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Sreelakshmi Ramadas
Swathy suresh
Emmanual
Fijo joseph
Ashmi ashraf
E V S
1.write short notes on sustainable development and environment?
Sustainable Development stands for meeting the needs of present
generations without jeopardizing the ability of futures generations to meet
their own needs – in other words, a better quality of life for everyone, now
and for generations to come. It offers a vision of progress that integrates
immediate and longer-term objectives, local and global action, and regards
social, economic and environmental issues as inseparable and
interdependent components of human progress.
Sustainable development will not be brought about by policies only: it must
be taken up by society at large as a principle guiding the many choices each
citizen makes every day, as well as the big political and economic decisions
that have. This requires profound changes in thinking, in economic and
social structures and in consumption and production patterns.
The EU strategy sets overall objectives and concrete actions for seven key
priority challenges for the coming period until 2010, many of which are
predominantly environmental:
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Climate change and clean energy
Sustainable transport
Sustainable consumption & production
Conservation and management of natural resources
Public Health
Social inclusion, demography and migration
Global poverty and sustainable development challenges
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Sustainable development is development that meets the needs
of the present, without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs."
The concept of sustainable development can be interpreted in many
different ways, but at its core is an approach to development that
looks to balance different, and often competing, needs against an
awareness of the environmental, social and economic limitations we
face as a society.
All too often, development is driven by one particular need, without
fully considering the wider or future impacts.
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Living within our environmental limits is one of the central principles of
sustainable development. One implication of not doing so is climate
change.
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But the focus of sustainable development is far broader than just the
environment. It's also about ensuring a strong, healthy and just
society. This means meeting the diverse needs of all people in existing
and future communities, promoting personal wellbeing, social cohesion
and inclusion, and creating equal
To avoid ecological issues, scientists and governing agencies consider how sustainable
development affects the environment and its place in deciding future environmental issues.
Sustainable development balances people's needs while protecting the environment for the
present and future generations.
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Benefits of Sustainable Development
The primary benefit of how sustainable development affects the environment is to the
environment itself. The practice allows for decisions which do not destroy the environment for
immediate gains. Rather, development considers how future generations will be impacted and
makes wise decisions regarding the use of the resource. It also considers the consequences of its
actions to avoid creating other problems.
The United States has its own history of disregard for the future availability of natural resources.
One only has to look at the losses of old-growth timber. Over 80 percent of the old growth
forests have been lost since European settlement, estimates the Sierra Forest Legacy.The
resource was depleted faster than it could replenish its stores.
Sustainable development places value on the resource that goes beyond the immediate financial
gain. Generally, ecosystems are fairly resilient. They can sustain stress and change to some
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degree through adaptations. It is when change exceeds the ecosystem's ability to adapt that
detrimental environment effects occur. Sustainable development seeks to identify this balance.
2.write short notes on sustainable use of natural resources
Resources are the backbone of every economy. In using resources and
transforming them, capital stocks are built up which add to the wealth of
present and future generations. However, the dimensions of our current
resource use are such that the chances of future generations - and the
developing countries - to have access to their fair share of scarce resources
are endangered. Moreover, the consequences of our resource use in terms of
impacts on the environment may induce serious damages that go beyond
the carrying capacity of the environment. These effects risk being
aggravated once the developing world has taken up growth and resource use
similar to the industrialised countries.
Thematic Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources
On 21st December 2005 the European Commission proposed a Strategy on
the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources used in Europe. The objective of
the strategy is to reduce the environmental impacts associated with resource
use and to do so in a growing economy. Focusing on the environmental
impacts of resource use will be a decisive factor in helping the EU achieve
sustainable development.
his is the third Thematic Strategy that the Commission adopted following the
provisions of the 6th Environmental Action programme (6 EAP). The Action
Programme addressed the issue of resources and called for the development
of a Thematic Strategy on the sustainable use of natural resources
(Resource Strategy). The objective can be described as: "ensuring that the
consumption of resources and their associated impacts do not exceed the
carrying capacity of the environment and breaking the linkages between
economic growth and resource use".
3. Explain case studies of conversion of renewable energy to other forms
Renewable Energy and Electricity
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There is unprecedented interest in renewable energy, particularly solar
and wind energy, which provide electricity without giving rise to any
carbon dioxide emission.
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Harnessing these for electricity depends on the cost and efficiency of the
technology, which is constantly improving, thus reducing costs per peak
kilowatt.
