ENVIRONMENT AND

SUSTAINABILE DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMICS
SEMINAR
 ENVIRONMENT- DEFINITION AND
FUNCTIONS
Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources. It includes all the
biotic and abiotic elements that influence each other.
1. All living elements-the birds, animals and plants, forests, fisheries etc. are biotic elements.
2. Abiotic elements of the environment includes non-living elements like air, water, land, rocks and sunlight
etc.

FUNCTIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT : The environment performs four vital functions

3. Environment supplies resource (both renewable and nonrenewable resources) for production.
4. Environment assimilates waste
5. Environment sustains life by providing genetic and biodiversity
6. it provides aesthetic services like scenery
Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity implies two things:
(i) Resource extraction should remain below the rate of resource regeneration.
(ii) Generation of wastes should remain within the absorption capacity of the environment.
If these two conditions are not fulfilled, then environmental crisis occurs. The environment is able
to perform these functions without any interruption as long as demand on these functions are within
its carrying capacity.
• The ability of the environment to absorb degradation is known as absorptive capacity
• Renewable resources are those which can be used without the
possibility of the resource becoming depleted or exhausted.
That is, a continuous supply of resource remains available for
e.g. tress in forest and the fish in the oceans.

• Non renewable resources are those which get exhausted with

extraction and use. For example, fossil fuel.
STATE OF INDIA’S
ENVIRONMENT
India has abundant natural resources like soil ,rivers, forest, mineral deposits, Indian
Ocean, mountains etc.
Black soil- mainly seen in Deccan Plateau, is best suitable for the cultivation of cotton,
leading to the concentration of textile industries in this region. Indo gangetic plains which
spread from Arabian Sea to Bay of Bengal are one of the most fertile, intensity cultivated
and densely populated regions in the world. Indian forest provide a green cover for
majority of its population and natural cover for its wildlife Last deposits of iron ore coal and
natural gas are also found in the country. India accounts for 8% of the world's total iron ore
Reserves. Also minerals such as bauxite, copper, chromate, Diamond, Gold, lead, zinc,
uranium etc are also seen in different parts of the country
THREATS AND CONCERNS
The threat to India's environment poses a dichotomy i.e., threat of poverty induced environmental
degradation and the same time the threat of pollution from the affluence and rapidly growing industrial
sector. Air pollution , water contamination , soil erosion , deforestation and wildlife extension are some of
the major environmental concerns of India and the other priority issues identified are :
1. Land Degradation
2. Biodiversity loss
3. Air pollution which special reference to vehicular pollution in urban cities
4. Management of freshwater
5. Solid waste management

• Land degradation refers to the deterioration of the land's quality and productivity due to various
factors, which reduce its ability to support vegetation and agricultural activities. Due to unstable use
and inappropriate management practices, land in India suffers from a varying degrees and types of
Degradation
• Some of the factors responsible for land degradation are :-

1. Loss of vegetation occurring due to deforestation

2. Unsustainable fuel and wood for extraction
3. Shifting cultivation
4. Encroachment into forest land
5. Forest fires and overgrazing
6. Non adoption of adequate oil conservation measures
7. Improper crop rotation
8. Indiscriminate use of agrochemical such as fertilizers and pesticides
9. Improper planning and management of irrigation systems
10. Extraction of groundwater in excess of recharge capacity
11. Open access resource
12. Poverty of agriculture dependent people
• India supports approximately 17% of the world's human and 20% of livestock population on a
mere 2.5% of the world's geographical area , which means there is a high density.
• The per capita forest land in the country is only 0.08 hectare against the requirement of 0.47
hectare to meet basics needs, resulting in an excess felling of about 15 Million cubic metre
forests over the permissible limit.
• Estimates of soil erosion show that soil is being eroded at a rate of 5.3 billion tonnes a year for
the entire country as a result the quantity of nutrients in the soil lost. There is a loss of 0.8
million tonnes of Nitrogen, 1.8 million tonnes of phosphorus and 26.3 million times of
potassium every year .The nutrients lost in each year ranges from 5.8 to 8.4 million tonnes.
• In india air pollution is widespread in urban areas where the vehicles are the major contributors
and in a few other areas with a high concentration of industries and thermal power .The
number of motor vehicles has in increased from about 3 lakh in 1951 to 67 crores in 2003.
 POLLUTION CONTROL BOARDS

• The CPCB(Central pollution control board) is set up by the government in 1974.

• It provides technical assistance to govts in Promoting cleanliness of streams and wells by
Prevention, control and abate air Pollution in the country.
• The CPCB(Central pollution control board)has identified seventeen categories of
industries including long and medium scale being significantly polluting.

