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Natural Resources and Environmental Pollution
Natural resources are divided into renewable (solar, wind, water, forests) and non-renewable (coal, petroleum, minerals) categories. Pollution occurs in four main forms — air, water, soil, and noise — each with distinct sources and control measures. India has enacted key laws to protect the environment: Wildlife Protection Act (1972), Water Act (1974), Air Act (1981), and Environment Protection Act (1986, post-Bhopal tragedy). Global concerns include the greenhouse effect (driven mainly by CO2) and ozone depletion (driven mainly by CFCs). India has four recognized biodiversity hotspots: Western Ghats, Eastern Himalaya, Indo-Burma, and Sundaland.
Important topics
- Classification of natural resources: renewable vs non-renewable
- Types of pollution: air, water, soil, and noise pollution and their sources
- Greenhouse effect and global warming; major greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, CFCs)
- Ozone layer depletion and the role of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
- Key Indian environmental legislation: Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Water Act 1974, Air Act 1981, Environment Protection Act 1986
- Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) as an indicator of water pollution
- Biodiversity hotspots of India: Western Ghats, Eastern Himalaya, Indo-Burma region, Sundaland (Nicobar Islands)
- 3R principle for conservation: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle