Unit 7: South Asia

Managing Resources India has made huge strides in reducing poverty and has improved health and education. Development policies have put many resources at risk, such as the degradation of 40 percent of forests, leading to erosion and flooding. Air and water pollution are growing threats as the population continues to expand and its consumption of resources increases.

Human Impact India’s population size and density create significant human impact on the environment, the complex physical, chemical, and biotic factors that act upon an ecological community. While India has greatly improved water quality and sanitation, overcrowding in urban areas still threatens water resources. Fires used for cooking and an ever increasing number of cars continue to create smog and harmful air pollution.

Addressing the Issues India’s government has worked to protect the environment and added that mission to its constitution in Indian courts have enforced laws aimed at restricting harmful pesticides and reducing ecotourism in India’s tiger reserves. Efforts continue to improve the quality of life through sustainable development and economic growth.

Managing Resources As a result of their heavily agricultural economies, most live in poverty. Sustainable development, or economic growth that meets the population’s needs without hampering the ability of future populations to do the same, was introduced to reduce the gap between the wealthy and poor. Incorporating this philosophy has been difficult, as both countries have made short-term choices that cause long-term negative consequences.

Human Impact Polluted air and water, soil erosion, and deforestation are all negative human impacts in the subregion. Raw sewage, industrial pollution, and agricultural runoff plagues both countries’ water supplies. Indoor air pollution also threatens populations, as people burn wood and animal dung for fuel. Deforestation has enabled heavy flooding to become even more devastating to the area.

Addressing the Issues Although both countries are making efforts to improve, those efforts have been inconsistent and only marginally successful. Pakistan has promoted compressed natural gas (CHG) vehicles to reduce air pollution, but the lack of fueling stations hampers efforts to expand sales. Climate change puts low-lying Bangladesh at great risk if more severe and prolonged storms occur, although the nation produces low amounts of the greenhouse gases that contribute to the problem.

Managing Resources As poor countries generally lacking in technology, these countries face obstacles to achieving sustainable development. Culturally, they do have advantages, as Buddhist tradition encourages respect for nature and the value of all life forms. These countries have made some progress as they realize that if they lose their natural beauty they will lose their tourist appeal.

Human Impact Major environmental problems include deforestation, along with soil and water issues. Commercial timber companies have used clear- cutting, or the removal of all trees in a stand of timber, to harvest logs, harming forests. As rain forests disappear, soil erodes, rains produce floods, and temperatures rise. The wide array of endangered and rare wildlife is threatened by encroaching settlements and poaching.

Addressing the Issues Bhutan’s constitution requires it to keep 60 percent of its land forested and it encourages organic farming, or the use of natural substances rather than chemical fertilizers to grow crops. Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources raises environmental action to the cabinet level. Maldives has launched programs to limit fossil fuels and hopes, along with Bhutan, to have no carbon emissions by 2020.