Chapter 19 Origin and concept of Sustainable Development

NIOS Class 12 Environmental Science Chapter 19

INTEXT QUESTIONS 19.1

1. Define sustainable development.

Ans: Sustainable development is defined as “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

2. What are the two important factors or points that sustainable development should consider?

Ans: The two factors are :

i. The natural resources are important for our present-day survival as well as the survival of future generations.
ii. Any present developmental programme must take into account its future consequences.

3. What did Mahatma Gandhi say about ‘enoughness’?

Ans: The earth provides enough for every person’s need but not for every person’s greed.

4. What do you understand about the ‘carrying capacity’ of the environment?

Ans: The Environment has a capacity to bear the pressure of continual use, that is, the maximum amount of natural resources drawn from it and the maximum amount of pollution discharged into it.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 19.2

1. Name one major cause of environmental degradation and name six such common resources.

Ans: Overuse or overexploitation of common property or free access to resources like air, water, land, forest, rivers, and mountains.

2. What is the most dangerous result of the population explosion?

Ans: Poverty is the most dangerous result of population explosion.

3. Name an important common property of your locality, state or city which has been

completely damaged, leading to water crisis for its people.

Ans: River Yamuna has been exploited in such a way that it has ceased to exist. It has turned into a dirty drain.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 19.3

1. How does biodiversity represent a potential source of wealth?

Ans: Wealth in the form of (a) new crops, (b) medicinal plants, (c) petroleum substitute or any other (any two)

2. “Biodiversity loss is the world’s most disturbing concern”. Because we do not know what we are losing, briefly explain the statement.

Ans: Maybe we are losing useful plants, animals or other organisms, which would have provided us with medicine against HIV and cancer, etc.

3. What are the main causes of biodiversity destruction? Mention any two.

Ans: The main causes of degradation are increasing human resource consumption and pollution.

TERMINAL EXERCISE

1. Define and explain the carrying capacity of the environment.

Ans: Carrying capacity is the maximum pressure or load that a system can withstand before breaking down.

2. “Economic and industrial development without damage and destruction of the environment.” What do you call this type of development?

Ans: It is called Sustainable development. It means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This definition emphasises two important points.

One, the natural resources are important for our present-day survival as well as for the survival of our future generations.
Two, any present developmental activity or programme must take into account its future consequences.

3. What did Mahatma Gandhi say about the use of the earth’s resources by its people?

Ans: He said that the earth provides enough to satisfy every person’s need, but not for every person’s greed. In modern times, when there is too much consumerism, this statement is more relevant. We desperately want to possess all the goods and services, no matter what environmental price we have to pay for that. We must check our personal greed at some stage in life and promote a “community greed of providing a beautiful life for our posterity”.

4. An increase in the human population is causing decline in natural resources on a global scale. Mention any three causes.

Ans: With the increasing human population leading to human domination of Earth’s ecosystem, natural resources are declining both in quantity and quality on a global scale.

Nearly half of the earth’s surface has been transformed by human activities such as agriculture, industry, housing and commerce.
50% of natural vegetation on land has been transformed for developing crop lands, pastures, plantations and urban areas.
All accessible fresh water and underground water resources are depleted in many areas.
The aquatic environment and its productivity are also on the decline due to overexploitation.
The global ocean has lost more than 90% of predatory fish due to intensive fishing technologies.
Land is being used for urban industrial purposes and for building houses, agricultural land for crops and grazing.
Poverty is a major threat to human health and the environment. Many of the world’s poor do not have access to the necessities, and lack health, education facilities, productive and decent life.

5. What is the difference between common and private properties? Give two examples for each.

Ans:

Common properties are freely available to everyone and belong to no one in particular. It is prone to overexploitation. Air is a common property and is exploited and polluted in various ways. The sea and oceans are another example which are misused to dump garbage and are being polluted.
On the other hand, privately owned industries, agricultural land, houses, buildings, offices, gardens, etc., are cared for and looked after by the owners. Most of them are beautifully maintained.

6. Define a resource. Name one perpetual resource, a renewable resource and one non-renewable resource.

Ans: Anything that is useful to humanise a resource. A perpetual resource is a renewable resource that is naturally renewed continuously. It cannot be destroyed. Eg, Solar energy, wind, flowing water, etc. An example of a non-renewable resource is fossil fuels or metals.

7. What is the ecological footprint?

Ans: Ecological footprint is the amount of biologically productive area of the earth needed to produce the required resources as well as to absorb the wastes produced from such resources.

8. Name three major environmental damages that have already occurred in our country.

Ans: Poor air quality due to air pollution, biodiversity degradation due to land and soil exploitation, and water pollution due to careless garbage disposal in and around water bodies.

9. Suggest any three methods to record the damaged environment.

Ans:

Using satellite images or GIS (Geographic Information Systems) data to assess land or forest degradation.
Conducting a field survey to get an on-site report and assessment.
Using drones to collect visual images and recordings.

10. Suggest any five methods to conserve water.

Ans: Conserve water