This document discusses several issues related to human population growth and its impact on the environment. It notes that the global population will likely exceed 7 billion by 2015 and meeting the needs of this many people will be difficult without degrading natural resources and environmental quality. Rapid population growth in recent decades has contributed significantly to environmental problems. Other issues discussed include variations in population growth rates among countries, links between poverty, health and the environment, climate change impacts on health, and the importance of equitable distribution of resources.

1. UNIT 7:HUMAN POPULATION nations and the biorich countries.
AND THE ENVIRONMENT Degradation of ecosystems will
lead to extinction of thousands of
POPULATION GROWTH, species, destabilizing natural ecosystems
VARIATION of great value.
AMONG NATIONS These are only some of the
Our global human population, 6 billion environmental problems related to an
at increasing human population and more
present, will cross the 7 billion mark by intensive use of resources that
2015. we are likely to face in future. These
The needs of this huge number of human effects can be averted by creating a mass
beings cannot be supported by the environmental awareness movement that
Earth’s natural will bring about a change in people’s
resources, without degrading the quality way of life.
of human life. Increase in production per capita of
In the near future, fossil fuel from oil agricultural produce at a global level
fields will ceased during the 1980’s. In some
run dry. It will be impossible to meet the countries, food shortage has become a
demands for food from existing agro permanent feature. Two of every
systems. Pastures will be overgrazed by three children in South Africa are
domestic animals underweight.
and industrial growth will create ever- In other regions famines due to drought
greater have become more frequent. Present
problems due to pollution of soil, water development strategies have not been
and air. able to successfully address these
Seas will not have enough fish. Larger problems related to hunger and
ozone malnutrition. On the other hand, only
holes will develop due to the discharge 15% of the world’s population in the
of industrial chemicals into the developed world is earning 79% of
atmosphere, which will affect human income! Thus the disparity in the extent
health. Global warming due of per capita resources that are used
to industrial gases will lead to a rise in by people who live in a ‘developed’
sea levels country as against those who live in a
and flood all low-lying areas, ‘developing’ country is extremely large.
submerging coastal Similarly, the disparity between the rich
agriculture as well as towns and cities. and the poor in India is also
Water growing. The increasing pressures on
‘famines’ due to the depletion of fresh resources place great demands on the in-
water, built buffering action of nature that has a
will create unrest and eventually make certain ability to maintain a balance in
countries go to war. The control over our environment. However, current
regional biological diversity, which is development strategies that essentially
vital for producing new lead to short-term gains have led to a
medicinal and industrial products, will breakdown of our Earth’s ability to
lead to grave economic conflicts replenish the resources on
between biotechnologically advanced which we depend.

2. Global population growth Though population growth shows a
The world population is growing by general global decline, there are
more than variations in the rate of decline in
90 million per year, of which 93% is in different countries. By the 1990s the
developing countries. This will growth rate was decreasing in most
essentially prevent their countries such as China and India. The
further economic ‘development’. In the decline in the 90s was greatest in India.
past, However, fertility continues to remain
population growth was a gradual high in sub Saharan African countries.
phenomenon
and the Earth’s ability to replenish There are cultural, economic, political
resources was and demographic reasons that explain
capable of adjusting to this increase. In the differences in the rate of population
the recent past, the escalation in growth control in different countries. It also
of human varies in different parts of certain
numbers has become a major cause of countries and is linked with community
our environmental problems. and/or religious thinking. Lack of
Present projections show that if our Government initiatives for Family
population Welfare Program and a limited access to
growth is controlled, it will still grow to a full range of contraceptive
7.27 measures are serious impediments to
billion by 2015. However, if no action is limitingpopulation growth in several
taken it countries.
will become a staggering 7.92 billion.
Human population growth increased ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN
from: HEALTH
1 to 2 billion, in 123 years.
2 to 3 billion, in 33 years. Environment related issues that affect
3 to 4 billion, in 14 years. our health
4 to 5 billion, in 13 years. have been one of the most important
5 to 6 billion, in 11 years. triggers
that have led to creating an increasing
It is not the census figures alone that awareness of the need for better
need to be stressed, but an appreciation environmental management. Changes in
of the impact on natural resources of the our environment induced
rapid escalation in the rate of increase of by human activities in nearly every
human population in the recent past. The sphere of life
extent of this depletion is further have had an influence on the pattern of
increased by affluent societies that our
consume per capita more energy and health. The assumption that human
resources, that less fortunate people. progress is
This is of great relevance for through economic growth is not
developing a new ethic for a more necessarily true.
equitable distribution of resources.

3. We expect urbanization and A better health status of society will
industrialization to bring about Environmental health, as
bring in prosperity, but on the down defined by
side, it leads WHO, compr i ses those aspec t s of
to diseases related to overcrowding and human
an inadequate quality of drinking water, health, including quality of life, that are
resulting in determined by physical, chemical,
an increase in waterborne diseases such biological, social,
as infective diarrhoea and air borne and psychosocial factors in the
bacterial diseases environment.
such as tuberculosis. High-density city It also refers to the theory and practice of
traffic assessing, correcting, controlling, and
leads to an increase in respiratory preventing
diseases like those factors in the environment that
asthma. Agricultural pesticides that adversely
enhanced affect the health of present and future
food supplies during the green generations.
revolution have Our environment affects health in a
affected both the farm worker and all of variety of
us who ways. Climate and weather affect human
consume the produce. Modern medicine health.
promised to solve many health problems, Public health depends on sufficient
especially amounts of
associated with infectious diseases good quality food, safe drinking water,
through antibiotics, but bacteria found and adequate shelter. Natural disasters
ways to develop resistant strains, such as storms,
frequently even changing their hurricanes, and floods still kill many
behaviour in the process, making it people every year. Unprecedented
necessary rainfall trigger epidemics of malaria and
to keep on creating newer antibiotics. water borne diseases.
Many Global climate change has serious health
drugs have been found to have serious implications. Many countries will have
side effects. At times the cure is as to adapt to
damaging as the uncertain climatic conditions due to
disease process itself. global
Thus development has created several warming. As our climate is changing, we
long-term may
health problems. While better health care no longer know what to expect. There
has are increasing storms in some countries,
led to longer life spans, coupled with a drought in
lowered others, and a temperature rise throughout
infant mortality, it has also led to an the
unprecedented growth in our population world.
which has
negative implications on environmental
quality.

4. Development strategies that do not • Millions of people, mainly children,
incorporate ecological safeguards often have poor health due to parasitic
lead to ill health. infections, such as amoebiasis and
Industrial development without pollution worms. This occurs from eating infected
control and traffic congestion affect the food, or using poor quality water for
level of air pollution in many cities. On cooking food. It is estimated that
the other hand, development strategies 36% of children in low-income countries
that can promote health invariably also and 12% in middle income countries are
protect the environment. Thus malnourished. In India, about half the
environmental health and human health children under the age of four are
are closely interlinked. An improvement malnourished and 30% of newborns are
in health is central to sound significantly underweight.
environmental management. • Hundreds of millions of people suffer
However this is rarely given sufficient serious respiratory diseases, including
importance in planning development lung cancer and tuberculosis, from
strategies. crowded homes and public places. Motor
Examples of the linkages: vehicle exhaust fumes, industrial fumes,
tobacco smoke and cooking food on
• Millions of children die every year due improper ‘chulas’, contribute to
to diarrhoea from contaminated water or respiratory diseases.
food. An estimated 2000 million people • Millions of people are exposed to
are affected by these diseases and more hazardous chemicals in their workplace
than 3 million children die each year or homes that lead to ill health due to
from waterborne diseases across the industrial products where controls are
world. In India, it is estimated that every not adhered to.
fifth child under the age of 5 dies due to • Tens of thousands of people in the
diarrhoea. This is a result of inadequate world die due to traffic accidents due to
environmental management and is inadequate management of traffic
mainly due to inadequate purification of conditions.
drinking water. Wastewater and/or Poor management at the accident site,
sewage entering water sources without and inability to reach a hospital within
being treated leads to continuous an hour causes a large number of deaths,
gastrointestinal diseases in the especially from head injuries.
community and even sporadic large • Basic environmental needs such as
epidemics. Large numbers of people in clean water, clean air and adequate
tropical countries die of malaria every nutrition which are all related to
year and millions are infected. environmental goods and services do not
An inadequate environmental reach over 1000 million people living in
management of stagnant water, which abject poverty.
forms breeding sites of Anopheles • Several million people live in
mosquitoes is the most important factor inadequate shelters or have no roof over
in the spread of malaria. their heads especially in urban settings.
The resurgence of malaria in India is This is related to high inequalities in the
leading to cerebral malaria that affects distribution of wealth and living space.
the brain and has a high mortality. • Population growth and the way
resources are being exploited and

