Module 1. Understanding Environment
1. Concept of Environment and overview of environmental issues
1.3 Environmental movements: National and International
Module 2. Overview of Sustainable Development & SDGs
2.1 Concept, need and factors of Sustainable Development;
Meaning, evolution and significance of SDGs
2.3 Environmental Goals: Climate action, life on land, life below water
Environmental protection is an important part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among the 17 SDGs, three goals are particularly focused on protecting the natural environment:
These three goals are closely
interconnected. Climate change affects oceans and land ecosystems, while
healthy forests, oceans and other ecosystems help regulate the climate.
SDG 13 –
Climate Action
SDG 13: Climate Action calls for urgent
action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Climate change refers to long-term
changes in temperature, rainfall, weather patterns and other aspects of the
Earth's climate. Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels and
changes in land use, have contributed significantly to the recent warming of
the planet.
Climate Action means reducing the
causes of climate change and preparing communities and ecosystems to deal with
its impacts.
Major Objectives of SDG 13
1.
Reduce Greenhouse-Gas Emissions: Activities such as burning coal, oil and
natural gas release greenhouse gases.
Climate action encourages:
2. Build Climate Resilience: Communities
need to prepare for climate-related risks such as:
Climate-resilient infrastructure and
disaster preparedness can reduce their impacts.
3. Promote Climate Awareness: People
need to understand:
Education and media play an
important role in spreading this awareness.
4. Climate Adaptation: Adaptation
means adjusting systems and communities to reduce the harmful effects of
climate change.
Examples:
5. Climate Mitigation: Mitigation means
reducing or preventing greenhouse-gas emissions or increasing their removal
from the atmosphere.
Examples:
Climate Action: Mitigation vs
Adaptation
|
Mitigation |
Adaptation |
|
Addresses the causes of climate change |
Addresses its impacts |
|
Reduces greenhouse gases |
Reduces vulnerability |
|
Renewable energy |
Flood protection |
|
Energy efficiency |
Heat action plans |
|
Forest conservation |
Drought-resistant agriculture |
Both are necessary.
SDG 14 – Life Below Water
SDG 14: Life Below Water aims to conserve and sustainably
use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Oceans cover a large portion of the
Earth's surface and support millions of organisms. They also provide food,
livelihoods and other ecosystem services.
Life Below Water means protecting
oceans, seas, marine ecosystems and the life they support.
Major Threats to Marine Ecosystems
1. Marine Pollution: Oceans are
affected by:
Plastic pollution is particularly
harmful because marine animals can ingest plastic or become entangled in it.
2. Overfishing: Excessive fishing
can reduce fish populations and disturb marine food chains.
Sustainable fishing practices are
therefore important.
3. Climate Change: Climate change
affects oceans through:
4. Destruction of Coastal Habitats: Important
ecosystems such as:
can be damaged by development,
pollution and climate-related changes.
Major Objectives of SDG 14
A. Reduce Marine Pollution: Reduce
the amount of waste and pollutants entering oceans.
B. Protect Marine Ecosystems
Conserve:
C. Promote Sustainable Fishing: Prevent
overfishing and promote responsible fisheries management.
D. Address Ocean Acidification: Reducing
carbon dioxide emissions is important because increased atmospheric CO₂
contributes to ocean acidification.
E. Protect Marine Biodiversity: Protect
endangered marine species and their habitats.
Example: Marine Conservation: A
coastal community can contribute by:
Reducing plastic waste → Protecting
mangroves → Responsible fishing → Maintaining marine biodiversity
This demonstrates how individual and
community action can contribute to SDG 14.
SDG 15 –
Life on Land
SDG 15: Life on Land focuses on protecting,
restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably
managing forests, combating desertification, and halting biodiversity loss and
land degradation.
Life on Land means protecting
forests, wildlife, soil, biodiversity and other land-based ecosystems.
Major Threats to Life on Land
1. Deforestation: Forests are cleared for:
Deforestation can result in:
2. Biodiversity Loss: Biodiversity
refers to the variety of life on Earth.
