EVS

1. UNIT 1. Introduction to Environmental Studies
Lecture 1: Multidisciplinary nature; Components of environment
(Atmosphere, Hydrosphere , Lithosphere and Biosphere)
Lecture 2: Scope & Importance; Concept of Sustainability and Sustainable
Development; Brief History of Environmentalism
Dr. Prerna Joshi
ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES (AECC-I)

2. Environment – in lay terms ‘Surrounding’
Environment = Fr. ‘Envirroner’ = ‘to encircle or surround’
It is the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences
affecting life and development of an organism’.
How does it affect? Through interactions
Definition : Sum total of water, air and land, inter-relationships among
themselves and also with human beings, other living organisms and
property (EPA 1986).

3. Multidisciplinary Nature of EVS
• Environment consists of diverse components – air, water, soil, biota,
humans, human activities = so we need knowledge from various
disciplines.
• Also, the main characteristics of EVS include:
üConservation of natural resources.
üMaintenance and management of biological diversity.
üControlling and managing environmental pollution.
üStabilisation of human population and its resource use.
üDevelopment of alternate sources of renewable energy systems.
üProviding new dimension to nation’s security through conservation,
protection, management and maintenance of environment.

4. • Environment is constituted by the interacting system of physical,
biological and cultural elements which are interlinked individually as
well as collectively in myriad ways.
Therefore, environment is an
inseparable whole and not static;
since the various factors (biotic
& abiotic) are in a constant state
of flux, environment becomes a
very dynamic entity.

5. • Life Sciences including Botany, Zoology, Microbiology, Genetics,
Biochemistry and Biotechnology help in understanding the biotic
component and their interactions.
e.g. how are pesticide taken up by agricultural crops and what fraction gets
stored in the grains or edible parts – Crop physiology, biochemistry, etc.
• The physical and chemical structure of the abiotic components and
energy transfer and flow are understood with the help of basic concepts
of Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Atmospheric Science, Oceanography and
Geography. (Physical Sciences & Earth Sciences)
e.g. temperatures in coastal areas are moderated due to presence of a large
water body? Through energy transfer by and and sea breezes
• Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science serve as effective tools in
environmental modelling and management.
e.g. IPCC report stating the average surface temperature of the Earth
will cross 1.5 °C over pre-industrial levels in the next 20 years (By
2040)- inevitable even in best case scenario.

6. • Education, Economics, Sociology and Mass communication provide the
inputs for dealing with the socio-economic aspects associated with
various developmental activities.
e.g. Aarey forest – metro card shed.
• A synthesis with Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Hydraulics
and Chemical Engineering form the basis for various technologies dealing
with the control of environmental pollution, waste-treatment and
development of cleaner technologies that are important for protection of
the environment.
e.g. oil spills – how to absorb the oil – clay sponges, magnetic
soaps, Oilzapper (a cocktail of five different bacterial strains which consume
the HCs and produce CO2 and H2O).
• Environmental laws provide the tools for effective management and
protection of the environment.
e.g. Air Pollution Act 1981.
Environmental Studies, therefore, is a multi-disciplinary subject where
different aspects are dealt with a holistic approach.

7. COMPONENTS OF THE
ENVIRONMENT

8. THE EARTH'S STRUCTURE
The earth is made up of three different layers: the crust, the mantle and the core.
The crust
Outside layer of the earth and is
made of solid rock, mostly basalt and
granite.
There are two types of crust; oceanic
and continental.
Oceanic crust is denser and thinner
and mainly composed of basalt.
Continental crust is less dense,
thicker, and mainly composed of
granite.
The mantle
The mantle lies below the crust and is up to 2900 km thick.
It consists of hot, dense, iron and magnesium-rich solid rock.
The core
The core is the centre of the earth and is made up of two parts: the liquid outer core and
solid inner core. The outer core is made of nickel, iron and molten rock. Temperatures here
can reach up to 50,000 C.

