ENV 107

Introduction to
Environmental Science

Environmental Research & Organizations

Faculty: ARK
North South University
1
 What is Research?
It is the systematic investigation and study
of materials and sources in order to
establish facts and reach to new
conclusions.

It involves three main stages:

Planning
Data collection
Analysis
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 How Research is Conducted?/Steps of
Research:The Scientific Method
Debate over spontaneous generation led to development
of scientific method
◦ A group of observations leads scientist to ask
question about some phenomenon
◦ The scientist generates hypothesis (potential answer
to question)
◦ The scientist designs and conducts experiments to
test hypothesis
◦ Based on observed results of experiment, scientist
either accepts, rejects, or modifies hypothesis

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How Research is Conducted?
Steps of Research:The Scientific Method

1. Observations
2. Hypothesis
3. Experiments
4. Accept, reject or modify hypothesis

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How Research is Conducted?/Steps of Research

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How Research is Conducted?/Steps
of Research

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 Environmental Research
It seeks to describe the structure and function of the
natural world, as well as the relationship between
natural world and humans or human civilization.
Environmental research also focuses on the changes that
are taking place in the natural and human
environments as a result of human activity, either to
understand these changes or to seek solutions.

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Environmental Learning: Insights
from Research
Humans and Sustainability

Ecological Principles and Sustainability

Sustaining Biodiversity

Sustaining Natural Resources

Sustaining Environmental Quality

Sustaining Human Societies

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Environmental Learning: Insights
from Research
Humans and Sustainability

Environmental problems, their causes and

sustainability

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Environmental Learning: Insights
from Research
Ecological Principles and Sustainability

Matter, Energy and

Systems
Ecosystems: what are they and how do they work?
Biodiversity and Evolution
Biodiversity, Species Interactions and Population
Control
Human population and its impacts
Climate and Biodiversity
Aquatic Biodiversity

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Environmental Learning: Insights
from Research
Sustaining Biodiversity

Sustaining biodiversity: the species approach

Sustaining terrestrial biodiversity: the ecosystem approach
Sustaining aquatic biodiversity

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Environmental Learning: Insights
from Research
Sustaining Natural Resources

Food, Soil and Pest

Management
Water Resources
Nonrenewable Resources
Renewable Resources
Energy Efficiency

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Environmental Learning: Insights
from Research
Sustaining Environmental Quality

Environmental hazards and human health

Air pollution
Climate disruption and ozone depletion
Water pollution
Solid and hazardous waste
Cities and sustainability

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Environmental Learning: Insights
from Research
Sustaining Human Societies

Economics, environment and sustainability

Politics, environment and sustainability

Environmental worldviews, ethics and sustainability

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 Necessity of Environmental
Education in Bangladesh

“ The State shall endeavor to protect

and improve the environment and to
preserve and safeguard the natural
recourses, biodiversity, wetlands,
forests and wild life for the present
and future citizens.
”
Constitution of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Government, 2011, p.27

Article 18A: Protection and improve of environment and biodiversity

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 Necessity of Environmental
Education in Bangladesh

“ Education and Citizen Awareness

(8.2) requires that environmental
curriculum is included at all levels of
education and training offered by all
formal and information educational

”
and training institutions
(Draft) National Environmental Policy 2013

Ministry of Environment and Forest, GoB, p.34

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 Interdisciplinary
Environmental
Research
Environment is at the forefront of the
international agenda in recent time
Various international and national organizations
are working on environment.
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Environmental Research
Environmental research is the study and investigation that provides new knowledge
needed to understand the environment, its problems and to solve them.
Normally an environmental research project will involve all or most of the
following activities during its lifetime:

1. Demonstration of the need for carrying out the research project and review of the
existing literature relevant to the project;

2. Monitoring or collection of data by performing laboratory or field experiments;

3. Development of new techniques or improvements in the existing

techniques for obtaining accurate and precise data;

4. Qualitative and/or quantitative interpretation of the results in the light of

the existing knowledge;

5. Enunciation of the conclusions drawn from the research study;

6. Making suggestions for further work in the broad area covered by the investigation.
 Environmental Organizations
Understanding the prospects of graduates
of environmental science or management

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Environmental Organization

An Environmental Organization is an
organization coming out of the conservation
or environmental movement that seeks to protect,
analyze or monitor the environment against misuse
or degradation from human forces.

