Unit 1

Introduction to Environmental Studies

 The Definition and Significance of the
Environment

• Our environment is our surroundings.

• It is the sum total of all the external conditions and
influences acting on us.
• Air, soil, water in rivers, lakes and oceans, water frozen in
glaciers and ice caps and groundwater are the inanimate
(non-living or abiotic) components of our environment.
• Numerous types of living organisms such as plants, animals
and microorganisms, as well as humans, comprise the biotic
components of our environment.
• Humans have modified the environment through
establishment of settlements, agriculture, mining,
construction of dams, roads and highways, bridges, canals,
embankments and so on.
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Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

Computer Management Studies

Humanities
applications, Philosophy and Commerce, business
modelling ethics, management and so
and so on education, on
literature and so
on
Natural Sciences
Physics, chemistry, Social Sciences
geology, mathematics, Economics, history,
Environmental
statistics, biology, political science,
Studies
ecology, microbiology, anthropology, sociology,
biochemistry, physiology, social work, law and so
toxicology, behavior and on
so on Technology
Engineering
(different branches), Schematic diagram depicting
biotechnology,
multidisciplinary nature of
nanotechnology
environmental studies.
Arrows represent knowledge flow
and exchange.
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Scope and Importance of Environmental Studies
• Humans, with the aid of modern technology, have modified the
environment with catastrophic consequences such as depletion of
biodiversity, pollution of air, water and soil, and climate change.
• Environmental Studies have a great role in raising awareness
about these issues and adopting mitigation measures.
• These studies also influence public policy to implement
conservation actions, to resolve various issues and motivate
stakeholders to make conservation programmes successful.
• The problem area of environmental pollution is a
multidisciplinary area where chemistry, toxicology, biology,
economics and management studies come into play.
• Various environment-related issues such as overpopulation,
overexploitation of natural resources and public health problems
are covered by environmental studies.

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 Some Areas of Great Importance in the
Survival and Progress of Humankind
1. Climate change 12. Biodiversity conservation
2. Ozone layer depletion 13. Forestry
3. Water pollution 14. Fishery and aquaculture
4. Water scarcity 15. Organic farming
5. Air pollution in cities 16. Green chemistry and
6. Acid rain technology
7. Pollution from pesticides, 17. Environmental restoration
heavy metals and emerging 18. Environmental impact
pollutants assessment
8. Sustainable development 19. Environmental policy and
9. Building green cities legislation
10. Public health 20. Environmental awareness and
11. Natural disasters like floods education
and landslides
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Components of the Environment: Atmosphere,
Hydrosphere, Lithosphere and Biosphere

• Earth is a part of the solar system.

• It is the third planet from the sun, at an average distance of
150,000,000 km.
• It is about 13,000 km in diameter with a deep atmosphere
containing oxygen, nitrogen, water vapour and a small
proportion of carbon dioxide and other gases.
• Earth can be thought of as being made up of four layers or
spheres: atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water), lithosphere
(land) and biosphere (life).
• Of the different atmospheric gases, nitrogen and oxygen
comprise about 99 per cent (78.1% nitrogen and 20.95%
oxygen) with carbon dioxide (0.041% at present and rising),
argon, neon, helium and others making up the rest.

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Diagrammatic Representation of the
Layers of the Atmosphere

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 Hydrosphere

• The water contained in oceans and saline lakes, in fresh and

brackish water lakes, rivers and swamps, locked in ice and stored
in groundwater comprise the hydrosphere.
• The part of the hydrosphere where water is frozen in the ice caps
and glaciers is sometimes said to comprise the ‘cryosphere’.
• Water in the hydrosphere is in motion.
• Temperature and salinity control the movement of water in the
oceans, while the vertical movement of water in lakes is
controlled to a large extent by temperature.
• Groundwater also undergoes movement.
• Rainfall can raise water table and when it reaches the surface, it
becomes surface water.
• During lean season, the water table goes down and surface water
can recharge groundwater. Groundwater also moves very slowly
along a gradient.
• The hydrosphere regulates and moderates Earth’s climate.

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 Lithosphere

• The brittle and solid upper part of the mantle and the crust
above it comprise the solid outer part of Earth. This is called
the lithosphere.
• The lithosphere is characterized by tectonic activity. It is not
a uniform layer and is organized into 15 tectonic plates.
• The plates are: North American, Caribbean, South American,
Scotia, Antarctic, Eurasian, Arabian, African, Indian,
Philippine, Australian, Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocos and
Nazca.
• The movement of these plates is called plate tectonics,
which is associated with continental drift, earthquakes,
formation of mountains and volcanic activity.

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Diagrammatic Representation of the Lithosphere
and Underlying Layers of the Earth

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 Biosphere

• It includes those portions of atmosphere, hydrosphere and

lithosphere where life exists in constant interaction with the
physical environment.
• The concept of biosphere was first put forward by Austrian
geologist Eduard Suess in 1875.
• The ultimate source of energy for the biosphere is the sun.
• Solar energy reaching the earth’s surface is utilized by green
plants to manufacture carbohydrates that comprise the
basic food material. This process is called photosynthesis
and involves the following chemical reaction:
• 6CO2 + 6H2O -------sunlight-------- C6H12O6 + 6O2
6 molecules of carbon dioxide + 6 molecules of water------------
- 1 molecule of glucose + 6 molecules of oxygen
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• Respiration is the complementary process
during which oxygen from air (or water in the
case of aquatic organisms) enters the bodies of
plants and animals.
• C6H12O6 + 6O2---------- 6CO2 + 6H2O
1 molecule of glucose + 6 molecules of oxygen ---
6 molecules of carbon dioxide + 6 molecules of
water
• Thus, photosynthesis and respiration together
form a cycle.
• Within the confines of the biosphere, life is
known to exist almost everywhere, even under
extremely hostile environmental conditions.

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Map of the earth (forests in green; denuded areas in shades of
brown; ice and snow of the cryosphere in high mountains, the
arctic and the Antarctic in white).

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 Concept of Sustainability and Sustainable
Development

Concept and Significance

• Definition: ‘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,
1987).
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of USA explains
the concept of sustainability against the backdrop of the fact
that human ‘survival and well-being’ depend directly or
indirectly on the natural environment.
• The United Nations conceived the concept of sustainable
development goals (SDGs ) in order to address economic
issues such as poverty, inequality and conflict. There are 17
SDGs.
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 SDGs in India

• The NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India)

was constituted in 2015 to oversee the implementation of
SDGs in India.
• Measures taken are: national level consultations,
involvement of private sector, regional level forums on SDG.
• Other initiatives include formulation of the SDG India Index.
• The index tracks the progress on 13 out of 17 goals based on
62 National Indicators.
• The index gives a score to each state/UT based on their
performance in implementing the 13 SDGs.
• They are ranked into four categories on the basis of their
performance: (a) achiever, (b) front runner, (c) performer
and (d) aspirant. Based on the 2018 performance, the states
of Kerala and Himachal Pradesh have ranked high.
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