ENVIRONMENTAL

STUDIES
 Introduction
● The word environment is derived from the French word ‘environner’
which means to ‘encircle or surround’.
● Thus our environment can be defined as “the Social, Cultural and
Physical conditions that surround, affect and influence the
survival, growth and development of people, animals and plants”.
● This broad definition includes the natural world and the
technological environment as well as the cultural and social contexts
that shape human lives.
● It includes all factors (living and nonliving) that affect an individual
organism or population at any point in the life cycle; set of
circumstances surrounding a particular occurrence and all the things
that surrounds us.
 ENVIRONMENT
 Environment literally means surroundings. It includes all those things on which we are directly or
indirectly dependent for our survival. Environment is a complex of many variables which
surrounds man as well as other living organisms.
 Environmental Science: “The systematic & scientific study of our environment and our role in it.
This branch include the knowledge of Pure science & to some extent Social Sciences”.
 The environment is defined as the complex of physical, biotic, and chemical factors (such as
living things, climate, and soil) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and
ultimately determine its survival and form (Merriam-Webster’s dictionary).
 It is derived from the French word environ, meaning external conditions or surroundings that
favour the growth of flora and fauna, human beings, and their properties and protect them from
the effects of pollution.
 According to Douglas and Holland (1947), the environment describes, in the aggregate, all of
the extrinsic (external) forces, influences, and conditions, which affect the life, nature,
behavior, and the growth, development, and maturation of living organisms.
 The “environment” includes land, water, air, and the interrelationship which exists between
these elements and human beings, other living creatures, microorganism, plants, and property
(Environmental Protection Act 1986).
 Environmental Studies: “The branch of Study concerned with environmental issues. It has a
broader coverage than environment science and includes the social aspects of the environment”.
Physical component of environment:
•Physical component of environment includes air, water, soil, light, temperature, climate, etc.
•The physical components are also termed as abiotic components of the environment.
•These environmental components accounts for determination of living conditions for the human population.
•Physical component of the environment is again classified into three parts as follows:
• Atmosphere (gas)
• Hydrosphere (liquid)
• Lithosphere (solid)
• Structure of atmosphere:
• The atmosphere is broadly classified into four major zones.
• These zones are named as Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere and Thermosphere.
•These three parts portrays the three important states of matter forming the environment.
•This physical component of environment includes abiotic components like air, water and soil.
•All these abiotic components affect much more to all living organisms along with human.
•Water and temperature are the most significant abiotic components affecting living beings as water is
important for survival of livings.
•Water plays a vital role to keep optimum temperature of the body and perform metabolic activities.
•All living things perform in a particular range of temperature.
•Growth of living beings will be affected when temperature will not fall in that range.
•Air is one of the major physical components, which is needed for respiration.
•All living beings along with plants and animals need oxygen for their survival.
•In metabolic process, oxygen is inhaled into the body and exhaled in form of CO2.
•On contrast to it, the plants consume CO2 for food preparation during photosynthesis and releases oxygen
to the environment.
•Soil is another important component for all living beings to build their habitat.
•It is the soil where plant grows and human builds houses to live in.
•Soil serves to retain ground water which is obtainable for drinking and other farming activities.
Biological component of environment:
•The biological component of environment is also termed as biotic component.
•This biological component includes all living things like plants, animals and small micro-organisms like bacteria,
algae and fungi.
•Biological component interrelates with the abiotic component of the environment. Interaction of these two
components forms various ecosystems like forest ecosystem, pond ecosystem, marine ecosystem, desert
ecosystem, etc.
• Biosphere is independent and large ecosystem.
•All ecosystems has three different types of living organisms; i.e. producers, consumers and decomposers.
•Producer includes mainly green plants and other photosynthetic bacteria which synthesizes various organic
substances such as carbohydrates, proteins, etc., with the aid of water, soil and light energy.
•Consumers rely on green plants for their nutrition as these green plants produces organic food materials.
•Decomposers are responsible to decompose dead plants and animals and yields various important minerals for
the running of the natural cycles.
Social component of environment:
•The third component of environment is social component.
•This component is mainly consists of various groups of population of different living beings like birds, animals,
etc.
•Human is the most independent and intelligent living organism.
•Like all other living creatures on earth, man constructs house, prepares food and delivers waste materials to the
environment.
•It has been said about human by Greek philosopher, Aristotle that human is a social animal.
•He prepared various laws, policies for the proper functioning of the society.
•These three components of the environment give rise to four important zones like Atmosphere, Hydrosphere,
Lithosphere and Biosphere.
•There is continual interaction among these four zones.
•These interactions include the transport of various elements, compounds and different forms of energy.
 Components of Environment/Ecosystem

