Lecture 1Lecture 1

Environmental LiteracyEnvironmental Literacy

Capability for a contextual and Capability for a contextual and detailed understanding of an detailed understanding of an environmental problem in order to environmental problem in order to enable analysis, synthesis, enable analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and ultimately sound and evaluation, and ultimately sound and informed decision making at a informed decision making at a citizen’s level.citizen’s level.

Environment LiteracyEnvironment Literacy

Citizens should have the knowledge, tools, and Citizens should have the knowledge, tools, and sensitivity to properly address an environmental sensitivity to properly address an environmental problemproblem

Practices, activities and feelings grounded in Practices, activities and feelings grounded in familiarity and sound knowledgefamiliarity and sound knowledge

A comprehensive EL course includes scientific, social A comprehensive EL course includes scientific, social economic, organizational, and ethical dimensions to economic, organizational, and ethical dimensions to understand the inter-connected nature of understand the inter-connected nature of environmental problems, the societal and individual environmental problems, the societal and individual decision-making decision-making

EL course should also include role of individual and EL course should also include role of individual and decision-making with regard to the economy, ways of decision-making with regard to the economy, ways of living and technology choices.living and technology choices.

Importance of Environmental Importance of Environmental EducationEducation

Environment is the physical and biotic habitat that surrounds usEnvironment is the physical and biotic habitat that surrounds us Environmental issues affect, and are affected by, all our activities to Environmental issues affect, and are affected by, all our activities to

varying degrees.varying degrees. Alerting the public to the need to achieve global sustainable Alerting the public to the need to achieve global sustainable

development and the likely consequences of failing to do so.development and the likely consequences of failing to do so. Focusing the educational curricula for global sustainable Focusing the educational curricula for global sustainable

development by incorporating the know-how and skills also the development by incorporating the know-how and skills also the moral imperativesmoral imperatives

Ecological inter-dependence of economic, social and political factorsEcological inter-dependence of economic, social and political factors Create environmental ethics to foster awareness about environmentCreate environmental ethics to foster awareness about environment Change in values, attitudes requiredChange in values, attitudes required Environmental education is evolving to be the education for Environmental education is evolving to be the education for

sustainable and ethical development, both at a local and global levelsustainable and ethical development, both at a local and global level

Importance of Environmental Importance of Environmental Education (contd.)Education (contd.)

Knowledge about the environment promotes attitudinal and Knowledge about the environment promotes attitudinal and behavior changebehavior change

Environmental education is an agent of change and a step Environmental education is an agent of change and a step toward community empowermenttoward community empowerment

Environmental education aims at increasing public Environmental education aims at increasing public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues awareness and knowledge about environmental issues

Provides facts, opinions, or skills to make informed Provides facts, opinions, or skills to make informed decisions and take environmental decisions and take decisions and take environmental decisions and take responsible actionsresponsible actions

It does not advocate a particular point of view or course of It does not advocate a particular point of view or course of actionsactions

It teaches individuals the pros and cons of an issue through It teaches individuals the pros and cons of an issue through critical thinking and enhances their problem-solving skillscritical thinking and enhances their problem-solving skills

Conserve the EnvironmentConserve the Environment

Environment Impact Environment Impact AssessmentAssessment

Formal process used to predict the Formal process used to predict the environmental consequences of any environmental consequences of any developmental project.developmental project.

EIA ensures that potential problems are EIA ensures that potential problems are foreseen and addresses at an early stage foreseen and addresses at an early stage in the project planning and design.in the project planning and design.

EIA is intended to identify the EIA is intended to identify the environmental, social and economic environmental, social and economic impacts of a proposed development prior impacts of a proposed development prior to decision making.to decision making.

See pages 261-266, Benny JosephSee pages 261-266, Benny Joseph

The EIA ProcessThe EIA ProcessThere are two distinct stages in the EIA process:There are two distinct stages in the EIA process:

1.1. Preliminary assessment: carried out in the early stagesPreliminary assessment: carried out in the early stages

2.2. Detailed assessment: carried out during project planning and Detailed assessment: carried out during project planning and reported as Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)reported as Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

The key elements of an EIA are the following:The key elements of an EIA are the following: Scoping: identify key issues and concerns of interested partiesScoping: identify key issues and concerns of interested parties Screening: decide whether an EIA is required based on information Screening: decide whether an EIA is required based on information

collectedcollected Identifying and evaluating alternativesIdentifying and evaluating alternatives Mitigating measures to deal with uncertainty: review proposed Mitigating measures to deal with uncertainty: review proposed

action to prevent or action to prevent or

minimize potential adverse effects of the projectminimize potential adverse effects of the project Issuing environmental statements: reporting the findings of EIAIssuing environmental statements: reporting the findings of EIA

Participants in EIA ProcessParticipants in EIA Process

1.1. Proponent:Proponent: Government or Private Government or Private agency which initiates the projectagency which initiates the project

2.2. Decision maker:Decision maker: Designated Designated individual or groupindividual or group

3.3. Assessor:Assessor: Agency responsible for Agency responsible for preparation of EISpreparation of EIS

4.4. Reviewer:Reviewer: Individual/Agency/Board Individual/Agency/Board5.5. Expert advisors, Media and Public, Expert advisors, Media and Public,

Environmental organizationsEnvironmental organizations

Environment Impact Statement Environment Impact Statement ContentsContents

Description of proposed action (construction, operation and Description of proposed action (construction, operation and shut down) and selection of alternatives to the proposed shut down) and selection of alternatives to the proposed actionaction

Nature and magnitude of the likely environmental effectsNature and magnitude of the likely environmental effects Possibility of earthquakes and cyclonesPossibility of earthquakes and cyclones Possible effects on surface and ground water quality, soil Possible effects on surface and ground water quality, soil

and air qualityand air quality Effects on vegetation, wild life and endangered speciesEffects on vegetation, wild life and endangered species Economic and demographic factorsEconomic and demographic factors Identification of relevant human concernsIdentification of relevant human concerns Noise pollution. Efficient use of inputsNoise pollution. Efficient use of inputs Recycling and reduction of wasteRecycling and reduction of waste Risk analysis and disaster managementRisk analysis and disaster management

Design of EIADesign of EIA

Important aspects that should be Important aspects that should be consideredconsidered

for the design of EIA are listed below:for the design of EIA are listed below:Project design and constructionProject design and constructionProject operationProject operationSite characteristicsSite characteristicsPossible environmental impactsPossible environmental impactsSocio-economic and socio-political factorsSocio-economic and socio-political factorsAvailability of information and resources Availability of information and resources

Importance of EIAImportance of EIA

It is Government policy that any industrial project has to It is Government policy that any industrial project has to obtain EIA clearance from the Ministry of Environmentobtain EIA clearance from the Ministry of Environment

EIA is potentially useful component of good environmental EIA is potentially useful component of good environmental managementmanagement

EIA Agencies in IndiaEIA Agencies in India Central Pollution Control Board, New DelhiCentral Pollution Control Board, New Delhi National Institution of Occupational Health, AhmedabadNational Institution of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad Quality Monitoring and Research Laboratory, MumbaiQuality Monitoring and Research Laboratory, Mumbai

International EIA Agencies International EIA Agencies WHOWHO United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)

Polluter-pays-principlePolluter-pays-principle

Those who pollute must pay for the Those who pollute must pay for the damages they have causeddamages they have caused

The ideas originated in the 1970s when The ideas originated in the 1970s when members of OECD countries introduced a members of OECD countries introduced a system where pollution costs are to be system where pollution costs are to be paid by the polluters and not by the publicpaid by the polluters and not by the public

It is widely accepted but often ignoredIt is widely accepted but often ignored

How can you make a How can you make a difference?difference?

To see a world in a grain of sandTo see a world in a grain of sand

And a Heaven in a wild flowerAnd a Heaven in a wild flower

Hold infinity in the Palm of your Hold infinity in the Palm of your handhand

And Eternity in an HourAnd Eternity in an Hour

William BlakeWilliam Blake

SummarySummary

Environmental literacyEnvironmental literacy Importance of environmental educationImportance of environmental education Environment Impact AssessmentEnvironment Impact Assessment Polluter-pays-principlePolluter-pays-principle

The EndThe End