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 Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is the development that will allow all future generations to have a potential average quality of
life that is at least as high as which is being enjoyed by the current generation.

• According to the UNCED, sustainable development can be defined as "development strategy that meets the need of
the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs."Meeting
the needs of all requires redistributing resources and is hence a moral issue.
• Edward Barbier defined sustainable development as one which is directly concerned with increasing the material
standard of living of the poor at the grass root level. This can be quantitatively measured in terms of increased real
income, educational services, healthcare, sanitation, water supply etc.

AIMS: sustainable development aims at decreasing the absolute poverty of the poor by providing lasting and securing
livelihoods that minimise resource depletion, environmental degradation, cultural disruption and social instability
 Sustainable Development and Future Generations
• The Brudtland Commission emphasizes on protecting the future generation by adopting techniques which
help in sustainable development. As per the Commission, the present generation has a moral obligation to
pass on a better environment to the future generation.
• The present generation can promote development that enhances the sustainability of the natural
environment with the help of the following practices
1. Conservation of natural assets.
2. Preservation of the regenerative capacity of the world's natural ecological system.
3. Avoiding the imposition of added costs or risks on future generation.
• According to Herman Daly, a leading environmental economist, to achieve sustainable development, the
following needs to be done
• Limiting the human population to a level within the carrying capacity of the environment. It is like a
plimsoll line of the ship which is its load limit mark.
• Technological progress should be input efficient and not input consuming
• Renewable resources should be extracted on a sustainable basis, that is, the rate of extraction should not
exceed the rate of regeneration for non-renewable resources rate of depletion should not exceed the rate
of creation of renewable substitutes
• Inefficiencies arising from pollution should be corrected.
STRATERGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPENT
> These things may lead to deforestation in green cover , wastage of cattle dung which may lead to air pollution
>So to overcome this situation LPG is being provided and gobar gas plants are also provided through cheap loans
and subsidy
> It reduces household pollution, Also energy wastage is minimized

CNG in urban areas :

> In urban areas use of compressed natural gas has been promoted
> In Delhi use of CNG in public transport has significantly covered air pollution and sir has became cleaner

Wind power :
> in areas where wind speed is high , wind mills can be provided electricity without any adverse effect on
environment
> in this method the initial cost is very high but the benefits are much higher
> Wind turbines move with wind and electricity is initially generated.
5. Solar Power through Photovoltaic Cells:
Solar PV cells convert sunlight directly into electricity, providing a clean and renewable energy source.
This technology is vital in our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
By harnessing solar energy, we can decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, leading to greater energy
independence and security.
In addition to environmental benefits, the solar industry has significant economic implications. It
creates jobs in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance, which boosts local economies and provides
new opportunities for skilled workers. Furthermore, solar power can reach remote and underserved
communities, bringing electricity to those who need it most and improving their quality of life.

6. Mini hydel Plants : Mini hydel plants are small-scale hydroelectric power stations that generate
electricity by harnessing the energy of flowing water, typically from rivers or streams, making them suitable
for rural and remote areas where larger power plants may not be feasible. One of the key advantages of
mini hydel plants is their minimal environmental impact. They can be constructed with lower capital costs
and require less infrastructure than larger hydropower projects.
7. Traditional Knowledge and Practices:
• Traditional knowledge refers to the skills and wisdom passed down through generations within
communities. This includes methods related to farming, healing, and resource management,
often based on a deep understanding of the local environment. One key benefit of traditional
practices is that they are often sustainable .These practices also play a vital role in preserving
cultural identity. They help communities stay connected to their history and foster a sense of
belonging.
8. Biocomposting:
• Biocomposting is a natural process that turns organic waste, like food scraps and garden
waste, into rich compost. This process uses microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, to
break down the waste in a controlled environment.

9. Biopest Control :
• With the advent of Green revolution, the country entered into the use of chemical
pesticides to produce more which had adverse impact on soil, water bodies, milk, meat and fishes
to meet this challenge better methods of pest control should be used
• One step is the use of pesticides based on plants like neem
• Many animals and birds help in controlling pests like snakes, peacocks etc. So
they should be used in pest control.
• Mixed cropping and growing different crops in consecutive years on the same
land have also helped the farmers.

Conclusion

• The goal of economic development is to fulfil the needs of a growing population by

increasing the production of goods and services, which results in greater strain on environment.
• During early stages of development demand for environmental resources was lower
than their supply.
• However the world is currently dealing with an elevated demand for environmental
resources while their supply is limited due to overuse and misuse
• Objective of sustainable development is to promote development that minimizes
environmental problems and fulfils the present generation requirements without compromising
on future generations ability to meet their own needs.