ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Definition and Concept of Environment

Environmental Studies
Environmental studies is not just another theory paper that
students are expected to rush through. On the contrary, it is much
more potent in its content and its proper understanding will not
only help young learners live their lives in the most sustainable
manner, but will also help them make a difference and contribute
to the reversal of many of the ailments that afflict Mother Earth.

Environmental studies deals with every issue that affects an

organism. It is essentially a multidisciplinary approach that
brings about an appreciation of our natural world and human
impacts on its integrity.

Flora refers to all plant life and fauna refers to all animal life. Fauna cannot prepare their own food so they depend upon the flora for their food.
Scope (Intention, Objective)
As we look around at the area in which we live, we see that our surroundings were
originally a natural landscape such as a forest, a river, a mountain, a desert, or a
combination of these elements.

Most of us live in landscapes that have been heavily modified by human beings, in
villages, towns or cities. But even those of us who live in cities get our food supply from
surrounding villages and these in turn are dependent on natural landscapes such as
forests, grasslands, rivers, seashores, for resources such as water for agriculture, fire
wood, fodder, and fish.

Thus our daily lives are linked with our surroundings and inevitably affects them. We use
water to drink and for other day-to-day activities. We breathe air, we use resources from
which food is made and we depend on the community of living plants and animals which
form a web of life, of which we are also a part. Everything around us forms our
environment and our lives depend on keeping its vital systems as intact as possible.
Our dependence on nature is so great that we cannot continue to live
without protecting the earth’s environmental resources. Thus most
traditions refer to our environment as ‘Mother Nature’ and most
traditional societies have learned that respecting nature is vital for
their livelihoods. This has led to many cultural practices that helped
traditional societies protect and preserve their natural resources.
Respect for nature and all living creatures is not new to India. All our
traditions are based on these values.

Over the past 200 years however, modern societies began to believe
that easy answers to the question of producing more resources could
be provided by means of technological innovations. For example,
growing more food by using fertilizers and pesticides, developing
better strains of domestic animals and crops, irrigating farmland
through mega dams and developing industry, led to rapid economic
growth, the ill effects of this type of development, led to environmental
degradation.
The industrial development and intensive agriculture that provides the goods
for our increasingly consumer oriented society uses up large amounts of
natural resources such as water, minerals, petroleum products, wood, etc.
Non-renewable resources, such as minerals and oil are those which will be
exhausted in the future if we continue to extract these without a thought for
subsequent generations. Renewable resources, such as timber and water, are
those which can be used but can be regenerated by natural processes such as
regrowth or rainfall. But these too will be depleted if we continue to use them
faster than nature can replace them. For example, if the removal of timber and
firewood from a forest is faster than the regrowth and regeneration of trees, it
cannot replenish the supply. And loss of forest cover not only depletes the
forest of its resources, such as timber and other non-wood products, but affects
our water resources because an intact natural forest acts like a sponge which
holds water and releases it slowly. Deforestation leads to floods in the
monsoon and dry rivers once the rains are over.
Our natural resources can be compared with money in a bank. If we use it rapidly,
the capital will be reduced to zero. On the other hand, if we use only the interest, it
can sustain us over the longer term. This is called sustainable development.

Understanding and making ourselves more aware of our environmental assets and
problems is not enough. Each one of us, must become increasingly concerned
about our environment and change the way in which we use every resource. Words to remember:
Unsustainable utilization can result from overuse of resources, because of
population increase, and because many of us are using more resources than we ● Renewable / Non-Renewable
really need. Most of us indulge in wasteful behaviour patterns without ever thinking ● Resources
about their environmental impacts. Thus, for all our actions to be environmentally ● Sustainable / Unsustainable
positive we need to look from a new perspective at how we use resources. ● Natural resources
● Human activity
Importance
Environment is not a single subject. It is an integration of several subjects that include both Science and Social Studies. To understand all the
different aspects of our environment we need to understand biology, chemistry, physics, geography, resource management, economics and
population issues. Thus the scope of environmental studies is extremely wide and covers some aspects of nearly every major discipline.

We live in a world in which natural resources are limited. Water, air, soil, minerals, oil, the products we get from forests, grasslands, oceans
and from agriculture and livestock, are all a part of our life support systems. Without them, life itself would be impossible. As we keep
increasing in numbers and the quantity of resources each of us uses also increases, the earth’s resource base must inevitably shrink. The
earth cannot be expected to sustain this expanding level of utilization of resources. Added to this is misuse of resources. We waste or pollute
large amounts of nature’s clean water; we create more and more material like plastic that we discard after a single use; and we waste colossal
amounts of food, which is discarded as garbage.
Manufacturing processes create solid waste byproducts that are
discarded, as well as chemicals that flow out as liquid waste and
pollute water, and gases that pollute the air. Increasing amounts
of waste cannot be managed by natural processes. These
accumulate in our environment, leading to a variety of diseases
and other adverse environmental impacts now seriously affecting
all our lives. Air pollution leads to respiratory diseases, water
pollution to gastrointestinal diseases, and many pollutants are
known to cause cancer.

Improving this situation will only happen if each of us begins to

take actions in our daily lives that will help preserve our
environmental resources. We cannot expect Governments alone
to manage the safeguarding of the environment, nor can we
expect other people to prevent environmental damage. We need
to do it ourselves. It is a responsibility that each of us must take
on as one's own.
Need for Public Awareness Words to remember:

As the earth’s natural resources are dwindling and our environment is being increasingly ● Dwindling
degraded by human activities, it is evident that something needs to be done. We often ● Degrade
feel that managing all this is something that the Government should do. But if we go on ● Mass media
endangering our environment, there is no way in which the Government can perform all ● Green policies
● Conservation
these clean-up functions. It is the prevention of environment degradation in which we
must all take part that must become a part of all our lives. Just as for any disease,
prevention is better than cure. To prevent ill-effects on our environment by our actions, is
economically more viable than cleaning up the environment once it is damaged.
Individually we can play a major role in environment management. We can reduce
EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment)
wasting natural resources and we can act as watchdogs that inform the Government
about sources that lead to pollution and degradation of our environment. An EIA is an important process for evaluating
the likely environmental impact of a proposed
This can only be made possible through mass public awareness. Mass media such as project. It makes a scientific estimate of the
newspapers, radio, television, strongly influence public opinion. However, someone has likely impacts of a project, such as a mine,
to bring this about. If each of us feels strongly about the environment, the press and irrigation dam, industrial unit or waste
media will add to our efforts. Politicians in a democracy always respond positively to a treatment plant. It is basically, a
strong publicly supported movement. Thus if you join an NGO that supports decision-making tool to decide whether the
conservation, politicians will make green policies. We are living on spaceship earth with a project should be approved or not.
limited supply of resources. Each of us is responsible for spreading this message to as
many people as possible.
Need for Public Awareness
Suggested further activities for concerned students:

1. Join a group to study nature, such as WWF-I or BNHS, or another environmental

group.
2. Begin reading newspaper articles and periodicals such as ‘Down to Earth’, WWF-I
newsletter, BNHS Hornbill, Sanctuary magazine, etc. that will tell you more about
our environment. There are also several environmental websites.
3. Lobby for conserving resources by taking up the cause of environmental issues
during discussions with friends and relatives.
4. Practice and promote issues such as saving paper, saving water, reducing use of
plastics, practicing the 3Rs principle of reduce, reuse, recycle, and proper waste
disposal.
5. Join local movements that support activities such as saving trees in your area, go
on nature treks, recycle waste, buy environmentally friendly products.
6. Practice and promote good civic sense such as no spitting or tobacco chewing, no
throwing garbage on the road, no smoking in public places, no urinating or
defecating in public places.
7. Take part in events organised on World Environment Day, Wildlife Week, etc.
8. Visit a National Park or Sanctuary, or spend time in whatever nature you have
near your home.
Institutions in Environment
There have been several Government and Non-government organizations
that have led to environmental protection in our country.