Environment/Ecosystem

Biotic Abiotic

 Abiotic factors refer to non-living physical and chemical elements in the

ecosystem. Abiotic resources are usually obtained from the lithosphere,
atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Examples of abiotic factors are water, air, soil,
sunlight, and minerals.
 Biotic factors are living or once-living organisms in the ecosystem. These are
obtained from the biosphere and are capable of reproduction. Examples of
biotic factors are animals, birds, plants, fungi, and other similar organisms.
Our environment has been classified into four major components:

1. Atmosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Lithosphere
4. Biosphere
Atmosphere
 (Greek: Atmos means vapor) the thin sheet of gaseous mixture which
envelops the planet Earth is called atmosphere. The content of water
vapour, density of the air mass and atmospheric pressure decreases
rapidly with the increase in altitude.
 The composition of dry air is as follows:
 Atmosphere- The cover of the air,
that envelopes the earth is known as
the atmosphere.
The atmosphere is a thin layer
which contains gases like oxygen,
carbon dioxide etc. and which
protects the solid earth and human
beings from the harmful radiations
of the sun.
There are five concentric layers
within the atmosphere, which can
be differentiated on the basis of
temperature and each layer has its
own characteristics.
These include the troposphere, the
stratosphere, the mesosphere, the
Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78% thermosphere and the exosphere.
nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases.
 The rate of change of temperature with the altitude is called the lapse
rate. The atmosphere has been stratified into major four layers where
temperature decreases (negative lapse rate) or increases (positive lapse
rate). A brief description of atmospheric layers is as follows:
1. Troposphere: the altitude of this layer varies from 16 km at equator
to 8 km at poles. Largest percentage of the air mass found in this
region. The upper layer is called tropopause. Temperature decreases
with increase in altitude (-6.4 0C per km) in this layer and varies from
15 0C (ground Level) to – 56 0C (tropopause).
2. Stratosphere: temperature starts rising in this layer from tropopause
(-56 0C) to stratopause (-2 0C) as ozone (O3) layer in the upper
stratosphere absorbs solar radiation and temperature rises.
 The ozone layer in this region absorbs harmful UV radiation,
particularly UV-B radiation (280 nm to 315 nm), because of which life
is possible on earth’s surface.
 However, the ozone layer is depleting at a fast pace due to the
presence of ozone-depleting substances (like chlorofluorocarbons-
CFCs). Ozone holes are the places in the upper stratosphere where
the concentration of ozone has depleted drastically.

