NCERT Summary: Environment and Society (Class 11) | Old & New NCERTs for IAS Preparation (Must Read) - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

Over time, social interactions with the environment have undergone changes and vary based on the location. Each society has a basis in ecology, which encompasses physical, biological, and human systems and activities such as rivers, mountains, oceans, plains, and animals. The interplay between a location's geography and hydrology also influences its ecology. Human actions have altered the environment, and factors such as aridity or flooding, which may appear to be natural, are often the outcome of human activity.

Differentiating between natural and human influences on ecological change can be challenging.
The interaction between biophysical ecology and human intervention has given rise to the social environment, which is a mutually shaping process where society influences nature, and nature influences humanity.

• An example of this can be observed in the Indo-Gangetic floodplain, where fertile soil facilitates extensive cultivation. This high productivity supports dense settlements and produces surpluses that can sustain other non-agricultural activities, leading to the emergence of complex hierarchical societies and states.
• Similarly, capitalist societal structures have influenced the natural world worldwide. Urban air pollution, regional conflicts, oil wars, and global warming are some of the ways in which nature has been impacted.

Relationship between environment and society

• The interaction between society and the environment is influenced by social organization, which is primarily based on property relations. The way natural resources are used and managed depends on these relations, which vary across different social groupings. For instance, women and landless workers may have a different relationship with natural resources than men. In rural India, where women are typically responsible for collecting fuel and water but do not have control over these resources, they are more vulnerable to resource constraints.
• Various social norms, values, and knowledge systems shape the way society interacts with the environment.
• The multifaceted cultural significance of a river, encompassing ecological, practical, spiritual, and aesthetic aspects, can be reduced to a single calculation of profit and loss for entrepreneurs selling water.
• Diverse perspectives on the environment and its relationship with society exist, exemplified by the "nature-nurture" debate. Proponents of the "nature" camp argue that genetics and biology play a crucial role in shaping individuals, while those on the "nurture" side contend that social interaction has the greatest influence on our personality and behavior.
• The social context in which theories and data about the environment and society arise impacts them. For instance, during the 18th century's social and political upheavals, growing ideas of equality challenged assumptions that women and Black people were inherently less capable than men and White people.
• The environment shapes society, which, in turn, influences human behavior.
• Social organization plays a significant role in determining how society interacts with the environment.

Significant Environmental Risks and Problems

Resource Depletion

• Although fossil fuels, especially petroleum, receive the most attention, the depletion and destruction of water and land resources may be occurring at an even faster pace.
• To meet the increasing demands of intensive agriculture, industry, and urbanization, aquifers that have been storing water for hundreds of thousands of years are being depleted within a few decades.
• Another critical resource that is rapidly diminishing is the habitat for biodiversity, such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands, primarily due to the expansion of agricultural land.

Pollution

• Air pollution is considered a critical environmental concern in both urban and rural areas as it contributes to respiratory and other health problems.
• Cooking fires causing indoor air pollution pose a significant risk as well.
• Contamination of water is a crucial issue that affects both surface and groundwater.
• Noise pollution is also a major problem in cities and has been the subject of several court rulings.

Global Warming

• Certain gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, create a "greenhouse" effect that traps the sun's heat instead of allowing it to escape. As a result, global temperatures have increased significantly.
• The forecasted impact of global climate change includes more erratic and unpredictable weather patterns. China and India have become significant producers of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide on a global scale.

Genetically altered organisms

• Modern gene-splicing techniques allow scientists to introduce new traits into a species by importing genes from another.
• Genetic modification can enable crops to grow faster, larger, and have longer shelf lives. However, the long-term effects of consuming these foods on humans and the impact on ecological systems are not well-understood.

Natural and Man-made Environmental Disasters

Environmental issues are not just a matter of ecology, they are also social issues because the environment directly affects society. Human activities have been causing damage to the environment and exploiting natural resources for their own benefit for a long time. This has led to a deterioration of the environment, resulting in a variety of environmental problems. Recent examples of both human-induced and natural environmental disasters include the Bhopal tragedy in 1984, which caused the death of around 4,000 people due to a toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide facility, and the 2004 tsunami, which claimed thousands of lives.

Several environmental topics that are contentious include:

• The Chipko Movement, which took place in Uttarakhand.
• The Narmada Bachao Andolan, which occurred in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
• The industrial accident that occurred in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Why Environmental Problems are also Social Problems?

• The conservation of the environment is of great importance since it is essential for survival. Contamination of the air can lead to negative health effects and depletion of natural resources, which can adversely affect future generations.
• The ability to cope with environmental disasters is dependent on one's social status and power.
• A sociological analysis reveals that prioritizing and pursuing public interests may not always be beneficial. In reality, it may harm the interests of marginalized and politically weak groups, while favoring powerful economic and political entities.
• The social ecology school stresses the impact of social relationships, particularly property and production arrangements, on how individuals perceive and interact with the environment.