Causes of biodiversity losses

The accelerated rates of species extinctions that the world is facing now are
largely due to human activities. There are four major causes

 Habitat loss and fragmentation

 Over-exploitation

 Alien species invasions

 Co-extinctions

Habitat loss and fragmentation

 Habitat loss and fragmentation is the most important cause of driving

animals and plants to extinction.

 The most intense examples of habitat loss come from tropical

rainforests.

 The Amazon rain forests protecting probably millions of species are

being cut and cleared for agricultural purposes or for conversion to
grasslands for raising beef cattle.

 In addition to the total loss, the degradation of several habitats by

pollution also threatens the existence of many species.

 When large habitats are broken up into small fragments due to

anthropogenic activities, mammals and birds necessitating large
territories and certain animals with migratory habits are severely
affected, leading to population regressions.

Over-exploitation

 Humans have always depended on nature for food and shelter, etc.
  The population explosion is the major reason for the over-exploitation of
available resources.

 Many species extinctions in the last 500 years such as Steller’s sea cow,
passenger pigeon were due to overexploitation by humans.

 Currently, several marine fish populations around the world are over-
harvested, threatening the sustained existence of certain commercially
important species.

Alien species invasions

 When alien species are introduced by chance or deliberately, some of

them turn aggressive and cause the extinction of local species.

 The Nile perch introduced into Lake Victoria in East Africa led ultimately
to the extinction of a naturally unique group of more than 200 species of
cichlid fish in the lake.

 The illegal introduction of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus for

aquaculture purposes is posing a danger to the local catfishes.

Co-extinctions

 When a species becomes extinct, the flora and fauna related to it in an

essential way also become extinct.

 When a host fish species becomes extinct, its unique assemblage of

parasites also meets the same destiny.

Biodiversity hotspots

Biodiversity hotspots are defined as regions “where exceptional concentrations

of endemic species are undergoing an exceptional loss of habitat”. The concept
of biodiversity hotspots was developed by the Norman Myers in 1988 when he
identified that the tropical forest losing its plants species as well as habitat.
IUCN prepares ‘Red Data Book’. There are 34 areas around the world which
are qualified as Biodiversity hotspots. These hotspots represent only 2.3% of
the total Earth's land surface. These hotspots are important because
Biodiversity underpins all life on Earth. Without species, there would be no air
to breathe, no food to eat, no water to drink. There would be no human
society at all. And as the places on Earth, where the most biodiversity is under
the most threat, hotspots are critical to human survival.

Criteria to qualify as a Biodiversity Hotspot

A region must meet two strict criteria to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot which
is given below:

1. It must have at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics which are to say, it
must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet. A
hotspot, in other words, is irreplaceable.

2. It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation. In other words, it
must be threatened.

Biodiversity Hotspots of the World

These hotspots regions support a rich biodiversity because of geologic

formations and endemic flora and fauna and also exhibit exceptional scientific
interest. It is important ecosystem in the world and the habitat of endemic
species. The Biodiversity Hotspots of the World are given below:

