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Essay on Environment and Development

Students are often asked to write an essay on Environment and Development in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Environment and Development

Introduction.

Environment and development are two intertwined aspects of life. The environment provides us with resources for development, while development impacts the environment.

The Environment’s Role

The environment is our life source, offering air, water, food, and shelter. It’s a natural resource bank for human development.

Development’s Role

Development refers to the progress and growth of society. It uses resources from the environment, leading to advancements in various fields.

The Balance

Balancing environment and development is crucial. Overusing resources can harm the environment, while lack of development can hinder societal progress.

In conclusion, we must strive for sustainable development to ensure a healthy environment and continued progress.

250 Words Essay on Environment and Development

The relationship between environment and development is complex and multifaceted. Development often comes at the cost of the environment, but it is increasingly understood that sustainable development is impossible without considering environmental factors.

Development and Environmental Degradation

Historically, development has been synonymous with industrialization, leading to environmental degradation. Exploitation of natural resources, deforestation, and pollution have been the unfortunate byproducts of progress. This unsustainable trajectory has resulted in climate change, biodiversity loss, and other environmental crises.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is a concept that reconciles development with environmental preservation. It advocates for meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This approach requires innovative thinking, technological advancements, and a shift in societal values.

Role of Technology

Technology plays a crucial role in sustainable development. Renewable energy technologies, green infrastructure, and resource-efficient practices can significantly reduce the environmental impact of development. However, the adoption of these technologies requires political will and societal acceptance.

In conclusion, while development has historically been detrimental to the environment, a shift towards sustainable development is necessary for the future of our planet. This shift requires a reevaluation of our values, increased technological innovation, and a commitment to preserving the environment for future generations. The relationship between environment and development is not a zero-sum game; both can coexist harmoniously if we make the right choices.

500 Words Essay on Environment and Development

The environment and development are two interconnected spheres of human life. The environment, comprising of natural resources, is the foundation upon which human civilization thrives, while development signifies the progress and growth of society. The intricate relationship between these two elements is a subject of paramount importance in the contemporary world.

The Interplay of Environment and Development

Development, in its traditional sense, is often equated to economic growth. This growth, however, is largely dependent on the exploitation of natural resources. Industries extract minerals, forests are cleared for agriculture, and rivers are dammed for electricity. Such actions, while boosting the economy, often lead to environmental degradation. The loss of biodiversity, pollution, and climate change are some consequences of this unsustainable development.

Simultaneously, the environment is not just a passive recipient of these impacts. It plays a vital role in shaping the course of development. For instance, regions with rich biodiversity often attract tourism, contributing to local economies. On the contrary, areas prone to natural disasters often face developmental challenges.

Sustainable Development: A Solution

The concept of sustainable development emerged as a solution to the conflict between environment and development. It promotes a development strategy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This approach advocates for the integration of environmental considerations into economic and social development plans.

Sustainable development calls for a shift from the traditional, linear economic model of ‘take-make-waste’ to a more circular ‘reduce-reuse-recycle’ model. It also emphasizes the need for renewable energy sources, sustainable agriculture, and green technologies.

Challenges and Opportunities

Implementing sustainable development, however, is not without challenges. It requires significant changes in policies, practices, and individual behaviors. The transition to renewable energy, for instance, is often hindered by economic and technological constraints. Similarly, sustainable agriculture practices may initially yield lower outputs, making them less attractive to farmers.

Despite these challenges, sustainable development presents numerous opportunities. It can lead to the creation of new industries and jobs in sectors like renewable energy, waste management, and eco-tourism. It can also improve public health by reducing pollution and promoting healthier lifestyles.

In conclusion, the relationship between the environment and development is complex and multifaceted. While development often leads to environmental degradation, a healthy environment is vital for sustainable development. The concept of sustainable development offers a balanced approach, integrating environmental, economic, and social considerations. Though it presents challenges, it also provides opportunities for a more sustainable and inclusive future. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us, as stewards of the planet, to promote and implement sustainable development practices for the betterment of both our environment and society.

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Environment vs. Development Essay: Tips & Topics [2024]

Environment vs. development is a multifaceted present days’ dilemma. On the one hand, environmental problems are increasing year after year. We have more polluted areas on our planet, more polluted rivers, fewer trees that produce oxygen. On the other hand, can we stop development and progress in various fields?

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

Is there some solution to the dilemma? You will have to discuss this in your environment and development essay.

