverty
3. Agricultural Growth
4. Need of Ground water
5. Development And Forests
6. Degradation of Land
7. Reorientation of Institutions
8. Reduction of Genetic Diversity
9. Evil Consequences of Urbanization
10. Air and water Pollution
Sustainable development
Use of resources to satisfy current needs without compromising
future availability of resources for generations to come.
Few sustainable practices of adopting:
•Renewable energy and efficiency
• Organic agriculture
• Legislation and technology to reduce pollution
• Protect species and their habitat
• Recycling, decreasing waste
•Decrease greenhouse gas emissions
Green Technology: A Solution to
Environmental Issues?
 CNG
 LPG
 Bio-fuels
 Electric batteries driven vehicles
 Genetically Engineered Crops
 Air pollution Control Equipments
 Recycling of wastes e.g. plastic materials, plastic bags,
paper etc.
Environmental Education
1. Formal Environmental Education
 School Teaching
 College Teaching
 Post Graduate Courses
 Research Programmes
2. Non Formal Environmental Education
 National Environmental Awareness Campaign (NEAC)
 Eco Clubs (National Green Corps)
 Awareness Programmes
 NGOs
 International written Environment Quiz program (Green Olympiad), TERI
Government Organizations
 Botanical Survey of India (BSI)
 Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)

Non-Government Organizations
 BNHS (www.bnhs.org)
 WWF-I (www.wwfindia.org)
 CSE (www.cseindia.org)
 CPR-EEC (www.cpreec.org)
 CEE (www.ceeindia.org)
 BVIEER (http://environment.bharatividyapeeth.edu
 Kalpavriksh (www.kalpavriksh.org)
 SACON (www.sacon.org)
People in Environment
The following are the well-known names in the last
century include environmentalists, administrators,
legal experts, educationalists, and journalists.

Indira Gandhi
S.P. Godrej
M.S. Swaminathan
Madhav Gadgil
M.C. Mehta
Anil Agarwal
Medha Patkar
Sunderlal Bahuguna
INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES
 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
 European Economic Community (EEC)
 International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU)
 International Marine Consultative Organization (IMCO)
 South-Asia Co-operative Environment Programme
(SACEP)
 United National Environment Programme
 (UNEP)
 World Commission on Environment and Development
 Project Earth
CONCLUSION
Environmental science helps us understand our
relationship with the environment and informs our
attempts to solve and prevent problems.
Identifying a problem is the first step in solving it
Solving environmental problems can move us towards
health, longevity, peace and prosperity
Environmental science can help us find balanced
solutions to environmental problems for sustainable
development
Suggested activities
 Interested students can join environmental group (WWF-I,

BNHS)
 Read environment related magazines such ‘DOWN TO
EARTH’, ‘WWF-I’, BNHS HORNBILL’, etc.
 Practice and promote good civic sense: no spitting, no tobacco

chewing, not throwing garbage on the road, etc.


 Take part in events organized on world environment day, wildlife

week, etc.
 Visit a national park or sanctuary, or spend time in whatever
References

 R. Gadi, S. Rattan, S. Mohapatra, A Textbook of Environmental Studies with experiments,


Katson student Edition, 2016
 E. Barucha, Textbook of Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses, Universities
Press (India) Pvt. Ltd., 2005.
 S. Chawla, A Textbook of Environmental Studies, McGraw Hill Education Private Limited,
2012
 G. T. Miller, Environmental Science, Thomas Learning, 2012
 R. Rajagopalan, Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure, 2nd Edition, Oxford
University Press, 2011.
 A.K. De, Environmental Chemistry, New Age Int. Publ. 2012.
 A. Kaushik and C.P. Kaushik, Perspectives in Environment Studies, 4th Edition, New Age
International Publishers, 2013.

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