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai:

the BNHS began as a small society of six members in 1883. It grew from a
group of shikaris and people from all walks of life into a major research
organisation that substantially influenced conservation policy in the country.
The influence on wildlife policy building, research, popular publications and
peoples action have been unique features of the multi-faceted society.
Undoubtedly its major contribution has been in the field of wildlife research.
It is India’s oldest conservation research based NGO and one that has
acted at the forefront of the battle for species and ecosystems. The BNHS
has over the years helped Government to frame wildlife related laws and
has taken up battles such as the ‘Save the Silent Valley’ campaign.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-I), New Delhi

The WWF-I was initiated in 1969 in Mumbai after which

the headquarters were shifted to Delhi with several
branch offices all over India. The early years focused
attention on wildlife education and awareness. It runs
several programs including the Nature Clubs of India
program for school children and works as a think tank
and lobby force for environment and development
issues.
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI):

The ZSI was established in 1916. Its mandate was to do a

systematic survey of fauna in India. It has over the years
collected ‘type specimens’ on the bases of which our animal
life has been studied over the years. Its origins were
collections based at the Indian Museum at Calcutta, which
was established in 1875. Older collections of the Asiatic
Society of Bengal, which were made between 1814 and
1875, as well as those of the Indian Museum made between
1875 and 1916 were then transferred to the ZSI. Today it has
over a million specimens! This makes it one of the largest
collections in Asia. It has done an enormous amount of work
on taxonomy and ecology. It currently operates from 16
regional centers all over India.
Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON),
Coimbatore:

This institution was Dr. Salim Ali’s dream that became a reality only
after his demise. He wished to support a group of committed
conservation scientists on a permanent basis. Initially conceived as
being a wing of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) it later
evolved as an independent organisation based at Coimbatore in
1990. It has instituted a variety of field programs that have added
to the country’s information on our threatened biodiversity.

Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of

birds.
People in Environment
Salim Ali

Salim Ali was a famous ornithologist in India. He wrote several

great books including the famous ‘Book of Indian Birds’ and 'Fall of
a Sparrow’ and should be read by every nature enthusiast. He was
our country’s leading conservation scientist and influenced
environmental policies in our country for over 50 years.
People in Environment
Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi, as prime minister of India, played a highly

significant role in the preservation of India’s wildlife. It was
during her tenure as PM that the network of PAs grew from 65
to 298. The Wildlife Protection Act was formulated during the
period when she was PM, and the Indian Board for Wildlife was
extremely active, as she personally chaired all its meetings.
Indira Gandhi
Medha Patkar

Medha Patkar is known as one of India’s champions who has

supported the cause of downtrodden tribal people whose
environment is being affected by the dams on the Narmada
river.

Medha Patkar
People in Environment
Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, (The father of green
revolution)

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan is one of India’s foremost

agricultural scientists and has also been concerned
with various aspects of biodiversity conservation both
of cultivars and wild biodiversity. He has founded the
M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai,
which does work on the conservation of biological
diversity.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan

Question
Part A

1. What is the scope of environmental studies?

2. Name one well-known environmental thinker who inspires you and explain why.
3. Who is Salim Ali?
4. Who is Medha Patkar? What is her contribution towards environmental protection?
5. Who is Indira Gandhi and what is her contribution in the protection of wildlife?
6. Who is Dr. M.S. Swaminathan?
7. What is EIA?

Part B

1. What is the importance of environmental studies?

2. What are the environmental concerns in your area? Discuss the means to address the same.
3. Why is it important to spread public awareness on environmental issues?
4. What are some of the activities that you can be a part of to raise environmental awareness amongst people?
5. Name and describe the activities of any environmental institution that you are aware of.