Definition, Scope, and Importance

Output No. 1

Scope and the Importance of Environmental Science

Environmental studies discipline has multiple and multilevel scopes. This study is important and
necessary not only for children but also for everyone. The scopes are summarized as follows:

1. The study creates awareness among the people to know about various renewable and
nonrenewable resources of the region. The endowment or potential, patterns of utilization and
the balance of various resources available for future use in the state of a country are analysed
in the study.
2. It provides the knowledge about ecological systems and cause and effect relationships.
3. It provides necessary information about biodiversity richness and the potential dangers to
the
species of plants, animals and microorganisms in the environment.
4. The study enables one to understand the causes and consequences due to natural and main
induced disasters (flood, earthquake, landslide, cyclones etc.,) and pollutions and measures to
minimize the effects.
5. It enables one to evaluate alternative responses to environmental issues before deciding an
alternative course of action.
6. The study enables environmentally literate citizens (by knowing the environmental acts,
rights,
rules, legislations, etc.) to make appropriate judgments and decisions for the protection and
improvement of the earth.
7. The study exposes the problems of over population, health, hygiene, etc. and the role of arts,
science and technology in eliminating/ minimizing the evils from the society.
8. The study tries to identify and develop appropriate and indigenous eco-friendly skills and
technologies to various environmental issues.
9. It teaches the citizens the need for sustainable utilization of resources as these resources are
inherited from our ancestors to the younger generating without deteriorating their quality.
10. The study enables theoretical knowledge into practice and the multiple uses of
environment.

Environmental study is based upon a comprehensive view of various environmental systems. It

aims to make the citizens competent to do scientific work and to find out practical solutions to
current environmental problems. The citizens acquire the ability to analyze the environmental
parameters like the aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric systems and their interactions with the
biosphere and anthrosphere.
Importance
• World population is increasing at an alarming rate especially in developing countries.
• The natural resources endowment in the earth is limited.
• The methods and techniques of exploiting natural resources are advanced.
• The resources are over-exploited and there is no foresight of leaving the resources to the
future generations.
• The unplanned exploitation of natural resources lead to pollution of all types and at all levels.
• The pollution and degraded environment seriously affect the health of all living things on
earth, including man.
• The people should take a combined responsibility for the deteriorating environment and
begin to take appropriate actions to space the earth.
• Education and training are needed to save the biodiversity and species extinction.
• The urban area, coupled with industries, is major sources of pollution.
• The number and area extinct under protected area should be increased so that the wild life is
protected at least in these sites.
• The study enables the people to understand the complexities of the environment and need
for the people to adapt appropriate activities and pursue sustainable development, which are
harmonious with the environment.
• The study motivates students to get involved in community action, and to participate in
various environmental and management projects.
• It is a high time to reorient educational systems and curricula towards these needs.
• Environmental studies take a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human interactions
with the natural environment. It integrates different approaches of the humanities , social
sciences, biological sciences and physical sciences and applies these approaches to investigate
environmental concerns.
• Environmental study is a key instrument for bringing about the changes in the knowledge,
values, behaviors and lifestyles required to achieve sustainability and stability within and
among countries.

Environmental studies deals with every issue that affects an organism. It is essentially a
multidisciplinary approach that brings about an appreciation of our natural world and human
impacts on
its integrity. It is an applied science as it seeks practical answers to making human civilization
sustainable on the earth's finite resources. Its components include:
1. Biology;
2. Geology;
3. Chemistry;
4. Physics;
5. Engineering;
6. Sociology;
7. Health;
8. Anthropology;
9. Economics;
10. Statistics; and
11. Philosophy.

Multidisciplinary Field
EVS is a multidisciplinary academic field that is involved with the exploration, research, and
expansion of an understanding of the living and physical environment. It also helps in a better
understanding of the natural, political, technological, economic, social, and cultural aspects of
environments. It can also be said that Environmental Studies or EVS is the science of physical
phenomena in the environment.

Environmental Study is a vast subject to be studied upon. It has all the aspects of various
subjects such as anthropology, science, social science, statistics, economics, computers,
geology, health, and sociology. It illustrates the multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional study in
various fields. It also educates us about the Physical, Social, Cultural, and Biological aspects.

It brings our natural environment and human impacts altogether. It is a multidisciplinary

approach that deals with every issue that affects an organism. It covers the impacts of
environmental science and social aspects of the environment as well.

Scope and Elements

Scope of Environment
The environment consists of four segments of the earth namely atmosphere, hydrosphere,
lithosphere and biosphere:

1. Atmosphere: The Atmosphere forms a distinctive protective layer about 100 km thick
around the earth. A blanket of gases called the atmosphere surrounds the earth and protects
the surface of earth from the Sun’s harmful, ultraviolet rays. It sustains life on the earth. It also
regulates temperature, preventing the earth from becoming too hot or too cold. It saves it from
the hostile environment of outer space. The atmosphere is composed of nitrogen and oxygen
besides, argon, carbon dioxide and trace gases.

