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UNIT 6: Environmental Policies & Practices

Climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rain and impacts on human
communities and agriculture; Environment Laws: Environment Protection Act; Air
(Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act; Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act;
Wildlife Protection Act; Forest Conservation Act; International agreements: Montreal and
Kyoto protocols and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); Nature reserves, tribal
populations and rights, and human wildlife conflicts in Indian context.

• Climate (from Ancient Greek klima, meaning inclination) is commonly defined as the
weather averaged over a long period. The standard averaging period is 30 years, but other
periods may be used depending on the purpose.

• Climate change may refer to a change in average weather conditions, or in the time
variation of weather around longer-term average conditions.

• Climatology is the study that includes periodicity of weather events over years to millennia,
as well as changes in long-term average weather patterns, in relation to atmospheric
conditions.

The earth‘s atmosphere is composed of several layers.

1. Troposphere. Earth’s troposphere extends from Earth’s surface to, on average, about
12 kilometers (7.5 miles) in height, with its height lower at Earth’s poles and higher at
the equator.
2. Stratosphere. Located between approximately 12 and 50 kilometers (7.5 and 31
miles) above Earth’s surface, the stratosphere is perhaps best known as home to
Earth’s ozone layer, which protects us from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation
3. Mesosphere. Located between about 50 and 80 kilometers (31 and 50 miles) above
Earth’s surface, the mesosphere gets progressively colder with altitude.
4. Thermosphere. Located between about 80 and 700 kilometers (50 and 440 miles)
above Earth’s surface is the thermosphere, whose lowest part contains the ionosphere.
5. Exosphere. Located between about 700 and 10,000 kilometers (440 and 6,200 miles)
above Earth’s surface, the exosphere is the highest layer of Earth’s atmosphere

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Impacts of Climate change on Human Beings:

→ Human environment will be seriously affected by extremes of climate by means of Floods
and Droughts.
→ Due to extreme changes in Climate, Human beings suffer from safe drinking water.
→ Changes in climate may affect the distribution of vector species (Ex: mosquitoes) which in
turn spread infectious diseases such as Malaria; Filariasis, Dengue, diarrhea; Yellow fever
etc.
→ The reduction in food production would lead to starvation.
→ Climate change could lead to migration of humans.
→Agriculture practices and climate change
o Deforestation
o Chemical applications
o Land usage pattern

→The impact of climate change on human health-

o Infectious Diseases
o Extreme Weather Events
o Higher Temperatures
o Air Quality

Global warming- A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere
generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide,
CFCs, and other pollutants.

Green house gases- is any gaseous compound in the atmosphere that is capable of absorbing
infrared radiation, thereby trapping and holding heat in the atmosphere. By increasing the
heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases are responsible for the greenhouse effect, which
ultimately leads to global warming.

Major green house gases

• Water vapor (H2O)
• Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrous oxide (N2O)
• Ozone (O3)
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Impact of Global Warming

• Changes in agricultural productivity
• Rising sea level
• Melting of the ice caps leads to loss of habitat near the poles.
• Bleaching of Coral Reefs due to warming seas and acidification due to carbonic acid
formation
• Loss of Plankton due to warming sea.

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change (IPCC)-

• 1998, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP)
• Current Chairperson- Hoesung Lee
• HQ- Geneva

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• 2007 Noble peace prize shared between IPCC and Al Gore.

• R K Pachauri was the Chairperson during 2007

Ozone Layer and Ozone layer depletion:

Ozone is an inorganic gas with pale blue color and with a distinctively pungent smell.

• Ozone layer (a portion of the stratosphere with a higher concentration of ozone, from two to
eight ppm) is beneficial, preventing damaging ultraviolet light from reaching the Earth's
surface, to the benefit of both plants and animals.

• Ozone layer thickness is expressed in terms of Dobson units

• Ozone gas is a strong oxidizing agent, which reacts with sulfur and nitrogen to form SO2
and NO2 and leads to acid rain formation in the atmosphere.