In the article, you’ll find the following:

  • The arguments that can help you to build a comprehensive discussion.
  • Tips on writing your environment vs. development essay.
  • Topics to nail your paper with successful examples.

Our writers gathered the ideas and recommendations for you to excel at your assignment. So, consider these tips for writing effective essays on environment vs. development.

  • 📌 6 Arguments
  • ✔️ Research
  • ✔️ Take a Stand
  • ✔️ Express Your Opinion
  • ✨ 41 Essay Topics

📌 6 Arguments Environment vs. Development Essay

In this section, we will present several arguments for essays on environment and development topics. These arguments might serve as a great help for writing your essay.

  • Taking care of poverty worldwide is a more critical issue than taking care of natural resources . Natural resources are renewable. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the people in need. However, humans already wasted enough natural resources, so wasting more will put the Earth at risk.
  • Economic growth is needed to meet the basic needs of the growing population in developing countries . In case developing countries do not industrialize, the government has to put restrictions on population growth. Yet, population growth is one of the main reasons for environmental issues.
  • Industrialization might not put much pressure on the environment. Scientific progress can have less harmful effects on Earth. Yet, some historical accidents show that rapid industrialization might create an actual natural disaster.
  • Developing countries should not tell poorer countries to engage in conservation. Developing countries should not tell poorer countries to make conservation their priority, as it will be hypocritical from their side. However, more developed countries should look after more fragile countries.
  • “ Green Revolution” helped double the amount of harvest . A more considerable amount of crop helps feed a growing population. However, the modified seeds might eventually replace the native sources.
  • Green issues hold back developing countries . They are perceived as interference in the affairs of developing countries. However, it is an economic process that will help many people.

Find more arguments in an essay example below:

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

📍 3 Tips for Environment vs. Development Essay

After reviewing the arguments for your essay, you can start writing. But still, we suggest that you first read our tips. They will help you balance your ideas and thoughtfully put them into the essay.

✔️ Tip 1: Research

Start with collecting information about environmental issues and the opinions of environmentalists. Find out the essential parts of the discussion:

  • What, from their point of view, are the biggest threats to the environment these days?
  • What are their suggestions as to the solutions to environmental problems?

Make necessary notes with arguments to use in your paper. As you’re writing academic work, you have to cite your sources. So, pick the most credible books or articles on the matter to reference in your essay on environment vs. development.

Another vital thing is:

Find out what citation style is required in your institution or by your instructor. You have to follow its guidelines to reference correctly, so examine MLA, APA, or Chicago guides.

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✔️ Tip 2: Take a Stand

Since you are dealing with kind of a controversial issue, you have to examine both sides of the debate. It seems to be logical to write a persuasive or an argumentative essay on environment vs. development with good argumentation.

You have two options regarding your position:

  • Taking a neutral approach, revealing the arguments of both sides without a stance.
  • Arguing in favor of one position, maybe even providing a solution.

The best way for you is to investigate all the data and take a stand that feels more sound for you. Then, you should do the following:

  • Introduce a specific position on the problem. The first part of an argumentative essay is to pick a side and present an exact position on the topic. It needs to be clear from the thesis statement in the introduction.
  • Collect evidence to support it. Think about the counterargument someone might have to your argument and research both sides. The more you research, the more developed your proof will be.
  • Then, investigate what the opposing side says. What are their arguments in favor of further progress? What do they say about preserving our planet and environment? What solutions do they have?
  • Draft and outline your essay. Organizing your paper ahead will make it easier for you to present the arguments. A clear structure will help you distribute the information concisely and logically.
  • Write with empathy. Three factors make up a strong argument: ethos (ethical reasoning), logos (logical reasoning), and pathos (emotional reasoning). You need to present your point in a logical, concise, non-manipulative, and compelling way.

✔️ Tip 3: Express Your Opinion

In concluding an essay, you have to sum up what you’ve argued and come to a closure. Usually, it’s where writers add their opinion or insight. You can still take a neutral position, seeing no reason to solve everything at once if you do not feel strongly about the topic or have doubts.

Yet, try to think about your personal position on the problem that you have presented. Do you have any ideas on how to solve it? Do you have any suggestions regarding the issue?

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

If you have, express them!

Don’t be afraid to draw conclusions from your writing. You should strive to leave an impact on your reader. So any new idea or insight that comes directly from your environment and development essay is welcomed. Check the example below to see how it can be done:

Tips for writing rainforest essays and an essay on environmental issues can also be used for preparing your paper on environment vs. development.

