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economics > environment and sutsainable development > Flashcards

environment and sutsainable development Flashcards

1
Q

What is the environment?

A

The environment is the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources.

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2
Q

What are the functions/benefits of the environment?

A

SUSTAINS LIFE
PROVIDES RESOURCES
- non renewable -
resources which are unable to replenish by natural means at a quick enough rate to keep up with consumption
-renewable-
resources which replenish to replace the portion depleted by usage and consumption a quick pace during the human time line
ASSIMILATES WASTE CREATED BY CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
CULTURE AND SOCIAL
AESTHETIC AND RECREATION

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3
Q

What is the carrying capacity of the environment? What does it indicate?

A

The carrying capacity refers to the maximum population size the environment can sustain given its amount of resources.
It implies two things:
-resource extraction should not outdo resource regeneration
-the waste produced should not be above the absorption capacity of the environment
OR ELSE
environment crisis :(

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4
Q

Define absorptive capacity.

A

It is the maximum amount of waste that the environment can absorb on a sustainable basis without causing environmental damage.

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5
Q

What are the reasons for the environmental crisis?

A 
OVERPOPULATION
POVERTY
POLLUTION
CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION PROCESSES
EXCESSIVE WASTES
URBANISATION
INDUSTRIALISATION
LAND DISTURBANCES
LACK OF STRICT ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
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6
Q

What is the supply-demand relationship for environmental resources like?

A

BEFORE - supply more than demand

NOW - because of overuse and misuse supply is less than demand

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7
Q

What is global warming?

A

It refers to the observed and projected increase in the overall increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and water bodies due to the increase in heat - trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are those gases that absorb infrared radiation and then reradiate it back to the earth’s surface.

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8
Q

What causes global warming?

A

GREENHOUSE GASES

  • nitrous oxide
  • methane - 150 % ABOVE PRE-INDUSTRIAL
  • carbon dioxide - 30% ABOVE PRE-INDUSTRIAL
  • water vapour
  • sulphur dioxide
  • chlorofluorocarbons
INDUSTRIES
AGRICULTURE AND FARMING
VEHICULAR EMISSIONS
BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS
DEFORESTATION
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9
Q

What are the effects of global warming?

A

RISE IN SEA LEVELS - COASTAL FLOODS
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
EXTINCTION OF MANY PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES
REDUCTION IN ICE CAPS
RISING TEMPERATURES
EXTREME CLIMATE - FLOODS, HURRICANES, DROUGHTS, TROPICAL STORMS
SOCIAL EFFECTS - POLITICAL INSTABILITY, RIOTS, MASS DISPLACEMENT, DEATH, POVERTY
DISEASES
DISRUPTION OF DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES DEPENDENT ON SNOW MELTS

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10
Q

What is ozone depletion?

A

Ozone depletion refers to the decrease in the amount of ozone in the ozone layer due to an increase in chlorine in the atmosphere due to chlorofluorocarbons and other substances resulting in an increase in UV radiations.

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11
Q

What are the causes of ozone depletion?

A

chlorofluorocarbons - cooling agents - ACs, refrigerators, aerosol propellants,
bromofluorocarbons - fire extinguishers
unregulated rocket launches
nitrogenous compounds

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12
Q

What are the effects of ozone depletion?

A

INCREASE IN UV RADIATION LEADS TO

  • non-melanoma skin cancer
  • eye cataracts
  • changes in developmental and physiological processes in plants
  • decline in phytoplankton - foundation of aquatic food web - primary producers
  • affect territorial and aquatic biogeochemical cycle
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13
Q

What is the Montreal Protocol?

A 
International agreement made by the UN in 1987
India signed in 1992
phasing out CFC
equal but different tasks for developed and developing countries
measurable - provide date annually
adjustments 
regulation of consumption and production
recovery of ozone layer is starting
2013
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14
Q

What abundant natural resources does India have?

A

deccan black soil - cotton - textiles
indo gangetic plain from arabian sea to bay of bengal - most fertile, richly cultivated and densely populated
coal, mineral gas, iron ore - 20% of iron-ore reserves
forests - natural green cover population and wildlife
rivers and tributaries
bauxite copper iron gold lead manganese uranium

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15
Q

How do India’s environmental problems pose a dichotomy?

A

INCREASE IN WEALTH GAP

  • poverty
  • affluence in living standards
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16
Q

What is land degradation?

A

Land degradation is the deterioration or decrease in the overall productive capacity of soil, vegetation mostly due to human activities.

17
Q

What are the cause of land degradation?

A

OVERGRAZING
OVERUSE OF GROUND WATER
IMPROPER MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
SHIFTING CULTIVATION
ENCROACHMENT INTO FOREST LANDS
LOSS OF VEGETATION DUE TO DEFORESTATION
POVERTY
IMPROPER CROP ROATION
INDISCRIMINATE USE OF AGRO CHEMICALS - FERTILSERS AND PESTICIDES
UNSUSTAINABLE FUEL WOOD AND FODDER EXTRACTION
NON-ADOPTION OF SOIL CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES

18
Q

What is the per capita forest land of India?

A

0.06 hectares as opposed to the required 0.47 hectares for meeting basic needs - excessive felling of 15 million cubic metres over the permissible limit

19
Q

What is deforestation?

A

It is the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands for non-forest use.

20
Q

What are the impacts of deforestation?