Africa

1. Eastern Afro-Montane

2. The Guinean forests of Western Africa

3. Horn of Africa

4. Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands

5. Maputoland, Podoland, Albany hotspot

6. Succulent Karou

7. East Malanesian islands

8. South Africa's Cape floristic hotspot

9. Coastal forests of Eastern Africa

Terrestrial Biomes of the World

Asia and Australia

1. Himalayan hotspot

2. The Eastern Himalayas

3. Japan biodiversity hotspot

4. Mountains of South-West China

5. New Caledonia

6. New Zealand biodiversity hotspot

7. Philippine biodiversity hotspot

8. Western Sunda (Indonesia, Malas and Brunei)

9. Wallace (Eastern Indonesia)

10. The Western Ghats of India and Islands of Sri Lanka

11. Polynesia and Micronesian Islands Complex including Hawaii

12. South-Western Australia

North and Central America

1. California Floristic Province

2. Caribbean islands hotspot

3. Modrean pine-oak wood lands of the USA and Mexico border

4. The Mesoamerican forests

Aquatic Biomes of the World

South America
1. Brazil's Cerrado

2. Chilean winter rainfall (Valdivian) Forests

3. Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena

4. Tropical Andes

5. Atlantic forest

Europe and Central Asia

1. Caucasus region

2. Iran-Anatolia region

3. The Mediterranean basin and its Eastern Coastal region

4. Mountains of Central Asia

Above Biodiversity Hotspot regions are blessed with a variety of exceptional

plant species and habitat, but facing endemism and serious habitat loss.
Hence, it is our duty to protect and conserve the endemic species and their
habitat. We can conserve biodiversity in two ways- first is in-situ and second is
ex-situ. In-situ conservation involves in the maintenance of bio-diversity rich
area in its natural form, whereas in ex-situ conservation, the endangered
species are kept in a specially protected area which is separated from its
natural habitat region.

There are major four biodiversity hotspots in India:

1. The Himalayas

2. Indo-Burma Region

3. The Western Ghats

4. Sundaland

The Himalayas
Considered as the highest in the world, the Himalayas comprises of North-East
India, Bhutan, Central and Eastern parts of Nepal. This region holds a record of
having 163 endangered species which includes the Wild Asian Water Buffalo,
One-horned Rhino, and as many as 10,000 plant species, of which 3160 are
endemic. This mountain range covers nearly 750,000 km2.

Indo – Burma Region

The Indo-Burma Region is stretched over a distance of 2,373,000 km². In the

last 12 years, 6 large mammal species have been discovered in this region: the
Large-antlered Muntjac, the Annamite Muntjac, the Grey-shanked Douc, the
Annamite Striped Rabbit, the Leaf Deer, and the Saola.

This hotspot is also known for the endemic freshwater turtle species, most of
which are threatened with extinction, due to over-harvesting and extensive
habitat loss. There are also 1,300 different bird species, including the
threatened White-eared Night-heron, the Grey-crowned Crocias, and the
Orange-necked Partridge.

The Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are present along the western edge of peninsular India and
covers most of the deciduous forests and rain forests. This region consists of
6000 plant species of which 3000 are endemic. Originally, the vegetation in this
region was spread over 190,000 km2 but has been now reduced to 43,000 km 2.
The region is also known for 450 species of birds, 140 mammals, 260 reptiles,
and 175 amphibians.

Sundaland

The Sundaland hotspot lies in South-East Asia and covers Singapore, Thailand,
Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia. In the year 2013, the Sundaland was declared
as a World Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations. This region is famous for
its rich terrestrial and marine ecosystem. Sundaland is one of the biologically
richest hotspots in the world which comprises 25,000 species of vascular
plants, of which 15,000 are found only in this region.

Biodiversity in India – Flora, and Fauna

India is famous for its rich flora and fauna. India houses over 500 species of
mammals, more than 200 species of birds, and 30,000 different species of
insects. Moreover, the country has 101 National Parks, 333 Wildlife
Sanctuaries, and 35 Zoological Gardens which comprises a wide variety of
fauna. The Zoological Survey of India which is headquartered in Kolkata is
responsible for surveying the faunal resources of India.

India has a diverse climate, topology, and habitat are known to have the
richest flora in the world with over 18000 species of flowering plants. These
plant species constitute 6-7% of the world’s plant species. There are 8 main
floristic regions in India- the Western and the Eastern Himalayas, Indus and
Ganges, Assam, the Deccan, Malabar, and the Andaman Islands which is home
to 3000 Indian plant species. The forests in India cover ranges from the tropical
rainforest including Andaman, Western Ghats, and northeast India to the
coniferous forests of the Himalayas. The deciduous forests can be found in the
eastern, central, and southern parts of India.

Endangered Species of India

India is known to be home to 6.5% of the world’s species which includes 7.6%
of all mammals and 12.6% of all bird species. But with the rapid loss of
biodiversity, many species are becoming extinct or at risk of becoming critically
endangered. The species that are at risk of extinction due to the sudden
decrease in their population and habitat are known as endangered species.

