Chapter 32: Environmental Sciences

Introduction

The subject now labelled as Environmental Sciences has its roots in ecology which is the study of how the living and non-living things in nature relate to one another. Ecologists have discovered many basic truths about these relationships. In the nature of their research, they often study issues that relate to the effects of human activities upon population and ecosystems. As a consequence, ecological research has identified the characterised many of the most significant problems threatening the future of the humanity. They have forged these into principles that serve as a foundation for modern ecology and for Environmental Sciences in general. The basic principles of ecology, therefore, are the starting point of all environmental problems.

Civilisation still depends on the natural environment not only for energy and materials but also for vital life-support system such as air and water cycles. The survival of the human race thus depends on knowledge and intelligent action to preserve and enhance environmental quality by means of harmonious rather than disruptive technology. New inventions and processes have been continuously developed to improve the way of life of the mankind. Such technological advances indeed helped them. But most of the technological advances were made without consideration of the adverse effects they would have on environment. Apart from technology, the social and economic causes have also been contributing to the environmental degradation and pollution.

The publication of Rachel Carson’s, Silent Spring in 1962, introduced many to the challenges posed by persistent toxic chemicals. The book, a best seller has since been adjudged as one of the best 100 books of the 20^th century. The worldwide environment movement began only in the late 1960s. The movement was often dismissed as a cause for radicals and crackpots. The first Earth Day observed on April 22, 1970 in the USA, represented the culmination of growing public concern over a series of well-published environmental disasters in the late 1960s. The 1972 Stockholm meet for the United Nations conference on the Human Environment was the turning point in the worldwide awareness about environment. Environment finally moved to the centre stage of international debate with the publication of the World Commission on Environment and Development, titled Our Common Future more well-known as the Brundtland Report.

There is now a world-wide public concern about atmospheric and water pollution, depleting natural and biological resources, population growth and food and energy consumption. World over, as many as eight kinds of “Days”, such as “World Environment Day”, “Biosphere Day”, “World Forest Day”, “World Earth Day”. are observed to add to the awareness about the fast deteriorating environmental situations. Almost all the nations have introduced legal measures by passing a number of Acts for the prevention of human activities that contribute to such deteriorations. One of the first such Acts was the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 enforced in the USA. Regulatory agencies have also been established in many countries to enforce the provisions of these Acts.

Although India is yet to finalise its National Policy on Environment, it has enacted several major legislations directly dealing with the protection of the environment. They include the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995, the National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1977, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. Central and State Pollution Control Boards (CPCB and SBCBs) have been set up in accordance with the provisions of the two Acts on air and water. A separate Department of Environment was created in 1980. It was subsequently upgraded to a full-fledged Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1985 to serve as the focal point in administrative structure of the Government of India for the planning, promotion, and coordination of environmental and forestry programmes. Each state has also set up its own Department of Environment.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been made mandatory for many industrial and development projects to ensure environmental compatibility of new industrial and public utility projects in terms of their location, suitability of technology, efficiency in resource utilisation, waste recycling, and so on. It was left to the Centre for Science and Environment (F-6 Kailash Colony, New Delhi-110048), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to publish The State of India’s Environment – the First Citizen’s Report in 1982, the first of its kind, which has been instrumental in creating environmental consciousness in the country. The Centre has also introduced a fortnightly journal, Down to Earth, dealing with environmental issues. Another organisation which deserves mention in this context is the Worldwatch Institute (1776, Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 200036-1904). It focuses on world-wide environmental issues through its publications, such as State of the World (annual), Vital Signs (annual), Worldwatch (q), and two series of publications viz., the Worldwatch papers, and the Worldwatch Environment alert.

All these developments during the last two decades or so have given rise to the new discipline Environmental Sciences. Although rooted in biological sciences (ecology, to be precise) this emerging discipline is the convergence of several other sciences, such as, physics, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering and technology and several branches of social sciences, notably sociology and economics.

Educational Opportunities

One of the pioneering ventures in environmental education has been the eight-month course, “Understanding and Communicating Environment”’ introduced in 1989 by the Centre for Environment Education (Ahmedabad -380054), an institution set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It was only in the 1980s that specific environment related courses started being introduced in universities. A number of universities have established separate departments for this purpose.