Ozone Formation: Ozone is a form of oxygen that has three atoms in each molecule (O3).
Ozone is bluish coloured and highly poisons gas that has a boiling point of 112o C. At
atmospheric pressure, ozone can partially dissolve in water. At standard temperature and
pressure, the solubility of ozone is thirteen times that of oxygen.

Standard Temperature and Pressure: STP is commonly used to define standard conditions for
temperature and pressure which is important for the measurements and documentation of
chemical and physical processes. STP is defined by IUPAC (International Union of Pure and
Applied Chemistry) as air at 0o C (273.15 K, 32 o F) and 105 pascals or 100 kPa.

Ozone is formed by the action of sunlight on oxygen. When normal oxygen absorbs solar
ultra
violet radiation; splitting oxygen molecules into radical oxygen (O). This atomic oxygen
quickly combines with further oxygen molecules to form ozone. This action takes place
naturally in the atmosphere.
O2 + UV → O + O
O + O2 → O3

Destroy of Ozone Layer: Two different processes destroy ozone naturally: The first is when a
free oxygen radical combines with an ozone molecule to produce two diatomic oxygen
molecules. O + O3 → 2O2
The other process when ozone molecules absorb ultraviolet radiation and form one diatomic
oxygen molecule and one free oxygen radical. O3 + UV → O + O2

Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)

Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) are those which deplete the ozone layer. The ODS‘s
Chloro Fluoro Carbons (CFS‘s) Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbons (HCFS‘s)
Methyl Chloroform Carbon Tetrachloride and Halogens (MCCTH‘s)

Effects on human beings:

→ Ozone makes human beings eyes itch, burning sensation.
→ It lowers the human body resistance power and leads to cold and pneumonia.
→ Ozone reacts with tissues and cause for breathing and decrease the working ability of the
lungs
→ The thinning of the ozone layer may lead to an increase of skin cancers.

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Effects on Global environment:

Certain crops may be damaged if ozone layer is depleted thus affecting natural food chains
and
food webs so that the ecology system disturbs. The effect of ozone depletion in Antarctica is
severe; however, the ozone in the arctic region should not be neglected. Depletion of ozone
causes Global warming.

International Conventions / Protocols:

Convention: large formal meeting of people with the same interest or work. Protocol: The
rules
about what you must do and how you behave in an official situation. The objectives of the
International Conventions are to stabilize the Green House Gas concentrations in the
atmosphere to certain levels to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system
of the world.

Earth Summit: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

(UNCED), also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit (Portuguese) was a
major conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992. Totally 172
Governments
were participated with their heads and representatives, NGO‘s accounting 17000 people. The
issues included:
→ Systematic scrutiny of patterns of production of Toxic components such as lead in
gasoline.
→ Alternative sources of energy to replace the use of fossil fuels which are linked to global
climatic changes.
→ By introducing new public transport system in order to reduce vehicle emissions in cities.
→ Alarming the growing scarcity of water and has been decided to come out with
proper utilization methodologies.
→ Not to carry out any activities on lands that would cause environment degradation.

Montreal protocol- The Montreal Protocol is an agreement signed by all UN members

concerning the role humans play in the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer. Prior to
current debates about climate change and global warming, every nation in the UN agreed that
humans needed to halt ozone damage by air pollutants. After being signed in 1987 and put
into action in 1989, the Montreal Protocol has been successful in phasing out the use of
dangerous CFC aerosol chemicals and preventing further damage to the ozone layer.

Kyoto protocol- The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 is probably the most well-known of the
UNFCCC updates concerning climate change. At a meeting in Kyoto, Japan, many nations
agreed to set limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. The nations that
signed the Kyoto Protocol agreed to a binding contract to limit their greenhouse gas
emissions

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)-

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international convention whose focus is
on preserving global biodiversity in the age of genetically modified organisms. The
Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety is an agreement created by members of the CBD to safely control the
transportation of genetically modified organisms.

