IDMP

Core, Mantle

Pressure cooker

The mantle does not allow the molten layer to come out. The exerted pressure with which the
pressure with which the molten parts of the earth come out are compressed within the mantle.
Sometimes, there is a crack in the mantle in the growth of the Earth. Sometimes, the molten
material may come out of the mantle and come out of the crust and come out as lava. This
should be easily able to come out. But there are tectonic plates. Due to tectonic plates, there is
a strong interlocking system. However, there are some places where the interlocking system
is weak and thus the molten material comes out in the form of lava. This is known as a
volcanic eruption.

Some inside material of earth comes out from the core and the volume of material decreases
inside. The mantle replaces the core. The upper mantle replaces the mantle and so on. The
history of the Earth is 4.65 billion years. At that time, when the planet was formed, we find
that 4 major eras have already passed, we are living in modern eras by the time humans came
around. At the point of inception of any era, the temperature is very less and life originates.
Life multiplies and as that happens, simultaneously, the temperature in the atmosphere
increases and therefore, mass extinction takes place. Following this, temperature falls and
new era begins again. This is a gradual process.

The biological rhythm of our planet has taken place in such a manner that any exothermic
process, after mass-extinction, the temperature does fall. Every era has shown this. We are
witnessing climate change and global warming. We came on this planet 2.2 million years. We
are very new to this planet. If you observe the time frame of the human existence, there was
no industrialisation, there was no human in the previous eras. The previous eras still show a
trend of heating up and then mass extinction.

Regardless of existence, the planet will go through these natural processes. However, the
natural rate of global warming is 20000 years and we are heating up the planet in 100 years.
Because of human interference we’re changing the temperature that can be done in 20K years
in 22 years. We have already increased the temperature by 1.9 degrees Celsius extra in 2020.

1800-1900. Humans used to follow a common pattern of consumption of natural energy.

However, after that, we started using different kinds of energies and fuels. Earlier it was only
mechanical energy. Then we shifted to electricity. Electricity began leading us to use fossil
fuels and increased greenhouse gases. We increased our planet’s temperatures by 0.6 degrees
in mere decades, continuously.

Water resource, biodiversity… all these factors and sectors are affected by climate change.
Speaking of biodiversity, bio means life and diversity means variation. Variation within the
species is not important; among the species is important. We extract our medicines from
biodiversity, from plants. Our bodies cannot produce a specific kind of vitamin. More than
50% of medicines are produced come from biodiversity.

2020. Rate of evolution: 3-6 species. Rate of extinction: 3000-6000 species.

Dodos used to consume tropical plant seeds. Unless the seeds passed through the digestive
systems of dodos, the seeds could not germinate. The dodos’ digestive systems would remove
the harder outer covering of the seeds which would aid in germination. When dodos became
extinct, the plants could not grow due to which the entire forest suffered and all the species
that depended on the same forest also suffered.

70% decline has been noted in the reptile community in the past 5 decades. Reptiles begin
spawning in summers. However, due to the summer temperatures staying in winters, they
spawn late and they end up spawning in winters. The new reptiles are born in summers.
However, reptiles are cold-blooded animals and they are unable to handle the heat of the
summers. Thus, their population is gravely affected by climate change.

Humans are accelerating the environmental changes and issues. What are the mitigation
strategies for the protection of the environment? In the 1970s we realised that we cannot
simply survive in a world where climate change is affecting us like this.

Stockholm Declaration. Frame strategies. They came out with remarkable outcomes. They
declared the World Environment Day (5th June). The next, was the international discussion.
After 12 days, when this conference is over, we will start development again in the same
fashion. Let us keep a continuous supervision. Let us gather every year and discuss the
environmental conditions. 1982 Nairobi Declaration was a further edit of the first
Declaration. The strategies of the first Declaration were not clearly established. After the
Nairobi Declaration, came the third, which is the First Earth Summit (Rio Declaration) took
place in 1992. This was first step towards environmental change, practically speaking. Here,
they established that there is nothing being done for global warming and greenhouse gas
emissions. They said that every nation should cut down by 5% of the greenhouse gas
emissions from 1992 to 2012. Nations were reluctant to accept this. This is because in order
to use resources, the nations will have to emit greenhouse gases. They denied/suppressed this
provision.

Then came 1997. United Nations understood the seriousness of the issue because nations
were not interested in cutting down the greenhouse gas emissions. Kyoto Protocol.
Developed nations should cut down more on emissions and developing nations should cut
down less on emissions. This was a threat to developed nations and a blessing in disguise for
developing nations.

This was also a step towards globalisation as developed nations began investing in
developing nations such as India. Due to this, today, environmental problems are not for
singular countries. They affect the world at large. The source of the problem may be USA or
China, but the affected area may be any small island where their activities are carried out.

Health, Agriculture, Forest, Biodiversity, Water and 1 more. – Main 6 sectors affected by
climate change.

How natural disasters like hurricanes take place and why these natural disasters have become
more common in recent times. Their frequencies and intensities have increased. This is why
the term ‘natural’ is being questioned. On a daily basis, we are dumping CO2 and oceans are
being forced to accept this CO2 due to which the eruptions are becoming more common.

Legal aspect of this.

Vellore Case

Polluter-based principle and precautionary principle.

Vellore, Tamil Nadu. Vellore tanneries near Palar river. They use a heavy metal: Chromium.
If it goes into water, or soil, it is consumed by the organisms and it is further consumed by us
and it gets accumulated in the food chain or the food web.

Out of different industries, tanneries consume a lot of water. Industries consume a lot of
water. There is a lot of waste water that is generated. This is collected at a common point and
then dumped in the same downstream river. The community people are dependent on this
river water as well. Slowly, water-borne disorders and diseases and health hazard were seen
in this area. This came to the notice of UoI. They filed a case against Vellore Tanneries. The
first and foremost rule that the court applies in cases is reversal of burden of proof. In case of
environmental cases, the Vellore Tanneries were given the chance to prove that they did NOT
cause these diseases.

Two international laws/principles were applied. Polluter-based principle and precautionary

principle.

The affluent which was discharged in the water had a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of
more than 3000. The normal BOD that the environment can manage is up to 30. The diseases
and harm to environment was bound to be caused. Thus, this became a landmark case in the
field of environmental law.

Accident Prevention
-Peace of mind. Man is a social animal. Peace of mind is important. Managements have
started panning stress-relief activities.
-Work-place Discipline. Utmost importance. Highest priority. Everything in its place and a
place for everything. Small mishaps can generate a sense of panic. There are mock drills
under this.

He mentioned Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

How to track disasters

There are almost 6000 satellites in the earth’s atmosphere that are tracking various factors
that affect the climate of the earth. They also give us real-time updates on the disasters that
are occurring around us.

If a low-pressure system takes place in:

Indian Ocean: Cyclone
Pacific Ocean: Typhoon
Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane