Environmental degradation

1. Development and Degradation
● Development
-The term ‘development’ can be used to
describe a process towards modernization that
can be measured in terms of the growth of
economy.
-Sustained efforts to improve the social and
economic well-being of the people and
communities.

2. Environmental Degradation
-When any of the components of the ecosystem
(wetland, forest, land etc.) reach to such a
situation due to natural disturbances or
anthropogenic activities, the part of the
ecosystem can not get back to its original state,
this situation leads to degradation.

3. -is damage to a local or global ecosystem or
the biosphere as a whole due to human
activities. It occurs when human resources
(such as, plants, habitat) are consumed
faster than nature can replenish them.

4. •Environmental Degradation
-The reduction of the ecosystem to provide
social and economic services (ISDR)
URBANIZATION
-Urbanization refers to a process in which an
increasing proportion of an entire population lives in
cities and the suburbs of cities.
-Urban population growth, migration and expansion
of the area are important in urbanization.

5. •There is a close relationship between
Environment, Development and degradation
Development: Urbanization (manipulation of
environmental parameters and transformation
of lands) and Industrialization (transformation
of lands for production, waste disposal,
emission of GHG gases)

6. World Conservation Strategy (WCS) and UNEP
publications drew the attention of Sustainable
Development.
Objectives of WCS
- to maintain essential ecological processes
-preservation of species and
-sustainable use of natural resources.

7. WCED
-19 December 1983, the General assembly
welcomed the establishment of a special commission
that should make available a report on environment.
Chairman- Gro Harlem Brundtland (Norway)
Members (21) from Sudan, Canada, USA etc.

8. WCED Report is divided into three parts
Part I- A threatened future towards sustainable
development
Part II- Common challenges
. Population and human resource
. Food and ecosystem
. Energy
. Industry
. Urban
Part III- Common endeavors, managing the
commons, peace, security, environment, towards
common action

9. WCED- World Conference on Environment
and Development (1987) -Our Common
Future (WCED, 1987)
Statement- many development activities are
leaving growing number of people poor and
vulnerable and at the same time are
degrading for the environment.

10. Objectives of WCED
-to meet basic needs
-to encourage consumption within the bounds
of ecosystem
-to ensure natural system that supports life on
earth (atmosphere, water, land and living
organisms are not threatened)
-to ensure equitable access to constrained
resources
-to maintain biodiversity through conservation
of plants and animal species

11. Scope and Definitions
-Sustainable development does not focus solely
on environmental issues. More broadly,
sustainable development policies encompass
three general policy areas: economic,
environmental and social

12. Sustainable Development (WCED, 1987)
-development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
-Sustainable development is defined as
balancing the fulfillment of human needs with
the protection of the natural environment so that
these needs can be met not only in the present,
but in the indefinite future.

13. United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development (UNCED)
UNCED promotes Sustainable Development
Popularly known as–
EARTH SUMMIT, June 1992, Rio De Janeiro
of Brazil
-178 representatives including 117 heads of
the States were present

14. Agenda 21- is an agreement that highlights
many of the issues of SD—
1. Poverty eradication
2. Population control to save scarce
resources
3. Primary health care and control of
communicable diseases, and reduction of
health risk from environmental pollution

15. Agenda 21 outlines the global strategies for
protecting earth’s environment, conserving
natural resources and saving its population
and therefore provides the framework for
SD.
SD Efforts of Bangladesh
-BD is a signatory to Agenda 21 and it is
committed to pursuance of SD

16. -The Dhaka Declaration of the D-8 Summit held
in Dhaka on March 1999, where the goal of
SD is clearly stated as the pursuance of the
Sustainable Development.
-The Fifth Five Year Plan of Bangladesh 1997-
2002 (Planning Commission 1998) refers
several objectives of linking development
activities with environment.

17. Environmental Impact Assessment
-Nothing like EIA existed before 1967
-The first true EIA was probably in 1967 where EIA
was applied in investigating copper mining in
Puerto Rico.
-EIA evolved from landuse planning established by
the NEPA (National Env. Policy Act 1969, USA)

18. -EIA spread after 1970s for the systematic assessment
and presentation of predicted impacts, available
alternatives and mitigation possibilities.
-EIA evolved in an era dominated by a technocratic
perspective on problem solving and with an
emphasis on biophysical impacts.
-By 1995 about half of the world’s govts required EIA
in some form in any development projects.
Global and Transboundary Impact Assessment
-in 1991 the UN Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) initiated the Convention on
Environmental Impact Assessment in a
transboundary context in Espoo, Finland

19. Stages of EIA
-Pre-project assessment
-During project phase
-Post-project assessment and monitoring
Therefore the objectives of EIA are to evaluate the
potential threats of any development project to
environmental components & to plan accordingly
so that the impacts might be mitigated to a
sustainable level
-As methods of EIA, identification of probable threats
by a multidisciplinary expert group (Participatory
approach)
-Scaling of the problems and to compromise with
everyone’s objectives

20. Social Impact Assessment
-SIA Seeks to assess whether a proposed
development alters quality of life and sense of
well-being, and how well individuals, groups and
communities adapt change caused by
development
-scientists also recognize cultural impact assessment
concerned with effects on archaeological remains,
holy places, traditions etc.