✨41 Topics for an Essay

If you’re struggling to come with a topic for your essay, we have prepared ten options to choose from. Take a look and select the one you like!

  • Water Pollution . Industrialization is necessary for employment opportunities, innovations, and better utilization of resources. However, it is responsible for water pollution, which contaminates marine life and negatively affects health.
  • Air Pollution . Just like water pollution, air pollution is an inevitable part of the industrialization process. Due to the problem, animals and humans are at risk of developing health issues.
  • Global Warming . It is one of the most significant environmental issues nowadays. However, some people speculate that the whole climate change idea is a political scheme.
  • Eco-friendly movement. The importance of environmental issues is getting more recognition these days. Eco-friendly movement: a helpful way to raise awareness about environmental issues or another mainstream movement?
  • Nature vs. Nurture . When talking about the environment vs. development, it is necessary to discuss the idea of nature and nurture. What plays a bigger role in shaping a human’s character: the influence of heredity or environmental influences?
  • Deforestation . Is it a necessary sacrifice made by people to survive? For instance, the use of fuelwood dominates in rural households. Or is it more dangerous and harmful to the environment than helpful?
  • Sustainable Development Goals . Analyze the list published by the United Nations. Do the goals presented in the list capture the complexity of sustainable development ? Why yes/no?
  • Population Growth . Population growth might have adverse effects on various economic and environmental aspects. However, the rapid growth of the population can increase the labor market.
  • Carbon Emissions . Greenhouse gases are dangerous. Should there be a tax on carbon emissions? Provide your opinion, and list the carbon tax’s pros and cons.
  • Transportation . People these days possess more and more cars. Provide your position on whether they should use cars more or not. Support by evidence.
  • Should we ban consumable plastics to save the nature?
  • Compare the climate difference of the 20 th and 21 st century and its impact on the wildlife.
  • Discuss the sources of air pollution and its impact on human health.
  • Relation between environment and development changes in society.
  • Analyze the relationship between climate change and greenhouse gases emission .
  • Environmental effects of e-waste and proposed solutions.
  • Describe the effect of climate change on tourism .
  • The connection between the environment and development .
  • Examine the role of waste management in the prevention of environmental pollution.
  • Analyze the causes of indoor and outdoor pollution.
  • The central idea of It’s Not My Fault: Global Warming and Individual Moral Obligations by Sinnott-Armstrong.
  • Discuss the role of environmental organizations in reducing fresh water pollution .
  • Analyze the relation between overpopulation and environmental disaster .
  • How can we reduce climate change?
  • Explain the importance of environmental law and its impact on businesses .
  • Describe the main aspects of environmental protection and their connection with the global economy.
  • Explore how environmental problems influence children’s health .
  • Economic development and environmental protection of the Amazon forest .
  • Rapid increasing in industrialization and globalization and environmental concerns .
  • The influence of noise level on environmental public health .
  • Why environmental plastic pollution is one of the most pressing contemporary issues.
  • Discuss the importance of water recycling .
  • Analyze the issue of consumption and production and its impact on the environment.
  • Examine the impact of mining on nature.
  • Reasons to use renewable energy more .
  • Describe the role of Go-Green programs for the environmental protection.
  • Explore the bottled water industry and its impact on the environment.
  • Analyze the pros and cons of environmental activism .
  • Overpopulation is a threat to the environmental wellbeing.
  • Analyze the effect of microplastics on the marine life.
  • Explain why an indiscriminate deforestation is a global concern that should not be ignored.

For more variety, you can find more topics in other articles .

Thanks for reading! Share the article to help others deal with this essay type.

You might also be interested in:

  • Responsibility Essay: How to Write, Topic Ideas and Examples
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  • 15 Steps to Good Research: Georgetown University Library
  • Argument: Writing Center, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Counterargument: Gordon Harvey, the Writing Center at Harvard University
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The Relationship Between the Environment and Development

Environmental issues are some of the most popular topics for global discussion among the policymakers. Different countries face different environmental problems; nevertheless, many believe that a global approach is needed for a balanced solution. In developed countries, the majority of the problems we face today are the result of the industrialization, increased manufacturing, and other human activity. Most of the countries of the world cooperate in order to improve the state of the environment and prevent further damage.

Hite and Seitz (2016) argue, “Development has often harmed the environment, and environmental harm has in turn adversely affected development” (p. 189). For instance, industrialization led to the introduction of large-scale manufacturing, thus increasing the chemical pollution of water and air (Hite & Seitz, 2016). Another technological development, the popularization of cars, led to increased gas emissions, which in turn contributed to the world climate change (Hite and Seitz).