A 
Soil erosion
Greenhouse Gases
Droughts and Floods
Loss of Habitat
Air Pollution
Heavy Siltation of Dams
Desertification
21
Q

What is soil erosion?

A

It is the gradual process of the transfer and movement of the uppermost layer of the soil(topsoil) by various agents - wind, water, and mass movement leading to gradual deterioration.
India - 17% of population 20% of livestock 2.5 % geographical area
gov of india - 5.58-8.4 million tons of nutrients lost

22
Q

What is biodiversity ?

A

It refers to the variety and variability of all living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and ecological complexes.

23
Q

What is air pollution?

A

It refers to the presence of harmful substances in the air to such an extent that they have adverse effects on the health of human beings, and other living beings or damage to the climate and materials.

24
Q

What source of air pollution has the maximum impact on the general population?

A

Vehicular emissions

25
Q

How has the number of motor vehicles increased from 1951 to 2016?

A

3 lakh to 23 crore

26
Q

What are ways to control air pollution?

A 
VEhiculAR
-tighneing of emission stndards
promotion and use of alternative fuels
taxes on fuels and vehicles
traffic plannning and managemet
public transport
strengthening of inspection and maintenance system\
Industrial
Promotion of cleaner technologu\ies
economic incentives
strengthening of emission standards
Agricultural 
minimizing use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
27
Q

When did the government set up the central pollution control board?

A

1974

28
Q

What are the functions of pollution control boards?

A

Investigate, collect and disseminate information about pollution and climate change
manuals, codes and guidelines for disposal and treatment of sewage and trade effluent
regulation of industries - state regular inspections for all industries within jurisdiction by state officials to check treatment measures for emissions
monitor the quality of water for 125 rivers tributaries lakes ponds
provide technical assistance to the government for maintaining cleanliness
prevention control and abatement of pollution
research
background air quality data for industrial citing and town planning
organise mass awareness programmes through media

29
Q

What is sustainable development?

A

It refers to the organising principle for meeting human development goals while sustaining the ability of the environment to provide natural resources and services required for the economy and society.
It can also be defined as the type of development that meets the needs of the future generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs (and have a potential average quality of life). - United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
Our Common Future - Meeting the basic needs of all and extending to all the opportunity to satisfy their aspirations for a better life
Edward Barbier - One which has a direct connection with increasing the material standard of living of the poor at the grass-root level and can be quantitatively measured through increased income, real income, healthcare, education, water supply and sanitation.
Thus, sustainable development aims to decrease absolute poverty by providing a lasting and secure livelihood while minimising resource depletion, environmental degradation, social instability and cultural disruption.

30
Q

When was the term ‘sustainable development’ first coined?

A

The term ‘sustainable development’ had its origin the International Union for Conservation of Natural Resources 1980 World Commission Strategy Report.

31
Q

When was the Brundtland Commission created?

A

1983

32
Q

What are the aims of sustainable development?

A

Conserve and nurture Biodiversity
Conserve natural assets
Preserve the regenerative capacity of the world’s ecological system
Avoid the imposition or addition of risks or costs on the future generation

33
Q

According to Herman Daly, what steps need to be taken to achieve sustainable development?

A

CONTROL THE GROWTH OF POPULATION- Limiting the population to within the carrying capacity of the environment
BECOME INPUT EFFICIENT- Ensuring that technological processes are input efficient and not input consuming
RESTRICT USE OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES- Ensuring that the rate of extraction of renewable resources does not exceed the rate of regeneration
SUBSTITUTE NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES WITH RENEWABLE RESOURCES- The rate of depletion of non-renewable resources should not exceed the rate of creation of renewable resources.
CONTROL POLLUTION- Inefficiencies sue to pollution should be corrected

34
Q

What are the strategies for sustainable devlopment?

A

NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY
- thermal and hydro power plants
thermal - carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide - greenhouse gases - fly ash - if not disposed of properly - contaminate soil water
hydro - inundate forests
- interfere with the natural flow of water in catchments and river basins
- wind power - if wind speed is high - no pollution - initial cost high - maintenance cost low - benefits - better - renewable, inexhaustible, does not use fossil fuels, does not emit any toxic substances no waste gennerated
solar power - india has abundance of sunlight - photovoltaic cells uses certain kind of materials to collect solar energy and convert it - india increasing - international solar alliance
mini hydel plants - numerous streams - mountains - perennial - local demand - do not change land use pattern - do away with large scale transmission towers and cables

CLEANER FUELS
rural areas - dung cake, biomass, wood - air pollution , deforestation, wastage of cow dung - subsidised LPG - less pollution - energy wastage minimised - biogas plants - loans and subsidies - feed cow dung - gas + slurry - fertiliser + soil conditioner
CNG - delhi - less air pollution

TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES
AYUSH
Medicinal plants - 15000
8000 in use
use in production - no side effects - no large scale industrial or chemical processing

BIOCOMPOST
fertilisers - large tracts of land unproductive - increased demand for irrigation chemical contamination of waters
compost - various organic wastes - cattle dung - earthworms compost organic matter faster than other processes

BIOPEST 
pesticides
contaminate
natural
neem
isolated compost substances
awareness of animals - pests
snakes - rats, mice, 
owls and peacocks - vermin and pests
lizards

CHANGE IN UNSUSTAINABLE PATTERN OF CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
wasteful consumption
consumerism
education
public awareness
limits and standards of consumption and production

LEGISLATION

economics (10 decks)

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