3. Mesosphere: temperature starts decreasing again and reaches at -

96 0C at the upper boundary of the layer i.e. mesopause. The density
of air is very low and important chemical species found in this region
are O2+ and NO+ which do not absorb much solar radiation. This
causes the decline in ambient temperature in this region.
4. Thermosphere: ionic oxygen atoms and other ions in this layer
absorb short-wave solar radiation which increases the temperature in
this layer rapidly from -96 0C (lower boundary) to 1200 0C (upper
layer).
Lithosphere
 (Greek: Lithos means rock) Earth’s structure can be stratified
into outer crust, middle mantle and inner core regions (Fig. 1).
Lithosphere is the outermost layer of the crust which represents
the land mass of the planet.
 It consists of rocks, soil, sediments and minerals. Various
geological structures or landforms like high mountains, plateau,
deep valleys and sea beds make the surface of lithosphere
uneven.
 Mount Everest is the highest point on the lithosphere. Various
geological processes like weathering & erosion, volcanic
eruptions, biogeochemical cycles take place at the lithosphere.
Different terrestrial ecosystems like forests, grasslands, deserts
etc. are found on the lithosphere.
Figure 1: Cross section of Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
 (Greek: Hydor means water) Hydrosphere represents water masses on
the planet present in solid (ice cover, glaciers etc.), liquid (water
bodies) and gaseous (water vapours) phases. The hydrosphere covers
almost three-fourth of the total surface area of the earth.
 Oceans and seas represent marine ecosystem which contains 97% of
the total water content (having very high concentration of salts) of the
planet.
 Remaining 3% of the water resources are freshwater present in the
form of glaciers, rivers, lakes, ponds etc. (Figure 2).
 Hydrosphere is an integral part of the water cycle and plays a crucial
role in maintaining normal climatic, meteorological, physical, chemical
and biological functions on the planet.
 Oceans and seas are the largest sink of carbon in the environment.
Figure 2: Distribution of Water Resources on the Earth
 Biosphere
 Greek: Bios means life) this is the self-regulating overlapping region of
atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere in the environment where life
sustainably exists, nourished and flourished by the healthy interaction
between biotic (autotrophs and heterotrophs) and abiotic components (air,
water, sunlight, soil, rock etc.) of the nature.
 Biosphere is known as the life layer, it refers to all organisms on the
earth’s surface and their interaction with water and air.
 It consists of plants, animals and micro-organisms, ranging from the
tiniest microscopic organism to the largest whales in the sea.
 The richness of biosphere depends upon a number of factors like rainfall,
temperature, geographical reference etc. Apart from the physical
environmental factors, the man made environment includes human
groups, the material infrastructures built by man, the production
relationships and institutional systems that he has devised.
Multidisciplinary nature of
Environmental studies
 The Environment studies is a multi-disciplinary science because it
comprises various branches of studies like chemistry, physics,
medical science, life science, agriculture, public health, sanitary
engineering etc.
 It is the science of physical phenomena in the environment.
 It studies about the sources, reactions, transport, effect and fate
of physical and biological species in the air, water, soil and the
effect of from human activity upon these.
 As the environment is complex and actually made up of many
different environments like natural, constructed and cultural
environments, environmental studies is inter disciplinary in nature
including the study of biology, geology, politics, policy studies,
law, religion engineering, chemistry and economics to understand
the humanity’s effects on the natural world.
 This subject educates the students to appreciate the complexity of
environmental issues and citizens and experts in many fields. By
studying environmental science, students may develop a breadth
of the interdisciplinary and methodological knowledge in the
environmental fields that enables them to facilitate the definition
and solution of environmental problems.
Scope of Environmental Studies
 Environmental studies as a subject has a wide scope.
 It includes a large number of areas and aspects, which may be
summarized as follows:
1. Natural resources- their conservation and management
2. Ecology and Biodiversity
3. Environmental pollution and control
4. Human population and environment
5. Social issues in relation to development and environment
 These are the basic aspects of environmental studies which have a
direct relevance to every section of society. Several career options
have emerged in these fields that are broadly categorized as:
(i) Research and development in environment: Skilled
environmental scientists have an important role to play in
examining various environmental problems in a scientific manner
and carry out R&D activities for developing cleaner technologies
and promoting sustainable development.
(ii) Green advocacy: With increasing emphasis on implementing
various Acts and Laws related to environment, need for
environmental lawyers has emerged, who should be able to plead
the cases related to water, air, forest, wildlife, pollution and control
etc.
(iii) Green marketing: While ensuring the quality of products with
ISO mark, now there is an increasing emphasis on marketing
goods that are environment friendly. Such products have ecomark
or ISO 14000 certification. Environmental auditors and
environmental managers would be in great demand in the coming
years.
(iv) Green media: Environmental awareness can be spread
amongst masses through mass media like television, radio,
newspaper, magazine, hoardings, advertisements etc., for which
environmentally educated persons are required.
(v) Environmental consultancy: Many non-government
organizations, industries and government bodies are engaging
environmental consultants for systematically studying and tackling
environment related problems.
Importance of Environmental Studies
 The importance of environmental studies is that, the current trend
of environmental degradation can be reversed if people of educated
communities are organized, empowered and experts are involved in
sustainable development.
 Environmental factors greatly influence every organism and their
activities.
 At present a great number of environmental issues, have grown in
size and complexity day by day, threatening the survival of mankind
on earth. These issues are studied besides giving effective
suggestions in the environment studies.
 The environment studies enlighten us, about the importance of
protection and conservation of our natural resources, indiscriminate
release of pollution into the environment etc.
 Environment studies have become significant for the following reasons:
1.Environment Issues being of International Importance: It has been
well recognized that environment issues like global warming, ozone
depletion, acid rain, marine pollution and loss of biodiversity are not
merely national issues but are global issues and hence must be tackled
with international efforts and cooperation.
2. Problems Cropped in The Wake of Development: Development, in
its wake gave birth to Urbanization, Industrial Growth, Transportation
Systems, Agriculture and Housing etc.
However, it has become phased out in the developed world. The North,
to cleanse their own environment has, fact fully, managed to move
‘dirty’ factories to South. When the West developed, it did so perhaps
in ignorance of the environmental impact of its activities. Evidently
such a path is neither practicable nor desirable, even if developing
world follows that.
3. Explosively Increase in Pollution: World census reflects that one in
every seven persons in this plant lives in India. Evidently with 16 per
cent of the world's population and only 2.4 per cent of its land area,
there is a heavy pressure on the natural resources including land.
Agricultural experts have recognized soils health problems like
deficiency of micronutrients and organic matter, soil salinity and
damage of soil structure.
4. Need for An Alternative Solution: It is essential, specially for
developing countries to find alternative paths to an alternative goal.
We need a goal as under:
(1) A goal, which ultimately is the true goal of development an
environmentally sound and sustainable development.
(2) A goal common to all citizens of our earth.
(3) A goal distant from the developing world in the manner it is
from the overconsuming wasteful societies of the “developed”
world.
5. Need To Save Humanity From Extinction: It is incumbent upon us
to save the humanity from extinction. Consequences to our activities
cause destructing the environment and depleting the biosphere, in
the name of development.
6. Need For Wise Planning of Development: Our survival and
sustenance depend. Resources withdraw, processing and use of the
product have all to be synchronized with the ecological cycles in any
plan of development. Our actions should be planned ecologically for
the sustenance of the environment and development.
 Environmental Degradation
• Definition: Deterioration of the Environment is known as
Environmental Degradation.