The first conference on the environment was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972 by the United Nations (Hite & Seitz, 2016). As a result of the conference, the governments of many countries began to cooperate in protecting the environment; developing countries, however, feared that strict anti-pollution laws would halt their technological development, which could contribute to their economies and to the reduction of waste, which was the main source of pollution in these regions (Hite & Seitz, 2016). The conference was held by the United States; one of the outcomes of the conference was the global awareness of the impact of human activity on the environment and the need for collective action (Hite & Seitz, 2016).

The article by Rinkesh (2017) discusses the fifteen major environmental problems that impact the contemporary world, most of which are connected to one another. One of the most significant issues is overpopulation. More and more people are born each minute all over the world. The development of medical sciences, and the increased quality of life, on the other hand, mean that fewer people die from natural causes or lack of access to care. The combination of the two factors leads to overpopulation. The resources of the earth, such as water, fuel, and food, are not sufficient to maintain such a large population, which creates a significant environmental issue (Rinkesh, 2017).

Overpopulation is also linked to another problem, which is the depletion of natural resources, particularly of fossil fuel. This causes a rise in energy prices but also contributes to the climate change: “Fossil fuel consumption results in emission of Greenhouse gases, which is responsible for global warming and climate change” (Rinkesh, 2017, para. 7). Climate change, in turn, results in a rise in temperature, which causes the melting of polar ice, increase in infectious diseases, and severe weather conditions, such as floods (Rinkesh, 2017). Another result of the climate change is the loss of biodiversity. It can also occur due to human activity and leads to the deterioration of ecosystems and the disruption of natural balance, which may have severe consequences on the future life on Earth (Rinkesh, 2017).

Finally, another environmental problem that was brought about by humans is deforestation. Trees consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, which helps to combat the adverse effect of air pollution (Rinkesh, 2017). Nevertheless, people cut down an enormous number of trees per year, which means that the forests are depleting rapidly, decreasing their positive effect on the environment and creating another environmental issue.

Overall, it is clear that most environmental issues are tightly connected to one another, as well as to human activity all over the world. In order to decrease the adverse effect of this factor on the environment, it is crucial to create an environmental protection plan that would consider the developmental needs of all the countries, as well as the sources of their contribution to environmental issues.

Hite, K. A., & Seitz, J. L. (2016). Global issues: An introduction (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rinkesh. (2017). Environmental problems . Conserve Energy Future . Web.

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Environment and Development Essay

Environment and development are interrelated. One cannot think of development without considering the environment. While focusing on development, if the environment is neglected, it will have further impact on the development.

Long and Short Essay on Environment and Development in English

Below you will find some essays on environment and development that will help in your exams and school assignments. Choose any environment and development essay as per your requirement and interest:

Essay on Environment vs. Development – Essay 1 (200 words)

Introduction

Development is a continuous and constant process. However, every development has some positive and negative results. While development is carried out for the benefits of the inhabitants, the environment is equally important. If development is carried out without considering the environment, it may have a negative impact on the environment. This, in turn, will cause harmful effects on the inhabitant.

Environment versus Development

The environment does not only mean surroundings. Environment refers to air, water and land and the interrelationship of all these factors with human beings. Environment and development cannot go against each other. They should be complementing each other. If all the resources on earth are utilized for the development of the world, without the thought of preserving them, soon the earth will turn into an uninhabitable place.

For the development of a nation, a huge amount of land is acquired which results in the cutting of trees. Again, as a result of development, non-renewable resources like fossil fuels, water and minerals are utilized faster before they are replenished. The global warming and depletion of resources affect the inhabitants of the world, for which they cannot reap the benefits of development.

In order to fully enjoy the benefits of development, conservation of the environment is necessary. Though this fact has been neglected in prioritizing development, there has been an increase in awareness among human beings in recent times. By giving adequate importance to the environment, we all will be able to enjoy the benefits of development for a long time.

Essay on Environment and Economic Development – Essay 2 (300 words)

Environment and economic growth are interrelated. On one hand, the economic growth of a nation affects the environment. At the same time, the degradation in environmental resources will affect the economic growth. There are environmental policies that can help in making the most out of environmental protection and economic growth.

Environment and Economic Development

Economic development is very much essential for the growth of a nation. A nation is considered developed if it provides enough job opportunity for the inhabitants thereby providing them a better life than struggling with poverty. This type of development helps in reducing income inequality. The higher economic growth of a nation also results in the increase in tax revenues and reduction in government expenditure on unemployment and poverty-related welfares.

