Detailed, Step-by-Step NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Economics Chapter 15 Environment and Sustainable Development Questions and Answers were solved by Expert Teachers as per NCERT (CBSE) Book guidelines covering each topic in chapter to ensure complete preparation.
Environment and Sustainable Development NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Economics Chapter 15
Environment and Sustainable Development Questions and Answers Class 12 Economics Chapter 15
Question 1.
What is meant by environment?
Answer:
Environment is the sum total of all surroundings of a living organism, including the biotic and abiotic j factors that influence each other.
Question 2.
What happens when the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration?
Answer:
When the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration, it results in an environmental crisis, which is the situation today all over the world. As the demand for resources goes beyond the rate of regeneration of the resources, the pressure on the absorptive capacity of the environment increases tremendously. The supply is unable to meet this excess demand, thereby resulting in environmental crisis.
Question 3.
Classify the following into renewable and non-renewable resources.
(i) trees
(ii) fish
(iii) petroleum
(iv) coal
(v) iron-ore
(vi) water
Answer:
The table below classifies the given resources into renewable and non-renewable:
| Renewable Resources | Non-renewable Resources |
| Trees | Petroleum |
| Fish | Coal |
| Water | Iron-ore |
Question 4.
Two major environmental issues facing the world today are ………………. and …………………..
Answer:
Two major environmental issues facing the world today are global warming and ozone depletion.
Question 5.
How do the following factors contribute to the environmental crisis in India? What problems do they
(i) Rising population
(ii) Air pollution
(iii) Water contamination
(iv) Affluent consumption standards
(v) Illiteracy
(vi) Industrialisation
(vii) Urbanisation
(viii) Reduction of forest coverage
(ix) Poaching
(x) Global warming
Answer:
(i) Rising population: The population in India has been rapidly increasing since 1921. Population explosion has created tremendous environmental and ecological imbalances. Limited availability of resources makes the government face the problem related to their allocation.
(ii) Air pollution: Industries and vehicles are the primary source of air pollution in India. It contributes towards global warming. Government needs to take corrective measures to reduce air pollution.
(iii) Water Contamination: Industrial wastes are often channelised into rivers and canals of the adjoining areas, thereby causing water pollution. The consequence is the spread of water-borne diseases, implying damage to human as well as animal life, particularly the fish. This requires government to keep a regular check on and penalize the industries which are situated near a water body and dispose waste in the water.
(iv) Affluent Consumption Standards: Affluent consumption standards of the have placed a huge stress on the environment. Consequently, many resources have become extinct. Limited availability of resources makes the government face the problem related to their allocation.
(v) Illiteracy: Illiterate people do not understand the importance of environment. They use the natural resources inefficiently or even misuse them. The government must take steps to educate people and make them aware of the need to protect the environment.
(vi) Industrialisation: A tremendous pressure has been created on environment with the advent of industrial revolution. It has resulted in large scale industrial wastages, causing environmental pollution. This requires government to keep a regular check on and penalize the industries which pollute the environment.
(vii) Urbanisation: Migration of people from rural to urban areas increases the pressure on existing infrastructural facilities in the cities. Improper arrangement for delivery of waste water and sewage has polluted the atmosphere. The government should be capable of meeting the increasing demand for such sendees in urban areas.
(viii) Reduction of Forest Coverage: Felling of forests beyond the permissible limits has been a threat towards India’s vegetation and wildlife. The government should keep a check on the amount of trees being cut.
(ix) Poaching: Poaching is dangerous to our environment. It leads to endangerment of different species, thereby disturbing the ecological balance.
(x) Global Warming: Global warming is a gradual increase in the average temperature of the earth’s lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases. It results in:
- Melting of polar ice
- Rise in sea level
- Frequent coastal flooding and tropical storms
- Extinction of species
Question 6.
What are the functions of the environment?
Answer:
The environment performs the following four vital functions:
- It supplies renewable and non-renewable resources.
- It assimilates waste.
- It sustains life by providing genetic and bio-diversity.
- It provides aesthetic services.
Question 7.
Identify six factors contributing to land degradation in India.
Answer:
The following factors contribute to land degradation in India:
- High density of population
- Competing usage of land for agriculture and forestry
- Deforestation
- Forest fires and overgrazing
- Soil erosion
- Large scale human settlements and set up of industries
Question 8.
Explain how the opportunity costs of negative environmental impact are high.
Answer:
The opportunity costs of negatiy© environmental impact are high. It can be explained as below:
(i) The past development has polluted and dried up rivers. Degraded environmental quality due to decline in the quality of air and water has resulted in increased incidence of respiratory and j water-borne diseases. Bence, health expenditure is rising,
(ii) Due to the intensive and extensive extraction of renewable and non-renewable resources, many vital resources have become extinct As a result, huge amounts are spent on technology, and research to explore new resources.
(iii) Global environmental issues such as global warming and ozone depletion also contribute to increase financial commitments for the government.
Question 9.
Outline the steps involved in attaining sustainable development in India.
Answer:
The following steps are involved in attaining sustainable development in India:
- Use of non-conventional sources of energy such as wind power and solar rays, which are cleaner and greener energy sources
- Replace gobar gas, etc. used in rural areas with subsidised LPG, which is a cleaner fuel and reduces household pollution
- Wind and solar power sources provide electricity without any adverse impact on the environment
- Mini-hydel plants use the energy of streams in mountainous regions to move small turbines and generate electricity
- Use of CNG as fuel in public transport system of urban areas significantly lowers air pollution
Question 10.
India has abundant natural resources – substantiate the statement.