9. LITHOSPHERE
Greek word "lithos" = rock.
The lithosphere is the solid outer section of Earth which includes Earth's crust
(the "skin" of rock on the outer layer of planet Earth), as well as the underlying
cool, dense, and fairly rigid upper part of the upper mantle.
The lithosphere extends from the surface of Earth to a depth of about 70-100 km.
The main component of lithosphere is earth’s tectonic plates.

10. ATMOSPHERE
• The gaseous layer enveloping the Earth.
• It mainly comprises 78.08% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.039% carbon
dioxide, and traces of hydrogen, helium, and noble gases. The amount of water vapor
present is variable (0-3%).
• Earth's atmosphere has a series of layers, each with its own specific traits.
• Moving upward from ground level, these layers are named the troposphere,
stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.

11. Layers of Atmosphere (Thermal Stratification)
• Troposphere
ü The lowest layer of our atmosphere.
ü Starting at ground level, it extends upward to about 11 km above sea level.
ü It contains most of our weather - clouds, rain, snow.
ü In troposphere, the temperature decreases with altitude by about 6.5°C per
kilometre.
ü It contains about 75% of all of the air in the atmosphere, and almost all of the
water vapour (which forms clouds and rain).
ü Earth’s surface is a major source of heat for the troposphere, although nearly all
of that heat comes from the Sun. Rock, soil, and water on Earth absorb the Sun’s
light and radiate it back (longwave radiation) into the atmosphere as heat. The
decrease in temperature with height is a result of the decreasing pressure.
ü The top of the troposphere is called the tropopause. This is lowest at the poles,
where it is about 7 - 10 km above the Earth's surface. It is highest (about 17 -
18 km) near the equator.

12. • Stratosphere
ü The stratosphere extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50 km above the ground.
ü The famous ozone layer (15-30 km) is found within the stratosphere. (@ peak 32kms = 15ppm;
otherwise 6ppb). 90% of O3 is found here.
ü Ozone molecules in this layer absorb high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun, converting the
UV energy into heat. Ozone screens all of the most energetic, UV-c, radiation, and most of the UV-b
radiation. Ozone only screens about half of the UV-a radiation.
ü The increase in temperature with height occurs because of absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiation
from the sun by this ozone.
ü Temperatures in the stratosphere are highest over the summer pole, and lowest over the winter
pole.

13. • Mesosphere
ü Above the stratosphere is the mesosphere.
ü It extends upward to a height of about 85 km above our planet.
ü Most meteors burn up in the mesosphere.
ü Here the temperature again decreases with height, reaching a minimum of about -90°C at the
"mesopause".- Because there are few gas molecules in the mesosphere to absorb the Sun’s
radiation, the heat source is the stratosphere below.
• Thermosphere
The layer of very rare air above the mesosphere is called the thermosphere.
High- energy X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun are absorbed in the thermosphere (N &O atoms),
raising its temperature to hundreds or at times thousands of degrees.
Temperatures in the upper thermosphere can range from about 500° C to 2,000°C or higher.
The region of the atmosphere above about 80 km is also caused the "ionosphere", since the
energetic solar radiation knocks electrons off molecules and atoms, turning them into "ions" with a
positive charge.The ionosphere reflects and absorbs radio waves.
A further region at about 500 km above the Earth's surface is called the exosphere. It contains mainly
oxygen and hydrogen atoms, but there are so few of them that they rarely collide.

14. HYDROSPHERE
•Comprises of all forms of water bodies on earth including marine (oceans, seas) freshwater
(rivers, lakes, ponds, streams) and groundwater resources etc.
• It covers 71% of earth’s surface.

15. • 97% of water
found on Earth is in
the oceans in the
form of salt water.
• Only 3 % of water
on Earth is
freshwater.
• Out of this, 30.1%
is available as
groundwater and
68.7% is in frozen
forms as in glaciers
and icecaps.
• Amount of 0.3% is
available as surface
water in rivers,
reservoirs and lakes
and is easily
accessible to man.