Environment plays an important role in the economic development of a nation. A large part of the development of a nation is related to production in different sectors. The natural resources like water, fossil fuels, minerals, soils etc from the environment are needed for production in various sectors. However, the pollution caused as a result of production is absorbed by the environment. Additionally, the consumption of resources for production can lead to shortage of resources in the environment.

The continuous process of consumption of the natural resources and the increased rate of pollution to the environment will lead to poor quality of resources. This, in turn, will not only impact the quality of production but also result in various negative health impacts not only for the labors involved in production but also for the inhabitants for whom the production or the development is being carried out.

In order to enjoy the benefits of economic developments, in the long run, one should give equal importance in conservation of natural resources. Maintaining a proper balance between environment and economic development will keep on running the cycle of development whose benefits will be not only is limited to the current generation but also for the future generations.

Essay on Environmental and Sustainable Development – Essay 3 (400 words)

Sustainable development is based on three pillars of sustainability – economic, environmental and social sustainability. Environmental sustainability refers to the concern related to natural resources like air, water, and climate. An important aspect of sustainable development is to adopt activities or measures that will help in sustaining the environmental resources which would not only meet the requirements for the present generation but also the upcoming generation.

Environmental and Sustainable Development

The concept of Sustainable Development is derived from the definition phrased in the Brundtland Commission in 1987. According to the phrase, sustainable development refers to the development that meets the needs of the present generation and preserves enough resources for the future generation to meet their needs. At the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015, world leaders have included some goals as Sustainable Developments Goals.  They are –

  • Eradication of poverty in every form all over the world.
  • Promotion of sustainable economic growth by providing full employment and decent work for all.
  • Attaining gender equality and empowerment of women.
  • Maintaining sustainability of water and providing sanitation for all.
  • Promoting healthy lives for all irrespective of age.
  • Promoting lifelong learning opportunity for all.
  • Promoting sustainable agriculture and providing nutritious food for all.
  • Reducing inequality within and among countries.
  • Providing safe and sustainable human settlements for all.
  • Conserve water bodies for sustainable development.
  • Revitalizing global partnership for sustainable development.
  • Introducing sustainable production and consumption pattern.
  • Accessibility of sustainable energy for all.
  • Fostering innovation and building sustainable industrialization.
  • Adopting measures to deal with climate changes.
  • Restore terrestrial ecosystem, forests and stop soil degradation.
  • Building of effective and responsible institutions at all levels to provide justice for all.

The above mentioned sustainable goals are aimed to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice and tackle climate changes by 2030. These goals are set to ensure that the future generations are not deprived of the benefits of development and they can utilize the natural resources to satisfy their needs as well.

The concept of sustainability is related to the concept of carrying capacity. If the natural resources are used up fast than they are being replenished, it would lead to degradation of the environment. This might lead to the destruction of the population to a level where the natural resources become inadequate for the living population. Therefore, environmental and sustainable development should be given equal importance for the benefits of the population.

Essay on Protection of Environment and Sustainable Development – Essay 4 (500 words)

Sustainable development aims to preserve the natural resources so that even after the current generation used them to meet their needs, there is enough left for the coming generation. And as a matter of fact, even for generations after that. In order to maintain the sustainable development, the environment is needed to be protected.

Protection of Environment and Sustainable Development

Some of the current issues related to environment are global warming and depletion of natural resources. Global warming refers to the permanent climate change of the earth owing to industrial pollution, degradation of the environment, greenhouse gas emission, depletion of the ozone layer which means a decline in the total amount of ozone on earth’s stratosphere. Scientists have proven that the temperature of the earth is increasing and if necessary precautions are not being taken, the situation will be worse which will cause further negative impact on the environment and human health.

Depletion of natural resources is another major concern. With the overpopulation, the consumption of earth’s natural resources is taking place at a faster rate even before they could be replenished. Global warming leads to the low rate of production of agricultural products and with depletion of natural resources adding to it, very soon the mass population of earth will face not only a shortage of food but also shortage of resources to carry out any development process.

In order to overcome the shortage, chemicals are used to increase the production of agricultural products. This not only decreases the value of soil, but also affects human health in a negative way. If the process continues, the inhabitants of the earth are going to face serious issues. In all these years, plenty of damages have been caused to earth’s environment and its resources. If necessary activities and measures are taken to protect the environment, there is hope that much worse condition could be postponed if not totally avoided.