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Schedules, following are the identified advantages of Montreal protocol:

→ The highest calculated level of consumption of CFCs was 16,255 metric tons in 1988.
Substances were used chiefly as refrigerants, cleaning solvent, foam blowing agents and
propellants in spray can. In 1996 the consumption level was reduced to zero and maintain at
that level since.
→ HCFCs have been used as one of the alternative substances for CFCs since 1996. As a
result,
consumption of HCFCs was reduced from around 630 ODP (Ozone Depletion Potential)
metric
tons in 1996 to 383 ODP metric tons in 2004, which indicated a 40% reduction from the
baseline level.
→ Without the protocol there would be a doubling effect of Ultra violet – Beta radiations
reached the earth in the northern latitudes and also the amount of ozone depleting chemicals
in
the atmosphere would have been 5 times greater.
→ It also ensured the improved scientific understanding which can be incorporated in
decisions
quickly.
→ It is believed that if the International agreement is adhered (sticking to) the ozone layer is
expected to recover by 2050.

Deforestation and Desertification:

Forests are one of the most important natural resources and a part of biosphere since these are
natural assets on this earth. Forests predominantly composed of trees, shrubs, woody
vegetation.
Approximately 1/3rd of the earth‘s total land area is covered by forests. Forests are important
ecologically and economically. Ecologically forests are to be considered as earth‘s lungs
because
they consume CO2 and release O2 which is required for sustaining the life on this earth. The
poisonous gas CO2 is absorbed by the trees of forests and reduces the global warming; helps
to continue hydrological cycle, reduce soil erosion…. Forest ecosystems are extremely good
& hold a good quantity of water. Economically forests provide timber, fodder to grazing
animals, firewood (conventional fuel), bamboos, rubbers, medicines, gums, resins, food
items
Deforestation refers to the loss of forest cover (or) the aimless destruction of trees . The
clearing
of forests across the earth has been occurring on a large scale basis for many centuries. This
process involves the cutting down, burning and damaging of forests. Currently 12 million
hectares of forests are cleared annually and the current rate of deforestation continues, the
world‘s forests will vanish within the next 100 years about 80% of the original forests on the
earth have already been cleared.

Deforestation is taking place in many parts of the world for

many reasons such as:
→ For need of money for developing / weak countries (Malaysia cleared 3.5 million hectares
of forest for rubber and oil palm plantations)
→ To construct various projects
→ To pay international debts if any
→ To develop industries
→ For making roads to access the interiors of the areas

Effects of Deforestation:

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The removal of trees leads to soil exposure & results in soil erosion, rapid water run-off, loss
of
wildlife. Deforestation ---- cause unknown effects on global climate and eliminating the
majority
of plant and animal species on this earth. Various living beings (wildlife is diminishing) may
come down resulting in imbalance of forest ecosystem.
→ A variety of food products such as coffee, tea, spices, nuts, fruits etc will be reduced.
→ Rainfall decreases to a great extent.
→ Climatic conditions may are change.
→ Historical values are lost.

Case Studies:
Chipko movement related to mining or quarrying opposed by Sundarlal Bahuguna in North
India
(refer text books for further information) Sardar Sarovar – Narmada project is a multipurpose
project in Gujarat (refer text books for further information)

Desertification: The processes by which an area becomes even more barren, less capable of
retaining vegetation and is known as a desert. This may become a disaster in long term.
Hence,
desertification refers to land degradation in arid and semi-arid areas due to anthropogenic
activities. Desertification often starts as patchy destruction of productive land. Increased dust
particles in atmosphere also lead to desertification. The chief causes of desertification also
include: Climatic factors and (ii) human factors (population growth, increased population
density
According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), deforestation is an
important factor contributing to desertification. At the time of Independence in India, about
22% of area was under forest cover and today this has been reduced to 19% UNEP estimated
that desertification threatened 35% of the world‘s land surface

National Environmental Policy: The Govt of India constituted a Central Board for
Prevention
and Control of various pollution acts such as Water Act in 1974; Air Act in
1981andEnvironment Act in 1986.Several other Acts and Rules were also enacted
Accordingly
all the State Governments also constituted Pollution Control Boards in their respective States
and accepted in their legislative Assemblies There are several loopholes in the
implementation of various pollution Acts For eg the water courses in most of the cities carry
highly noxious waters with high pollution potential. State Pollution Control Boards cannot
take action against the Municipalities, Corporations, simply because they are not empowered
to do so due to political system.

