Meaning of Environment
Class 12 Indian Economic Development — Definition, functions, carrying capacity, environmental crisis, global warming, and ozone depletion
Environment Definition and Elements
Elements of the Environment — click to reveal
Functions of the Environment
Carrying Capacity and Environmental Crisis
Carrying Capacity
Carrying Capacity
The environment functions without interruption when demand stays within its limits.
Condition 1: Resource Extraction ≤ Regeneration
Resource extraction should remain below the rate of resource regeneration.
Condition 2: Waste ≤ Absorption
Generation of waste should remain within the absorption capacity of the environment.
Violation → Environmental Crisis⭐
When these conditions are not fulfilled, the environment fails to perform its vital function.
Consequences
Environmental crisis leads to global warming, climate change, ozone depletion, etc.
Carrying Capacity
The environment functions without interruption when demand stays within its limits.
Condition 1: Resource Extraction ≤ Regeneration
Resource extraction should remain below the rate of resource regeneration.
Condition 2: Waste ≤ Absorption
Generation of waste should remain within the absorption capacity of the environment.
Violation → Environmental Crisis⭐
When these conditions are not fulfilled, the environment fails to perform its vital function.
Consequences
Environmental crisis leads to global warming, climate change, ozone depletion, etc.
Reasons for Environmental Crisis
Population explosion and industrial revolution have increased demand for environmental resources.
Intensive extraction of both renewable and non-renewable resources has exhausted vital resources.
Extinction of many resources and continuous rise in population have also resulted in an environmental crisis.
Affluent consumption standards of the developed world generate wastes beyond absorptive capacity.
Development has polluted atmosphere and waters — decline in air and water quality. ⭐ 70% of water in India is polluted.
Expenditure on health is rising. Global warming and ozone depletion increase financial commitments.
Opportunity Cost
Reversal of Supply-Demand Relationship
| Aspect | In the Past | Presently |
|---|---|---|
| Demand vs Supply | Demand was much less than supply | ⭐ Demand is far in excess of supply — beyond the rate of regeneration |
| Pollution | Within absorptive capacity of environment | Beyond absorptive capacity — pollution has become critical |
| Resource Extraction | Rate of extraction less than rate of regeneration | Rate of extraction exceeds regeneration rate |
| Population Pressure | Low population pressure on environment | Population explosion increased pressure tremendously |
| Result | Environmental problems did not arise | Waste generation and pollution have become critical |
Global Warming
Causes
Effects
Ozone Depletion and Montreal Protocol
Causes
Effects
Montreal Protocol
- Historical treaty designed by UN members to protect the ozone layer by phasing out CFCs
- All signing members agreed to freeze CFC consumption and production by 2013
- ⭐ India signed the Montreal Protocol along with its London Amendment on 17.09.1992
- Has significantly reduced the burden of CFCs in the stratosphere and helped in ozone recovery
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Environment is the sum total of all biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) elements that influence each other.
- Environment provides resources for production, assimilates waste, sustains life, and provides aesthetic services.
- Carrying capacity is the limit within which environment can perform its functions — exceeding it leads to environmental crisis.
- Population explosion, intensive resource extraction, affluent consumption, and pollution are the key reasons for environmental crisis.
- The supply-demand relationship has reversed: demand now far exceeds the environment's ability to regenerate resources and absorb waste.
- Global warming (rising temperature due to CO₂ and methane) and ozone depletion (CFCs destroying the ozone layer) are the two biggest global environmental threats.
- India signed the Montreal Protocol on 17.09.1992 — every citizen must become a Paryavaran Mitra.