Environmental Policies & Practices (based on UGC syllabus of Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course: Environment Awareness for Second year graduate students)

The Content is based on UGC syllabus of Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course: Environment Awareness for Second year graduate students

1. ABILITY ENHANCEMENT COMPULSORY COURSE
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
UNIT – 6
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES
DR. SHOEB AHMAD
Assistant Professor
Department of Zoology
AKI’s Poona College of Arts, Science & Commerce
Camp, Pune – 411001 (Maharashtra)
AKI’s
POONA COLLEGE
of Arts, Science & Commerce
Camp, Pune – 411001 (Maharashtra)

2. TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED



Climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rain and
their impacts on human communities and agriculture.

Environment laws: Wildlife Protection Act; Forest Conservation Act;
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act; Environment
Protection Act; Biodiversity Act.

International agreements: Montreal protocol, Kyoto protocol and
climate negotiations; Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).


UNIT – 6
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES

3. Reasons of Climate Change & Global Warming
Rising fossil fuel burning that facilitate greenhouse gases into the Earth’s atmosphere
(carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrogen dioxide (N2O)

Rise in green has gases has caused a rise in atmospheric temperature and led to green
house effect and ultimately change in climate (Global Warming)

EFFECT
Changes in rainfall pattern
Flooding
Melting of glaciers & Rising Level of Ocean
shifts in crop growing seasons
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING

4. ACID RAIN
When fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) are burned, emissions released from
factories, motor vehicles, chemicals such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and sulfur
trioxide are released into the air.

These chemicals when mixed with rain water becomes sulfurous acid, nitric acid
and sulfuric acid

EFFECTS:
Harmful to agriculture, plants, and animals.
Cause loss to aquatic ecosystem.
Damage infrastructure, buildings monuments etc made from stone (Ex – Taj Mahal)

ACID RAIN
Mathura Oil Refinery Taj Mahal

5. OZONE LAYER DEPLETION
The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high
concentrations of ozone (O3). This layer absorbs 93-99% of the sun's high
frequency ultraviolet (UV) light, which is potentially damaging to life on earth.

Ozone depletion occurs when chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons—gases
found in aerosol spay, refrigerants—are released into the atmosphere


Fire extinguisher Aerosol spay
Air Conditioner
Sourse of CFCs & Halon emission

6. ENVIRONMENT LAW
Environment law is a collective term encompassing aspects of
the law that provide protection to the environment. A related
but distinct set of regulatory regimes, now strongly influenced
by environmental legal principles, focus on the management of
specific natural resources, such as forests, Air, Water, Minerals
and Animals

7. ENVIRONMENT LAW
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
Features –
The Central and State Pollution Control Boards have the responsibility to
exercise the powers provided under this Act.
Establishment of State Pollution Control Board.
Carry out research related to air pollution.
Through mass media, spread awareness and information about air and
air pollution.
Plan and organize the training for common man

8. ENVIRONMENT LAW
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
Features –
To prevent and control water pollution.
To maintain “wholesomeness” of water, i.e. to maintain the qualities of
water so that its consumption and use by living organisms is not
hampered.
To establish State Boards for prevention and control of pollution, which
gets subsumed by the Air Act, passed in 1981.
To empower the Boards for prevention and control of pollution.
To provide penalties for breaking the rules of the provisions under this
Act.
To establish state water testing laboratories and develop its protocols.

9. ENVIRONMENT LAW
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
Features –
To prohibit the hunting of wildlife animals
Punishment to rule violator
Provide security to wild animals
To conserve to endangered animals
To provisions for setting up Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks and
Zoological Parks

10. ENVIRONMENT LAW
Forest Conservation Act, 1980
Features –
To Conserve of forest grounds
To Save forest & stop deforestation
To limit use of wooden materials in building construction
To Spread awareness among common people

11. ENVIRONMENT LAW
Montreal Protocol (1987)

Was an agreement among major countries
Designed to protect Ozone layer
Open for signature on 16 September 1987

Features –
To eliminate the production and import of nearly 100 substances that
deplete the ozone layer, in accordance with agreed timelines.

12. ENVIRONMENT LAW
United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD)
196 countries are a party to the CBD
Designed to better use of biodiversity
Open for signature 5 June 1992 – 4 June 1993

Features –
Conservation of Biological Diversity
Sustainable use of the components of the Biodiversity
Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the genetic resources

13. Nature Reserves, Tribal Populations & Rights, and Human Wildlife
Conflicts In Indian Context
Nature Reserves
It is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or other
special interest, which is reserved and managed for purposes of conservation and to
provide special opportunities for study or research

Types of Nature Reserves

14. Nature Reserves, Tribal Populations & Rights, and Human Wildlife
Conflicts In Indian Context
Tribal Populations & Rights

The Constitution of India has provided special provisions to the tribal people to
safeguard their interests.

Article 15 of the Indian Constitution states that the state shall not discriminate any
citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.

This explains that every citizen of India is provided equal rights and opportunities
without any discrimination.

Government of India has made reservation for the tribes in employment under
Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India.

15. Nature Reserves, Tribal Populations & Rights, and Human Wildlife
Conflicts In Indian Context

Human Wildlife Conflicts In Indian Context

The growing human population, deforestation, loss of habitat and decline in their
prey species are few major reason behind the Human wildlife conflict in India.
Natural wildlife territory is overlaps with the humans existence and various forms
of human–wildlife conflict occur with various negative results.
EXAMPLES

Leopard Attack
Tiger Attach
Elephant Attack
Beer Attack
Hunting of Animals in prohibited area by human