In order to reduce global warming, protection of forests and wetlands are important. Trees should not be cut until and unless they are absolutely necessary. In such cases, it is required to plant as many trees wherever possible. A single step taken by a huge part of the population can play a major role in protecting the environment. It is also important to conserve natural resources, biodiversity, and wildlife. Apart from that, every inhabitant of the earth should play their part in preventing ozone layer from depletion.

The main ozone-depleting substances are widely used in refrigerators, air conditioners and fire extinguishers. Many refrigerators and air conditioners use Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) as a refrigerant. These are important elements in causing depletion to the earth’s ozone layer.

It is hence important to not use products that use HCFC and CFC as refrigerants. It is also advisable to avoid using aerosol products that use HCFCs and CFCs as propellants.  Apart from all these above-mentioned measures, precaution should be taken to emit less carbon to the environment.

In order to undergo sustainable development, necessary precaution should be taken to protect the environment. This, in turn, will benefit the present population as well as the coming generations, which is the ultimate goal of sustainable development. Protection of environment hence is an important step in sustainable development.

Essay on Sustainable Development and Environment Conservation – Essay 5 (600 words)

Conservation refers to the process of protection, preservation, management, and restoration of natural environments and their inhabitants. The main objective of sustainable development is to preserve the resources of the environment for future generation use even after being used by the present generation. Hence, to achieve the objective of sustainable development, conservation of the environment is important.

Sustainable Development and Environment Conservation

Conservation of the environment involves two processes – protecting natural resources and living in a way causing less damage to the environment. Environment refers to natural resources like air, water, and land and their interrelationship with the human beings. In a broader aspect, it also comprises of trees, soil, fossil fuels, minerals etc. Trees help in protecting the soil from getting eroded due to flood or rain. They are also needed to purify the air.

Water is needed not only by human beings for consumption, but also for agriculture, the existence of living beings like plants and animals and production in different sectors. The soil is needed for providing production of food for all living beings as well as for filtering water. Hence, trees, soil and every source of water is needed to be conserved and stopped from getting polluted. These three elements play an important role in the existence of living beings. Pollution of these elements will not only cause us harm, but they will also pose more threat for the coming generations.

Conservation of environment not only includes conservation of natural resources. It also refers to the conservation of energy. Solar and wind energy are two forms of renewable energy that will help in the reduction of usage of non-renewable energy like fossil fuels, power cars etc. If all forms of renewable energy are used to replace the non- renewable forms of energy, a huge positive impact on earth could be achieved. Non-renewable energies take time to replenish; this is the reason why renewable forms of energy should be used.

Apart from the conservation of the environment, certain measures should be taken to replenish the resources of the environment that are being used. Reforestation of trees, composting of soil, to maintain their quality are some of the useful ways to replenish the resources of the environment. These methods will certainly help in maintaining a balance in the environment.

Along with these factors, measures should be taken to reduce pollution in the environment. Usage of electric or hybrid vehicles instead of gas guzzlers can be a wise alternative in reducing carbon emission to the environment. It is also advisable to walk or ride a cycle or share a vehicle to reduce carbon emission. Organic farming is another alternative to maintain the quality of soil as well as the food thereby causing less harm to the environment and reducing health hazards which might be caused due to the usage of chemicals in farming.

Quitting smoking and using natural products instead of chemical products not only benefit your health, but also have a positive impact on the environment. One can save water by turning off the faucet or by storing rainwater for different uses. Cleaning clothes and dishes only after having a full load can also save water. Unplugging electrical devices when not in use is a cost-effective and energy-saving way. Besides, one can also reuse and recycle products that will bring a new life to old items. Also, avoiding using plastic products can have a positive impact on the environment.

The aim of sustainable development could be achieved by conserving the environment. It will not only help in reducing the damage to the environment but also help in the preservation of resources for the future generation.

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Essay on Sustainable Development: Samples in 250, 300 and 500 Words

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Essay on Sustainable Development

On 3rd August 2023, the Indian Government released its Net zero emissions target policy to reduce its carbon footprints. To achieve the sustainable development goals (SDG) , as specified by the UN, India is determined for its long-term low-carbon development strategy. Selfishly pursuing modernization, humans have frequently compromised with the requirements of a more sustainable environment.

As a result, the increased environmental depletion is evident with the prevalence of deforestation, pollution, greenhouse gases, climate change etc. To combat these challenges, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019. The objective was to improve air quality in 131 cities in 24 States/UTs by engaging multiple stakeholders.

