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Environment: Meaning, Functions, and Reasons for Environmental Crisis

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Meaning of Environment

Environment is defined as the total of planetary inheritance and all resources. It includes all biotic and abiotic elements that interact with one another. While all living elements—birds, animals, plants, forests, fisheries, and so on—are biotic; abiotic elements include air, water, soil, and so on. Therefore, the environment encompasses all conditions, resources, or natural factors that have an impact on human life and existence.

Functions of Environment

1. Provides Production Resources: Production is the process of converting natural resources into usable objects. Natural resources are provided by the ecosystem and are used as inputs or raw materials in production. Renewable and non-renewable resources are two types of resources supplied by the environment.

  • Renewable Resources are those that can be used forever without being depleted or exhausted. For example, oxygen, sunlight, and so on.
  • Non-renewable Resources are those that diminish over a period of time because of extraction and use. For example, coal, fossil energy, and so on.

2. Absorbs (assimilates) Waste:  Production and consuming activities produce waste, which is mostly in the form of trash. All of this waste is absorbed by the environment.

3. Sustains Life: Environment contains light, earth, oxygen, and water, all of which are necessary components (basic elements) for human life to survive. As a result, the environment sustains life by providing these major elements.

4. Enhance Life Quality: Environment contains soil, water, oceans, seas, rainfall, mountains, deserts, and so on. All of these elements contribute to the beauty and freshness of our environment. People appreciate these surroundings because they help them improve their standard of living. As long as the demand for these functions is within the carrying capacity of the environment, these functions can be performed without disruption.

The environment’s carrying capacity refers to the circumstance in which:

  • The exploitation of resources does not outweigh the regeneration of resources, so that the resources are not exhausted.
  • The waste generated does not exceed the ecosystem’s absorption capacity, so that the environment is not polluted.

State of India’s National Resources

  1. India has an immense wealth of resources, including fertile soil, hundreds of rivers and tributaries, lush greenery forests, numerous mineral deposits, extensive areas of the Indian Ocean, mountain ranges, and so on.
  2. The black soil of the Deccan Plateau is ideal for cotton farming, resulting in a textile industry concentration in the area.
  3. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (which extends from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal) is one of the world’s most fertile, heavily cultivated, and densely populated regions.
  4. The forests of India provide green cover for the majority of the country’s population as well as a natural shelter for wildlife.
  5. The nation has large deposits of iron ore, coal, and natural gas. Nearly 20% of the world’s iron reserves are held by India alone.
  6. Bauxite, copper, chromium, diamond, gold, lead, lignite, manganese, zinc, uranium, and other minerals are also found in different parts of the country. 

Reasons for Environmental Crisis: 

  1. Population Explosion and Advent of Industrial Revolution: The industrial revolution and the population explosion have raised the demand for resources from the environment, but their supply is limited due to overuse and misuse. One of the main causes of environmental degradation/crisis is the high/rapid rate of population growth (also known as population explosion). Increased population has resulted in the substantial conversion of forest land into land for both industrial and domestic use, as well as significant pressure on natural resources that are restricted or exhaustible. Furthermore, increasing population generates more waste into the ecosystem than the environment is able to absorb.
  2. Extensive Extraction of Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources: Some essential resources have been depleted as a result of the intensive and extensive extraction of both renewable and non-renewable resources. As a result, an enormous amount of money is spent on technology and research to discover new resources. Another reason for environmental degradation/crisis is widespread poverty. Approximately 30% of the total Indian population lives in poverty. They depend entirely on forests for survival and to meet their fuel or electricity requirements. Some of these people resort to an unplanned tree falling. On one hand, this causes destruction and the loss of natural resources, while on the other hand, it causes pollution.
  3. Extinction of Many Resources: The rapid extinction of many resources, combined with the constant increase in population, has resulted in a global environmental crisis.  It has also aided in the deterioration of the ecosystem. Though essential for economic development, unexpected and unregulated industrial growth has resulted in air, water, and noise pollution, as well as deforestation caused by the unplanned felling of trees in order to set up industries.
  4. Air and Water Pollution due to Development Process: The presence of materials in the air in such concentrations that they are harmful to man and the ecosystem is referred to as air pollution. Air pollution is common in India, especially in urban areas where cars are the main contributors, as well as in a few other areas with a high prevalence of industries and thermal power plants.
    Another problem confronting the ecosystem is improper water resource management or water pollution. Water contamination is caused by Industrial waste released into water resources, contaminating it with toxic substances and pollutants, and also by disposing off domestic refuse in water supplies.
    The development process has contaminated the atmosphere and rivers and lakes, because of which air and water quality is declining (70% of water in India is polluted). As a consequence, the incidence of respiratory and water-related diseases is increasing.
  5. Affluent Consumption and Production Standards:   Wastes generated by the developed world’s affluent consumption and production standards surpass the environment’s absorptive capacity. Affluent Consumption Standards have put significant pressure on the ecosystem in terms of resource availability and garbage assimilation. Resources have become extinct and waste products produced have exceeded the environment’s absorptive capacity, resulting in environmental crises. The government has a responsibility to spend enormous amounts on research and development in order to study substitute environmentally friendly resources. Furthermore, improving environmental quality comes at a high cost.
  6. Global Warming and Ozone Depletion: Global warming is the phenomenon of a persistent increase in global temperature due to pollution and deforestation. It is caused by the emission of Green House Gases, especially carbon dioxide. The rise in carbon dioxide levels raises the temperature of the earth’s surface. This raised temperature accelerates the melting of arctic ice, which leads to the rise in sea level. As a result of disturbed ecological balance, the occurrence of natural disasters increases, presenting a threat to human existence. 
    Ozone works as a protective layer for the earth’s surface, which is essential to life’s survival. It prevents dangerous ultraviolet rays from reaching the earth’s surface. However, its depletion is now a worldwide issue. This is due to the overuse of cooling agents in air units and freezers. As the ozone layer depletes, the chances of ultraviolet radiations penetrating the earth’s surface grow, presenting a threat to life on Earth. 