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986:

Bhopal tragedy was occurred on the mid night of 2nd Dec 1984 at the UNION CARBIDE
INDIA LTD, a pesticide plant in Bhopal. A leak of methyl isocyanate gas causing a death of
3,787 people and also injuredfor5, 58,125 people. The Govt of India enacted the Environment
(Protection) Act in the year1986 under article 253 of the constitution. The purpose of the Act
to provide a frame work on water, air, land and the inter-relationships with the human beings
and other living micro-organism.

The Act came into force on Nov, 19th 1986, the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister
Indira

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Gandhi, who was a pioneer of environmental protection issues in India.

Some important features of this Act are:

The central Government put restrictions on an area in which any industry
or operations shall not be carried out without any safe-guards.
Emissions and effluents standards in respect of 61 categories of
Industries have been evolved and notified.
Who ever fails (or) violate the environmental pollution Act, be punishable with
imprisonment
Up to 5 years or with fine this may extend to one lakh rupees or both.
Those industries who require consent under the Environment Act are required to submit an
environmental audit report to the concerned Environment Board on or before 30th Sep every
year.

HUMAN- WILDLIFE CONFLICTS IN INDIAN CONTEXT

• Human-Wildlife Conflict is the interaction between people and wildlife that results in
negative impacts for human or wildlife populations wherever wildlife and people coexist and
share limited resources.

Outcomes of Conflict:
• Injury and loss of life of humans and wildlife
• Crop damage, livestock depredation, predation of managed wildlife stock.
• Damage to human property.
• Trophic cascades.
• Destruction of habitat.
• Collapse of wildlife populations and reduction of geographic ranges.

TRIBAL POPULATIONS AND RIGHTS

• The word ‘Tribe’ denotes a group of people living in fixed territory.
• Adivasi is the collective term for the indigenous peoples of mainland South Asia. Adivasi
make up 8.6% of India's population, or 104 million people, according to the 2011 census.
• The term 'Scheduled Tribes'(ST's) first appeared in the Constitution of India. Article 366
(25)
defined scheduled tribes as "such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within
such
tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the
purposes of this constitution".

 CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOR TRIBALS

• Educational & Cultural Rights
– Art. 15(4) - Special provisions for advancement of other backward classes (which includes
STs);
– Art. 29 - Protection of Interests of Minorities (which includes STs);
– Art. 46 - The State shall promote, with special care, the educational and economic interests
of the weaker sections of the people, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes, and the
Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation,
– Art. 350 - Right to conserve distinct Language, Script or Culture;
– Art. 350 - Instruction in Mother Tongue.

• Social Rights
– Art. 23 - Prohibition of traffic in human beings and beggar and other similar form of forced
labour

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– Art. 24 - Forbidding Child Labour.

• Economic Rights
– Art.244 - Clause(1) Provisions of Fifth Schedule shall apply to the administration & control
of the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in any State other than the states of Assam,
Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura which are covered under Sixth Schedule, under Clause (2)
of this Article.
– Art. 275 - Grants in-Aid to specified States (STs &SAs) covered under Fifth and Sixth
Schedules of the Constitution.

• Political Rights
– Art.164 (1) - Provides for Tribal Affairs Ministers in Bihar, MP and Orissa
– Art. 330 - Reservation of seats for STs in Lok Sabha
– Art. 337 - Reservation of seats for STs in State Legislatures
– Art. 334 - 10 years period for reservation (Amended several times to extend the period
– Art. 243 - Reservation of seats in Panchayats
– Art. 371 - Special provisions in respect of NE States and Sikkim

• Safeguards under Various laws

– The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,1989 and the
Rules 1995 framed there under. Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976 (in respect of
Scheduled Tribes);
– The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act1986;
– States Acts & Regulations concerning alienation & restoration of land belonging to STs;
Forest Conservation Act 1980
– Panchayatiraj (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996;
– Minimum Wages Act- 1948.

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