Species may become threatened
because of:
3. Land Degradation: Land
degradation reduces the ability of land to support ecosystems and agriculture.
Causes include:
4. Desertification: Desertification
refers to land degradation in dry areas.
It can be caused by factors such as:
5. Wildlife Loss: Illegal hunting,
poaching and wildlife trafficking threaten many species.
Conservation efforts include:
Major
Objectives of SDG 15
A. Protect Forests: Promote
sustainable forest management and prevent unnecessary forest loss.
B. Protect Biodiversity: Conserve
plants, animals and their habitats.
C. Restore Degraded Land: Restore
ecosystems and improve degraded land.
D. Combat Desertification: Prevent
and reverse land degradation, particularly in vulnerable dry regions.
E. Protect Wildlife: Reduce
poaching, illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction.
Relationship
Between SDG 13, 14 and 15
These three environmental goals are closely
interconnected.
Climate Change → Land Ecosystems
Changing temperatures and rainfall
patterns can affect:
Climate Change → Oceans
Climate change can contribute to:
Land → Climate
Forests and other terrestrial
ecosystems store carbon. Protecting them can contribute to climate mitigation.
Oceans → Climate
Oceans absorb substantial amounts of
heat and carbon dioxide and play an important role in the Earth's climate
system.
Environmental goals cannot be
achieved only through government action.
For Climate Action – SDG 13
For Life Below Water – SDG 14
For Life on Land – SDG 15
Role of Media in Environmental Goals
Media can become an important tool
for achieving environmental awareness.
Media's Role: Inform → Educate → Create Awareness → Encourage Participation
Development is necessary for
improving the quality of human life. We need industries, roads, housing, technology,
transport, education and employment. However, development that continuously
damages the environment can create serious problems for present and future
generations.
This is where the concept of Sustainable
Development becomes important.
In simple words: Sustainable
development means developing today without destroying the ability of future
generations to meet their needs.
Concept of
Sustainable Development: Sustainable development is a form
of development that seeks to balance economic growth, social well-being and
environmental protection.
The concept was widely popularised
by the Brundtland Commission's 1987 report, Our Common Future.
It defined sustainable development
as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Simple Example: Suppose a city needs
more electricity. A traditional approach may depend heavily on fossil fuels,
which can increase pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions.
A sustainable approach would
consider:
Thus, sustainable development does not
mean stopping development. It means finding ways to develop while reducing
long-term environmental and social damage.
Three
Pillars of Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is generally
explained through three interconnected pillars:
1. Economic Sustainability: Economic
activities should create:
But economic development should
avoid unnecessary depletion of resources.
Example: Industries can adopt
energy-efficient technologies and reduce waste.
2. Social Sustainability
Development should improve people's
quality of life and promote:
Example: A development project
should consider the impact on local communities rather than focusing only on
economic returns.
3. Environmental Sustainability: Development
should protect:
It requires responsible use of
resources and reduction of pollution.
Need for
Sustainable Development: Sustainable development is needed
because human activities are putting increasing pressure on natural and social
systems.
A. Conservation of Natural Resources:
Resources such as:
are limited or vulnerable to
degradation.
Sustainable development encourages efficient
and responsible resource use.
B. Protection of the Environment: Unsustainable
development can result in:
Sustainable development seeks to
reduce these impacts.
C. Addressing Climate Change: The
excessive use of fossil fuels contributes significantly to greenhouse-gas
emissions. Sustainable development encourages:
D. Improving Quality of Life: Development
should not be measured only by economic growth. People also need:
Sustainable development attempts to
improve these aspects together.
E. Intergenerational Equity: One of
the most important principles is intergenerational equity. It means that
present generations should use resources responsibly so that future generations
also have access to them.
Example: If groundwater is extracted
faster than it is naturally replenished, future generations may face water
shortages.
F. Reducing Poverty and Inequality: Environmental
degradation often affects vulnerable communities more severely. Sustainable
development promotes:
G. Sustainable Urbanisation: Rapid
urbanisation creates challenges such as:
Sustainable urban development
promotes:
H. Long-Term Economic Stability: Unsustainable
exploitation of resources may provide short-term economic benefits but create long-term
costs.