Environmental degradation is caused by the following factors:

• Population
• Pollution
• Over-exploitation of Natural resources
• Disturbance in Ecosystem
• Waste Generation and Disposal
In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.”
- Our Common Future -1987

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
 Sustainable development & UN-SDG
 Sustainable development is a process for meeting human development goals
while sustaining the ability of natural systems to continue to provide the
natural resources and ecosystem services upon which the economy and society
depends. While the modern concept of sustainable development is derived most
strongly from the 1987 Brundtland Report, it is rooted in earlier ideas about
sustainable forest management and twentieth-century environmental concerns.
 As the concept developed, it has shifted to focus more on economic
development, social development and environmental protection. It is a
process that envisions a desirable future state for human societies in which living
conditions and resource-use continue to meet human needs without undermining
the "integrity, stability and beauty" of natural biotic systems.
 In 1992, the UN Conference on Environment and Development published
the Earth Charter, which outlines the building of a just, sustainable, and peaceful
global society in the 21st century. The action plan Agenda 21 for sustainable
development identified information, integration, and participation as key
building blocks to help countries achieve development that recognizes these
interdependent pillars.
 It emphasizes that in sustainable development, everyone is a user and provider of
information. It stresses the need to change from old sector-centred ways of doing
business to new approaches that involve cross-sectoral co-ordination and
the integration of environmental and social concerns into all development
processes. Furthermore, Agenda 21 emphasizes that broad public participation in
decision making is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving sustainable development.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
 On September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the
"universal, integrated and transformative" 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These included
ending poverty and hunger, improving health and education, making cities more
sustainable, combating climate change, and protecting oceans and forests. The goals are
to be implemented and achieved in every country from the year 2016 to 2030.
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is officially known as Transforming our
World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Resolution is a
broader intergovernmental agreement that, while acting as the Post 2015
Development Agenda (successor to the Millennium Development Goals), builds
on the Principles agreed upon under Resolution A/RES/66/288, popularly known as
The Future WeWant.
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): these are the seventeen goals
set as the ‘2030 agenda for sustainable development’. It was adopted by the
United Nations state members in 2015 as ‘a blueprint for peace and
prosperity for people and planet, now and into the future.’
 All the developed and developing countries have been called to achieve the
goals by global partnership.
 Society, environment and economy, collectively considered as the three
pillars of sustainable development. When the three pillars harmonically
interact with each other, sustainability and sustainable development is
achieved. A brief description of the three pillars is given below:
 1. Environmental Sustainability
 2. Social Sustainability
 3. Economic Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
 It means that we should consume the environmental goods and
services in a sustainable manner. Mahatma Gandhi, once rightly
said “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need but not
everyone’s greed”.
 The present rate of over-exploitation of natural resources exceeds
manifolds the rate of replenishment of the same, which is causing
environmental degradation at an exponential rate.
 Therefore, the natural resources should be utilized sustainably.
Sustainable Development Goals 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7
(Affordable and Clean Energy), 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life below
Water) and 15 (Life on Land) indicates environmental sustainability.
Social Sustainability
 It defines a society having fair and equal opportunities for
its population with gender equality, good health and
education facilities and people’s participation in nation
building.
 Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and
Well-Being), 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality),
7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 16 (Peace, Justice and
strong Institutions) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)
indicates social sustainability.
Economic Sustainability
 Economic sustainability means the equitable distribution of the
resources.
 No one should be deprived of the basic needs to sustain a healthy life.
Benefits should be earned from the resources but not at the cost of
irreversible loss to the environment.
 Development Goals 1 (No poverty), 2 (Zero hunger), 7 (Affordable
and Clean Energy), 8 (Decent work and Economic Growth), 9
(Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), 10 (Reduced Inequalities),
11 (Sustainable cities and Communities) and 12 (Responsible
Consumption and Production) indicates economic sustainability.
 The three pillars intersect each other, giving the concept of bearable,
equitable and viable globe which collectively forms a sustainable
world.
 Sustainable Development Goals
A BRIEF HISTORY