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is an Act implemented by the Parliament of

India for the preservation of biological diversity in India, and provides
mechanism for equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of
traditional biological resources and knowledge. The Act was enacted to meet
the obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), because
India is a party of the convention {meeting}.

Environment Laws In India

The need for protection and conservation of environment and sustainable use
of natural resources is reflected in the constitutional framework of India and
also in the international commitments of India. The Constitution under Part
IVA (Art 51A-Fundamental Duties) casts a duty on every citizen of India to
protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers
and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures. Further, the
Constitution of India under Part IV (Art 48A-Directive Principles of State
Policies) stipulates that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the
environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.

Several environment protection legislations existed even before Independence

of India. However, the true thrust for putting in force a well-developed
framework came only after the UN Conference on the Human Environment
(Stockholm, 1972). After the Stockholm Conference, the National Council for
Environmental Policy and Planning was set up in 1972 within the Department
of Science and Technology to establish a regulatory body to look after the
environment-related issues. This Council later evolved into a full-fledged
Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

MoEF was established in 1985, which today is the apex administrative body in
the country for regulating and ensuring environmental protection and lays
down the legal and regulatory framework for the same. Since the 1970s, a
number of environment legislations have been put in place. The MoEF and the
pollution control boards ("CPCB", ie, Central Pollution Control Board and
"SPCBs", ie, State Pollution Control Boards) together form the regulatory and
administrative core of the sector.

Some of the important legislations for environment protection are as follows:

 The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010

 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

 The Environment Protection Act, 1986

 The Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, etc.

These important environment legislations have been briefly explained in the

succeeding paragraphs.

The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010

The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 (No. 19 of 2010) (NGT Act) has been
enacted with the objectives to provide for establishment of a National Green
Tribunal (NGT) for the effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to
environment protection and conservation of forests and other natural
resources including enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and
giving relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for
matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

The Act received the assent of the President of India on June 2, 2010, and was
enforced by the Central Government vide Notification no. S.O. 2569(E) dated
October 18, 2010, with effect from October 18, 2010. The Act envisages
establishment of NGT in order to deal with all environmental laws relating to
air and water pollution, the Environment Protection Act, the Forest
Conservation Act and the Biodiversity Act as have been set out in Schedule I of
the NGT Act.

Consequent to enforcement of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, the

National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995 and the National Environment
Appellate Authority Act, 1997 stand repealed. The National Environment
Appellate Authority established under s 3(1) of the National Environment
Appellate Authority Act, 1997stands dissolved, in view of the establishment of
the National Green Tribunal under the National Green Tribunal Act,
2010 vide Notification no. S.O. 2570(E) dated October 18, 2010.

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (the "Air Act") is an act
to provide for the prevention, control and abatement of air pollution and for
the establishment of Boards at the Central and State levels with a view to
carrying out the aforesaid purposes.

To counter the problems associated with air pollution, ambient air quality
standards were established under the Air Act. The Air Act seeks to combat air
pollution by prohibiting the use of polluting fuels and substances, as well as by
regulating appliances that give rise to air pollution. The Air Act empowers the
State Government, after consultation with the SPCBs, to declare any area or
areas within the State as air pollution control area or areas. Under the Act,
establishing or operating any industrial plant in the pollution control area
requires consent from SPCBs. SPCBs are also expected to test the air in air
pollution control areas, inspect pollution control equipment, and
manufacturing processes.

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

The Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974 (the "Water Act") has
been enacted to provide for the prevention and control of water pollution and
to maintain or restore wholesomeness of water in the country. It further
provides for the establishment of Boards for the prevention and control of
water pollution with a view to carry out the aforesaid purposes. The Water Act
prohibits the discharge of pollutants into water bodies beyond a given
standard, and lays down penalties for non-compliance. At the Centre, the
Water Act has set up the CPCB which lays down standards for the prevention
and control of water pollution. At the State level, SPCBs function under the
direction of the CPCB and the State Government.