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Utilising electricity from solar and wind in a grid requires some back-up
generating capacity due to their intermittent nature. Policy settings to
support renewables are also generally required to confer priority in grid
systems and also subsidise them, and some 50 countries have these.
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Utilising solar and wind-generated electricity in a stand-alone system
requires corresponding battery or other storage capacity.
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The possibility of large-scale use of hydrogen in the future as a transport
fuel increases the potential for both renewables and base-load electricity
supply.
Case study: West Denmark
West Denmark (the main peninsula part) is the most intensely wind-turbined part of the
planet, with 1.74 per 1000 people - 4700 turbines totaling 2315 MWe, 1800 MWe of
which has priority dispatch and power must be taken by the grid when it is producing.
Total system capacity is 6850 MWe and maximum load during 2002 was 3700 MWe,
hence a huge 81% margin. In 2002, 3.38 billion kWh were produced from the wind, a
load factor of 16.8%. The peak wind output was 1813 MWe on 23 January, well short of
the total capacity, and there were 54 days when the wind output supplied less than 1%
of demand. On two occasions, in March and April, wind supplied more than total
demand for a few hours. In February 2003 during a cold calm week there was virtually
no wind output. Too much wind is also a problem - over 20 m/s output drops and over
25 m/s turbines are feathered. Generally, a one metre/second wind change causes a
320 MWe power change for the whole system.
However, all this can be and is managed due to the major interconnections with
Norway, Sweden and Germany, of some 1000 MWe, 600 MWe and 1300 MWe
respectively. Furthermore, especially in Norway, hydro resources can normally be called
upon, which are ideal for meeting demand at short notice. (though not in 2002 after
several dry years). So the Danish example is a very good one, but the circumstances
are far from typical.
Case study: Germany
The 2006 report from a thorough study commissioned by the German Energy Agency
(DENA) looked at regulating and reserve generation capacity and how it might be
deployed as German wind generation doubled to 2015. The study found that only a very
small proportion of the installed wind capacity could contribute to reliable supply.
Depending on time of year, the gain in guaranteed capacity from wind as a proportion of
its total capacity was between 6 and 8% for 14.5 GWe total, and between 5 and 6% for
36 GWe total projected in 2015. This all involves a major additional cost to consumers.
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4.What is meant by energy auditing?explain in detail problems
associated with energy?
An energy audit is an inspection, survey and analysis of energy flows for energy
conservation in a building, process or system to reduce the amount of energy input
into the system without negatively affecting the output(s). In commercial and
industrial real estate, an energy audit is the first step in identifying opportunities to
reduce energy expense and carbon footprints.
Principle
When the object of study is an occupied building then reducing energy consumption
while maintaining or improving human comfort, health and safety are of primary
concern. Beyond simply identifying the sources of energy use, an energy audit seeks to
prioritize the energy uses according to the greatest to least cost effective opportunities
for energy savings.
Home energy audit
A home energy audit is a service where the energy efficiency of a house is evaluated by
a person using professional equipment (such as blower doors and infrared cameras),
with the aim to suggest the best ways to improve energy efficiency in heating and
cooling the house.
Energy is an essential component of all development programmes. Without energy, modern life
would cease to exist. We need energy to maintain physical comfort in much of the world, to win
and manufacture useful materials and artefacts, for transport, for communications, for
agriculture and for industry in general.
Energy-Related Environmental Damage
Apart from the problem of energy resources getting depleted, energy harnessing and
utilization cause an immense amount of environmental damage. There are
environmental problems associated with the use of almost all forms of energy
Problems Associated with the Use of Fossil Fuels
The problems that relate to the use of fossil fuels include the following:
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Global warming
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The Gavin Power Plant in Cheshire, Ohio: Acid rains
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Dangers posed by leaded fuels
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Oil spills
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Gas leaks and explosions
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Water pollution caused by poorly managed coal mines
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Air pollution
Global warming
Global warming refers to the gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s
surface and its atmosphere which has been attributed to the accumulation of
greenhouse gases. The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane
(CH4), water vapour, nitrogen oxides (NOX) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). All the
greenhouse gases except CFCs are naturally produced and their concentrations in the
atmosphere are increasing due to human activities.