In this sense the environment may refer to

the biophysical environment, the natural
environment or the built environment. The
organization may be a charity, a trust, a non-
governmental organization or a government
organization. Environmental organizations can be
global, national, regional or local.
Environmental organizations: Types and Objectives
◦ International
◦ Country specific
◦ Government organization
◦ Nongovernment organization
Objectives
to identify and analyze global environmental problems
to develop regional and/or international environmental
programs and conventions
to promote knowledge on environmental science and
information.
Most importantly, to assist developing countries in
implementing environmentally sound policies, laws and
practices. 21
 Historical Background
• The origins of the environmental movement placed in
the response to increasing levels of smoke pollution in
the atmosphere during the Industrial Revolution.
•Under increasing political pressure from the urban
middle-class, the first large-scale, modern
environmental laws came in the form of Britain's Alkali
Acts, passed in 1863, to regulate the harmful air
pollution (gaseous hydrochloric acid).
•Founded on 28 May 1892 in San Francisco, California,
Sierra Club was one of the first large-scale
environmental preservation organizations in the world.
The Sierra Club's stated mission was "To explore,
enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth” 
 Historical Background
•After World War II with the aim of preventing another
such conflict, United Nations - an international
organization was founded in 1945, that committed to
maintain international peace and security; develop
friendly relations among nations; promote social
progress, better living standards and human rights.
•The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
is the coordinating body for the United Nations'
environmental activities. It was founded in June 1972 as
a result of the Stockholm Conference on the Human
Environment. It was one of the largest international
organizations that deals with global state of the
environment. Its headquarters are in Nairobi, Kenya.
 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
•United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP).

•The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): an

intergovernmental body of the United Nations. Deals with climate change and
its political and economic impacts. It was established in 1988.

•International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): an international

organization working in the field of nature conservation  and sustainable use
of natural resources. IUCN was established in 1948.

•The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): a

specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to
defeat hunger. With over 194 member states, FAO serves both developed and
developing countries in modernizing and improving agriculture, forestry and
fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food security for all. It was
established in 1945.

•The World Health Organization (WHO): a specialized agency of the UN that

is concerned with international public health. It was established in 1948, and is
headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
•International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD): a regional intergovernmental learning
and knowledge sharing center serving the eight regional member
countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India,
Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan) of the Hindu Kush Himalayas and
the global mountain community. Founded in 1983, ICIMOD is
based in Nepal. Its commitment is to secure a better future for the
people and environment of the extended Himalayan region.
•International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research,
Bangladesh (ICDDRB): an international health research
organization, established in 1960, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Dedicated to saving lives through research and treatment. It
addresses some of the most critical health concerns facing the
world today.
 National organizations
•Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC): is a
ministry of the government of Bangladesh whose role is ensuring the
sustainable environment and optimum forest coverage. (Previously the
ministry name was Ministry of Environment and Forest).

•Department of Environment (DoE): is a government department

responsible for the protection of the environment in Bangladesh and is
located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is under the Ministry of Environment and
Forest and Climate Change .

•Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI): a national institute of forestry and

research. It was established in 1968 with the assistance of FAO/UNDP. It is a
government organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forest, and is
located in Chittagong. The major objectives of the institute are to optimize
productivity in all types of forests area; provide research in waste and marginal
land; rational utilization of forest produces; conservation of biodiversity and
environmental balance in national and rural forests.
• The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA): a non-
profit and non-governmental organization of lawyers was set up in 1992 with
the objective of establishing a sound environment and ecological order for
all using law as tool. The objectives are to protect and conserve natural
environment and ecology that has strong justification in a rural agronomy
based country like Bangladesh.

• Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA): is a top environmental

organization in Bangladesh. BAPA was founded in 2000. The organization is
working for the welfare of Bangladesh’s environment.

• Institute of Water Modeling (IWM): is a government owned-national

research institute; and carries out research and planning related to water
management projects in Bangladesh and is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

• The Society for Environment and Human Development (SHED): works for human
rights and environmental justice in Bangladesh through research, capacity building
and advocacy. SHED was registered under the Family Planning Directorate
in1991.
International Organizations on Environment
some examples

International Centre for Diarrhoeal

Disease Research, Bangladesh

 World Wide Fund for Nature 28

 International Organizations on Environment
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, (IPCC)
 a scientific and intergovernmental body under the auspices of
the United Nations, set up to provide the world with an:
◦ Objective and scientific view of climate change 
◦ its political and economic impacts. 
 first established in 1988 by two United Nations organizations
  World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
 produces reports which cover
◦ the scientific,
◦ technical
◦ socio-economic …
…information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of
human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options
for adaptation and mitigation.
 These support the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is the main international
treaty on climate change 29
 icddr,b (International Center for Diarrhoeal
Disease Research, Bangladesh)
It is
an international health research
organization located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
This organization is dedicated to saving lives
through research and treatment
icddr,b addresses some of the most critical
health concerns facing the world today,
ranging from improving babies survival
to HIV/AIDS.

International Centre for Diarrhoeal

Disease Research, Bangladesh
 International Organizations on Environment
International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=0uf5e9vsXWo&feature=youtu.be

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 IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN)[2] is an international organization
 working in the field of nature conservation and
sustainable use of natural resources.
It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research,
field projects, advocacy, lobbying and education.
IUCN's mission is to "influence, encourage and assist
societies throughout the world to conserve nature and
to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable
and ecologically sustainable."
4][5]
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Over the past decades, IUCN has widened its focus
beyond conservation ecology and now incorporates
issues related to gender equality, poverty
alleviation and sustainable business in its projects.
Unlike other international NGOs, IUCN does not
itself aim to mobilize the public in support of nature
conservation. It tries to influence the actions of
governments, business and other stakeholders by
providing information and advice, and through
lobbying and partnerships. The organization is best
known to the wider public for compiling and
publishing the IUCN Red List, which assesses the
conservation status of species worldwide.
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 National Organizations on Environment

Ministry of Environment and Forests

Ministry of Water Resources
River Research Institute

Centre for Environmental Geographical

Information Services 34
 National Organizations on Environment
 DEPARMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, MoEF, GOB
 vision is to ensure sustainable environmental governance
for achieving high quality of life for the benefit of
present and future generations

 mission: to help secure clean and healthy environment

for the benefit of present and future generations:
i) Through the fair and consistent application of
environmental rules and regulations
ii) Through guiding, training and promoting awareness of
environmental issues and
iii) Through sustainable action on critical environmental
problems that demonstrate practical solutions and that
galvanize public support and involvement 35
 National Organizations on Environment
National nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs/Societies) working in relation to environment
in Bangladesh are:
◦ Arannayk Foundation
◦ Shushilan
◦ Society for Environment and Human Development
(SEHD)
◦ Environment and Social Development Organization
(ESDO)
◦ Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN)
◦ Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA)
◦ Unnayan Onneshan-the Innovators
◦ Bangladesh Youth Environmental Initiative (BYEI)
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 National Organizations on Environment
National nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs/Societies) working in relation to environment
in Bangladesh are:
◦ Bangladesh POUSH
◦ Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS)
◦ BRAC Disaster Management and Climate Change
(DMCC) programme
◦ Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association
(BELA)
◦ Environment and Population Research Centre
(EPRC)

