Global Environmental

issues and problems

 Name: Harshita Munot

Class: 9C

(e) Project on Global environmental issues

and Problems
 Index
• Introduction • Solid-waste Management
• Environmental Issues • Ozone Layer Depletion
• Environmental Issues at a Global level • Deforestation
• Global warming • Overpopulation
• Causes of Global Warming • Video 2
• Video 1 • What can be done to reduce pollution
• Climate change • effects
• Pollution Ways to Reduce Environmental Issues
• Water pollution • Video 3
• Air pollution • Bibliography
• Thank you
 Introduction
 Numerous environmental changes have been identified as
issues of global concern: desertification; the depletion of
fuelwood; the destruction of tropical rainforest and rapid
declines in forest cover; the modification of coastal
ecosystems; the reduced availability and quality of
drinking water; the depletion of soil resources; the over-
exploitation of fisheries; food shortages; species
extinction and the loss of biodiversity; stratospheric
ozone depletion; rapidly rising levels of fossil fuel and
demand for energy supplies; and climate change.
 The sheer number, magnitude and complexity of these
issues can seem overwhelming and some commentators
have argued that they amount to a cumulative, sustained
human impact on the environment that has profoundly
transformed the surface of the Earth.
 Environmental Issues
• Environmental issues are the harmful effects
of human activities on the environment.
• These include pollution, over-population,
waste disposal, climate change, global
warming, greenhouse effect, etc. 
• Various environment protection programs are
being practised at the individual,
organizational and government levels with the
aim of establishing a balance between man
and environment.
 Environmental issues at a global level
• Depletion of natural resources
• Water pollution
• Air pollution
• Ground water pollution
• Toxic chemicals & soil pollution
• Ozone layer depletion
• Global warming
• Loss of bio-diversity
• Extinction of wildlife and loss of natural habitat
• Nuclear wastes and radiation issues
 Global Warming

