The term “Environment” denotes totality of

all extrinsic, physical and biotic factors effecting

the life and behaviour of all living things.
Therefore, it is important that the environment of
which land, water, air, human beings plants and
animals are the components be preserved and
protected from degradation to enable
maintenance of the ecological balance.
Considering that
these natural resources sustain life on the planet
being the basis of all our activities, whether
agricultural, industry is of vital importance.
 The term environment owes its genesis to a
French word „environ‟ means „encircle‟ and
encompasses within it the land, water, flora, fauna,
living creatures, forests and every thing on the earth.
Environment etymologically relates to „surroundings‟,
but obviously the concept that is relative to the object
which is surrounded in the sense environment include
anything.
Environment in its generic sense comprises of air,
water, land, the things imbibed and also embedded in
the land. The more specific meaning is taken as
covering the common physical surroundings such as air,
space, waters, land, plants and wildlife. Even this
meaning is still a vague and general one
What are the Causes and Consequences of Environmental
Problems?
The pressures on the world’s environment and
ecosystems are numerous and come from myriad and diverse
sources. Natural resources, land, water, forests and various
animal species are being degraded or lost at an alarming
rate in many places throughout the world. The reasons for the
magnitude and rate of this destruction are many and complex.
They include poverty, greed, untenable economic models,
mismanagement of resources, lack of adequate education and
trained personnel, under-development, deforestation, illegal
dumping of hazardous wastes, global warming, the depletion
of the ozone layer, pollution and many more. Essentially, an
over-emphasis on economic development without environmental
system considerations lies at the heart of why our planet’s
environment is in such peril.
How Can We Solve the World’s Environmental
Problems?

To say that a system or process is

sustainable is to say that it can be continued
indefinitely without depleting any of the material
or energy resources required to keep it running.
Trees, fish and other biological species are able
to grow and reproduce at rates faster than those
required just to keep their populations stable. This
built-in capacity allows every species to increase
or replace itself following natural disasters such
as flash floods, extreme droughts or wildfires.
 This ability to reproduce rather quickly makes it
possible to harvest a certain percentage of trees or fish
every year without depleting the forest or reducing the
fish population below a certain unsustainable base
number. As long as the number harvested stays within
the capacity of the population to grow and replace
itself, the practice can continue indefinitely. This is what
is referred to as “sustainable yield.” It becomes non-
sustainable only when the cuttings or catches exceed the
capacity for the species to recover its numbers
adequately to survive over time. Sustainable yield can
also be applied to freshwater supplies, soils and the
ability of natural systems such as the atmosphere or a
river to absorb pollutants without being damaged.
Issue Name Root Causes Impacts or Effects Possible or
on Sustainability Proposed Solutions
Air Pollution • Sources of air • pollution are diverse • Developing and
pollution are both and numerous. Air communicating the
natural and human- pollution can have scientific knowledge
based. serious consequences and understanding
• Pervasive use of for the health of required to
fossil fuels for human beings, and appreciate the
also severely affects significance of
combustion
natural ecosystems. ecosystems
purposes for
• Ozone and other • Analysing the effects
transportation and photochemical of air pollution on
electricity oxidants in the upper human beings
generation all over atmosphere are also • Actively engaging
the world highly toxic to both with the process of
• Design of cities and plants and animals. developing policy
other human spaces • Toxic chemicals in the • Building the capacity
in ways that air include to identify air
increase the carcinogenic pollution problems
incidence of air chemicals, and to identify and
pollution radioactive materials, implement policies to
• Weak laws and and other chemicals reduce their impacts
regulations that (such as asbestos, • Developing and
would monitor and vinyl chloride, and implementing suitable
benzene) that are controls
regulate emissions
emitted as pollutants • Undertaking a
from cars and
massive systems
factories switch to renewable
energy