Answer:
India has rich quality of soil, large number of rivers and tributaries, lush green forests, plenty of mineral deposits beneath the land surface, vast stretch of the Indian Ocean and mountains ranges. Some of the important resources are listed below:
- Deccan Plateau in India is rich in black soil, which is particularly suitable for cultivation of cotton.
- The Indo-Gangetic plains are one of the most fertile, intensively cultivated and densely populated regions in the world.
- India’s forests provide green cover for a majority of its population and natural cover for its wildlife.
- India has large deposits of iron-ore, coal and natural gas. India alone accounts for nearly 20 percent of the world’s total iron-ore reserves.
- Bauxite, copper, chromate, diamonds, gold, lead, lignite, manganese, zinc, uranium, etc. are also available in different parts of the country.
Question 11.
Is environmental crisis a recent phenomenon? If so, why?
Answer:
In the early days, when civilisation just began, the demand for environment resources and services was much less than their supply. That is, the population was within the absorptive capacity of the environment and the rate of resources extraction was less than the rate of regeneration of these resources.
Thus, there was no environment crisis at that time. However, with the population explosion and advent of industrialisation, human needs are also growing. As the demand for resources went beyond the rate of regeneration of the resources, the pressure on the absorptive capacity of the environment increased tremendously. The supply is unable to meet this excess demand, thereby resulting in environmental crisis.
Question 12.
Give two instances of:
(a) Overuse of environmental resources
(b) Misuse of environmental resources
Answer:
(a) Overuse of environmental resources
- Affluent consumption and production standards
- Reduction in the level of ground water
- Land degradation
(b) Misuse of environmental resources
- Deforestation
- Loss of biodiversity
- Air and water pollution
Question 13.
State any four pressing environmental concerns of India. Correction for environmental damages involves opportunity costs – explain.
Answer:
Four pressing environmental concerns of India are:
- Air pollution
- Water contamination
- Soil erosion
- Deforestation and wildlife extinction
Degraded environmental quality due to decline in the quality of air and water has resulted in increased incidence of respiratory and water-borne diseases. Hence, health expenditure is rising. Correction for environmental damages such as air pollution, water pollution, soil erosion, etc. require investment of huge financial resources, which could have been used for other developmental purposes. Thus, correction for environmental damages involves opportunity costs. Environment and Sustainable Development)
Question 14.
Explain the supply-demand reversal of environmental resources.
Answer:
In the early days, when civilisation just began, the demand for environment resources and services was much less than their supply. That is, the population was within the absorptive capacity ofthe environment and the rate of resources extraction was less than the rate of regeneration of these resources. Thus, there was no environment crisis at that time.
However, with the population explosion and advent of industrialisation, human needs are also growing. The demand for environment resources and services has increased but their supply is limited due to the overuse and misuse of these resources. The supply is unable to meet this excess demand, thereby resulting in environmental crisis. Consequently, the supply-demand relationship has reversed.
Question 15.
Account for the current environmental crisis.
Answer:
The following factors have resulted in environmental crisis
- Rapidly rising population
- Waste generation
- Increasing urbanisation
- Industrial concentration
- Deforestation and over-utilisation of land resources
With the phenomenal increase in population and advent of industrialisation, human needs also growing. Huge stress on the environment has resulted in the extinction of various resources. As the demand for resources went beyond the .“ate of regeneration of the resources, the pressure on the absorptive capacity of the environment increased tremendously.
The demand for environment resources and services has increased but their supply is limited due to the overuse and misuse of these resources. The supply is unable to meet this excess demand, thereby resulting in environmental crisis.
Question 16.
Highlight any two serious adverse environmental consequences of development in India. India’s environmental problems pose a dichotomy – they are poverty induced and at the same time, due to affluence in living standards – is this true?
Answer:
Adverse environment consequences of development in India include global warming and ozone depletion.
(i) Global Warming: Global warming is a gradual increase in the average temperature of the earth’s lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the advent of industrial revolution. Factors responsible for global warming are:
- Burning of coal and petroleum products
- Deforestation
(ii) Ozone Depletion: Ozone depletion refers to the phenomenon of reduction in the amount of ozone in the stratosphere. It is caused due to high levels of chlorine and bromine compounds in the stratosphere. The origins of these compounds are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Depletion of ozone layer allows more ultraviolet (UV) radiation to come to earth and cause damage to living organisms.
The environmental problems in India point towards a paradoxical situation. Population explosion and widespread poverty have been the major factors responsible for deforestation in India. The poor people in the rural areas cut trees to earn their livelihood. The growing demand for land to build houses for rapidly increasing population in the urban areas is also responsible for the present environmental degradation, Further, industrialisation has resulted in air and water pollution.
While one opinion supports industrial production for India’s prosperity, the other opinion highlights the threat of pollution due to rapidly expanding industrial sector.
Question 17.
What is sustainable development?
Answer:
Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Question 18.
Keeping in view your locality, describe any four strategies of sustainable development.
Answer:
Sustainable development can be promoted by adopting non-conventional sources of energy such as:
- LPG and gobar gas in rural areas
- CNG in urban areas
- Wind, solar and hydel power
- Bio-composting
- Biopest control
Suggestion: Students should describe the strategies that they find in their respective localities.
Question 19.
Explain the relevance of intergenerational equity in the definition of sustainable development.
Answer:
Sustainable development aims to minimise environmental problems and meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs. Intergenerational equity implies that present generation should handover the earth at least in the same health as it has inherited, if not with improved condition. Present generation must pass the non- polluted resources to the next generation. Thus, the definition of sustainable development implicitly encompasses the concept of intergenerational equity and the care for the poorest of the poor.