Amity Institute of Environmental Sciences

Environmental Studies
Module 1

Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

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The Environment
Derived from French word Environner, which mean to encircle or surround. So
in broad sense all the physical and biological entities such as atmosphere,
hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and anthrosphere which surround us is
known as our environment.

Interactions are between abiotic & biotic component viz. material & energy exchange.
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Interrelationship among different spheres

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Environmental Studies
Study of our environment which include both physical and
biological component, interaction among its component, effect of
these component on human well being and vice versa.

However, we can’t study environment in isolation, environmental

studies also had input from various other discipline of sciences,
engineering, social science, law, governance.

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The multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies may be

illustrated as:

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Scope of Environmental Studies

Encompasses areas which mainly include –

• Natural Resource – Conservation & Management
• Ecology & Biodiversity
• Environment Pollution & Control
• Economic development & associated socio-cultural issues
• Human Population & Environment.

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WIDE AREA APPLICATION

 R&D Department: include development of pollution control technology,
clean fuel development, sustainable agricultural practice, carbon credit.
 Green Advocacy: environment pollution, wildlife, forest related laws are
enforced.
 Green Marketing : more emphasis on consumer goods which are more
eco-friendly, food products without contamination of pesticides,
insecticides.
 Green Media : Mass media which include print media and electronic
media are important means of spreading awareness about environment
pollution and conservation.
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International Efforts
 The issue of environment came into international focus for the
first time in 1972 on 5th June during the Stockholm Conference.
 Further, it got attention with the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro in
1992 where Agenda 21 – a global agenda for transition to
sustainability in the 21st century was formulated.
 Several international treaty and protocol have been proposed to
safeguard environment viz.
 Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer,
Montreal, 1989
 Kyoto protocol, adopted in 1997, enforced in 2005 in context to
Climate Change.
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 Establishment of The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate

Change (IPCC) in 1988 by the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) in recognition of the problem of global
warming.
 Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 to Wangngari Maathai (Green Belt
Movement) and jointly to IPCC & Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. in
year 2007 for making awareness about man-made climate change
and proposed measures that are needed to counteract such change.

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Knowing environment is significant for the

reasons…….
 Environment Issues Being of International Importance:
environmental issues such as global warming, ozone depletion,
biodiversity loss, marine pollution etc. have a global implication.
 Problems Cropped in The Wake of Development: rapid
development in the selected area leads to Urbanization, Industrial
Growth, Transportation Systems, Agriculture and Housing etc
which in turn leads to environmental pollution.
 Rapid increase in Population: rapid growth of human
population resulted into tremendous increase in the demand of
resources such as food resources, energy Resources ultimately
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 Need for An Alternative Solution: recently their is a sense of

feeling that current Way of economic development is not feasible
for long term as resources base is not unlimited giving rise to the
concept of sustainable development.
 Need To Save Humanity From Extinction: There is a grave threat
on humanity due to continuous degradation of its resource base
which has implication on survival and well being of human society.

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Public Awareness
Active people participation is essential to enforce any Government
Policy. For the purpose, people should be made aware regarding
environmental problems and its preventive measures, which may be
achieved by:
Formal Environment Education:
• At school level, in higher education level & research activities.
Non-formal Education and Awareness Program:
• National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC): Started in
1986, multimedia campaign, creates awareness through seminar,
workshops, camps, exhibitions, debate, street theatre, tree
plantation etc.
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Non-formal Education and Awareness Program:

• Eco-clubs of National Green Corps: Target audience are school

student; setting up eco-clubs; Government provides training &
resources.
• Mass Awareness: Through media including both print and
electronic media. Campaign for banning plastic product, clean
Yamuna campaign. Awareness activities by NGO’s and other
institutions on the occasion of Environment days like Earth day.
• Eco Mark: Eco-labelling of consumer products as Eco mark in
1991. It is an earthen pitcher and awarded to product that is made,
used or disposed off in eco-friendly manner.

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Contemporary Indian Environmentalists

Environmental ethos have been always an integral part of ancient
Indian civilization as centuries ago, the Jain, Vedic and Buddhist
traditions established the principles of ecological harmony.
 The first instances of environmental alertness was observed in
year 1730, when 363 Bishnois, led by Amrita Devi sacrificed
their lives to protect sacred green Khejiri trees by hugging them.
The incident is the first of it kind recorded in history as Chipko
Movement.

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 Sunderlal Bahuguna is known for Chipko Movement & Tehri Bachao Andolan.
 Smt. Medha Patkar and Ms. Arundhati Roy for Narmada Bachao Andolan.
 Magsaysay awardee, Rajender Singh known for his Water Conservation
Efforts.
 Green Judge Justice Kuldeep Singh and Green Advocate Sh. M. C. Mehta are
also worth mentioning here.
 Former IPCC chairman R. K. Pachuri of TERRI and Late Sh. Anil Aggrawal,
the founder chairman of Centre for Science and Environment are also known for
their scientific wisdom.
 Presently IPCC is headed by Korean economist Hoesung Lee since 8 October
2015
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Exercise Questions
MCQ Type:
1. The term Environment is derived from an old French word “enviro” means (a) Outside (b) Surroundings (c)
Inside (d) Biotic community
2. Zone consisting air, water and soil is known as (a) Hydrosphere (b) Atmosphere (c) Lithosphere (d)
Biosphere
3. The term “Environment” means (a) Sum total of all conditions that the life and development of all organisms
on earth (b) A beautiful earth (c) Earth and water (d) A combination of plants and animals
4. Area of land, water and air where the life exists is called (a) Biosphere (b) Lithosphere (c) Atmosphere (d)
Hydrosphere
5. The objective of Environment studies is (a) Raise consciousness about environment conditions (b) To teach
environmentally appropriate behaviour (c) Create an environmental ethic sensitive society (d) All of the
above
Short Answer Type:
6. Write a brief account on ‘Scope of Environmental Studies’.
7. Write in brief about inter-dependence of various segments of environment

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Suggested Readings…
− Down to Earth, Center for Science and Environment (R)

− Text Book of Environmental Studies; D K Asthana, Meera Asthana; S. Chand Publishing; 2006.

− Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure; R. Rajagopalan; 2011.

− Environmental Science: Systems and Solutions; Michael L. McKinney, Robert M. Schoch, Logan Yonavjak;
2007.
− Textbook Of Environmental Studies; Deeksha Dave; Cengage Learning India Pvt Ltd

− A Textbook of Environmental Studies; Dr. Ranu Gadi, Dr. Sunita Rattan, Dr. Sushmita Mohapatra; Gupta Book
House; 2014.

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