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 National Organizations on Environment
CEGIS Centre for Environmental Geographical
Information Services
a scientifically independent organization and
performs integrated environmental analysis using
technologies such as Geographical Information
Systems, Remote Sensing, IT and databases.
It provides solutions to issues and problems in a
wide range of sectors, such as – but not limited to
–
◦ water, land, agriculture, meteorology, forestry,
fisheries, morphology, ecology, environment,
climate change, archeology, socio-economy, power,
transportation and disasters.
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 National Organizations on Environment
Society for Environment and Human
Development (SEHD)
 The two broad areas of SEHD’s work are
1) human rights
2) environment
 Specific areas include:
 tea workers,
 Adivasis (indigenous people),
 forests,
 journalism,
 sex workers,
 coastal environment
 SEHD has publications on these areas, which include
books, documentaries, photography exhibitions and
investigative reports. It also hosts a special documentation
library at its office in Dhaka.
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 National Organizations on Environment
Research institutes at universities
working in the area environment in
Bangladesh are:
◦ Institute for Water and Flood
Management (IWFM), BUET
(research)
◦ Centre for Climate Change and
Environmental Research (C3ER),
BRAC University

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 National Organizations on Environment
 Institute for Water and Flood Management (IWFM),
BUET
◦ Bangladesh is predominantly a floodplain country
where water is key to socio-economic development
and sustainability of ecosystems.
◦ Flood, drought, cyclone, river erosion, siltation, and
water scarcity in dry season have made water
management a challenging task.
◦ To address these issues, the Institute of Flood
Control and Drainage Research was established in
1974 and later renamed as the Institute of Water and
Flood Management (IWFM) in 2002.
◦ The Institute pursues research and capacity
development in the field of water and flood
management that is vital for economic development
and social prosperity of the country. The Institute also
provides advisory and consultancy services to
government and non-government organizations. 41
 United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
 The United Nations Environment Programme (UN
Environment) is an agency of United Nations and
coordinates its environmental activities, assisting
developing countries in implementing environmentally
sound policies and practices. It was founded by Maurice
Strong, its first director, as a result of the United Nations
Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm
Conference) in June 1972 and has its headquarters in the
Gigiri neighborhood of Nairobi, Kenya. UN Environment
also has six regional offices and various country offices.

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 United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
UN Environment has overall responsibility for
environmental problems among United Nations agencies
but talks on addressing global warming are overseen by the
Bonn-based Secretariat of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change.[1] Its activities cover a wide
range of issues regarding the atmosphere, marine and
terrestrial ecosystems, environmental governance and green
economy. It has played a significant role in developing
international environmental conventions,
promoting environmental science and information
and illustrating the way those can be implemented
in conjunction with policy,
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 United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
working on the development and implementation of
policy with national governments, regional
institutions in conjunction with environmental non-
governmental organizations (NGOs). UN
Environment has also been active in funding and
implementing environment related development
projects.
UN Environment has aided in the formulation of
guidelines and treaties on issues such as the
international trade in potentially
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 United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
harmful chemicals, transboundary air pollution, and
contamination of international waterways.
The World Meteorological Organization and UN
Environment established the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. UN
Environment is also one of several Implementing
Agencies for the Global Environment
Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the
Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, and it is
also a member of the United Nations Development
Group 45
 PROSPECTS FOR STUDENTS IN THE FUTURE
The list of environmental organization mentioned here is
not all.
However it demonstrates the rising demand for
environmental professionals.
In addition to these organizations, most industries in
Bangladesh now require employees who understand
environmental compliance and thus graduates of
environmental science or management.
In the line of research, inter-disciplinarity is being
given much preference, requiring a multidisciplinary
team often consisting of environmental researchers.