‘Development is not real until and unless it is sustainable development.’ – Ban Ki-Moon

The concept of Sustainable Development in India has even greater relevance due to the controversy surrounding the big dams and mega projects and related long-term growth. Since it is quite a frequently asked topic in school tests as well as competitive exams , we are here to help you understand what this concept means as well as the mantras to drafting a well-written essay on Sustainable Development with format and examples.

This Blog Includes:

What is sustainable development, 250-300 words essay on sustainable development, 300 words essay on sustainable development, 500 words essay on sustainable development, introduction, conclusion of sustainable development essay, importance of sustainable development, examples of sustainable development.

As the term simply explains, Sustainable Development aims to bring a balance between meeting the requirements of what the present demands while not overlooking the needs of future generations. It acknowledges nature’s requirements along with the human’s aim to work towards the development of different aspects of the world. It aims to efficiently utilise resources while also meticulously planning the accomplishment of immediate as well as long-term goals for human beings, the planet as well and future generations. In the present time, the need for Sustainable Development is not only for the survival of mankind but also for its future protection. 

Looking for ideas to incorporate in your Essay on Sustainable Development? Read our blog on Energy Management – Find Your Sustainable Career Path and find out!

To give you an idea of the way to deliver a well-written essay, we have curated a sample on sustainable development below, with 250-300 words:

To give you an idea of the way to deliver a well-written essay, we have curated a sample on sustainable development below, with 300 + words:

Essay on Sustainable Development

Must Read: Article Writing

To give you an idea of the way to deliver a well-written essay, we have curated a sample on sustainable development below, with 500 + words:

Essay on Sustainable Development

Essay Format

Before drafting an essay on Sustainable Development, students need to get familiarised with the format of essay writing, to know how to structure the essay on a given topic. Take a look at the following pointers which elaborate upon the format of a 300-350 word essay.

Introduction (50-60 words) In the introduction, students must introduce or provide an overview of the given topic, i.e. highlighting and adding recent instances and questions related to sustainable development. Body of Content (100-150 words) The area of the content after the introduction can be explained in detail about why sustainable development is important, its objectives and highlighting the efforts made by the government and various institutions towards it.  Conclusion (30-40 words) In the essay on Sustainable Development, you must add a conclusion wrapping up the content in about 2-3 lines, either with an optimistic touch to it or just summarizing what has been talked about above.

How to write the introduction of a sustainable development essay? To begin with your essay on sustainable development, you must mention the following points:

  • What is sustainable development?
  • What does sustainable development focus on?
  • Why is it useful for the environment?

How to write the conclusion of a sustainable development essay? To conclude your essay on sustainable development, mention why it has become the need of the hour. Wrap up all the key points you have mentioned in your essay and provide some important suggestions to implement sustainable development.

The importance of sustainable development is that it meets the needs of the present generations without compromising on the needs of the coming future generations. Sustainable development teaches us to use our resources in the correct manner. Listed below are some points which tell us the importance of sustainable development.

  • Focuses on Sustainable Agricultural Methods – Sustainable development is important because it takes care of the needs of future generations and makes sure that the increasing population does not put a burden on Mother Earth. It promotes agricultural techniques such as crop rotation and effective seeding techniques.
  • Manages Stabilizing the Climate – We are facing the problem of climate change due to the excessive use of fossil fuels and the killing of the natural habitat of animals. Sustainable development plays a major role in preventing climate change by developing practices that are sustainable. It promotes reducing the use of fossil fuels which release greenhouse gases that destroy the atmosphere.
  • Provides Important Human Needs – Sustainable development promotes the idea of saving for future generations and making sure that resources are allocated to everybody. It is based on the principle of developing an infrastructure that is can be sustained for a long period of time.
  • Sustain Biodiversity – If the process of sustainable development is followed, the home and habitat of all other living animals will not be depleted. As sustainable development focuses on preserving the ecosystem it automatically helps in sustaining and preserving biodiversity.
  • Financial Stability – As sustainable development promises steady development the economies of countries can become stronger by using renewable sources of energy as compared to using fossil fuels, of which there is only a particular amount on our planet.

