Ecology, Environment and

Sustainable development

Chhatra Karki
chhatrakr@gmail.com
Twitter:@chhatrakarki
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development
Conceptualization on the ideas and debates around Climate Change,
Biodiversity loss, Population growth,-Environmental degradation
Ecological sustainability as an unavoidable part of SD
Environmental management, Environmental justice, Green economy
Ecosystem services or nature’s contribution to people; ; types of
ecosystem services, and its importance for sustainable development
Buddhist perspective of ecology, and environmental management
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development
Conceptualization on the ideas and debates around Climate Change,
Biodiversity loss, Population growth,-Environmental degradation
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development
The ideas and debates around Climate Change
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable
development
Heat is on

Ecology, Environment and Sustainable
development
development
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development
Biodiversity loss, Population growth,-Environmental degradation.
 From microscopic fungi to mega forests, “biodiversity” is the collective term for the variety of life on
Earth in all its forms. It is 4.5 billion years of evolution, embodied.

 Biodiversity is responsible for our food, our soil, our water, our weather, even the air we breathe. Yet
despite being a crucial foundation for our collective future, biodiversity is often lost amid conversations
on climate change — until recently.

 In December 2022, leaders from nearly 200 nations adopted a landmark UN agreement to reverse
nature’s rapid decline before it’s too late. Known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity
Framework, it calls for protecting 30% of the planet’s land, ocean, and inland waters and includes 23
other targets to help restore and protect ecosystems and endangered species worldwide.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
 THINGS TO REMEMBER :
 1. BIODIVERSITY IS MORE THAN JUST THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES ON EARTH.
 2. WE’RE ONLY JUST BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND BIODIVERSITY’S INFLUENCE AND
IMPORTANCE IN OUR LIVES.
 3. THE PLANET’S BIODIVERSITY HOLDS ENORMOUS, UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR
MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS.
 4. CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY ARE INTERCONNECTED.
 5. BIODIVERSITY CAN HELP US ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
 6. LESS BIODIVERSITY MEANS A HIGHER RISK OF DISEASE.
 7. BIODIVERSITY ON LAND DEPENDS ON BIODIVERSITY IN WATER.
 8. OUR PLANET’S BIODIVERSITY IS ON THE BRINK.
 9. SUSTAINABILITY IS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD.
10. INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ARE CRUCIAL.
11. CONSERVATION IS CRITICAL.
12. WE NEED COOPERATION — AND REVOLUTION — AT ALL LEVELS.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Biodiversity loss- Nature is in crisis.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Population growth (8 Billion population of the world, Nepal-29164578
thousand 578

)
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Ecological sustainability as an unavoidable part of SD
Ecological sustainability is defined as the maintenance or restoration of the
composition, structure, and processes of ecosystems including the diversity of
plant and animal communities and the productive capacity of ecological systems.
Examples, Clean water and sanitation: Such as learning to avoid wasting water.
Climate action: Acting now to stop global warming. Life below water: Avoiding
the use of plastic bags to keep the oceans clean. Life on land: Planting trees to
help protect the environment.
The principle of ecological sustainability reflects the idea that if the real value of
natural resources is incorporated into the cost of using those resources, it is more
likely that those resources will be used in a sustainable manner, adequately
managed, and not wasted.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Three pillars of sustainability
1. economic viability (To justify the investment)
2. environmental protection
3. social equity. (Impartiality, fairness and justice)

Holism : Everything is interconnected. A whole is more than the sum

of its parts.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
5 P's of sustainable development (Ecological sustainability)
1. People
2. Prosperity (economic well-being)
3. Planet
4. Peace
5. partnership.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
The ecological factors impacting human health and well-being.
1. Pollution (Pollutants- can be natural, such as volcanic ash/ created by human
activities. damage the quality of air, water, and land.) Types of pollution :
-Air pollution.
-Water pollution.
-Soil pollution.
-Radioactive pollution.
-Noise pollution.
2. Deforestation (Forest loss and damage is the cause of around 10% of global warming.)
3. Solid waste pollution (Disease, air pollution, marine plastic pollution, and negative
impacts on wellbeing.)
4. Global warming -The long-term heating of Earth's surface due to human activities,
primarily fossil fuel burning.
5. Climatic change- (long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.)
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
The Factors of sustainability
1. Climate change
2. Environment
3.Innovation - new idea, novelty / the introduction of something new.
4. Technology
5. people, and ethics. (Reflects on human beings and their interaction
with nature and with other humans, on freedom, on responsibility and
on justice.)
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Sustainability issues in Nepal.
1. loss of biodiversity include landslide and soil erosion, pollution, fire,
overgrazing, illegal trade, hunting and smuggling.
2. Non-timber forests are threatened by deforestation, habitat degradation and
unsustainable harvesting.
3. Poor health and poverty.
4. Energy Consumption
5. Unemployment
6. Climate Change
7. lack of access to health care
8. Poor infrastructure
9. Sustainable energy
 Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Environmental management, Environmental justice, Green
economy
 Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.

