Environment Vs Development

DEVELOPMENT

Development can be defined as growth, progress, positive change, or the addition of physical, economic, environmental, social, and demographic components. The purpose of development is to raise people’s living standards and quality of life while maintaining the environment’s resources. It also aims to produce or grow regional social and economic benefits.

Environment versus Development has been put under the microscope for quite some time now. With development, humans seek to raise the living standards and amenities to make life easier, but these developments do cost environmental degradation. The question that lies here is, can we achieve the desired level of development without the destruction of the ecosystem.

Global warming is already a cause of concern, the world is already observing climate change and its effects. As per the findings of Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2003), 15 of the 24 ecosystem services were degraded that they examined, and the use of natural resources is growing steadily.

Read about UPSC question paper 2019

Significance of Environment

Provisioning Services

Nature plays a significant part in sustaining economic activities. It helps directly through the provision of resources and raw substances like timber, water, and minerals which are needed as sources for the production of services and goods; and indirectly, by providing ecosystem’s services such as carbon sequestration and water purification, reducing the risk of flooding and the cycle of nutrients.

Natural resources form a crucial part in forming the provisioning services for humans, these provisioning services refer to Food, Water, and Irrigation requirements.

Regulating Services

The growth in economics that we have witnessed up to now has come at huge costs, namely at the expense of environmental quality. As we enter the age of globalization, which promises more economic growth, it is important to consider the negative effects of the previous development process for our planet.

To achieve regulating services like purification of water for drinking and controlling of climate to survive the weather condition, affect the environmental factors. 

Also see UPSC question paper 2020

ILL-Effects of Subsidies

To seek developmental goals, the government of India provides subsidies from time to time. When these subsidies are provided in the fields of Power and energy, they tend to exploit natural resources through their excessive use to increase the outputs.

The previous development has contaminated the rivers and dried them up as well as other aquifers, making water an economic asset. In addition, the extensive extraction of renewable as well as non-renewable resources has drained a few of these essential resources, and we have to invest huge sums of money in research and technology to find new sources of energy. In addition, there are the health consequences of poor environmental quality. 

A decrease in the quality of air and water (Pollution in water sources in India is estimated to be @ 70%- As per Niti Aayog) has increased the prevalence of water-borne and respiratory diseases. Therefore, the cost of health is also increasing. And to make matters even more difficult, environmental concerns worldwide like global warming and Ozone depletion are also contributing to a rise in financial commitments to the federal government. Therefore, it is evident that the costs associated with adverse environmental effects are substantial.

Lack of Environmental Compliance

To curb Environmental Degradation, there are policies and Acts enacted in India:

• Environment Protection Act 1986
• The Forest (Conservation) Act 1980
• The Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972
• The Biodiversity Act 2003
• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974
• The Water CESS Act 1977 and The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981

Even with these rules and regulations in place, still there is a lack of formulation of proper protocols and research methodologies towards environmental aspects.

Lack of Environmental compliance can be classified into:

• Negligence in following the Environmental protocol
• Improper Scientific research
• Destruction of natural resources through quarrying and cutting of hills with unscientific methods

Visit to know more about Tips for UPSC Preparation

Need for Sustainable Development

Development in the economy, aimed to boost the production of services and goods to fulfill the needs of a growing number of people, is putting more pressure upon the natural environment. In the early stages of development, the demand for environmental resources was lower than the supply. Today, the world is confronted with an increased demand for natural resources, but their availability is limited by overuse and misuse. Sustainable development is the type of development that helps reduce environmental impacts and fulfills the demands of the current generation without jeopardizing the capacity of the next generation in meeting their requirements.

The economy and environment are interdependent and require each other. Therefore, any development that does not consider its impact on the environment can destroy the ecosystem that supports living things.