5. wasted, threatens environmental do not use or release toxic chemicals that
integrity and directly affects affect the health of workers and people
health of nearly every individual. living in the vicinity of industries can
• Health is an outcome of the improve
interactions between people and their health and environment.
environment. • There is a need to change from using
Better health can only come from a more conventional energy from thermal power
sustainable management of the that
environment. pollutes air and nuclear power that can
Important strategic concerns cause serious nuclear disasters to cleaner
• The world must address people’s and safer sources such as solar, wind and
health care ocean power, that do not affect human
needs and sustainable use of natural health. Providing clean energy is an
resources, which are closely linked to important factor that can lead to better
each health.
other. The key factors are to control human
• Strategies to provide cl population and consume less
ean pottable environmental
water and nutrition to all people is an goods and services which could lead to
important part of a healthy living ‘health for all’. Unsustainable use of
environment. resources by an ever growing population
• Providing clean energy sources that do leads
not to unhealthy lives. Activities that go on
affect health is a key to reducing wasting environmental goods and
respiratory diseases. destroying its services by producing
• Reducing environmental consequences large quantities of non degradable
of wastes, leads to
industrial and other pollutants such as health hazards.
transport emissions can improve the • Poverty is closely related to health and
status of is
health. itself a consequence of improper
• Changing patterns of agriculture away environmental management. An
from inequitable sharing of natural resources
harmful pesticides, herbicides and and environmental
insecticides which are injurious to the goods and services, is linked to poor
health of health.
farmers and consumers by using The world’s consumption of non-
alternatives renewable resources is concentrated in
such as Integrated Pest Management and the developed countries. Rich countries
non-toxic biopesticides can improve consume 50 times more per
health capita than people in less developed
of agricultural communities, as well as countries.
food This means that developed countries also
consumers. generate proportionately high quantities
• Changing industrial systems into those of waste material, which has serious
that health concerns.

6. Definition of Health Impact Assessment diseases are more vulnerable. Heat
(HIA) by WHO: Health impact waves in India in 1998 were associated
assessment is a combination of with many deaths.
procedures, methods and tools Climate plays an important role in
by which a policy, program or project vector-borne diseases transmitted by
may be judged as to its potential effects insects such as mosquitoes. These
on the health of a population, and the disease transmitters are sensitive to
distribution of those effects within the direct effects of climate such as
population. temperature,rainfall patterns and wind.
Climate and health Climate affects their distribution and
Human civilizations have adapted abundance through its effects
mankind to live in a wide variety of on host plants and animals.
climates. From the hot tropics to the cold Malaria transmission is particularly
arctic, in deserts, marshlands sensitive to weather and climate.
and in the high mountains. Both climate Unusual weather conditions, for example
and weather have a powerful impact on a heavy downpour, can greatly increase
human life and health issues. the mosquito population and trigger an
Natural disasters created by extremes of epidemic. In the desert and at highland
weather (heavy rains, floods, hurricanes) fringes of malarious areas, malaria
which occur over a short period of time, transmission is unstable and the human
can severely affect health population lacks inherent protective
of a community. Poor people are more immunity. Thus, when weather
vulnerable to the health impacts of conditions (rainfall and temperature)
climate variability than the rich. Of favour transmission, serious epidemics
approximately 80,000 deaths occur in such areas.
which occur world-wide each year as a
result of natural disasters about 95% are HUMAN RIGHTS
in poor countries. In weather-triggered Several environmental issues are closely
disasters hundreds of people and animals linked to human rights. These include
die, homes are destroyed,crops and other the equitable distribution of
resources are lost. Public health environmental resources, the
infrastructure, such as sewage disposal utilisation of resources and Intellectual
systems,waste management, hospitals Property Rights (IPRs), conflicts
and roads are damaged. The cyclone in between people and wildlife especially
Orissa in 1999 caused 10,000 deaths. around PAs, resettlement issues
The total number of people affected was around development projects such as
estimated at 10 to 15 million! dams and mines, and access to health to
Human physiology can adapt to changes prevent environment related diseases.
in weather, within certain limits.
However, marked short-term Equity
fluctuations in weather lead to serious One of the primary concerns in
health issues. Heat waves cause heat- environmental issues is how wealth,
related illness and death (e.g. heat resources and energy must be distributed
stroke). The elderly and persons with in a community. We can think of
existing heart or respiratory the global community, regional
community issues, national concerns and