For example: Overuse of soil → Soil
degradation → Lower agricultural productivity
Sustainable practices help maintain
resources and economic activity over the long term.
Factors of Sustainable Development: Several factors influence whether development can be
sustainable.
1. Environmental Factors: Environmental sustainability
depends on:
A healthy environment is the
foundation of sustainable development.
2. Economic Factors: Economic
sustainability requires:
Example: A business can reduce costs
and environmental impact by using energy-efficient machinery.
3. Social Factors: Important social
factors include:
Development is sustainable only when
its benefits reach different sections of society.
4. Technological Factors: Technology
can help reduce environmental impact.
Examples:
However, technology should be
evaluated for its environmental and social consequences, not adopted simply
because it is new.
5. Political and Governance Factors:
Good governance is essential for sustainable development.
It includes:
6. Population Factors: Population
growth and changing consumption patterns can increase pressure on:
Sustainable development therefore
requires efficient resource management and access to education and essential
services.
7. Cultural Factors: Culture
influences how people use and value natural resources.
Traditional knowledge can contribute
to:
Local communities can therefore play
an important role in sustainable development.
8. Legal Factors: Environmental laws
and regulations help ensure that individuals and organisations use resources
responsibly.
Legal measures may address:
9. Public Participation: Sustainable
development cannot be achieved only through government policies.
Citizens and communities need to
participate through:
People must be participants, not
merely beneficiaries, of development.
Principles
of Sustainable Development
1. Intergenerational Equity: Resources
should be protected for future generations.
2. Intragenerational Equity: Resources
and development opportunities should be distributed fairly among people living
today.
3. Conservation of Biodiversity: Development
should protect ecosystems and species.
4. Sustainable Use of Resources: Natural
resources should be used at a rate that does not permanently deplete them.
5. Precautionary Principle: When an
activity may cause serious environmental damage, lack of complete scientific
certainty should not automatically be used as a reason to delay preventive
action.
6. Polluter Pays Principle: The
party responsible for pollution may be required to bear the costs associated
with preventing or addressing the environmental damage, subject to applicable
law.
7. Public Participation: People
affected by environmental decisions should have opportunities to participate in
decision-making.
Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs)
In 2015, the United Nations adopted
the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.
Some important SDGs include:
Important Point: The SDGs show that
sustainable development is not limited to environmental protection. It includes
economic, social, institutional and environmental dimensions.
Examples of
Sustainable Development
Example 1: Solar Energy
Traditional approach: Dependence on
fossil fuels.
Sustainable approach: Increasing
renewable energy while improving energy efficiency and access.
Example 2: Sustainable Transport
Traditional approach: Greater
dependence on private vehicles.
Sustainable approach: Public
transport + walking + cycling + cleaner vehicles.
Example 3: Sustainable Agriculture
Traditional approach: Excessive use
of water and chemical inputs.
Sustainable approach: Efficient
irrigation + soil conservation + crop diversity + responsible use of inputs.
Example 4: Sustainable Cities
A sustainable city can focus on:
Role of
Students in Sustainable Development Students
can contribute through simple actions:
For Media Students: BAMMC students
can use:
to communicate sustainability issues
to the public.
Sustainable
Development: A Simple Framework
You can remember sustainable
development using:
PEOPLE
+ PLANET + PROSPERITY
People → Social well-being and
equality
Planet → Environmental protection
Prosperity → Economic development
All three must be considered
together.
Sustainable development is an
approach to development that attempts to create a balance between economic
growth, social well-being and environmental protection.
It is needed because natural
resources are limited, environmental problems are increasing and development
must benefit both present and future generations.
The success of sustainable
development depends on several factors including environmental conservation,
economic stability, social equality, technology, good governance, law, culture
and public participation.
Ultimately, sustainable development
asks us to change the way we think about progress:
Development should not simply ask,
“How much can we produce?” but also, “Can we continue doing it without damaging
people and the planet?”