Some examples are: School of Environmental Science (Jawaharlal Nehru University), New Delhi, School of Energy and Environmental Studies (Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya), Indore, Institute of Environmental Education and Research (Bharati Vidyapeeth), Pune, Institute of Environmental Management & Plant Sciences (Vikram University), Ujjain, Department of Environmental Sciences (Dr. B R Ambedkar University), Agra, School of Environmental Sciences (Bundelkhand University), Jhansi.

At the first degree level, environmental science, as one of the combinations, is available only in a small number of universities. Some universities have started introducing Bachelor degree course in Environment Management (BEM) of three-year duration. At present it is offered by Andhra University at its affiliated Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (Vishakapatnam-530045) and University of Madras (Chennai-600005) at some of its affiliated colleges. The eligibility requirement is a pass in 10+2 examination in science (including biology) or an engineering diploma. There are also a number of postgraduate diploma courses in environment mostly of one-year duration.

Environmental Sciences: At the Master’s degree (M.Sc) level the largest number of courses are available in Environmental Sciences. The nomenclature of some of the degrees in M.Sc (Environmental Studies). Annexure 1 gives a State-wise comprehensive list of universities offering courses in Environmental Science/Studies. The multi-disciplinary course of two-year duration is open to graduates in science (physical and biological).

Environmental Engineering: What is now called environmental Engineering has its origin in public health engineering, a component of civil engineering. The study of the subject concerned, among others, sewerage disposal system, water treatment and water purification plants. The expanded scope of environmental engineering now is concerned with overall efforts to prevent and control air, water, soil, and noise pollution using various engineering mechanisms. It may be mentioned that the Central Public Health Research Institute (Nagpur) under the CSIR has been rechristened as the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute.

Environmental engineers now specialize in designing various pollution control equipment and devices, waste disposal systems, recycling of industrial waste, energy conservation. They also work with agricultural and mining engineers to develop production techniques that do the least possible damage to the land, and assist civil engineers in the design of water supply and waste disposal systems, and chemical and nuclear engineers in waste disposal.

Environmental Engineering courses are taught in engineering colleges and technical institutions both at the first degree (BE/B.Tech) and master’s degree (Me/M.Tech) levels. Annexure 2 gives a comprehensive list of colleges and institutions which have introduced the course. The entry requirement and admission for BE/B.Tech course in environmental Engineering is the same as that for other engineering courses. The ME/M.Tech course is generally open to BE/B.Tech degree holders in any branch. Some universities insist on valid GATE score.

Other Courses

Besides the two major courses mentioned above, many universities have also introduced several specialised courses in Environmental Sciences. Annexure 3 gives a list of such courses and the names of universities which offer them. A brief account of some of them is given here.

Ecology: Although Ecology is the basis of environmental studies, only one university offers Master’s degree programme in the subject, viz., Pondicherry University, Salim Ali School of Ecology (Pondicherry-605014)-MS (Ecology). A postgraduate diploma course in environmental ecology is available in Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (Tirunelveli-627012). Rajasthan University (Jaipur-302004) has introduced a Post-Master’s diploma in human ecology.

Energy Systems: One of the major concerns of the environmentalists has been the fast depleting fossil-fuel (coal and petroleum) resources. Fossil fuel combustion at the same time is also contributing to severe atmospheric pollution. Scientists are, therefore, in search if alternative renewable, clean and economical sources of energy. Conservation of energy through its efficient management is also the major aim of environmentalists. Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) (New Delhi-110003) which has been doing pioneering research in both scientific and technological and socio-economic dimensions of energy since the early 1980s, has established TERI School of Advanced Studies for offering research study programmed.

It has been declared as a deemed university. However, most of the educational programmes in energy systems are in the area of science (particularly physics) and technology and offered by engineering colleges and technical institutions. Some examples of environmental oriented courses in Energy Systems is given in Annexure 4. Several agricultural engineering colleges affiliated to State Agricultural Universities offer Master’s degree courses in Renewable Energy Management and Farm Power and Agro Energy.

Environmental Education: In the US, the enactment of the Environmental Education Act in 1990, designed to coordinate educational efforts at federal, State and local levels, has led to the emergence of environmental education as a definable career. In India, however, there is no specific course labelled as such although environmental studies as a combination is offered by a small number of universities at the first degree level. Three universities offer postgraduate diploma programmes labelled as Environmental Education and Management through distance learning (See Annexure 4).