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 Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers
Association (BELA),
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association a
non-governmental organization of law(BELA),
yers, was set up in 1993 in response to a global
movement to protect and conserve natural
environment and promote environmental justice
which have serious implications for rural
agronomy based countries like Bangladesh.
Founded by Dr. Mohiuddin Farooque,

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 Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers
Association (BELA),
Vision and mission include
Ensuring environmental protection through due
processes of law.
Anthropocentric environmentalism that seeks
conservation inclusive of the natural resource
dependent poor.
Community ownership and management of natural
resources in a just, equitable and gender sensitive
way.
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 Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers
Association (BELA),
Upholding the rights of people, particularly the
poor and the women, to their environmental
entitlements.
BELA considers itself an organization that:
believes in and follows a rights-based approach to
not only the environment but development in
general;
believes in and upholds principles of equity; and
strives to attain womens rights and entitlements in
environmental justice. 49
 Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers
Association (BELA),
Strategies: BELA has chosen the following
intervention strategies to achieve its objectives:
Research and awareness raising campaigns
Seek administrative relief, utilize legal measures and
give legal assistance to protect eco-system and rights of
people
Mobilize and support community resistance
Develop networks with local, national, regional and
international groups/bodies/agencies
Undertake legislative advocacy
  50
 Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA)
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) is a common forum of citizens and
organizations concerned with the environment of Bangladesh.
Objectives
BAPA’s concrete objectives are: 
1.  To stop the process of further environmental degradation in
Bangladesh. 
2.  To reverse, where possible, the damage that has already been done to the
environment. 

 
 


BAPA is a volunteer organization, which runs without financial support from

national or foreign governments. Subscription of the members and philanthropy
of individual citizens and national organizations are the main sources of its
income for meeting its routine expenditure. 51
 Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA)
3. To build up a nationwide, united, civic
movement to achieve the aims of stopping and
reversing    environmental degradation in
Bangladesh.
A community-based group, called POROSH, was set
up as such a forum concentrating on Dhaka only in
1997. This has virtually been transformed into
BAPA in 2000 with nation-wide coverage and
expanded dimension. 

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 Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon
(BAPA)
BAPA, acting as a pressure group against any kind of
environment degradation, is trying to create a broad-
based citizen’s movement for protection and
betterment of environment in Bangladesh. It
organizes seminars, meetings, conferences and
workshops to draw attention to general and specific
problems in environment and educate the public on
such issues. It holds rallies and demonstrations to
build up public awareness and secure wide
participation of people on environmental issues. It
undertakes publications for education or mobilization
of public opinion. 
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 Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon
(BAPA)
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) was
launched in 2000 to create a nation wide, united,
and strong civic movement to protect
Bangladesh’s environment. The environment of
Bangladesh is deteriorating fast. Urban air quality
is plummeting. Ground water is contaminated.
Surface water bodies are getting polluted,
encroached, and degraded. Solid, fluid, gaseous,
and hazardous wastes are overflowing. Forests
and open spaces are disappearing. Noise is
increasing. Bio-diversity is vanishing.
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 Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon
(BAPA)
Health conditions are worsening due to pollution.
Unless these processes of degradation are slowed
down and reversed, the country’s economic,
social, cultural, and human progress will be
gradually hampered, and Bangladesh will become
unlivable in the long-term. 

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Reading Materials
1) HENVI. 2011. Why does society need
environmental research? 2011. Helsinki University Center for
Environment. University of Helsinki

2) Sujauddin, M. and Amin, ATMN. 2014. Evolution of Environmental

Science Curriculum: A Comparative Perspective. In: Endeavor for Basic
Undergraduate Course Curricular Requirements in Environmental Sciences
to Meet the Challenges of Twenty First Century. June 20-21. CSS Ava
Center, 82 Rupsha Strand Road, Khulna. Arranged by Environmental
Science Discipline, Khulna University

3) Haque, SMS., Hossain, MM and Islam, KMN. 2013. Introduction to

Environmental Science in Bangladesh. Degradation of Upland Watershed
in Bangladesh Project- a USDA funded project, Grant No. BG-ARS-123.
IFESCU

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