Class XII – Environment and Sustainable Development – PYQs

Ans. Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance or the totality of all resources. It includes all biotic (birds, animals, plants, forest, etc.) and a abiotic (water, sun, land, mountains, etc.) factors that influence or depend on each other

Ans. When the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of regeneration, then environment fails to perform its important functions and it leads to the situation of environmental crisis.

Ans. The environment performs four important functions

(i) It supplies resources, both renewable and non-renewable resources.

(ii) It absorbs waste.

(iii) It sustains life by providing genetic and biodiversity.

(iv) It also provides aesthetic services like scenery, etc.

Ans. Opportunity cost of negative environmental impacts are high in terms of the following

(i) The past development has polluted and dried up rivers and other acquifers making water an economic good.

(ii) Due to excessive utilisation of natural resources’, we are compelled to spend huge amount of money on technology and research to discover new resources.

(iii) Health cost of degraded environment is rising.

(iv) Global environmental issues such as global warming and ozone depletion have also contributed to increased financial commitments for the government.

Ans. Yes, environmental crisis is a recent phenomenon. In early days, when civilisation just began, before the phenomenal increase in population and growth of industrialisation, the demand for environmental resources was within the carrying capacity of the environment and so the pollution was also within the absorptive capacity of the environment. Therefore, environmental problems did not arise.

But with the advent of the industrialisation and outbreak of the population, environmental problems arisen and the resources for both production and consumption proved to be beyond the rate of regeneration of the resources and the absorptive capacity of the environment.

Ans. India has plenty of natural resources at its disposal. This becomes clear from the following facts

(i) India has abundant natural resources in terms of rich quality of soil, hundred of rivers and tributaries, lost green forests, plenty of mineral deposits beneath the land surface, vast stretch of the Indian ocean, ranges of mountains, etc.

(ii) The black soil of the Deccan plateau is particularly suitable for cultivation of cotton, leading to concentration of textile industries in this region.

(iii) The Indo-Gangetic plains spread from the Arabian sea to the Bay of Bengal are one of the most fertile intensively cultivated and densely populated regions in the world.

(iv) India alone accounts for nearly 20% of the world’s total iron-ore reserve. Bauxite, copper, chromate, diamonds, gold, lead, lignite, manganese, zinc, uranium, etc. are also available in different parts of the country. However, the developmental activities in India have resulted in pressure on its finite natural resources besides creating impacts on human health and well-being.

Ans. Four pressing environmental concerns of India are

(a) Land degradation and solid waste management

(b) Bio-diversity loss

(c) Air pollution with special reference to vehicular pollution in urban cities

(d) Management of fresh water.

Ans. Correction for environmental damages involves opportunity costs as the industrial development in past has polluted and dried up rivers and other aquifers making water an economic good.

Ans. Land degradation means loss of fertility of land. Six of the factors responsible for land degradation are

(i) Loss of vegetation occurring due to deforestation.

(ii) Unsustainable fuel, wood and fodder extinction.

(iii) Extraction of groundwater in excess of the recharge capacity.

(iv) Non-adoption of adequate soil conservation measures.

(v) Improper crop rotation.

(vi) Indiscriminate use of agro chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides.

Ans. Instances of overuse of environmental resources and misuse of environmental resources are as under

(i) Overuse of environmental resources

(a) Soil degradation due to improper crop rotation and crop shifting.

(b) Drying up of rivers due to overuse of water from them through dams and reservoirs.

(ii) Misuse of environmental resources

(a) Excess use of electricity leads to depletion of resources like coal and water from which electricity is generated.

(b) Excess use of petrol and diesel in vehicles.

Ans. Two serious adverse environmental consequences of development in India are

(i) Land degradation (ii) Air pollution

Yes, it is true, the threat to India’s environment is of two dimension- threat of poverty induced environmental degradation and the threat to pollution from affluence. Environmental crisis is poverty induced in the sense that poor people depend on natural assets for their survival. They collect forest products and firewood for their survival. On the other hand, due to affluent consumption and production standards of the rich generate huge amount of wastes. For example, rich people in India own motor vehicles, air conditioners which heavily contribute to air pollution.

Ans. Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs. This definition of sustainable development is most appropriate and justified.

Future generation have also the right to enjoy the same quality of life that is enjoyed by the present generation. Hence, future generation should not suffer at the cost of present generation well-being.

(i) Rising population

Ans. The high rate of growth of population adversely affects the environment. It certainly leads to soil and water pollution.

(ii) Air pollution

Ans. India is one of the ten most industrialised nations of the world. It has led to unplanned urbanisation, pollution and the risk of accidents. The CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) has identified 17 categories of industries which are significant polluters.

(iii) Water contamination

Ans. Many states in India are on the edge of famine. Whatever water is available; it is polluted or contaminated. It causes diseases like diarrhoea and hepatitis.

(iv) Affluent consumption standards

Ans. With affluent consumption standards, people use more air conditioners. CFCs are used as cooling agents in air conditioners which leads to ozone depletion

(v) Illiteracy

Ans. Illiteracy and ignorance about the use of non- renewable resources and alternative energy sources, lead to environmental crisis.

(vi) Industrialisation

Ans. With rise in national income or economic activity, there is rise in industrialisation and urbanisation. This raises pollution of air, water and noise. There are accidents, shortage of water, housing problems, etc. In other words, with rise in national income, there is ecological degradation which reduces welfare of the people.

(vii) Urbanisation

Ans. Whenever there is large migration of population from rural to urban areas, it leads to fast growth of slum areas. There is excess of load on the existing infrastructural facilities. It causes environmental degradation and ill-health.

(viii) Reduction of forest coverage

Ans. The per capita forest land in the country is only 0.08 hectare. There is an excess felling of about 15 million cubic meter forests over the permissible limit.

Indiscriminate felling of trees has led to destruction of forest cover.

Once forests have been cut down, essential nutrients are washed out of the soil all-together. This leads to soil erosion. It leads to disastrous flooding since there is no soil to soak up the rain.

(ix) Poaching

Ans. Poaching leads to extinction of wildlife. Generally, wild species which are endangered are poached leading to the danger of them becoming extinct.

(x) Global warming

Ans. The long-term results of global warming are

(a) Melting of polar ice caps with a resulting rise in the sea level and coastal flooding.

(b) Disruption of drinking water supplies as snow melts.