The atmosphere has a marked effect on the energy balance at the surface of the Earth. It
absorbs most of the cosmic rays from outer space and a major portion of the electromagnetic
radiation from the sun. It transmits only ultraviolet, visible, near infrared radiation (300 to 2500
nm) and radio waves. (0.14 to 40 m) while filtering out tissue-damaging ultra-violate waves
below about 300 nm.
2. Hydrosphere: The Hydrosphere comprises all types of water resources oceans, seas, lakes,
rivers, streams, reservoirs, polar icecaps, glaciers, and ground water. Oceans represent 97% of
the earth’s water and about 2% of the water resources is locked in the polar icecaps and
glaciers. Only about 1% is available as fresh water as surface water in rivers, lakes, streams, and
as ground water for human use.
3. Lithosphere: Lithosphere is the outer mantle of the solid earth. It consists of minerals
occurring in the earth’s crusts and the soil e.g. minerals, organic matter, air and water.
4. Biosphere: Biosphere indicates the realm of living organisms and their interactions with
environment, viz atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere.

The scope of environmental studies is very wide and it deals with many areas like i)
Conservation of natural resources, ii) ecological aspects, iii) pollution of the surrounding natural
resources, iv) controlling the pollution, v) social issues connected to it, and vi) impacts of human
population on the environment.

Elements of Environment
Environment is constituted by the interacting systems of physical, biological and cultural
elements inter-related in various ways, individually as well as collectively. These elements are:
(1) Physical elements
Physical elements are space, landforms, water bodies, climate, soils, rocks and minerals. They
determine the variable character of the human habitat, its opportunities as well as limitations.
(2) Biological elements
Biological elements such as plants, animals, microorganisms and men constitute the biosphere.
(3) Cultural elements
Cultural elements such as economical, social and political elements are essentially man- made
features, which make the cultural background.

Significant and Important Issues in Environmental Studies

Climate change, biodiversity loss, ozone layer depletion, habitat destruction, dwindling ground
water sources, alien species introduction, environmental pollution, solid waste disposal, and
storm water and sewage disposal are all difficulties we face.

All of these things endanger forest, agricultural, urban, and marine ecosystems.
The environment studies make us aware about the importance of protection and conservation
of our mother earth and about the destruction due to the release of pollution into the
environment. The increase in human and animal population, industries and other issues make
the survival cumbersome. A great number of environment issues have grown in size and make
the system more complex day by day, threatening the survival of mankind on earth.
Environment studies have become significant for the following reasons:

1. Environment Issues are being of Global:

It has been well recognised that environment issues like global warming and ozone depletion,
acid rain, marine pollution and biodiversity are not merely national issues but are global issues
and hence require international efforts and cooperation to solve them.

2. Development and Environment:

Development leads to Urbanization, Industrial Growth, Telecommunication and Transportation
Systems, Hi-tech Agriculture and Housing etc. However, it has become phased out in the
developed world. The North intentionally moves their dirty factories to South to cleanse their
own environment. When the West developed, it did so perhaps in ignorance of the
environmental impact of its activities. Development of the rich countries of the world has
undesirable effects on the environment of the entire world.

3. Explosive Increase in Pollution

World census reflects that one in every seven persons in this planet lives in India. Evidently with
16 per cent of the world's population and only 2.4 per cent of its land area, there is a heavy
pressure on the natural resources including land. Agricultural experts have recognized soil
health problems like deficiency of micronutrients and organic matter, soil salinity and damage
of soil structure.

4. Need for an Alternative Solution

It is essential, specially for developing countries to find alternative paths to an alternative goal.
We need a goal as under:

 A true goal of development with an environmentally sound and sustainable development.

 A goal common to all citizens of our planet earth.
 A goal distant from the developing world in the manner it is from the over-consuming
wasteful societies of the “developed” world.
It is utmost important for us to save the humanity from extinction because of our activities
constricting the environment and depleting the biosphere, in the name of development.

5. Need for Wise Planning of Development

Our survival and sustenance depend on resources availability. Hence Resources withdraw,
processing and use of the products have all to be synchronised with the ecological cycle. In any
plan of development our actions should be planned ecologically for the sustenance of the
environment and development.

6. Misra (1991) recognized four basic principles of ecology, as under:

(i) Holism, (ii) Ecosystem, (iii) Succession and (iv) Conversation.
Holism has been considered as the real base of ecology. In hierarchical levels at which
interacting units of ecology are discussed, are as under:
Misra (1991) has recognised four basic requirements of environmental management as under:

 Impact of human activities on the environment,

 Value system,
 Plan and design for sustainable development,
 Environment education.
Keeping in view of the goal of planning for environmentally sustainable development, India
contributed to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also
referred to as “Earth Summit” held at Rio de Janeiro, the Capital of Brazil, 3rd-14th June, 1992.