The burning of fossil fuels also produces significant amounts of nitrous oxides. During
the burning of fossil fuels, nitrogen in the air combines with oxygen at high temperatures
to produce nitrous oxides: N + O2 → NOX The effects of global warming include the
following:
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Rise in mean (average) global temperature
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Rising sea levels
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Occurrence of weather extremes
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Shifting of vegetative zones
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Acid rains
Damage to forest by acid rains: Image provided by courtesy of Wikicommonswww.commons.wikimedia.org
Acid rains are caused by the release of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and oxides of
nitrogen (NOx ) when fossil fuels burn. The oxides combine with water vapour in the
air to form acids, which return to the ground as acid rain. The problems posed by
acid rains include corrosion of the built environment, soil degradation, water
pollution and depletion of forests. Corrosion of the built environment. Acids are
corrosive. Acid rains corrode the built environment including buildings, statues and
metal bridges.
Dangers posed by leaded fuels
The oil industry adds lead to petrol (gasoline) to help engines run more smoothly.
Vehicles that burn leaded gasoline pour out leaded fumes that contaminate the air. The
World Health Organisation (WHO) has established that smoke from the combustion of
leaded fuels in vehicles causes cancer and high blood pressure in adults and in children
it impairs mental development, reduces intelligence thus hindering learning ability and
causes behavioural disorders.
Oil spills
This is leakage of fuel oil from storage vessels, oil tankers, pipelines, tanker trucks or
other vessels used for transporting fuel oil. Oil spills seriously damage the land,
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vegetation, and water bodies, including the oceans. Fuel oil is poisonous if ingested by
animals. In addition, spilled oil damages the feathers of birds or the fur of animals, often
causing death.
Gas leaks and explosions
Gas leaks and explosions sometimes accompany the harnessing and utilization of fossil
fuels especially in the coal mines and storage plants. The explosions are sometimes
accompanied by fire outbreaks. Gas leaks and explosions have claimed several lives,
caused severe injuries to people and destroyed property worldwide.
Water pollution caused by poorly managed coal mines
Excavated areas that have been strip mined for coal but are not filled and revegetated
cause water pollution as surface water runoff from the mined area can flush sediments
and sulphur-bearing compounds into nearby streams and rivers. This could endanger
human life, plant and wildlife communities.
Air pollution
Emissions from vehicles, thermal power plants and factories contain unburned
hydrocarbons, particulates, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen
and sulphur that contribute to the lowering of the quality of air. These substances in the
air could irritate the eyes, throat and the lungs.
Problems Associated with the Use of Fuel Wood
As an energy source, wood has one major disadvantage. It is not a clean- burning fuel
and therefore creates high levels of air pollution. Also, the competition for wood is
increasing. Its use as fuel is competing seriously with its use in the construction, paper
and furniture industries. In many areas there is now an acute and growing shortage of
firewood, with its attendant problems of deforestation, soil erosion and increasing
amounts of human labour in fuel wood gathering.
Problems Associated with the Use of Uranium
Uranium is used in nuclear power plants (NPP) to produce electricity. During the
splitting of atoms (nuclear fission) of uranium within a nuclear reactor, large amounts of
heat are produced. The heat from the reactor is used to produce steam. The steam
turns a turbine which in turn, drives an electric generator to produce electricity
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Problems associated with this includes
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Mutation and malformations – genetic changes may appear in later generations of
both plants and animals
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Miscarriages
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Premature births
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sterility
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Cancer
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Malfunctioning of certain body organs
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Radiation sickness and possible death - Large amounts of radiation delivered in a
short span of time damage both bone tissue and blood cells, causing radiation
sickness and death.
Problems Associated with the Building Hydro Power Plants
Hydropower plant: Image provided by courtesy of Flickr- www.flickr.com
The environmental and economic impact of building a hydro-plant on a local river can
be catastrophic. The construction of dams leads to the loss of terrestrial habitats
through flooding and the displacement of people often from some of the world’s most
fertile land. Dams also destabilize freshwater ecosystems worldwide
Problems Associated with the Use of Wind Energy
The major problem associated with the harnessing of wind energy is noise pollution.
The noise generated from wind farms can be a nuisance. People living close to wind
farms have complained about the whamming noise. Additionally, there are other
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problems that are relatively less serious. Among them is visual pollution. Wind turbines
erected on hill sides distort the natural beauty of the hills. Wind mills cause TV and radio
interference. There could also be damage or injury from possible mishaps in cases
where there is danger that rotors might break or shed ice. The blades of the rotating
rotors hit and kill flying birds.