7. those related to a family or at the in the amount of resources available to
individual level. While economic different sectors of society. People who
disparities remain a fact of life, we as live in wilderness communities are
citizens of a community must appreciate referred to as ecosystem
that a widening gap between the rich and people. They collect food, fuelwood, and
the poor, between men and women, or nonwood products, fish in aquatic
between the present and future ecosystems, or
generations must be minimised if social hunt for food in forests and grasslands.
justice is to be achieved. Today the When
difference between the economically landuse patterns change from natural
developed world and the developing ecosystems to more intensively used
countries is unacceptably high. farmland and
The access to a better lifestyle for men pastureland the rights of these
as against women is inherent in many indigenous
cultures. Last but not the least, we in the people are usually sacrificed. Take the
present generation cannot greedily use case of
up all our resources leaving future subsidies given to the pulp and paper
generations increasingly impoverished. industry
Rights to land, water, food, housing are for bamboo whi ch makes i t several
all a part of our environment that we all t imes
share. However, while some live cheaper for the industry than for a rural
unsustainable lifestyles with individual who uses it to build his home.
consumption patterns that the resource This infringes on the human right to
base cannot support, many others live collect resources
well below the poverty line. Even in a they have traditionally used free of cost.
developing country such as ours, there Another issue is the rights of small
are enormous economic inequalities. traditional fishermen who have to
This requires an ethic in which an contend against mechanised
equitable trawlers that impoverish their catch and
distribution becomes a part of overharvest fish in the marine
everyone’s thinking. The people who environment. These
live in the countries of the people’s right to a livelihood conflicts
North and the rich from the countries in with the
the South will have to take steps to powerful economic interests of large-
reduce their resource use and the waste scale
they generate. Both the better off sectors organised fisheries.
of society and the less fortunate need to There are serious conflicts between the
develop their own strategies of rights
sustainable living and communities at of rural communities for even basic
each level must bring about more resources
equitable patterns of wealth. such as water, and industrial
The right to the use of natural resources development which
that requires large amounts of water for
the environment holds is an essential sustaining
component of human rights. It is related its productivity. The right to land or
to disparities common

8. property resources of tribal people is is needed to appreciate and support
infringed millions of people left behind in the 20th
upon by large development projects such century’s health revolution.
as dams, mining and Protected Areas. We mu s t e n s u r e t h a t o u r e n
Movements to protect the rights of v i r o nme n t a l values and our vision
indigenous peoples are growing are linked to human rights and create
worldwide. Reversing actions that have laws to support those that need a
already been taken decades ago is a better environment, better health and a
complex problem that has no simple better lifestyle.
solutions. In many cases a just tradeoff is
at best achieved through careful and Health and sustainable human
sensitively managed negotiations. development are equity issues. In our
This needs a deep appreciation of local globalized 21st century,equity must
environmental concerns as well as a begin at the bottom, hand in hand
sensitivity to the rights of local people. with a healthy environment, improved
nutrition,and sustainable lifestyles.
Nutrition, health and human right Putting first things first,we must also
realize that resources allocated to
There are links between environment, preventing and eliminating disease will
nutrition and health which must be seen be effective only if the underlying causes
from a humanrights perspective. Proper such as malnutrition and environmental
nutrition and health are fundamental concerns, as well as their consequences,
human rights. The right to life are successfully addressed.
is a Fundamental Right in our
constitution. As a deteriorating Intellectual Property Rights and
environment shortens life spans, Community Biodiversity Register
this in effect has an impact on our
fundamental constitutional right. Traditional people, especially tribals
Nutrition affects and defines the health living in forests, have used local plants
status of all people, rich and poor. It is and animals for generations. This
linked to the way we grow, develop, storehouse of knowledge leads to
work, play, resist infection and reach our many new ‘discoveries’ for modern
aspirations as individuals, communities pharmaceutical products. The revenue
and societies. Malnutrition makes generated from such ‘finds’ goes to the
people more vulnerable to disease and pharmaceutical industry that has done
premature death. Poverty is a major the research and patented the product.
cause as well as a consequence of ill- This leaves the original tribal user with
health. Poverty, hunger, malnutrition and nothing while the industry could earn
poorly managed environments together billions of rupees. To protect the rights
affect health and weaken the of indigenous people who have used
socioeconomic development of a these products, a possible tool is to
country. Nearly 30% of humanity, create a Community Biodiversity
especially those in developing countries Register of local products and their uses
– infants, children, adolescents, so that its exploitation by the
adults, and older persons are affected by pharmaceutical industry would have to
this problem. A human rights approach pay a royalty to the local community.

