Managing the Environment and Future Sustainability of the Earth: A Synoptic Review

Abstract

We all know that through the actions of the IMF, WTO and its precursor GATT, the World economy entered a period aptly described as the post-war economic boom. With the advent of this economic boom also came the explosion of productions; on its heels flourished the wave of consumerism, with little regard for the environmental consequences. The paper, however, is an attempt to provide fresh perspective on global warming and climate change. It essentially forwards some points. First, that especially due to momentum in economic and demographic processes, it is sure that there will be a major rise in atmospheric CO2 during the 21st century. Second, that the coming rise in global temperatures will be faster than anything that human populations have experienced ever. Finally, the agricultural, political, economic, demographic, social and other consequences of future climate change could be very considerable. In a more and more populous world of eight to ten billion people, adverse development could well occur on several fronts simultaneously, and to cumulative adverse effect. Notice that in 2000 the world’s population of 6.09 billion was releasing about23.2 billion tons of CO2 through the combustion of fossil fuels – implying an average annual per capita emissions figure of about 3.8 metric tons. The two very poor regions like the sub- Saharan Africa and that of South-central Asia (which includes India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) taken together, during the period 2000-2050, to account for about two-thirds of the growth in world population over this time period. And for the developed regions too demographic growth produces a 16% rise in total emissions ( i.e. from 12.8 to 14.8 billion tons.) In this context it is worth noting that projections made by the International Energy Agency (2005) suggest that between 2005 and 2030 energy –related CO2 emissions may rise by 52%-- implying an annual growth rate of 1.7%.

In the above backdrop, the present paper discusses in Section II the impacts of anthropogenic actions on the environment. Aim of this section is to introduce different types of pollution effecting the environment and living organisms. Issues such as global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain and air, water and soil pollution are reviewed. If the eco-systems are damaged or polluted, we ourselves as human beings still being a single species living within a series of these eco-systems linked at a global level are affected lock, stock and barrel.  This section also has focused on the mechanism of pollution and the key issues related to them. Section III is a review of different protocols that have been proposed by national regulators in a world-wide effort to preserve and protect the planet for present and future generations. The protocols like the Montreal Protocol 1987 and the Kyoto Protocol 1997, and the convention like the Vienna Convention, the Rio declaration on environment and development clearly show that governments have become more and more environmentally conscious and decided for an improvement in environment which is a must. . Also, the focus is on why these major protocols had to be enacted. This section also gives some viewpoints of the opponents who rejected these treaties as a ‘deeply flawed agreement’. Finally conclusions offer brief thoughts on the future of the environment and its sustainability.