Global warming is the increase of average world

temperatures as a result of what is known as the
greenhouse effect.
Certain gases in the atmosphere act like glass in
a greenhouse, allowing sunlight through to heat
the earth's surface but trapping the heat as it
radiates back into space.
As the greenhouse gases build up in the
atmosphere the Earth gets hotter.
This process is leading to a rapid change in
climate, also known as climate change.
 Causes of Global Warming
 As trees grow they take in CO2 from the air. When the wood dies
the CO2 is returned to the air.
 Forest clearance and wood burning is increasing the latter half of
the process, adding to the CO2 in the atmosphere.
 Deforestation is now out of control. For example in 1987 an area of
the Amazon rain forest the size of Britain was burned, adding 500
million tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere.
 According to 2018 satellite data compiled by a deforestation
monitoring program called Prodes, deforestation has hit its highest
rate in a decade.
 About 7,900 km2 of the rainforest was destroyed between August
2017 and July 2018. The loss of the forests also means that there are
fewer trees to absorb CO2.
 However, as large a contribution as deforestation makes, studies in
2018 - 2019 suggest deforestation only causes around 8 to 10% of
global CO2 emissions, the rest comes from the burning of coal, oil
and other fossil fuels.
 Causes of Global Warming
 These fossil fuels are burned in cars, power stations and
factories of the wealthier nations such as the USA,
Western Europe and the USSR.
 The concentration of CO2 has increased 40% since the
industrial revolution, half of this rise has been in the last
30 years. It is expected to double within decades. 
 Televisions, lights and computers use electricity that is
created mainly from burning oil and coal. This is why
saving energy by doing simple things like turning off the
lights helps to reduce pollution. Cars are also major
sources of CO2.
 It is also accepted that those of us living in the Western
world, or more developed countries contribute far more to
this problem than those in developing countries. 
 The average European is responsible for nearly 2.5 times
Video 1 ->
 Climate Change
• The earth's climate has seen many changes in its 4.55
billion years.
• For example, 18,000 years ago most of Britain was
covered in ice and glaciers. 
• Although changes to the earth's climate are natural,
current changes are a result of increasing human
populations and activities.
• When talking about climate change in relation to
human activities climate change can be said to mean -
'the build-up of man-made gases in the atmosphere
that trap the sun’s heat, causing changes in weather
patterns around the world’. 
 Pollution
• Pollution is a word that we are all aware of
these days.
• What does it mean exactly? If you look up
"pollution" in the dictionary you will find
something like - "to destroy purity of; to
contaminate, especially with man-made
waste".
• The environment, i.e. our surroundings, the
place we live, is being made unclean by
human activities.
• The pollutants we produce not only affect our own lives but also those of other living things,
the plants and animals that we share our environment with.
• All living things depend upon the non-living parts of the environment to survive - the land,
the air and the water, and it is these 3 parts which are affected by pollution
 Water pollution
• The introduction of harmful substances
into rivers, oceans, lakes and ponds,
which changes the physical, chemical or
biological condition of the water is
called water pollution.
• The polluted water lacks oxygen and
therefore the organisms die. 
• Water is the main source of life and
therefore it is our prime duty to prevent
it from any kind of pollution.
 Air pollution
• Air Pollution is the result of
emissions from the industries,
automobiles, and increasing use of
fossil fuels.
• The gaseous emissions have added to
an increase in the temperature of the
earth.
• Not only this, but it had also
increased the risk of diseases among
individuals.
 Solid-waste Management
• Solid-waste management is defined as
the discipline associated with the
generation, storage, collection, transfer
and transport, processing, and disposal
of solid waste in a manner that it does
not have a harmful effect on the
environment. 
 Ozone layer depletion
• The ozone layer is a layer of concentrated ozone
gas.
• It protects us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet
rays.
• This very important layer is being destroyed by
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), which are used in
industries and everyday life (e.g. aerosol cans).
• The chlorine in these compounds destroys the
ozone layer.
• The hole in the ozone layer leaves humans and
wildlife exposed to the harmful UV rays resulting
in several skin diseases including cancer.
 Deforestation
• Deforestation is the depletion of trees and forests at
an alarming rate.
• The trees provide us with oxygen, several raw
materials and also maintain the temperature of the
earth.
• Due to the depletion of trees for commercial
purposes, there has been a drastic change in the
earth’s climate.
• Forests are an abode to a large number of wild
animals and plants.
• Destruction of forests has led to the elimination of a
large number of plants and animal species affecting
the biodiversity.
 Overpopulation
• The earth’s population is increasing
drastically.
• It is estimated to be more than seven billion.
• The increasing population has led to a
shortage of resources.
• If this continues, it will be very difficult to
sustain such a huge population.
• The other environmental issues including
pollution, waste management, deforestation,
climate change and global warming are all
associated with over-population.
Video 2 ->
 What can be done to Reduce Pollution?
• Stop Smoking
• Use eco-friendly Transportation
• Dispose of waste responsibly
• Choose Renewable sources of energy
• Promote conservation as a consumer
• Avoid disrupting the Ecosystem
• Make Reducing Pollution a Community
Goal
 Effects
• If no action is taken the greenhouse effect could lead
to a rise in average global temperatures of between
0.3-0.7 degrees Celcius as early as the year 2035.
• These rises will be greater towards the poles and less
at the tropics.
• There will also be more warming in winter than
summer.
• In another 100 years such continued increases will
make the world hotter than it has been for more than
100,000 years.
• The rise will also be faster than ever before; a rise of
3 degrees Celcius after the last ice age took thousands
of years.
 Ways to Reduce Environmental issues
• Replace disposal items with
reusable items.
• The use of paper should be avoided.
• Conserve water and electricity.
• Support environmental friendly
practices.
• Recycle the waste to conserve
natural resources.
Video 3 ->
 Bibliography
• Ypte.org.uk
• Byjus.com
• www.omicsonline.org
• Video 1 –National Geographic
• Video 2 – TechUniverse
• Video 3- BYU Life Sciences
Thank you