Further, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act was enacted
in 1977 to provide for the levy and collection of a cess on water consumed by
persons operating and carrying on certain types of industrial activities. This
cess is collected with a view to augment the resources of the Central Board
and the State Boards for the prevention and control of water pollution
constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
The Act was last amended in 2003.

The Environment Protection Act, 1986

The Environment Protection Act, 1986 (the "Environment Act") provides for
the protection and improvement of environment. The Environment Protection
Act establishes the framework for studying, planning and implementing long-
term requirements of environmental safety and laying down a system of
speedy and adequate response to situations threatening the environment. It is
an umbrella legislation designed to provide a framework for the coordination
of central and state authorities established under the Water Act, 1974 and the
Air Act. The term "environment" is understood in a very wide term under s 2(a)
of the Environment Act. It includes water, air and land as well as the
interrelationship which exists between water, air and land, and human beings,
other living creatures, plants, micro-organisms and property.
Under the Environment Act, the Central Government is empowered to take
measures necessary to protect and improve the quality of environment by
setting standards for emissions and discharges of pollution in the atmosphere
by any person carrying on an industry or activity; regulating the location of
industries; management of hazardous wastes, and protection of public health
and welfare. From time to time, the Central Government issues notifications
under the Environment Act for the protection of ecologically-sensitive areas or
issues guidelines for matters under the Environment Act.

In case of any non-compliance or contravention of the Environment Act, or of

the rules or directions under the said Act, the violator will be punishable with
imprisonment up to five years or with fine up to Rs 1,00,000, or with both. In
case of continuation of such violation, an additional fine of up to Rs 5,000 for
every day during which such failure or contravention continues after the
conviction for the first such failure or contravention, will be levied. Further, if
the violation continues beyond a period of one year after the date of
conviction, the offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term
which may extend to seven years.

Hazardous Wastes Management Regulations

Hazardous waste means any waste which, by reason of any of its physical,
chemical, reactive, toxic, flammable, explosive or corrosive characteristics,
causes danger or is likely to cause danger to health or environment, whether
alone or when in contact with other wastes or substances.

There are several legislations that directly or indirectly deal with hazardous
waste management. The relevant legislations are the Factories Act, 1948, the
Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991, the National Environment Tribunal Act,
1995 and rules and notifications under the Environmental Act. Some of the
rules dealing with hazardous waste management are discussed below:

 Hazardous Wastes (Management, Handling and Transboundary) Rules,

2008, brought out a guide for manufacture, storage and import of
hazardous chemicals and for management of hazardous wastes.
  Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998, were
formulated along parallel lines, for proper disposal, segregation,
transport, etc, of infectious wastes.

 Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, aim

at enabling municipalities to dispose municipal solid waste in a scientific
manner.

In view of the short-comings and overlapping of some categories causing

inconvenience in implementation of the Biomedical Waste (Management and
Handling) Rules, 1998 as well as the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and
Handling) Rules, 2000, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
has formulated the draft Bio-Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules,
2015 (Draft BMW Rules) and the draft Solid Waste Management Rules, 2015
(Draft SWM Rules) and sought comments on the draft Rules.

The Draft BMW Rules are to replace the Biomedical Waste (Management and
Handling) Rules, 1998, and the Draft SWM Rules are to replace the Municipal
Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000. The objective of the
Draft BMW Rules is to enable the prescribed authorities to implement the rules
more effectively, thereby, reducing the bio- medical waste generation and also
for its proper treatment and disposal and to ensure environmentally sound
management of these wastes, and the Draft SWM Rules aim at dealing with
the management of solid waste including it segregation at source,
transportation of waste, treatment and final disposal.

