SUNIL PANDA- THE EDUCATOR

ENVIRONMENT &
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

PART- 3
XII ECONOMICS
2022-2023
 EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCSES IN INDIA
1. Deforestation is the permanent removal of trees to make room for
something besides forest. This can include clearing the land for
agriculture, using the timber for fuel, construction or manufacturing.
Deforestation leads to land degradation, bio diversity loss, ecological
imbalance and air pollution.
2. Degradation of Land degradation refers to a decline in the overall quality of
soil, water or vegetation condition, commonly caused by human activities. Land
degradation is a global challenge that affects everybody through food insecurity
and higher food prices.
Causes of land degradation are as follow:
(i) Soil erosion caused by strong winds or floods. It is the loss of upper layer of
the soil which contains major nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous and
potassium for growth of the plants.
(ii) Overgrazing
(iii) Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides
(iv) Extraction of excess ground water
(v) Improper crop rotation etc.
3. Bio-diversity loss Bio diversity is the existence of a number of different kinds of
animals and plants which together make a good and healthy environment.
Biodiversity loss is the disappearance of species (plant or animal) worldwide,
and also the local reduction or loss of species in a certain habitat.
Here are the following reasons for biodiversity loss:
(i) Pollution is a major threat to biodiversity, and one of the most difficult
problems to overcome.
(ii) Greenhouse effect leads to raise in temperature, which makes difficult for
species two live.
(iii) Population growth and over consumption.
GLOBAL WARMING Global warming is a gradual increase in the average
temperature of the earth’s lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in
greenhouse gases. Among the greenhouse gases, the increase of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere is the main cause of global warming. Greenhouse gases
cause the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in earth’s
atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone
but the major source is carbon dioxide (80%) then methane. But methane is
more powerful. The major source of carbon dioxide is the power plant, burring
fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity generation. Currently, surface
temperature are rising by about 0.2ºC per decade. Since 1950, the number of
cold days and nights have decreased, and the number of warm days and night
have increased.
Consequences of global warming are:
(i) increase in the average temperature of the earth.
(ii) increase in sea level and modifying the quantity and pattern of rainfall.
(iii) natural calamities such as floods, famines, heatwaves etc.
(iv) Glacier melting
(v) Loss of beauty of nature
(vi) Various new diseases have emerged.
(vii) The global warming is extending the distribution of mosquitoes due to the
increase in humidity levels and their frequent growth in warmer
atmosphere.
(viii) Effect the marine life
OZONE DEPLETION Ozone depletion refers to the phenomenon of reductions in
the amount of ozone in the stratosphere. The problem of ozone depletion is
caused by high levels of chlorine and bromine compounds in the stratosphere. The
origins of these compounds are chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), used as cooling
substances in air conditioners and refrigerators. As a result of depletion of the
ozone layer, more ultraviolet (UV) radiation comes to earth and causes damage to
living organisms. UV rays is responsible for skin cancer in humans. It also lowers
production of phytoplankton and thus affects other aquatic organisms. A reduction
of approximately 5 percent in the ozone layer was detected from 1979 to 1990.
Since the ozone layer prevents most harmful UV rays and protects us from various
diseases. This led to the adoption of the Montreal protocol banning the use of
chlorofluorocarbon compounds, as well as other ozone depleting chemicals.
(Ozone hole refers to the depletion of the protective ozone layer in the upper
atmosphere over earth’s polar regions i.e. Antarctica but after the international
treaty Montreal protocol in 1987 the ozone layer is now recovering).
CHIPKO MOVEMENT The Chipko Movement or Chipko Andolan is a social
movement that practiced the methods of Satyagraha and non violent
resistance. This is mainly done through the act of hugging trees to protect them
from being cut down. The first Chipko action took place in the village of Mandal
in the Alaknanda Valley Uttarakhand in April 1973 and over the next five years
spread to many districts of the Himalayas in Uttar Pradesh. Sundarlal Bahuguna
started Chipko Movement.
In Karnataka, a similar movement took a different name, “Appiko”, which means
to hug on 8 September 1983, when the felling of trees was started to Salkani
forest in Sirsi district, 160 men, women and children hugged the trees and
forced the woodcutters to leave
Thank you
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