MODULE-2 BIO DIVERSITY AND ITS CONSERVATION

1.What is Pigouvian taxes?

A Pigovian is a tax assessed against private individuals or businesses for
engaging in
activities that create adverse side effects for society.A carbon emissions
tax or a tax on
plastic bags are examples of Pigovian taxes.

2. What is eco-labeling?
Ecolabellingis a voluntary method of environmental performance
certification
and labelling that is practised around the world. An ecolabel identifies
products or services
proven to be environmentally preferable within a specific category.

3. Explain the features of endemism of Indian biodiversity.

To regulate access to biological resources of the country with equitable
share in benefits arising out of the use of biological resources.
2) To conserve and sustainably use biological diversity.
3) To set up National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) , State Biodiversity Board
(SBB) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC’s)
4) To create National, State and local biodiversity fund and its use for
conservation of biodiversity.
5) To respect and protect knowledge of local communities and traditional
knowledge related to biodiversity.
6) To conserve and develop areas of importance from the stand point of
biological diversity by declaring them as biological diversity heritage sites.

4.What is rainwater harvesting?

Rainwater harvesting is the simple process or technology used to conserve
Rainwater by collecting, storing, conveying and purifying of Rainwater that
runs off from rooftops, parks, roads, open grounds, etc. for later use in
three ways

5. Explain the causes of solid waste.

solid waste means any garbage or refuse, sludge from a wastewater
treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility
and other discarded material, resulting from industrial, commercial, mining,
and agricultural operations, and from community activities.
• Commercial establishments
• Residential houses
• Debris from construction and demolition
• Debris from roads (such as asphalt and scrap metal)
• Scrap from vehicles
• Agriculture

6. What are the objectives of environment protection act?

• To protect and improve the environment and environmental conditions.
• To implement the decisions made at the UN Conference on Human
Environment that was
held in Stockholm in the year 1972.
• To take strict actions against all those who harm the environment.
• To enforce laws on environment protection in the areas that are not
included by the existing laws.
• To give all the powers to the Central Government to take strict measures
in favour of environmental protection.

7. Explain types of pollution and its effects,

Pollution is the introduction of substances (or energy) that cause adverse
changes in the environment and living entities.
Types of Pollution
As stated before, there are different types of pollution, which are either
caused by natural events (like forest fires) or by man-made activities (like
cars, factories, nuclear wastes, etc.) These are further classified into the
following types of pollution:
• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
• Soil Pollution
• Noise Pollution
The effects of air pollution vary based on the kind of pollutant. But
generally, the impact of air pollution ranges from:
• Increased risk of respiratory illness and cardiovascular problems
• Increased risk of skin diseases
• May increase the risk of cancer
• Global warming
• Acid rain
• Ozone depletion
• Hazards to wildlife
The effects of water pollution
 • Disruption of the ecosystem
• Threats to marine life
• Increased risk of water-borne diseases
• Increases toxic chemicals (such as mercury) in water bodies
The effects of soil pollution
Effects of noise pollution
• Loss of soil nutrients, which renders the soil unfit for agriculture
• Impacts the natural flora and fauna residing in the soil
• Degrades vegetation due to the increase of salinity of the soil
• Toxic dust (such as silica dust) can cause respiratory problems or even
lung cancer
• Hearing loss
• Tinnitus
• Sleeping disorders
• Hypertension (high BP)
• Communication problems

8. 14. What is disaster management: flood, earthquake, cyclone and

landslides
Disruption on a massive scale, either natural or man-made, occurring in
short or long periods is termed as Disaster. Disasters can be classified into
the following categories:
• Water and Climate Disaster: Flood, hail storms, cloudburst, cyclones,
heat waves, cold waves, droughts, hurricanes.
• Geological Disaster: Landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,
tornadoes
• Biological Disaster: Viral epidemics, pest attacks, cattle epidemic, and
locust plagues
• Industrial Disaster: Chemical and industrial accidents, mine shaft fires, oil
spills,
• Nuclear Disasters: Nuclear core meltdowns, radiation poisoning
• Man-made disasters: Urban and forest fires, oil spill, the collapse of huge
building structures
Disaster Management Act of 2005 defines Disaster Management as an
integrated process of planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing
measures which are necessary for-
1. Prevention of threat of any disaster
2. Reduction of risk of any disaster or its consequences
3. Readiness to deal with any disaster
4. Promptness in dealing with a disaster
5. Assessing the severity of the effects of any disaster
6. Rescue and relief
7. Rehabilitation and Reconstruction

Flood
A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually
dry.Floods can also occur in rivers when the flow rate exceeds the capacity
of the river channel, particularly at bends or meanders in the waterway. It
often cause damage to homes and businesses if they are in the natural
flood plains of rivers.
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of stored energy in the
Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. In its most generic sense, the
word earthquake is used to describe
any seismic event whether a natural phenomenon or an event caused by
humans that generates seismic waves.
Cyclone
A cyclone is a general term for a weather system in which winds rotate
inwardly to an area of low atmospheric pressure. For large weather
systems, the circulation pattern is in a counterclockwise direction in the
Northern Hemisphere and a clockwise direction in the Southern
Hemisphere.
Landslide
Landslides occur when ground on slopes becomes unstable. The unstable
ground collapses and flows down the side of a hill or mountain, and can
consist of earth, rocks, mud and any debris which may be caught in its
wake. If a landslide occurs near inhabited areas, it can cause a great deal
of damage