In June 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, more than 178 countries adopted Agenda 21, a
comprehensive plan of action to build a global partnership for sustainable development to improve human lives and
protect the environment.
Member States unanimously adopted the Millennium Declaration at the Millennium Summit in September 2000 at
UN Headquarters in New York. The Summit led to the elaboration of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
to reduce extreme poverty by 2015.
The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and the Plan of Implementation, adopted at the World
Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa in 2002, reaffirmed the global community's commitments to
poverty eradication and the environment, and built on Agenda 21 and the Millennium Declaration by including more
emphasis on multilateral partnerships.
At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012,
Member States adopted the outcome document "The Future We Want" in which they decided, inter alia, to launch a
process to develop a set of SDGs to build upon the MDGs and to establish the UN High-level Political Forum on
Sustainable Development. The Rio +20 outcome also contained other measures for implementing sustainable
development, including mandates for future work programmes in development financing, small island developing
states and more.
In 2013, the General Assembly set up a 30-member Open Working Group to develop a proposal on the SDGs.
In January 2015, the General Assembly began the negotiation process on the post-2015 development agenda.
The process culminated in the subsequent adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with 17
SDGs at its core, at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015.
 Year 2015
A LANDMARK YEAR

SENDAI Framework The 2030 Agenda (Sept, 2015)

(March, 2015) Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda
SENDAI framework for Disaster for Sustainable Development with its 17
Risk Reduction SDGs

Paris Agreement (Dec, 2015)

Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Addis Ababa (July, 2015)
Addis Ababa Action Agenda on
Financing for Development.
 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The United Nations Sustainable Development Summit (UNSDS)
@ UN headquarters, New York from 25-27 September 2015
 “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development"
Signed by 193 countries including India

Aims: Social development, curbing inequalities, economic progress and

environmental sustainability
Sustainable Development Source: (IUCN, 2006)
Four Pillar Sustainable Development Source: (Interpretation from Hawkes, 2001)
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s)
5 Ps of Sustainable Development, UN Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGS). 2015
Environmentalism
 An environmental movement can be defined as a social or political movement,
for the conservation of environment or for the improvement of the state of the
environment .
 The environmental movement also including conservation and green politics, is a
dissimilar scientific, social, and political movement to address environmental
issues. Environmental movement is a type of "social movement that involves an
array of persons, groups and coalitions that observe a common interest in
environmental protection and act to bring about changes in environmental policies
and practices" (Tong, Yanki 2005).
 The environmental movements favour the sustainable management of natural
resources. The movements often stress the protection of the environment via
changes in public policy. Many movements are centered on ecology, health and
human rights.
 Environmental movements range from the highly organized and formally
institutionalized ones to the radically informal activities.
 The spatial scope of various environmental movements ranges from being local to
the almost global.
 Brief history of environmentalism
● Awareness of our delicate relationship with our habitat likely arose among early
hunter-gatherers when they saw how fire and hunting tools impacted their
environment.
● Anthropologists have found evidence of human-induced animal and plant
extinctions from 50,000 BCE, when only about 200,000 Homo sapiens roamed the
Earth. We can only speculate about how these early humans reacted, but migrating
to new habitats appears to be a common response.
● Ecological awareness first appears in the human record at least 5,000 years ago.
Vedic sages praised the wild forests in their hymns, Taoists urged that human life
should reflect nature’s patterns and the Buddha taught compassion for all sentient
beings.
● Some of the earliest human stories contain lessons about the sacredness of
wilderness, the importance of restraining our power, and our obligation to care for
the natural world.
● Five thousand years ago, the Indus civilization of Mohenjo Darro (an ancient city
in modern-day Pakistan), were already recognizing the effects of pollution on
human health and practiced waste management and sanitation.
Environmentalism in India and World
At global scale, growing salience of environmental crisis was brought out by four
important events.
1. The first event was the United Nations Conference on 'Human Environment' held
in Stockholm, Sweden (1972).
2. The second event was publication of the report "Limits to Growth".

