2. OBJECTIVE OF PROJECT-“THE ENVIRONMENT”
The subject ‘Contemporary Issues’ deals with
the study of current affairs happening around
and the issues that have taken place in past
but impinged even today. The study of Envir-
onment is an indistinguishable part of Conte-
mporary Issues and has to be studied.
It involves apprehension of environment
and it’s relation with economy, Environme-
ntal degradation, the vexed question of Glo-
bal Warming, the Environmental movements
& UNEP. However, these few topics do not
cover the entire concept of Environment but
this information adds on our knowledge and
enhances our understanding of
“The Environment”
3. THE ENVIRONMENT
The Environment, a term that encompasses
all living and non-living things occurring
naturally on Earth. It is the total sum of living
and non living components ,enfluences and
events surrounding an organism.
4. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ECONOMY
AND ENVIRONMENT
The economy occupies some proportion
of the available space, and this proportion
could be large or small. The environment
is shown as an open system in terms of
energy, since energy is obtained from the
sun, but as a closed system in terms of
matter, since only stray meteorites add
negligible amounts of matter to that
already within the earth.
RBEE MODEL
This relationship between the economy and the
environment is depicted in the RBEE Model .
The economy is shown as an open subsystem of
the environment. Matter and energy are extracted
from the environment and transformed into goods
that people use. Waste matter and waste energy
are discharged by the economy back into the
environment.
5. ENVIRONMENT
DEGRATION
Environmental degradation
is the deterioration of the
environment through deple-
tion of resources such as air,
water and soil; the destruct-
ion of ecosystems and the
extinction of wildlife.
6. Deforestation Water Pollution
Air Pollution Sound Pollution
Ozone Depletion
7. GLOBAL WARMING
The potential dangers of global warming are being
increasingly studied by a wide global consortium of
scientists, who are increasingly concerned about the
potential long-term effects of global warming on our
natural environment and on the planet.
Evidence can be seen throughout the world. Glaciers
are melting in South America and Africa, among
other places. The poles are being hit hard. The
levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere directly
correspond with the temperature of earth.
Bollywood mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan
Tuesday pitched in to flag the issue of global
warming and sent a message to the burgeoning
middle class in the country to understand its
dangerous after-effects
9. WORLD SHOULD BE WITHOUT BORDERS
We have done a grave mistake in
dividing this world into nations.
There is only one nation and that is
the world .World without borders’ is
a book written by Lester R. Brown.
The book is divided into five parts.
The first part is the inventory of
mankind’s problems, second part
is keys to our future, the third part
is creating a global economy, the The author also says that a global
fourth is creating a global infrastru- communication system is needed.
cture and the fifth part is shaping In the last two chapters, the author
the future. In the last three parts, writes that a world without borders
the author writes in detail about his will reduce many of our problems. The
idea of a world without borders. He number of poor people will be
says that a global economy is reduced. The quality of life will be
essential. We have to redistribute improved. Technology will be used for
resources equally to all in the world. human needs in a very reasonable
The economies of the world have to manner.
be unified and integrated.
10. MR. LESTER R BROWN ENVIRONMENTALIST AND
AUTHOR OF WORLD WITHOUT BORDERS
11. RESOURCE USE & SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability, in a broad sense,is the capa- Environmental sustainability
city of maintaining a certain process or state. Environmental sustainability is the
It is now most frequently used in connection process of making sure current
with biological and human systems. In an processes of interaction with the
ecological context, sustainability can be environment are pursued with the
defined as the ability of an ecosystem to idea of keeping the environment as
maintain ecological processes, functions, pristine as naturally possible based
biodiversity and productivity into the future. on ideal-seeking
behavior.
Sustainable development is a pattern of
resource use that aims to meet human
needs while preserving the environment so
that these needs can be met not only in the
present, but in the indefinite future. The term
was used by the Brundtland Commission
which coined what has become the most
often-quoted definition of sustainable
development as development that "meets the
needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs."
12. ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT
The environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green
movements, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing
environmental issues. Environmentalists are also often linked with other social movements,
such as human and animal rights and pacifism.
13. ENVIRONMENT & PEOPLE
We have seen how environment is important The mission of the Environmental Protection
for us and it’s protection is even more impor- Agency is to protect human health and the
tant. Recognizing this, Government and the environment. Since 1970, EPA has been
NGOs have taken initiative for securing the working for a cleaner, healthier environment
Environmental balance. for the American people.
The government and the industry is jointly
launching a partnership initiative for environ-
mental protection. As many as 17 major indu-
stries, including cement, aluminum, thermal
power plants, oil refineries, pesticides, iron
and steel, pulp and paper, copper and zinc,
distilleries, sugar, petrochemicals, dyes and
dye intermediates, caustic soda, pharmaceu-
ticals, tanneries and fertilizer industries, have
agreed to participate in the programme.
EPA,united States Environmental Protection
Agency, leads the nation's environmental
science, research, education and assessment
efforts.
14. It`s mission is to promote and demonstrate innovative ways to
improve the air quality in Asian cities through partnerships
and sharing experiences.
ICLEI-Local Government for Sustainability is an international
association of Local Governments as well as national &
regional Local Government organization that have made a
commitment to sustainable development.
15. Chipko Movement, India
In the 1970s and 1980s this
resistance to the destruction of
forests spread throughout India and
became organized and known as
the Chipko Movement.
Sunderlal Bahuguna, pioneer
of “Chipko Movement,” to save
the trees from commercial
logging has used this word long
before our Munnabhai MBBS has
used the word Jaadu Ka jappi.the
magical hug
17. EPA
United States Environmental
Protection Agency, leads the nation's
environmental science, research,
education and assessment efforts.
The mission of the Environmental
Protection Agency is to protect human
health and the environment. Since 1970,
EPA has been working for a cleaner,
healthier environment for the American
people.
Ashoka Trust for Research in
Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)-
works towards advancing environmental
protection and conservation of biodiversity
18. UNEP
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) It has played a significant role in developing
coordinates United Nations environmental international environmental conventions,
activities, assisting developing countries in promoting environmental science and
implementing environmentally sound information and illustrating the way those
policies and encourages sustainable develo- can work in conjunction with policy, working
pment through sound environmental on the development and implementation of
practices. It was founded as a result of the policy with national governments and regio-
United Nations Conference on the nal institution and working in conjunction
Human Environment in June 1972 and is with environmental Non-Governmental
headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. UNEP Organizations (NGOs). UNEP has also been
also has six regional offices and various active in funding and implementing
country offices. Its activities cover a wide environmentally related development projects.
range of issues regarding the atmosphere,
marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
19. The Film makers have come forward for
speading the awareness of Envirnomental
Protection through their movies
20. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Official site of the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which
chronicles former Vice President Al Gore's career-long crusade
to raise awareness about -- and stem the tide of -- the potentially
catastrophic effects of global warming
A Civil Action (1999),
John Travolta plays the lead as a civil ligation lawyer and his decade
long case against an American corporation in a water pollution
dispute brought by citizens of a Massachusetts town
Fire Down Below (1997)
Steven Seagal plays as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
agent assigned to track down the killers of a colleague. Turns out
the killers also happen to be involved in the dumping of toxic waste
throughout Appalachia.
The End of the World (2005)
Starring: Gina Gershon, Cameron Daddo
Super-severe tornados and hurricanes set about wiping out the
world's major cities. Is global warming to blame? Well, it's a little
more complicated that that, but the answer and the action are
presented in an engaging way, albeit with the normal amount of
over-Hollywooded silliness. If you enjoyed The Day After Tomorrow,
you'll like this too.
21. SILENT SPRINGS
Silent Spring is a book written by Rachel
Carson and published by Houghton Mifflin
in September 1962. The book is widely credited
with helping launch the Environmental Movement.
When Rachel Carson's Silent Spring was published
in 1962, it generated a storm of controversy over
The use of chemical pesticides.