9. This however has still not been generally In addition to patient safety issues, there
accepted. Mechanisms have to be is the risk that a growing herbal market
worked out so that the local traditional and its great commercial benefit poses a
users rights are protected. threat to biodiversity through the over
Traditional Medicine: Traditional harvesting of the raw material for herbal
medicine refers to health practices, medicines and other natural health care
approaches, knowledge and beliefs that products. This has been observed in the
incorporate plant, animal and mineral case of several Himalayan plants. If
based medicines, frequently of local or extraction from the wild is not
regional origin. It may be linked to controlled, this can lead to the extinction
spiritual therapies, manual techniques of endangered plant species and the
and exercises. destruction of natural habitats of several
These may be used singly or in species.
combination to treat, diagnose and Another related issue is that at present,
prevent illnesses or maintain well-being. the requirements for protection provided
Traditional medicine is often under international standards for patent
handed down through the generations or law and by most national conventional
may be known to a special caste or tribal patent laws are inadequate to protect
group. traditional knowledge and biodiversity.
Traditional medicine has maintained its There are tried and tested scientific
popularity in all regions of the methods and products that have their
developing world and origins in different traditional medicinal
its use is rapidly spreading in methods. Twenty-five percent
industrialized countries. In India, some of modern medicines are made from
of our primary health care plants first
needs are taken care of entirely by used traditionally. Yoga is known to
traditional medicine, while in Africa, up reduce asthma attacks. Traditional
to 80% of the population uses it for Medicine has been found to be effective
primary health care. In industrialized against several infectious diseases.
countries, adaptations of traditional to our destruction of our environment.
medicine are termed “Complementary“ The problems that are created by
or “Alternative” Medicine (CAM). technology and economic growth are a
While there are advantages to traditional result of our improper thinking on what
medicine as it is cheap and locally ‘development’ means. Since we still put
available, there are diseases which it a high value only on economic
cannot treat effectively. growth, we have no concern for aspects
This is a risk, as patients who use these such as sustainability or equitable use of
alternative medicinal practices may rely resources.
on an ineffective measure. The This mindset must change before
consequences could be a serious delay in concepts such as sustainable
diagnosis and effective treatment of a development can be acted upon.
treatable condition. There is a need Unsustainable development is a part of
to carefully research the claims of economic growth of the powerful while
traditional practices to ensure that they it makes the poor poorer. Consumerism
are effective. is one aspect of this process favoured by
the rich. As consumption of resources