3. The third, release of the report of the Brundtland Commission entitled 'Our
Common Future' (1987).
4. Fourth, event was the 'Earth Summit' in 1992.

The expanding post-World War II economy outstretched awareness about the

environmental costs of economic progress, but it also led increasingly wealthy
Americans to insist upon a better quality of life. Since the demand for a cleaner,
safer, and more beautiful environment that would improve the quality of life could
not be satisfied by the free market, environmentalists turned toward political action
to protect the earth.
 Origin of Environmental Movements in India
● The birth of concern for environmental protection in India, "can be traced back to the beginning of
twentieth century when people remonstrated against the commercialization of forest resources during
the British colonial period“.
● “It was only in the 1970s a coherent and relatively organized awareness of the ecological impact of
state development process started to develop, to grow into a fully fledged understanding of the limited
nature of natural resources and to prevent the depletion of natural resources”.
• A large number of environmental movements have took place in India especially after 1970s and
1980s.
• In this context the environmental movement has grown rapidly over the last three to four decades.
It has played a key role in three areas such as
1] in creating public awareness about the importance of bringing about a balance between
environment and development,
2] in opposing developmental projects that are inimical to social and environmental concerns, and
3] in organizing model projects that show the way forward towards non-bureaucratic and
participatory, community-based natural resource management systems.
• Major reasons are:
i) control over natural resources,
ii) false developmental policies of the government,
iii) socioeconomic reasons,
iv) environmental degradation/ destruction and,
v) spread of environmental awareness and media.
 Guha, Ramchandra (1997) lists the three events which occurred within the country in 1973,
that expedited discussion on environmental issues in India:
 First, in April, the government of India announced the launching of Project Tiger, a determined
conservation programme aimed at protecting the country's national animal. Indian
conservationists, exhilarated and assisted by the international agencies such as World Wildlife
Fund and International Union for the Conservation of Nature, were contributory in bringing
pressure on government to create a network of national parks and sanctuaries all over India to
protect rare wildlife.
 Second, the publication of an article in Economic and Political Weekly (March 31, 1973)
entitled 'A Charter for the Land' authored by B. B. Vora, a high official in the ministry of
agriculture, which drew attention to the extent of erosion, water logging and other forms of
land degradation in the country. The Department of Environment was set up in 1980 and a
full-fledged Ministry of Environment and Forests was formed five years later.
 Third, on March 27, 1973, in Mandal, a remote Himalayan village, a group of peasants
stopped a group of loggers from felling a stand of trees by hugging the trees. This event
flashed many protests through the 1970s, jointly known as "Chipko" movement. This
movement raised basic questions relating to the ecology, equity and social justice and
promoted lively debate and action throughout the country.
Environmental Movements in India

Bishnoi Movement Chipko Movement Silent Valley Appiko Movement Narmada Bachao
Movement Andolan
This was begun in 400 The Chipko movement of Save Silent Valley was an The Appiko movement The Narmada movement
years ago by a Sage known Uttaranchal is famous for environmental movement was an innovative begun in the late 1970s.
as Sombaji. In Rajasthan, a its tree-hugging campaign intended to protect Silent movement based on this movement was
large number of trees are to resist the tree cutting. It Valley, an evergreen environmental centred on the issue of
still worshiped by devotees. was started by noted tropical forest in the conservation in India. human rights and
People resisted the cutting environmentlist Sunderlal Palakkad district of This Movement focused rehabilitation programmes
of such tree and advocated Bahuguna in 1970 to safe Kerala, India. It was on the issues of forest- for the dam displaced.
movement against guard the rich forest of started through a based environmental
deforestation. western Himalaya Range. hydroelectric project. actions in India. 3
The Future of the Environmental Movement

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