Environmental Management: Along with courses in Environmental Sciences and Studies, an increasing number of universities have been offering Environment Management course at the Master’s degree level. There are now 10 universities which have introduced the course (See Annexure 4).

Environmental Laws: In Chapter 38 (Law) a reference has been made to environmental laws. With the introduction of various acts and framing of relevant rules to prevent environmental degradation by human activities, there is a need for legal professionals well-versed in environmental laws. The pioneering step in this regard has been the establishment in 1973 of the Centre for Environment Law (172B Lodi Estate, New Delhi-110003) by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWW-India) with the help of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Department of Electronics and the Ford Foundation. While the syllabuses of some of the integrated BL/LLB programmes include the topic, two universities, viz., Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya (Bhopal), and Bharati Vidyapeeth (Pune), have introduced diploma courses of one-year duration. Awadesh Pratap Singh University (Rewa-486003) has a postgraduate diploma course in Environmental Legislation offered through distance learning mode (See also Update).

Forestry and Wildlife: As discussed in Chapter 16 (Agricultural and Animal Sciences), forestry and wildlife has close relationship with ecology and environment. The courses in this subject are listed in the above chapter.

Distance Learning Programme

Only one university, viz., Kakatiya University, offers an M.Sc course in Environmental Sciences, while another eight universities have introduced mostly postgraduate diploma courses in Environmental Management through distance learning course in environment outside the university system is the Postgraduate Programme in Ecology and Environment of two-year duration offered by the Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment (A15 EMP Paryavaran Complex, South of Saket, Maidangarh Marg, New Delhi-110030).

Career Opportunities

Opportunities for career in the environmental field are growing albeit very slowly. On the other hand, environment is a multibillion dollar industry in the USA, where the major categories of careers include environmental planning, environmental education and communication, solid waste management, hazardous waste management, air quality management, water quality management, land and water conservation, fishery and wildlife management, and forestry. The environmental field, as stated earlier, is diverse, interdisciplinary and ever changing, encompassing many types of professions and activities.

Expanding scope of employment opportunities in environment has been elaborated in a recent Worldwatch Paper (No.152) titled working for the Environment a Growing Source of Jobs (2000), However, environmental work is becoming more technical (e.g., environmental engineering) and the most sought after careers are in science and engineering fields. A key trend is the while technology skills help in getting into a job, communication, management ability, and awareness about socio-economic perspectives would determine success in the profession. A degree in science and technology followed by the education in environmental sciences seems to be the most appropriate qualification for a reasonably good career in the field.

A potential area of career opportunities is Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) work. EIA, introduced for the first time in India in 1978 now statutorily covers different types of projects, such as, river valley, thermal power, mining, industries, atomic power, rail road, highways, bridges, ports and harbours, and projects which are sensitive and located in environmentally degraded areas. For those who are well conversed with the problems of environment and possess communication skills, environmental journalism is another attractive career option.

Research Career: Career opportunities in research in environment also available in several institutions. Seven Centres of Excellence have been set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to strengthen awareness, research and training in priority areas of environmental science and management, viz., Centre for Ecological Sciences (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore; Centre for Ecological Sciences (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad; Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad; CPR Environmental Education Centre, Chennai; Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore; Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Delhi and the Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram.

Two other research organisations are: (1) G B Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development and (2) Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (Dehra Dun), an umbrella organisation for a network of 11 institutions spread over the country.

Update

Environmental Law: The Centre for Environmental Education and Research and Advocacy (CEERA) of the National Law School of Indian University (Bangalore 562072) has introduced in July 2000, a unique Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Law (PGDEL) of one -year education through distance learning mode. Open to graduates in any discipline. The course is intended to strengthen the legal ability of administrators, environmental activities, adjudicators and academics. The programme consists of six courses, viz.,Pollution Control and Waste Management Low, Bio-diversity related laws, Land related laws (with particular emphasis on agriculture),laws relating to Environment and Industry, Environment Advocacy and International Environmental Law. World renowned experts on Environmental laws from such institutions like Pace Law School (New York), Singapore National University. Environmental Law Centre (Sydney) would participate in a fortnight-long coaching-cum-training through a series of workshops, and interactive sessions including a "virtual -class-rooms exercise".