10. has till recently been an index of countries lack access to essential
development, consumerism has thrived. allopathic medicines. The provision of
It is only recently that the world has safe and effective TM/
come to realize that there are other more CAM therapies could become a tool to
important environmental values that are increase access to health care.
essential to bring about a better way of
life. VALUE EDUCATION
Values in environment education must Value education in the context of our
bring in several new concepts. Why and environment is expected to bring about a
how can we use less resources and new sustainable way of life. Education
energy? Why do we need to keep our both through formal and non-formal
surroundings clean? Why should processes must thus address
we use less fertilisers and pesticides in understanding environmental values,
farms? valuing nature and cultures, social
Why is it important for us to save water justice, human heritage,equitable use of
and keep our water sources clean? Or resources, managing common property
separate our garbage into degradable and resources and appreciating the cause
non-degradable types before disposal? of ecological degradation.
All these issues are linked to the quality Essentially, environmental values cannot
of human life and go beyond simple be taught. They are inculcated through a
economic growth. They deal with a love complex process of appreciating our
and respect for nature. These are the environmental assets and experiencing
values that will bring about a better the problems caused due to our
humanity, one in which we can live destruction of our environment. The
healthy, productive and happy lives problems that are created by technology
in harmony with nature. and economic growth are a result of our
What are values? improper
Values deal with ones own principles thinking on what ‘development’ means.
and standards from which we judge what Since
is right and wrong behaviour. we still put a high value only on
economic
CASE STUDY growth, we have no concern for aspects
A US company was granted a patent for such
discovering extracts of arhar (pigeon pea as sustainability or equitable use of
or Cajanus cajan) in the treatment of resources.
diabetes,hypoglycemia, obesity and This mindset must change before
blockage of arteries. The use of pigeon concepts such
pea extracts in India is well known. as sustainable development can be acted
CSIR has challenged this patent as it upon.
infringes on India’s traditional Unsustainable development is a part of
knowledge, although challenging the economic growth of the powerful while
patent is difficult, as India’s scientific it makes
documentation of its traditional the poor poorer. Consumerism is one
knowledge is quite poor. aspect of
Over one-third of the population in
developing

11. this process favoured by the rich. As historical monument or place of worship.
consumption of resources has till These
recently been an index are all part of human heritage.
of development, consumerism has Heritage preservation is now a growing
thrived. It is only recently that the world environmental concern because much of
has come to realisethat there are other this heritage has been undervalued
more important environmental values during the last
that are essential to bring about several decades and is vanishing at an
a better way of life. astonishing pace. While we admire and
Values in environment education must value the Ajanta
bring inseveral new concepts. Why and and Ellora Caves, the temples of the 10th
how can weuse less resources and to
energy? Why do we needto keep our 15th centuries that led to different and
surroundings clean? Why should diverse
we use less fertilisers and pesticides in styles of architecture and sculpture, the
farms? Moghul
Why is it important for us to save water styles that led to structures such as the
andkeep our water sources clean? Or Taj
separate our garbage into degradable and Mahal, or the unique environmentally-
non-degradable types before disposal? friendly
All these issues are linked to the quality Colonial buildings, we have done little
of human life and go beyond simple to actively preserve them. As
economic growth. They deal with a love environmentally conscious individuals
and respect for nature. These are the we need to lobby for the
values that will bring about a better protection of the wilderness and our
humanity, one in which we can live glorious
healthy, productive and happy lives architectural heritage.
in harmony with nature. 7.5.6 Equitable use of resources
What are values? An unfair distribution of wealth and
Values deal with ones own principles resources,
and standards from which we judge what based on a world that is essentially only
is right and wrong behaviour. for the
rich, will bring about a disaster of
Human heritage unprecedented
proportions. Equitable use of resources
The earth itself is a heritage left to us by is now
our seen as an essential aspect of human
ancestors for not only our own use but well being and must become a shared
for the point of view
generations to come. There is much that among all socially and environmentally
is beautiful on our Earth - the conscious
undisturbed wilderness, individuals. This includes an
a traditional rural landscape, the appreciation of the
architecture of fact that economically advanced
a traditional village or town, and the countries and
value of a

12. the rich in even poor nations consume use as a community. The water that
resources nature recycles, the air that we all
at much greater levels than the much breathe, the forests
larger and grasslands which maintain our
poorer sectors of humanity in the climate and
developing soil, are all common property resources.
world. In spite of the great number of When
people in Government took over the control of
the more populous developing countries, community forests in British times, the
the local people who
smaller number of people in developed until then had controlled their use
countries use more resources and energy through a
than those set of norms that were based on
in the developing world. This is equally equitable use,
true of began to overexploit resources on which
the small number of rich people in poor they
countries whose per capita use of energy now had no personal stake. Bringing
and resources, and the generation of back such
waste based on traditional management systems is
the one time use of disposable products, extremely
leads difficult. However, in the recent past
to great pressures on the environment. managing
The poor local forests through village level forest
while polluting the environment have no protection committees has shown that if
way people know
to prevent it. The rich damage the that they can benefit from the forests,
environment they will
through a carelessness that proves only begin to protect them. This essentially
that they means
have no appreciation for environmental sharing the power to control forests
safety. between
As we begin to appreciate that we need the Forest Department and local people.
more 7.5.8 Ecological degradation
sustainable lifestyles we also begin to In many situations valuable ecological
realize that assets are
this cannot be brought about without a turned into serious environmental
more problems. This
equitable use of resources. is because we as a society do not
7.5.7 Common Property Resources strongly resist forces that bring about
Our environment has a major component ecological degradation.
that These consist of sectors of society that
does not belong to individuals. There are use a
several commonly owned resources that ‘get-rich-quick’ approach to
all of us development. While
ecological degradation has frequently
been

