Introduction of Environmental

Geology

Dr. Adnan Khan

Assistant Professor
Department of Geology
University of Karachi
Cell No. 0300-3635848
The Earth System
 BACK GROUND/DEFINITION
• The term environment was used about 50 years
back.

• First internationally accepted definition framed by

Norwegian Prof. Dr. Wik is:

  “Environment is that part of universe which is in

interaction with man, which the man exploits and
affects and to which he adapts”
 GEO-ENVIRONMENT
•“That part of lithosphere/crust which directly
influences the conditions of the existence and
development of the society, which the men
exploits and converts” 

ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY
“Young inter-disciplinary science connecting geo-
environment with man”
“The application of geology to environmental concerns”

“Geology applied to living”

“Interactions between people and the physical

environment”

“Environmental geology is applied geology”

 Environmental Geology
• Geologic processes affect every inhabitant of
Earth
– Earthquakes
– Floods
– Landslides
– Volcanoes
 Environmental Geology
• Geologic processes operate on multiple
time scales
– Slow Geological Processes
• Formation of minerals
• Evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere
– Fast Geological Processes
• Earthquakes
• Landslides
1994 Los Angeles Earthquake
 Environmental Geology
Humans depend on material resources
from the Earth
Minerals
Metals
Energy
Soil
Water
Human Population Growth
 Environmental Geology
• Concepts in Environmental Geology
– The Earth System
The Earth is unique
The Earth is a closed system
Energy flows through the system
Matter cycles through the system
Geologic processes and humans operate
on different time scales
The Earth System
The Earth System
Components of the Earth System
 Environmental Geology
• Concepts in Environmental Geology
Hazardous Processes

Hazardous processes have always existed.

Risk is a characteristic of the human-Earth

system relationship.
 Environmental Geology
• Concepts in Environmental Geology
Earth Resources
We are fundamentally dependent on Earth’s
resources for the conduct of modern society

Resources are limited

Earth’s resources can be managed properly

Types of Resources
 Environmental Geology
• Concepts in environmental geology
– Waste
• Human activities generate waste – we do not
throw anything “away”
• Human activities can alter the Earth System
– Dam building
– Urbanization
– Agriculture
– Deforestation
– Natural resource extraction
 Environmental Geology
• Concepts in Environmental Geology
– The Human-Earth System Relationship
• Managing the Earth System involves
managing human behavior.

• Conflict between human and nature

behavior is called disaster.
 Scope of Environmental Geology
 Application of geologic information to solve conflicts.

 Minimizing possible environmental degradation.

 Maximizing possible advantageous conditions

resulting from our use of the natural and modified
environment.
 Environmental Geology
• The Scope of Environmental Geology
– Earth Materials
• Minerals, rocks
– Internal Processes
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes
 Environmental Geology
• The Scope of Environmental geology
– External Processes
• Water
• Wind
• Ice
 Environmental Geology
• The Scope of Environmental Geology
– Resources
• Groundwater
• Surface water
• Metals
• Soils
• Energy
– Fossil fuels
– Non-fuel minerals
END
Per Capita Energy Demand
Solar Energy
Natural Gas
Oil Pumpjack
Aluminum Ore
 Environmental Geology
• Geology – Study of the earth, its materials
and their properties, its internal and external
physical, chemical, and biological
properties, and its history
 Environmental Geology

• Environment – Anything, living or

nonliving, that surrounds and
influences living organisms
 Environmental Geology
• Environmental Geology – the application of
geology to environmental concerns