 E - Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 have been notified

on May 1, 2011 and came into effect from May 1, 2012, with primary
objective to reduce the use of hazardous substances in electrical and
electronic equipment by specifying threshold for use of hazardous
material and to channelize the e-waste generated in the country for
environmentally sound recycling. The Rules apply to every producer,
consumer or bulk consumer, collection centre, dismantler and recycler
of e-waste involved in the manufacture, sale, purchase and processing of
electrical and electronic equipment or components as detailed in the
Rules.
  Batteries (Management & Handling) Rules, 2001 deal with the proper
and effective management and handling of lead acid batteries waste.
The Act requires all manufacturers, assemblers, re-conditioners,
importers, dealers, auctioneers, bulk consumers, consumers, involved in
manufacture, processing, sale, purchase and use of batteries or
components thereof, to comply with the provisions of Batteries
(Management & Handling) Rules, 2001.

Other Laws Relating to Environment

In addition, there are many other laws relating to environment, namely –

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was enacted with the objective of
effectively protecting the wild life of this country and to control poaching,
smuggling and illegal trade in wildlife and its derivatives. The Act was amended
in January 2003 and punishment and penalty for offences under the Act have
been made more stringent. The Ministry has proposed further amendments in
the law by introducing more rigid measures to strengthen the Act. The
objective is to provide protection to the listed endangered flora and fauna and
ecologically important protected areas.

The Forest Conservation Act, 1980

The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 was enacted to help conserve the country's
forests. It strictly restricts and regulates the de-reservation of forests or use of
forest land for non-forest purposes without the prior approval of Central
Government. To this end the Act lays down the pre-requisites for the diversion
of forest land for non-forest purposes.

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of

Forest Rights) Act, 2006, recognises the rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled
Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers over the forest areas inhabited by
them and provides a framework for according the same.

The Indian Forest Act, 1927 consolidates the law relating to forests, the transit
of forest-produce and the duty leviable on timber and other forest-produce.

Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991

The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 was enacted with the objectives to
provide for damages to victims of an accident which occurs as a result of
handling any hazardous substance. The Act applies to all owners associated
with the production or handling of any hazardous chemicals.)

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002

The Biological Diversity Act 2002 was born out of India's attempt to realise the
objectives enshrined in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD), 1992 which recognises the sovereign rights of states to use their own
Biological Resources. The Act aims at the conservation of biological resources
and associated knowledge as well as facilitating access to them in a sustainable
manner. The National Biodiversity Authority in Chennai has been established
for the purposes of implementing the objects of the Act.

Coastal Regulation Zone Notification

The Ministry of Environment and Forests had issued the Coastal Regulation
Zone Notification vide Notification no. S O. 19(E), dated January 06, 2011 with
an objective to ensure livelihood security to the fishing communities and other
local communities living in the coastal areas, to conserve and protect coastal
stretches and to promote development in a sustainable manner based on
scientific principles, taking into account the dangers of natural hazards in the
coastal areas and sea level rise due to global warming.

United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) established

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) was founded in June

1972 as a result of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The
UNEP is the coordinating body for the United Nations’ environmental activities.
It has played a significant role in identifying and analysing global environmental
problems, developing regional and international environmental programs and
conventions, and promoting environmental science and information. Among
its most important tasks is assisting developing countries in implementing
environmentally sound policies and practices.

Since 1997, in response to the environmental requirements of Agenda 21,

UNEP has also published its Global Environment Outlook (GEO), a
comprehensive report on global state of the environment. Its headquarters are
in Nairobi, Kenya.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is

an international environmental treaty addressing climate change, negotiated
and signed by 154 states at the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio
de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992. It established a Secretariat headquartered
in Bonn and entered into force on 21 March 1994. The Kyoto Protocol, which
was signed in 1997 and which entered into force in 2005, was the first
extension to the UNFCCC. It was superseded by the Paris Agreement, which
entered into force in 2016. As of 2020, the UNFCCC has 197 signatory parties.
Its supreme decision-making body, the Conference of the Parties (COP), meets
annually to assess progress in dealing with climate change.

The UNFCCC seeks for the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the
atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic human-
induced interference with the earth's climate system. Such a level should be
achieved within a timeframe sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally
to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to
enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.