16. BIOSPHERE
• It refers to all the regions on Earth where life exists.
• The ecosystems that support life could be in soil, air, water or land. The
term Biosphere was coined by Geologist Edward Suess who used this term
for place on Earth where life can be found.
• Biosphere refers to the sum total of all living matter, the biomass or biota.
• It extends from the polar ice caps to the equator, with each region harboring
some life form suitable to the conditions there.

17. SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Scope of environmental studies is broad based and it encompasses a
large number of areas and aspects, broadly listed below:
• Natural Resources - their conservation and management.
• Ecology and biodiversity.
• Environmental pollution and control.
• Social issues in relation to development and environment.
• Human population and environment
These are the basic aspects of Environmental Studies which have a
direct relevance to every section of the society.
Environmental studies can be highly specialized also which may
concentrate on more technical aspects like Environmental Science,
Environmental Engineering, Environmental Management, Environmental
Biotechnology etc.

18. v Environment belongs to all and is thus important for all.Whatever be the
occupation or age of a person, he or she will be affected by environment and will
also affect the environment by his or her deeds.
v Environment - truely global in nature.
e.g. atmosphere has no boundaries and the pollutants produced at one place can be
dispersed and transported to another place.
The river water polluted by industrial or municipal discharge at one point would seriously
affect the downstream aquatic life.
Damage to the forests in a hilly region will have far reaching effect not only on the hills but
also on the plains.
This is because environment is a closely and intricately woven network of components and
functions. There are some environmental problems which may be of localized importance
but there are some major issues like global warming, depletion of ozone layer, dwindling
forests and energy resources, loss of global biodiversity etc. that are going to affect the
mankind as a whole and for that we have to think globally.
For dealing with local environmental issues, e.g. the impacts of mining or hydro-electric
projects, solid waste management etc. we have to think and act locally. In order to make
the people aware about those aspects of environment with which they are so intimately
associated, it is very important to make every one environmentally educated.
IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

19. v Environmental studies is very important since it deals with the most mundane issues
like safe and clean drinking water, hygienic living conditions, clean and fresh air, fertile
land, healthy food and development that is sustainable.
v There is a need for trained manpower at every level to deal with environmental issues.
v Environmental law, business administration and environmental engineering are emerging
as new career opportunities for environmental protection and management.
v With the pollution control laws becoming more stringent, industries are finding it
difficult to dispose off the produced wastes, and are trying to adopt green technologies,
which would reduce pollution. Investing in pollution control technologies will reduce
pollution as well as cut on costs for effluent treatment. Market for pollution control
technology is huge the world over.
v Cleaning up of the wastes produced is another potential market.
ü It is estimated to be more than $ 100 billion per year for all American business.
ü Germany and Japan having more stringent laws for many years have gained more
experience in reducing effluents. Still there is a $ 200 billion market for cleaning up the
former east Germany alone.
In India also the Pollution Control Boards are seriously implementing pollution control
laws and insisting on upgradation of effluents to meet the prescribed standards before
they are discharged on land or into a water body.

20. CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY &
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
In addition to natural resources, we also need social and economic
resources.Therefore, Sustainability is not just environmentalism.
Three Pillars of Sustainability

21. Environmental Sustainability
Ecological integrity is maintained, all of earth’s environmental systems are kept
in balance while natural resources within them are consumed by humans at a
rate where they are able to replenish themselves.
Economic Sustainability
Human communities across the globe are able to maintain their independence
and have access to the resources that they require, financial and other, to meet
their needs. Economic systems are intact and activities are available to
everyone, such as secure sources of livelihood.
Social Sustainability
Universal human rights and basic necessities are attainable by all people, who
have access to enough resources in order to keep their families and
communities healthy and secure. Healthy communities have just leaders who
ensure personal, labour and cultural rights are respected and all people are
protected from discrimination.

22. After four years, the “Brundtland Commission” released its final report, Our
Common Future, which defines sustainable development as:
"development that meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
The Commission successfully unified environmentalism with social and economic
concerns on the world’s development agenda.
Sustainability is a holistic approach that considers ecological, social and economic
dimensions, recognizing that all must be considered together to find lasting
prosperity.
The Bruntdland Commission
In 1983, the United Nations formed a World Commission on Environment and
Development chaired by former Prime Minister of Norway, Mr. Gro Harlem
Brundtland.
After decades of effort to raise living standards through industrialization, many
countries were still dealing with extreme poverty. It seemed that economic
development at the cost of ecological health and social equity did not lead to long-
lasting prosperity. It was clear that the world needed to find a way to harmonize
ecology with prosperity.

23. As per the UN, there are four dimensions to sustainable development –
society, environment, culture and economy – which are intertwined, not
separate.
What is the difference between sustainable development and
sustainability?
Sustainability is a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), while
sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to
achieve it (e.g. sustainable agriculture and forestry, sustainable production and
consumption, good government, research and technology transfer, education
and training, etc.). (UNESCO)

24. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
2015- UN Sustainable Development Summit ; All UN Member states adopted The
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It provides a shared blueprint for peace
and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.At its heart are the 17
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all
countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.
The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN.
• 1992: Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, more than 178 countries adopted
Agenda 21, a comprehensive plan of action to build a global partnership for
sustainable development to improve human lives and protect the environment.
• 2000: Millennium Summit, NewYork, Member States unanimously adopted the
Millennium Declaration. The Summit led to the elaboration of 8 Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce extreme poverty by 2015.
• 2002: World Summit on Sustainable Development - The Johannesburg
Declaration on Sustainable Development and the Plan of Implementation. It
reaffirmed the global community's commitments to poverty eradication and the
environment, and built on Agenda 21 and the Millennium Declaration by including
more emphasis on multilateral partnerships.

25. • 2012: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, Member States adopted the outcome document "The Future We Want" in which they
decided, to launch a process to develop a set of SDGs to build upon the MDGs.The Rio +20
outcome also contained other measures for implementing sustainable development, including mandates
for future programmes of work in development financing, small island developing states and more.
Subsequently the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with 17 SDGs at its core, was adopted
at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015.
2015 was a landmark year for multilateralism and international policy shaping, with the adoption of
several major agreements:
ü Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (March 2015)
ü Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development (July 2015)
ü Paris Agreement on Climate Change (December 2015)

26. BRIEF HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTALISM
EARLY RESPONSE – when did man become aware of his
environment?
• Awareness of our delicate relationship with our habitat likely arose
among early hunter-gatherers when they saw how fire and hunting tools
impacted their environment.
• Ecological awareness first appears in the human record at least 5,000
years ago.Vedic sages praised the wild forests in their hymns, Buddha
taught compassion for all sentient beings.
• The earliest human history contains indications of sacredness of nature,
the importance of restraining our power, and our obligation to care for
the natural world.
• Five thousand years ago, the Indus civilisation, practiced waste
management and sanitation.Why? Recognition of the effects of pollution
on human health.
• In 1306, the King of England limited coal burning in London due to smog.

27. ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS – when did man realise he had some
basic environmental rights?
• The first real environmental activists were the Bishnois of Khejarli, who in
1720 attempted to protect the forest being felled by the Maharaja.
• The 18th century witnessed the dawn of modern environmental
rights. After a yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, U.S. , Benjamin
Franklin petitioned to manage waste and to remove tanneries for clean
air as a public “right”
• At the same time in Britain, Jeremy Bentheu, wrote An Introduction to
Principles of Morals and Legislation which argued for animal rights.
• Thomas Malthus wrote his famous essay warning that human
overpopulation would lead to ecological destruction.
• At the end of the 19th century, in Germany, zoologist Ernst Haeckel
discussed the relationships among species and coined the word ‘ökologie’
(from the Greek oikos, meaning home), the science we now know as
ecology.

28. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION – When did man take action to
protect his environmental rights?
• In the early 20th century, Hamilton led a campaign against lead
poisoning from leaded petrol and diesel, in US.
• In early 1950s, industrial smog choked major world cities, especially
London. In 1956, the British Parliament passed the first Clean Air Act.
• Rachel Carson brought the environmental movement into focus with
the 1962 publication of Silent Spring, describing the impact of chemical
pesticides (DDT) on biodiversity.
• In India, villagers in Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand, inspired by Gandhian
ideology defended the forest against commercial logging by encircling
and embracing trees.Their movement spread across northern India,
known as Chipko.

29. In India, several Government and Non- government organizations have led
to environmental protection and conservation of nature and natural
resources. in our country.
1. Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai:
• It began as a small society of six members in 1883. It is a major research
organisation that substantially influenced conservation policy in the
country.
• Its unique work is on the fronts of wildlife policy formulation, research,
popular publications and peoples action.
• 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 publishes a popular magazine called Hornbill and also an
internationally well-known Journal on Natural History.
• The BNHS has over the years helped Government to frame wildlife
related laws and has taken up battles such as the ‘Save the SilentValley’
campaign.
INSTITUTIONS IN ENVIRONMENT

30. 2.WorldWide Fund for Nature - India (WWF- I), New Delhi:
• It 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.
• It works as a think tank and lobby force for environment and
development issues.
• It mission includes:
üConserving the world's biological diversity,
üEnsuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable,
üPromoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

31. 3. Center for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi:
Established in 1980, it is a public interest research and advocacy organisation based in
New Delhi.
Its activities include:
ü Communication for environmental awareness (publications, films, posters,
campaigns, workshops and conferences), e.g. ‘State of India’s Environment’ and
‘Down to Earth’.
ü Education and training of professionals, public administrators, private sector
executives NGO professionals, students and others in environmental issues.
ü Research and Advocacy to create awareness about problems and propose
sustainable solutions.
ü Knowledge Portal : an excellent resource centre with information -- printed and
visual -- on sustainable development issues.
ü Pollution Monitoring: CSE’s Pollution Monitoring Laboratory monitors toxic
contamination of the environment and uses the results of this monitoring to
advocate for improved regulation of the use of toxins in the country.

32. 4. CPR Environmental Education Centre, Madras:
• The CPR EEC was set up in 1988.
• It conducts a variety of programs to spread environmental awareness
and creates an interest in conservation among the general public.
• It focusses attention on NGOs, teachers, women, youth and children
to generally promote conservation of nature and natural resources.
• Its programs include components on wildlife and biodiversity issues.
5. Centre for Environment Education (CEE),Ahmedabad:
• The Centre for Environment Education,Ahmedabad was initiated in
1989.
• It has a wide range of programs on the environment and produces a
variety of educational material.

33. 6. BharatiVidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and
Research (BVIEER), Pune:
• The Institute has a PhD, a Masters and Bachelors program in
Environmental Sciences.
• It also offers an innovative Diploma in Environment Education for in-
service teachers.
• It implements a large outreach programme in which it trains teachers and
conducts fortnightly Environment Education Programs.
• Biodiversity Conservation is a major focus of its research initiatives.
• It develops low cost Interpretation Centres for Natural and Architectural
sites that are highly locale specific as well as a large amount of innovative
environment educational material for a variety of target groups.
• Its unique feature is that it conducts environment education from primary
school level to the postgraduate level.

34. 7. Uttarkhand Seva Nidhi (UKSN),Almora:
• The Organisation is a Nodal Agency which supports NGOs in need of
funds for their environment related activities.
• Its major program is organising and training school teachers to use its
locale specific Environment EducationWorkbook Program.
• The main targets are linked with sustainable resource use at the
village level through training school children.

