Question 1

Q1: What is meant by environment?

Accepted Answer

The environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources. It encompasses all biotic and abiotic factors and their inter-relationships.     Biotic elements include all living components such as birds, animals, plants, forests, and fisheries.    Abiotic elements...

Question 2

Q10: India has abundant natural resources-substantiate the statement.

Accepted Answer

The statement that India has abundant natural resources is substantiated by the chapter with the following points:    Rich Soil: India possesses high-quality soil suitable for agriculture. The black soil of the Deccan Plateau is ideal for cotton cultivation, while the Indo-Gangetic plains are among...

Question 3

Q11: Is environmental crisis a recent phenomenon? If so, why?

Accepted Answer

Yes, according to the chapter, the environmental crisis is a recent phenomenon. In the early days of civilization, environmental problems did not arise for the following reasons:    Low Demand: The demand for environmental resources and services was much less than their supply. The population was sm...

Question 4

Q12: Give two instances of (a) Overuse of environmental resources (b) Misuse of environmental resources.

Accepted Answer

Based on the chapter, here are two instances for each category: (a) Overuse of environmental resources: 1.  Excess Felling of Forests: The per capita forest land in India is only 0.06 hectares against the requirement of 0.47 hectares, leading to an excess felling of about 15 million cubic metres of...

Question 5

Q13: State any four pressing environmental concerns of India.

Accepted Answer

The chapter identifies several pressing environmental concerns for India. Four of these priority issues are: 1.  Land Degradation: India's land suffers from various forms of degradation due to factors like deforestation, overgrazing, and improper agricultural practices, leading to significant soil e...

Question 6

Q14: Correction for environmental damages involves opportunity costs - explain.

Accepted Answer

The statement means that the money, time, and resources spent on fixing environmental problems could have been invested in other productive areas of the economy, such as education, healthcare, or infrastructure. This foregone development is the opportunity cost. For example:    The government has to...

Question 7

Q15: Explain how the supply-demand reversal of environmental resources account for the current environmental crisis.

Accepted Answer

The supply-demand reversal of environmental resources is central to the current environmental crisis. This concept can be explained in two phases: 1.  Past Scenario (Supply > Demand): In the early stages of human civilization, the demand for environmental resources (like forests, water, minerals) an...

Question 8

Q16: Highlight any two serious adverse environmental consequences of development in India. India's environmental problems pose a dichotomy - they are pover...

Accepted Answer

Two Serious Adverse Environmental Consequences of Development in India: 1.  Widespread Water Pollution: Developmental activities, including industrialisation and urbanisation, have led to severe contamination of water bodies. The chapter states that 70 per cent of water in India is polluted, leading...

Question 9

Q17: What is sustainable development?

Accepted Answer

Sustainable development is a process of development that aims to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This definition was emphasized by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The concep...

Question 10

Q18: Keeping in view your locality, describe any four strategies of sustainable development.

Accepted Answer

Based on the strategies mentioned in the chapter, four strategies of sustainable development that could be applied to a locality are: 1.  Solar Power through Photovoltaic Cells: In my locality, many houses have flat rooftops that receive ample sunlight. Installing solar panels on these rooftops to g...

Question 11

Q19: Explain the relevance of intergenerational equity in the definition of sustainable development.

Accepted Answer

Intergenerational equity is the core principle and the most relevant aspect of the definition of sustainable development. It refers to the concept of fairness between generations. The most widely accepted definition of sustainable development is "development that meets the need of the present genera...

Question 12

Q2: What happens when the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration?

Accepted Answer

When the rate of resource extraction exceeds the rate of their regeneration, the carrying capacity of the environment is breached. This leads to several negative consequences:    Environmental Crisis: The environment's ability to perform its vital functions is impaired. Specifically, it fails in its...

Question 13

Q3: Classify the following into renewable and non-renewable resources (i) trees (ii) fish (iii) petroleum (iv) coal (v) iron-ore (vi) water.

Accepted Answer

Based on the definitions provided in the chapter, the resources can be classified as follows:    Renewable Resources: These are resources that can be used without the possibility of becoming depleted or exhausted, as a continuous supply remains available.         (i) Trees        (ii) Fish        (v...

Question 14

Q4: Two major environmental issues facing the world today are ______ and ______.

Accepted Answer

Two major environmental issues facing the world today are global warming and ozone depletion.

Question 15

Q5: How do the following factors contribute to the environmental crisis in India? What problem do they pose for the government? (i) Rising population (ii)...

Accepted Answer

The following factors contribute to the environmental crisis in India and pose significant problems for the government: (i) Rising population: A large population places immense pressure on the environment's finite resources for both production and consumption. It leads to overuse of resources beyond...

Question 16

Q6: What are the functions of the environment?

Accepted Answer

According to the chapter, the environment performs four vital functions: 1.  It supplies resources: The environment provides both renewable resources (e.g., trees, fish) and non-renewable resources (e.g., fossil fuels, minerals) which are essential inputs for production and consumption. 2.  It assim...

Question 17

Q7: Identify six factors contributing to land degradation in India.

Accepted Answer

Six factors contributing to land degradation in India as identified in the chapter are: 1.  Loss of vegetation occurring due to deforestation: The removal of forest cover exposes the soil to erosion. 2.  Unsustainable fuel wood and fodder extraction: Over-extraction of these resources from forests d...

Question 18

Q8: Explain how the opportunity costs of negative environmental impact are high.

Accepted Answer

The opportunity costs of negative environmental impacts are high because the financial resources spent on rectifying environmental damage could have been used for other developmental purposes like education, poverty alleviation, or infrastructure development. The chapter highlights these high costs...

Question 19

Q9: Outline the steps involved in attaining sustainable development in India.

Accepted Answer

The chapter outlines several strategies and steps for attaining sustainable development in India: 1.  Use of Non-conventional Sources of Energy: Shifting from thermal and hydro power to cleaner energy sources like wind power and solar energy to reduce pollution and environmental damage. 2.  Promotin...

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