13. blamed on the needs of fuelwood and closely linked to the welfare of women
fodder and children. Each year, close to eleven
of growing numbers of rural people, the million children worldwide are estimated
rich, to have died from the effects of disease
urbanized, industrial sector is and inadequate nutrition. Most of these
responsible for deaths are in the developing world. In
greater ecological damage. Changes in some countries, more than one in five
landuse children die before they are 5 years old.
from natural ecosystems to more Seven out of 10 of childhood deaths in
intensive utilization such as turning developing countries can
forests into monoculture be attributed to five main causes, or a
forestry plantations, or tea and coffee combination of them. These are
estates, pneumonia, diarrhoea, measles, malaria
or marginal lands into intensive and malnutrition. Around the world,
agricultural patterns such as sugarcane three out of every four children suffer
fields or changes into from at least one of these conditions.
urban or industrial land carry an
ecological price. The diagnosis of common childhood
Wetlands, for example, provide usable disease conditions
resources Presenting complaint Possible cause or
associated condition
and a variety of services not easily Cough and/or Pneumonia
valued in economic terms, and when fast breathing Severe anaemia
destroyed to provide P. falciparum malaria
Lethargy or Cerebral malaria
additional farmland, in many cases unconsciousness Meningitis
produce Severe dehydration
lower returns. A natural forest provides Very severe pneumonia
Measles rash Pneumonia
valuable non-wood forest products Diarrhoea
whose economic Ear infection
returns far outweigh that provided by “Very sick” young infant Pneumonia
Meningitis
felling the Sepsis
forest for timber. These values must
form a part ROLE OF INFORMATION
of a new conservation ethic. We cannot TECHNOLOGY
permit IN ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN
unsustainable development to run HEALTH
onwards at The understanding of environmental
a pace in which our lives will be concerns and issues related to human
overtaken by a health has explodedduring the last few
development strategy that must years due to the sudden growth of
eventually fail Information Technology. The computer
as Earth’s resources are consumed and age has turned the world around due to
ecosystems rendered irreparable. the incredible rapidity with which IT
spreads knowledge. IT can do several
WOMAN AND CHILD WELFARE tasks extremely rapidly, accurately and
There are several environmental factors spread the information through the
that are

14. world’s networks of millions of omputer increasingly efficient. They will be
systems. A few examples of the use of faster, have greater memories and even
computer technology that aid perhaps begin to think for themselves.
environmental studies include software
such as using Geographical Information
Systems (GIS). GIS is a tool to map
landuse patterns and document change
by studying digitized toposheets and/or
satellite imagery. Once this is done, an
expert can ask a variety of questions
which the software can answer by
producing maps which helps in
landuse planning.
CASE STUDY
Karnataka’s GIS scheme, Bhoomi,
has revolutionized the way farmers
access their land records. Farmers can
now get a copy of the records of
rights, tenancy and crops from a
computerized information kiosk
without harassment and bribes.
Karnataka has computerized 20
million records of land ownership
of 6.7 million farmers in the State.
The Internet with its thousands of
websites has made it extremely simple to
get the appropriate environmental
information for any study or
environmental management planning.
This not only assists scientists and
students but is a powerful tool to help
increase public awareness about
environmental issues.Specialised
software can analyse data for
epidemiological studies, population
dynamics and a variety of key
environmental concerns.The relationship
between the environment and health has
been established due to the growing
utilisation of computer technology. This
looks at infection rates, morbidity or
mortality and the etiology (causative
factors) of a disease. As knowledge
expands, computers will become