Environment and Sustainable Development in India

• Environment is the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources
• It includes two types of elements:
• Biotic elements – birds, animals, plants, forests, fisheries
• Abiotic elements – air, water, land, rocks, sunlight

Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources. It includes all the biotic and abiotic factors that influence each other.

• Supplies renewable resources (forests, fish) and non-renewable resources (fossil fuels).
• Assimilates waste.
• Sustains life through genetic and biodiversity.
• Provides aesthetic services (e.g., scenery).

• When resource extraction exceeds regeneration rate, or waste generation exceeds assimilative capacity, the environment can no longer sustain life properly.
• This leads to an environmental crisis.

• Rising population and high-consumption standards are stressing resources.
• Some resources are facing extinction.
• Wastes are exceeding absorptive capacity.
• 70% of water in India is polluted.
• Water has become an economic good due to pollution and overuse.
• Air and water quality degradation is raising health costs.
• Global issues like global warming and ozone depletion are adding financial burdens on governments.

• Gradual increase in the average temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere.
• Caused by increased greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution
• Largely human-induced – through fossil fuel burning and deforestation.
• CO₂ has risen 31% and CH₄ has risen 149% above pre-industrial levels since 1750.
• Atmospheric temperature rose approximately 0.6°C over the past century.
• Sea levels have risen several inches.
• Consequences: polar ice melt, sea-level rise, coastal flooding, disruption of water supplies, species extinction, more tropical storms, spread of tropical diseases.
• Kyoto Protocol (1997) – agreement for industrialised nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

• Reduction in stratospheric ozone due to chlorine and bromine compounds.
• Main sources: CFCs (used in refrigeration and aerosols) and halons (used in fire extinguishers).
• Results in more UV radiation reaching the earth.
• Causes: skin cancer, harm to phytoplankton, aquatic organisms, and plant growth.
• Approximately 5% reduction in ozone layer observed between 1979-1990.
• Montreal Protocol – bans CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances.

• In early civilisation: low population + no large-scale industrialisation → demand for environmental resources was below supply → pollution stayed within absorptive capacity.
• After population explosion and the industrial revolution: demand for production and consumption exceeded regeneration and absorptive capacities.
• This caused a reversal of the supply–demand relationship:
• High demand for environmental services.
• Limited supply due to overuse and misuse.
• Pollution and waste generation became critical issues.

• India's economic development has come at a high environmental cost.
• Moving into the globalisation era requires consciously choosing a sustainable development path.

• Environment = total planetary inheritance; includes biotic and abiotic elements.
• Two critical thresholds: resource extraction must not exceed regeneration rate; waste must not exceed assimilative capacity.
• 70% of water in India is polluted; water has become an economic good.
• Global warming is human-induced; CO₂ up 31%, CH₄ up 149% since 1750; governed by Kyoto Protocol (1997).
• Ozone depletion caused by CFCs and halons; ~5% reduction (1979–1990); governed by Montreal Protocol.
• Environmental crisis intensified post industrial revolution due to demand exceeding regeneration and absorptive capacities