Convention on Biological Diversity, key international instrument for

sustainable development

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the international legal

instrument for "the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of
its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of
the utilization of genetic resources" that has been ratified by 196 nations.

Its overall objective is to encourage actions, which will lead to a sustainable

future.

The conservation of biodiversity is a common concern of humankind. The

Convention on Biological Diversity covers biodiversity at all levels: ecosystems,
species and genetic resources. It also covers biotechnology, including through
the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. In fact, it covers all possible domains that
are directly or indirectly related to biodiversity and its role in development,
ranging from science, politics and education to agriculture, business, culture
and much more.

The CBD’s governing body is the Conference of the Parties (COP). This ultimate
authority of all governments (or Parties) that have ratified the treaty meets
every two years to review progress, set priorities and commit to work plans.

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is based in

Montreal, Canada. Its main function is to assist governments in the
implementation of the CBD and its programmes of work, to organize meetings,
draft documents, and coordinate with other international organizations and
collect and spread information. The Executive Secretary is the head of the
Secretariat.

Environmental ethics: issues and possible solutions:

Environmental ethics deal with issues related to the rights of individuals that
are fundamental to life and well being.

 Resource consumption patterns and the need for equitable utilization: It

deals with how we utilize and distribute resources. The disparity
between haves and have-nots is widening. There is a disparity between
the individuals, communities and countries in usage of resources. The
well-to-do, educated urban dweller consumes much larger quantities of
resources and energy than the traditional rural individual. This unequal
distribution of wealth and access to land and its resources is a serious
environmental concern. An equitable sharing of resources forms the
basis of sustainable development for urban, rural and wilderness-
dwelling communities.

 Equity-disparity in the northern and southern countries: It is concerned

with who owns resources and how they are distributed. People living in
the economically-advanced nations use greater amounts of resources
 and energy per individual and also waste more resources. This is at the
cost poor people who are resource-dependent and live in developing
nations.

 Urban-rural equity issues: The common property of rural communities

has increasingly been used to supply the needs of the urban and
industrial sectors. As the rural sector supplies food and a part of the
energy needs (mainly fuel wood) to most towns and cities in India, the
common lands of the rural sector are being depleted of their resources.

 The need for gender equity: All over India, especially in the rural sector,
women work longer hours than men. They are involved in collection and
sale of fuel wood, collection of fodder, fruits, medicinal products,
trekking several kilometres to fetch potable water, cooking meals in
smoky unhealthy atmosphere etc. On an average they spend 10-12 hrs a
day of very hard work, every day of the year. Unfortunately, it is the men
who play a decisive role in managing the village common and their
resources while women have not been given an equal opportunity to
develop and improve their status which is due to a lower access to
education and health care than that of men. This has deep implications
for the rate of utilization of natural resources and their conservation.

 Preserving resources for future generations: This ethical issue must be

considered when we use resources unsustainably. If we overuse and
misuse resources and energy from fossil fuels, our future generations
will find survival very difficult.

 The rights of animals: The plants and animals that share the Earth with
us too have a right to live and share the Earth’s resources and living
space. We have no right to push a species that has taken millions of
years to evolve towards extinction. Cruelty to animals is a crime that
must be regarded seriously and action must be taken against offenders.

 The ethical basis of environment education and awareness: The most

important concern is related to creating an ethos that will support a
sustainable lifestyle in society. The Supreme Court of our country has
ordered that every young individual at school and college level be
exposed to a course on environment. There are two aspects that are
 closely connected with ethical issues that are related to our
environment. These are based on valuing nature as a resource and
appreciating the beauty of nature and treasuring the magnificence of
the wilderness.

 The conservation ethic and traditional value systems of India: During

olden days, people have always valued mountains, rivers, forests, trees
and several animals. Thus, much of nature was venerated and protected.
Certain species of trees have been protected as they are valued for their
fruit or flowers. Traditions held the animals/species as an important
aspect of nature were the basis of local life-support systems and were
integral to bring about a harmonious life.