World Environmental Issues

Environment The term "environment" means total surroundings of an organism. Environment is a system of physical, chemical and biological factors in balance.

Water, air and soil pollution causes 40 % A healthy environment is essential to human survival. The quality of Human life is directly related to the quality of Environment. Water, air and soil pollution causes 40 % of deaths.

Human dependence on the Environment a resource for food supply a major source of medicines an energy source a source for recreation natural resources for industrial products

The earth is constantly changing. "Overshoot is growth beyond carrying capacity. The earth is constantly changing.

Ecological Overshoot The WWF's Living Planet Report 2004 confirms that humanity is now consuming over 20 % more natural resources than the Earth can regenerate. We are plundering the planet at a pace that outstrips its capacity to support life.

Ecological Disturbance Ecological means related to the ecology, which is the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment. An ecological disturbance is an event or circumstance that interrupts the relationship between organism and environment.

Human activity = Impacts Human activity is a major cause of environmental change Environment degradation has an impact not only on human beings but on all species and most natural systems

Human activity = Impacts Ozone depletion Global warming Loss of biodiversity Air ,water & land pollution Population increase Economic growth Resource depletion

WHAT IS GLOBAL CHANGE ? Global change includes natural and human- induced changes in the Earth's environment . Global change can be defined as changes in the global environment (including alterations in climate, land productivity, oceans or other water resources, atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems) that may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life.

Impact of a country on the global environment It can be described as : National population National consumption of goods and services per capita, and  National Technological Use. Obviously, a high number in any one of the terms--population, affluence, or technology--produce a large impact.

Human Footprint the effects humans have on our planet

Our current global situation:  Since the mid 1980s, humanity has been in ecological overshootwith annual demand on resources exceeding what Earth can regenerate each year. It now takes the Earth one year and four months to regenerate what we use in a year.

Carbon Footprint The term describes the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by one individual. It is an impact on the atmosphere similar to the footprint we are leaving in the sand. An average Carbon footprint of a British citizen is about 10 tonnes of CO2 An average Carbon footprint of an Indian citizen is round about 1.5 tonnes of CO2

Carbon Footprint A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through fossil fuel combustion.

Carbon footprint Carbon footprint = the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activities and is measured in the amount of CO2 produced. Main activities that will increase our carbon footprint: a) transportation (planes, cars, trains) b) burning of fossil fuels (petrol, coal) c) use of household electricity (computers, lights) d) use of pesticides

Carbon footprint A carbon footprint is made up of two parts: the primary footprint and the secondary footprint. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation. For example, car and plane. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect carbon dioxide emissions from the whole lifecycle of the products we use. Products with more packaging will generally have a larger secondary footprint than products with little packaging.

“There is enough in the world for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” - Mahatma Gandhi