Environment Effects of Economic Development on Resources and Environment

India’s development activities have caused pressure on the country’s limited natural resources and are making an impact on people’s health and well-being. The threat to India’s environment is classified by a dichotomy: the threat of poverty-induced environmental deterioration, as well as the threat of pollution from affluence and a quickly expanding industrial sector. Some of India’s most important environmental issues are air pollution, water contamination, land erosion, deforestation, and wildlife extinction. Priority problems identified are:

1. Land Deterioration: Land Deterioration is defined as a loss/decrease in land fertility/productivity and soil condition because of various human-induced actions. Soil erosion varies in severity and variety in India as a result of insecure use and poor management methods. This results in the loss of precious minerals and fertility. It is caused mainly by soil erosion (due to water and wind) and waterlogging alkalinity and salinity. Other factors include:

  • Vegetation loss due to deforestation.
  • Forest fires and overgrazing.
  • Forest land encroachment.
  • Incorrect crop movement.
  • Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals, such as fertilizers and insecticides.
  • Inadequate irrigation system planning and management.
  • Excessive groundwater extraction.
  • Insufficient soil conservation methods.

Land degradation affects approximately 174 million hectares (50% of the total land area). Soil erosion caused by water and weather affects 144 million hectares out of 174 million hectares.

2. Biodiversity Loss: Biodiversity is described as the variability of living creatures from all sources, as well as the ecology of the ecosystems of which they are a part; conservation and sustainable use. The biodiversity problem is critical to ecologically sustainable development. India occupies just 2.5% of the world’s land area and yet is home to approximately 17% of the world’s population and 20% of its livestock.

The high population density, livestock, and conflicting uses of land for agriculture, forestry, pasture, human settlements, and industries put enormous strain on the country’s limited land resources, resulting in the extinction of plant and animal species. This is referred to as biodiversity loss. Economic reforms post-independence resulted in rapid industrialisation, growing townships, and urbanisation.

As a result, habitats and biodiversity places have been badly damaged.

3. Air Pollution, particularly vehicle pollution in Metropolitan Areas: The presence of materials in the air in such concentration that they are harmful to man and the ecosystem is referred to as air pollution. Air pollution is common in India, especially in urban areas where cars are the main contributors, as well as in a few other areas with a high prevalence of industries and thermal power plants.

Vehicle emissions are of a particular issue because they are at ground level and have the largest effect on the general population. Motor vehicle ownership has increased from 3 lakhs in 1951 to 6.7 crores in 2003 and 14.18 crores in 2011. 

4. Fresh Water Management: Another problem confronting the ecosystem is improper water resource management or water pollution. Water contamination is produced by the following factors :  

  • Industrial waste released into water resources contaminates them with toxic substances and pollutants.
  • Disposing of domestic refuse in water supplies.
  • Farmers’ use of chemicals and fertilisers leads to water pollution because when it rains the chemicals combine with the rainwater which then flows to rivers and other water bodies.
  • Household tasks such as washing garments and bathing have an impact on water quality. 

India is home to approximately 17% of the world’s population and 20% of the world’s livestock population but occupies only 2% of the worldwide surface area. The rising population, economic development, and industrialisation have put enormous pressure on the country’s limited natural resources. Many resources have been depleted, and the waste generated exceeds the environment’s absorption capacity. (Absorptive Capacity is the environment’s ability to degrade without causing environmental damage.)



Last Updated : 06 Apr, 2023
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