Environmental Management.
 Environmental management is the practice of organizing human activities in order to limit their
impact on the natural environment. It can encompass protection of the land, flora and fauna,
bodies of water, and the planet’s atmosphere.
 Environmental management is the process to improve the relationship between the human
beings and environment which may be achieved through check on destructive activities of man,
conservation, protection, regulation and regeneration of nature.
 Environmental Management can involve reducing carbon footprints, protecting endangered
species, and promoting renewal sources of energy.
 Environmental management helps to identify degradation factors and implement strategies to
mitigate them. It also helps to predict future impacts of environmental degradation and initiate
processes to minimize the effects.
 Common examples of environmental management might be to have systems in place to control
and prevent pollution, such as effluents getting into a river course, or the implementation of a
biodiversity programme to ensure that the flora and fauna of an area is enhanced.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
The examples of environmental systems :
1. The atmosphere (air)
2. Biosphere (living organisms)
3. Hydrosphere (water)
4. Cryosphere (ice)
5. Pedosphere (soil)
6. Lithosphere (rock).
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Major Environmental issues in the world.
Climate Change
Water.
Biodiversity and Land Use.
Chemicals, Toxics and Heavy Metals.
Air Pollution.
Waste Management.
Ozone Layer Depletion.
Oceans and Fisheries.
Deforestation.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Environmental Management System (EMS)
An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of processes and practices that
enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating
efficiency.
EMS is the part of the overall management system that includes organizational
structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and
resources for developing, implementing, achieving and reviewing the environmental
policy. (ISO 14001)
The components of EMS are Competence, training, and awareness.
The main objectives of the environmental management system are to prevent
pollution, meet compliance obligations and enhance conditions of the environment.
The most commonly used framework for an EMS is the one developed by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for the ISO 14001 standard .
Established in 1996, this framework is the official international standard for an EMS
which is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology.
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
 The major Environmental principles :
 The precautionary principle:
 Where there is uncertainty about the risk of environmental harm, the precautionary principle allows protective measures
to be taken without having to wait until the harm materialises.
 This principle is valuable in managing risk where there is uncertainty about the environmental impact of an issue.
 The prevention principle:
 This principle requires preventive measures be taken to anticipate and avoid environmental damage before it happens. It
is central to the UK’s planning policy and underlies lots of environmental legislation.
 Environmental damage should be rectified at source:
 Working alongside the prevention principle, this ensures damage or pollution is dealt with where it occurs. It operates in
many areas of UK environmental policy to prioritise the way environmental damage is addressed.
 The polluter pays principle:
 As the name suggests this principle holds that the person who causes pollution should bear the costs of the damage
caused and any remedy required. It plays a significant role in environmental management, acting as a deterrent and
directing accountability for harm.
 The integration principle:
 This principle requires that environmental protection is integrated into all other policy areas, in line with promoting
sustainable development. That is to say all government departments have responsibilities to protect our environment.
(Source : EU)
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Benefits of Environmental Management System (EMS)
A reduction in negative environmental impacts.
Improved reputation.
Enhancement in regulatory performance and therefore lower risk of fines for not
adhering to environmental legislation.
A reduction in waste.

ISO14001 stipulates that an EMS must contain five main requirements: (1)
Environmental Policy, (2) Planning, (3) Implementation, (4) Checking and
Corrective Action, and (5) Management Review .
Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
The tools and techniques for environmental management :
 Cooperative agreements. (Cooperative management agreements (CMAs) are based on
governments, private firms/sectors, non-government organizations, and other stakeholders
collaboratively working together to resolve environmental issues.)
 Information disclosure. ( programs or practices, both legislated (initiated by government) and/or
voluntary (initiated by private parties) to inform the public and other interests about risks or
benefits to human health, natural resources and the environmental consequences created by
products or activities.)
 Market-based instruments and fiscal. (Provide financial incentives and disincentives to guide
behaviour towards environmentally responsible activity, and mitigate undesirable activities, in an
effort to reduce damage to the environment.)
 Regulations.
 Voluntary stewardship/corporate environmental responsibility. (Voluntary stewardship and
corporate environmental responsibility relies on the self-motivated and self-directed actions of
private parties.)
 Ecology, Environment and Sustainable development.
Environment Management system in Nepal.