35. 8. Kalpavriksh, Pune:
• It works on a variety of fronts:
ü education and awareness
ü investigation and research
ü direct action and lobbying
ü litigation with regard to environment and development issues.
• Its activities include talks and audio-visuals in schools and colleges,
nature walks and outstation camps, organising student participation in
ongoing campaigns including street demonstrations, pushing for
consumer awareness regarding organic food, press statements,
handling green alerts, and meetings with the city’s administrators.
• It is involved with the preparation of site-specific, environmental
manuals for schoolteachers.
• Kalpavriksh was responsible for developing India’s National
Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan in 2003.

36. 9. Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History
(SACON), Coimbatore:
Salim Ali, known as the father of Indian Ornithology took initiatives to establish a national
institution to develop expertise and knowledge in the field of ornithology and nature
conservation. 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.
The major objectives of SACON are:
• To design and conduct research in ornithology covering all aspects of biodiversity and
natural history
• To develop and conduct regular courses in ornithology and natural history for M.Sc.,
M.Phil. and Ph.D. and also, short term orientation courses in the above subjects
• To create data bank on Indian ornithology and natural history
• To disseminate knowledge relating to ornithology and natural history for the benefit of
the community
• To confer honorary awards and other distinctions to persons who have rendered
outstanding services in the fields of ornithology and natural history
(Ornithology is the branch of zoology dealing with the study of birds.)

37. 10.Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun:
• This Institution was established in 1982, as a major training
establishment for Forest Officials and Research in Wildlife
Management.
• It offers training program, academic courses and advisory in wildlife
research and management.
• Its most significant publication has been ‘Planning A Wildlife Protected
Area Network for India’ (Rodgers and Panwar, 1988).
• The organisation has over the years added an enormous amount of
information on India’s biological wealth.
• It has trained a large number of Forest Department Officials and Staff
as Wildlife Managers.
• Its M.Sc. Program has trained excellent wildlife scientists.
• It also has an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) cell.
• It trains personnel in ecodevelopment, wildlife biology, habitat
management and Nature interpretation.

38. 11. Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata:
• It was established in 1890 at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Calcutta. The
organization’s mandate was to explore, collect, identify and document the
rich plant resources of the erstwhile British India.
• It is the apex taxonomic research organization of the country.
• After Independence, Botanical Survey of India was reorganized in 1954,
under the leadership of Dr. E.K. Janaki Ammal.
• Over the years, the mandate of the organization has been broadened to:
ü biosystematics research,
ü floristic studies,
ü documentation, databasing of National Botanical collection,
ü digitization of herbarium specimens,
ü development of molecular taxonomy laboratory,
ü advisory services,
ü capacity building, training programmes etc.

39. 12. Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata:
• The ZSI was established in1916.
• Its mandate was to promote survey, exploration and research leading to the
advancement in our knowledge of the faunal diversity of India.
• It has over the years collected ‘type specimens’ on the bases of which our animal
life has been studied over the years.
• It has done an enormous amount of work on taxonomy and ecology. It currently
operates from 16 regional centers.
• Its primary objectives include:
ü Exploration, Survey, Inventorying and Monitoring of faunal diversity in various States,
Ecosystems and Protected areas of India.
ü Taxonomic studies of all faunal components collected.
ü Periodic review of the Status ofThreatened and Endemic species.
ü Preparation of Red Data Book, Fauna of India and Fauna of States.
ü Bioecological studies on selected important communities/species.
ü Preparation of databases for the recorded species of the country.
ü Maintenance & Development of National Zoological Collections.
ü Training, Capacity Building and Human Resource Development.
ü Faunal Identification,Advisory services and Library Services.
ü Publication of results including Fauna of India and Fauna of States.

40. INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE:
There are several internationally known environmental thinkers. Each of
these thinkers looked at the environment from a completely different
perspective.
• Charles Darwin wrote the ‘Origin of Species’, which brought to light
the close relationship between habitats and species. It brought about a
new thinking of man’s relationship with other species that was based
on evolution.
• Ralph Emerson spoke of the dangers of commerce to our
environment way back in the 1840s.
• Henry Thoreau in the 1860s wrote that the wilderness should be
preserved after he lived in the wild for a year.
• John Muir is remembered as having saved the great ancient sequoia
trees in California’s forests. In the 1890s he formed the Sierra club,
which is a major conservation NGO in the USA.
PEOPLE IN ENVIRONMENT

41. • Aldo Leopald was a forest official in the US in the 1920s. He designed
the early policies on wilderness conservation and wildlife
management.
• Rachel Carson, in the 1960s published several articles that caused
immediate worldwide concern on the effects of pesticides on nature
and mankind. She wrote a well- known book called ‘Silent Spring’
which eventually led to a change in Government policy and public
awareness.
• EO Wilson is an entomologist who envisioned that biological diversity
was a key to human survival on earth. He wrote ‘Diversity of Life’ in
1993, which was awarded a prize for the best book published on
environmental issues. His writings brought home to the world the
risks to mankind due to man made disturbances in natural ecosystems
that are leading to the rapid extinction of species at the global level.

42. INDIAN PERSPECTIVE:
There have been a number of individuals who have been instrumental in
shaping the environmental history in our country. Some of the well-known
names in the last century include environmentalists, scientists,
administrators, legal experts, educationists and journalists.
1. Salim Ali’s name is synonymous with ornithology in India and with the
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). He also wrote several great
books including the famous ‘Book of Indian Birds’. His autobiography,
‘Fall of a Sparrow’ 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.
2. Indira Gandhi as PM has played a significant role in the preservation of
India’s wildlife. It was during her period as PM, that the network of
Protected Areas grew from 65 to 298!The Wildlife Protection Act was
formulated during the period when she was PM and the Indian Board
forWildlife was extremely active as she personally chaired all its
meetings. India gained a name for itself by being a major player in CITES
and other International EnvironmentalTreaties and Accords during her
tenure.

43. 3. S P Godrej was one of India’s greatest supporters of wildlife conservation
and nature awareness programs. Between 1975 and 1999, SP Godrej
received 10 awards for his conservation activities. He was awarded the
Padma Bhushan in 1999. His friendship with people in power combined with
his deep commitment for conservation led to his playing a major advocacy
role for wildlife in India.
4. 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 MS Swaminathan
Research Foundation in Chennai, which does work on the conservation of
biological diversity.
5. Madhav Gadgil is a well- known ecologist in India. His interests range from
broad ecological issues such as developing Community Biodiversity
Registers and conserving sacred groves to studies on the behaviour of
mammals, birds and insects. He has written several articles, published papers
in journals and is the author of 6 books.

44. 6. M C Mehta is undoubtedly India’s most famous environmental lawyer. Since
1984, he has filed several Public Interest Litigations for supporting the cause of
environmental conservation. His most famous and long drawn battles supported
by the Supreme Court include protecting the Taj Mahal, cleaning up the Ganges
River, banning intensive shrimp farming on the coast, initiating Government to
implement environmental education in schools and colleges, and a variety of
other conservation issues.
7. Anil Agarwal was a journalist who wrote the first report on the ‘State of
India’s Environment’ in 1982. He founded the Center for Science and
Environment which is an active NGO that supports various environmental
issues.
8. 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.
9. Sunderlal Bahuguna’s Chipko Movement has become an internationally well-
known example of a highly successful conservation action program through the
efforts of local people for guarding their forest resources. He fought to prevent
the construction of the Tehri Dam in a fragile earthquake prone setting. The
Garhwal Hills will always remember his dedication to the cause for which he has
walked over 20 thousand kilometers.