Prepared for class discussion

By
Prof. S.Suryanaraynan.

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1. “The term 'sustainability' can be viewed as humanity’s target goal of human-
ecosystem equilibrium , while 'sustainable development' refers to the holistic
approach and temporal processes that lead us to the end point of sustainability.”
2. The simple definition that sustainability is something that improves “the quality
of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-
systems”.
3. Sustainability implies responsible and proactive decision-making and innovation
that minimizes negative impact and maintains balance between ecological
resilience, economic prosperity, political justice and cultural vibrancy to ensure a
desirable planet for all species now and in the future.

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 Sustainable development
◦ The rate of consumption or use of natural resources should approximate the rate at which
these resources can be replaced or substituted.

◦ Addresses the principle of justice and equity between people of various regions and also
intergenerational inequities.

◦ Maintains optimum balance among three subsystems—economic, social and environmental.

◦ Protection of environment and avoiding/ minimising depletion of natural resources.

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 Sustainable development is
"development that meets the
needs of the present without
compromising the ability of
future generations to meet
their own needs.". World
Commission on Environment
and Development (Brundtland
Commission) 1987

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 Population and its implication
◦ Impact on environment (I)= Population * Affluence( consumption ) * Technology coefficient

 Limits to growth
◦ Understanding earth’s carrying capacity.

◦ Can we limit growth? Principle of sufficiency- this much and not beyond.

 Economy
◦ GDP is indicator of economic performance of a nation

◦ Economic growth conflicts with environmental concerns

 Poverty
◦ Poor people directly depend on natural resources.

◦ Solutions to environmental issues should consider access to natural resources by poor.

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 Human settlement issues
◦ Providing shelter to all
◦ Provide water and manage sewage and solid waste.
◦ Promote sustainable land use management.
 Land resources
◦ Land is finite resource
◦ Management of land as a physical entity and natural resources .
 Forests, mountains and biodiversity
◦ Sustainable forest development; critical in climate balance
◦ Presence, absence or richness of plant and animal species affect biological wealth.
 Agriculture
◦ To meet challenge of growing population
◦ Management of agriculture land from encroachment
◦ Use of fertiliser and pesticides have environmental implication

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 Water
◦ For human consumption, for plant growth

◦ Preservation of water bodies and elimination of contamination

 Ocean
◦ Protection of marine lives and resources from erosion, sewage, oil spillage etc.

 Village and community development

◦ Protection of grazing land, ponds, streams, forests etc.

◦ Access to natural resources by village community.

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 Non renewable resources of energy
◦ Fossil fuels—oil, coal and natural gas.
◦ Limited and getting depleted.
◦ Oil is the major source of energy today and abundant reserves in middle east countries,
particularly Saudi Arabia.( OPEC ).

 Renewable resources of energy

◦ Solar, wind, biomass and hydropower and firewood
◦ Solar and wind power have great potential—technology, scale and viability are issues now.
◦ Hydropower depends on rains and have impact on resettlement of local inhabitants.

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 List of issues
 • Climate change — Global warming • Global dimming • Fossil fuels • Sea level rise •
Greenhouse gas • Ocean acidification • Shutdown of thermohaline circulation •
Environmental impact of the coal industry • Urban Heat Islands
 • Conservation — Species extinction • Pollinator decline • Coral bleaching • Holocene
extinction • Invasive species • Poaching • Endangered species
 • Energy — Energy conservation • Renewable energy • Efficient energy use • Renewable
energy commercialization • Environmental impact of the coal industry • Environmental
impact of hydraulic fracturing
 • Environnemental dégradation — Eutrophication • Habitat destruction • Invasive species
 • Environmental health — Air quality • Asthma • Environmental impact of the coal industry
• Electromagnetic fields • Electromagnetic radiation and health • Indoor air quality • Lead
poisoning • Sick Building Syndrome •Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing
 • Genetic engineering — Genetic pollution • Genetically modified food controversies
 • Intensive farming — Overgrazing • Irrigation • Monoculture • Environmental effects of
meat production • Slash and burn • Pesticide drift • Plasticulture
 • Land degradation — Land pollution • Desertification

