Chapter 7: Environment and Sustainable Development
Economics - Indian Economic Development • Class 11
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Chapter Analysis
Intermediate16 pages • EnglishQuick Summary
This chapter focuses on the interrelationship between the environment and economic development, emphasizing the need for sustainable development. It stresses the importance of conserving natural resources and reducing environmental degradation for future generations. Various strategies for achieving sustainability are discussed, including the use of non-conventional energy sources and traditional practices.
Key Topics
- •Environment and economic development
- •Sustainable development
- •Environmental degradation
- •Natural resource conservation
- •Non-conventional energy sources
- •Urbanization and pollution
- •Traditional environmental practices
- •Climate change impacts
Learning Objectives
- ✓Understand the concept of environment and its functions
- ✓Analyze the causes and effects of environmental degradation
- ✓Identify the challenges of sustainable development
- ✓Relate environmental issues to economic development
- ✓Evaluate strategies for resource conservation
- ✓Promote awareness of sustainable practices
Questions in Chapter
What is meant by environment?
Answer: Environment is defined as the total planetary inheritance and the totality of all resources. It includes all the biotic and abiotic factors that influence each other.
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What happens when the rate of resource extraction exceeds that of their regeneration?
Answer: When this occurs, it leads to environmental degradation and a crisis as the resources get depleted.
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Classify the following into renewable and non-renewable resources: (i) trees (ii) fish (iii) petroleum (iv) coal (v) iron-ore (vi) water.
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Two major environmental issues facing the world today are ____________ and ____________.
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How do the following factors contribute to the environmental crisis in India? What problem do they pose for the government? (i) Rising population (ii) Air pollution.
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Additional Practice Questions
How does air pollution affect economic development?
mediumAnswer: Air pollution negatively impacts economic development by increasing health costs, reducing agricultural productivity, and causing environmental damage that requires expensive mitigation measures.
What are the benefits of using renewable energy sources over non-renewable sources?
easyAnswer: Renewable energy sources provide sustainable power that minimizes pollution, reduces dependency on finite resources, and supports long-term economic growth without harming the environment.
Discuss the role of urbanization in environmental degradation.
mediumAnswer: Urbanization contributes to environmental degradation through increased pollution, resource consumption, and waste generation, which strain local ecosystems and require efficient management to mitigate its effects.
What strategies can be implemented to achieve sustainable agriculture?
hardAnswer: Strategies for sustainable agriculture include crop rotation, organic farming, integrated pest management, efficient water use, and the application of renewable energy technologies to reduce reliance on chemical inputs.
Explain how deforestation affects the global climate.
mediumAnswer: Deforestation contributes to climate change by reducing the earth’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, enhancing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, and altering global weather patterns.