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 Soil — Soil conservation • Soil erosion • Soil contamination • Soil salination
 • Land use — Urban sprawl • Habitat fragmentation • Habitat destruction
 • Nanotechnology — Nanotoxicology • Nanopollution
 • Nuclear issues — Nuclear fallout • Nuclear meltdown • Nuclear power • Nuclear
weapons • Nuclear and radiation accidents • Nuclear safety • High-level
radioactive waste management
 • Overpopulation — Burial • Water crisis • Overpopulation in companion animals
• Tragedy of the commons •Gender Imbalance in Developing Countries • Sub-
replacement fertility levels in developed countries
 • Ozone depletion — CFC • Biological effects of UV exposure
 • Pollution — Environmental impact of the coal industry • Nonpoint source
pollution • Point source pollution •Light pollution • Noise pollution • Visual
pollution
 Water pollution — Environmental impact of the coal industry • Acid rain •
Eutrophication • Marine pollution • Ocean dumping • Oil spills • Thermal
pollution • Urban runoff • Water crisis • Marine debris• Microplastics • Ocean
acidification • Ship pollution • Wastewater • Fish kill • Algal bloom • Mercury
 in fish • Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing
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 Air pollution — Environmental impact of the coal industry • Smog • Tropospheric ozone •
Indoor air quality • Volatile organic compound • Atmospheric particulate matter•
Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing
 • Reservoirs — Environmental impacts of reservoirs
 • Resource depletion — Exploitation of natural resources • Overdrafting
 Consumerism — Consumer capitalism • Planned obsolescence • Over-consumption
 Fishing — Blast fishing • Bottom trawling • Cyanide fishing • Ghost nets • Illegal, unreported
and unregulated fishing • Overfishing • Shark finning • Whaling
 Logging — Clearcutting • Deforestation • Illegal logging
 Mining — Acid mine drainage • Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing • Mountaintop
removal mining • Slurry impoundments
 • Toxins — Chlorofluorocarbons • DDT • Endocrine disruptors • Dioxin • Toxic heavy metals •
Environmental impact of the coal industry • Herbicides • Pesticides • Toxic waste • PCB •
Bioaccumulation • Biomagnification•Environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing
 • Waste — Electronic waste • Litter • Waste disposal incidents • Marine debris • Medical
waste • Landfill •Leachate • Environmental impact of the coal industry • Incineration • Great
Pacific Garbage Patch • Exporting of hazardous waste• Environmental impact of hydraulic
fracturing

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1. Forest degradation
2. Population
3. Glaciers melting in Himalayas
4. Sunderbans threatened by Global Warming.
5. Coral reefs under threat.
6. Water scarcity.
7. River pollution
8. Illegal Mining.
9. High dependency on coal for energy.
10. Endangered species

Source: Widescreen: World Environment Day: Dangers India faces

Yahoo! India News – Fri 3 Jun, 2011

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Deforestation continues to be a big issue in India. It may have
added to forest cover in the past decade, but a large percentage of
the addition is degraded forest cover.

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From 1.21 billion currently, India's population is estimated to overtake China's
population of 1.34 billion sometime between 2025 and 2050. Having between 16-
18 per cent of the world's population on 2.4 per cent of world's total area puts
immense pressure on its natural resources. The problem is with the demographics;
already having one of the youngest populations in the world, the average Indian is
expected to become younger. This, in turn, will lead to an increase in the
population because of an increase in the childbearing age. Expect severe water
shortages, soil degradation and erosion, deforestation, air, noise and water
pollution. 14
While The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has
admitted that it made a blunder when it said that the glaciers in the
Himalayas will melt completely by 2035, there is no denying the fact
that they the glaciers have melted over the past few decades and will
continue to melt. These glaciers feed most of India's rivers and are the
main source of fresh water supply for domestic use, agriculture and
power generation.
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The largest mangrove forest in the world is home to approximately
425 species of wildlife, including 300 species of birds and 42 species
of mammals, including the Royal Bengal Tiger continues to be under
threat. Not to mention the thousands of people who depend on the
Sunderbans for their livelihood.
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India's island paradises might experience the horrors of hell in the
near future. The coral reefs that protect the ocean's ecosystem have
been steadily eroding over the years due to global warming. With
the corals depleting, the marine life and the livelihoods of many
people is under serious threat.

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One of the biggest environmental issues that India is facing
is scarcity of water. Many experts feel the current demand of
an estimated 829 billion cubic yards of water will double by
2050, and exceed the 1.4 trillion cubic yards that India has
at its disposal.

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Approximately, more than 400 million people live along the
Ganges River and about 2,000,000 persons ritually bathe daily in
the river, they are putting themselves at risk. It is filled with
chemical wastes, sewage and even the remains of human and
animal corpses that carry major health risk.

Various efforts to clean the river like the Ganga Action Plan have
failed in spite of spending over Rs 900 crore. 19
 Illegal mining has forced tribals and villagers out
of their traditional habitats; this has caused
anger and resentment, helping fuel inIllegal
mining has forced tribals and villagers out of
their traditional habitats; this has caused anger
and resentment, helping fuel insurgencies and
uprisings.

 Illegal mining has forced tribals and villagers out of their

traditional habitats; this has caused anger and resentment,
helping fuel insurgencies and uprisings.

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India has a huge dependence on coal for meeting its energy
requirements and this is not about to change even as it throws
other non-conventional means like nuclear and solar into the
mix. The high costs of clean energy will mean that its use of coal
for generating power will continue for the next two decades.

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  The endangered Bengal tiger:
Getting a fresh lease of life
The tiger population has been going up with an
increased effort to protect it; also the awareness
created by the media about the threat to its
survival has made the government clamp down
poaching and sale of its parts
 The golden Langur: Considered
sacred by many, the primate is
one of the most endangered
species in India
Out of the estimated 8,000 that
remain, 1,500 are in India, very
little is know about them. They live
mostly on the tree-tops and
seldom descend to the ground.
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  Reference books:
1. Environmental management by N K Uberoi. ( chapter 1 and 2 )

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