Mentioned below are some important examples of sustainable development. Have a look:

  • Wind Energy – Wind energy is an easily available resource. It is also a free resource. It is a renewable source of energy and the energy which can be produced by harnessing the power of wind will be beneficial for everyone. Windmills can produce energy which can be used to our benefit. It can be a helpful source of reducing the cost of grid power and is a fine example of sustainable development. 
  • Solar Energy – Solar energy is also a source of energy which is readily available and there is no limit to it. Solar energy is being used to replace and do many things which were first being done by using non-renewable sources of energy. Solar water heaters are a good example. It is cost-effective and sustainable at the same time.
  • Crop Rotation – To increase the potential of growth of gardening land, crop rotation is an ideal and sustainable way. It is rid of any chemicals and reduces the chances of disease in the soil. This form of sustainable development is beneficial to both commercial farmers and home gardeners.
  • Efficient Water Fixtures – The installation of hand and head showers in our toilets which are efficient and do not waste or leak water is a method of conserving water. Water is essential for us and conserving every drop is important. Spending less time under the shower is also a way of sustainable development and conserving water.
  • Sustainable Forestry – This is an amazing way of sustainable development where the timber trees that are cut by factories are replaced by another tree. A new tree is planted in place of the one which was cut down. This way, soil erosion is prevented and we have hope of having a better, greener future.

Related Articles

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations in 2015. These include: No Poverty Zero Hunger Good Health and Well-being Quality Education Gender Equality Clean Water and Sanitation Affordable and Clean Energy Decent Work and Economic Growth Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Reduced Inequality Sustainable Cities and Communities Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action Life Below Water Life on Land Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions Partnerships for the Goals

The SDGs are designed to address a wide range of global challenges, such as eradicating extreme poverty globally, achieving food security, focusing on promoting good health and well-being, inclusive and equitable quality education, etc.

India is ranked #111 in the Sustainable Development Goal Index 2023 with a score of 63.45.

Hence, we hope that this blog helped you understand the key features of an essay on sustainable development. If you are interested in Environmental studies and planning to pursue sustainable tourism courses , take the assistance of Leverage Edu ’s AI-based tool to browse through a plethora of programs available in this specialised field across the globe and find the best course and university combination that fits your interests, preferences and aspirations. Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute counselling session

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  • Biology Article
  • Essay On Environment

Essay on Environment

Essay on Environment is an excellent way for students to learn about the environment and its implications. The environment, in the simplest of terms, refers to the interaction between living organisms and non-living things. Living organisms are classified as biotic components, while non-living things form the abiotic components.

Humans are a part of the environment, but their activities are not, as they do not coincide with the natural environment. Hence, such environments are called artificial environments. As a general rule of thumb, any human interaction with the natural environment converts the same into an artificial environment.

Acts such as the installation of solar panels in a desert, construction of huts made of muds transform the natural environment into an artificial one. However, when animals build structural which support their living, they still are considered as natural.

The environment provides many resources, from medicine to food. Moreover, the environment is home to countless species of organisms, some of which are on the verge of extinction. Another factor accelerating the extinction of organisms is the destruction of their environments. Most organisms need their natural habitat to thrive. Without it, organisms may perish.

Anthropological activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, have brought severe repercussions. Increased levels of air pollution have led to many respiratory illnesses in humans. On a global scale, burning fossil fuels have pumped vast quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The immediate consequence of this is global temperatures will increase. As a result, ice caps will start to melt, and sea levels will rise. Natural calamities will strike with more intensity and frequency. If these activities are unchecked, then a phenomenon called Runaway greenhouse effect might occur. Though this scenario is “mostly” hypothetical, scientists say that such a phenomenon is responsible for Venus’s hellish atmosphere.

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  • Environment Essay

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Essay on Understanding and Nurturing Our Environment

The environment is everything that surrounds us – the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil beneath our feet, and the diverse flora and fauna that inhabit our planet. It's not just a backdrop to our lives; it's the very essence of our existence. In this essay, we'll explore the importance of our environment, the challenges it faces, and what we can do to ensure a sustainable and thriving world for generations to come.

Our environment is a complex and interconnected web of life. Every living organism, from the tiniest microbe to the largest mammal, plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. This delicate balance ensures the survival of species, including humans. For instance, bees pollinate plants, which produce the oxygen we breathe. Nature is a masterpiece that has evolved over millions of years, and we are just one small part of this intricate tapestry.

Importance of Environment  

The environment is crucial for keeping living things healthy.

It helps balance ecosystems.

The environment provides everything necessary for humans, like food, shelter, and air.

It's also a source of natural beauty that is essential for our physical and mental health.

The Threats to Our Environment:

Unfortunately, our actions have disrupted this delicate balance. The rapid industrialization, deforestation, pollution, and over-exploitation of natural resources have led to severe environmental degradation. Climate change, driven by the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, is altering weather patterns, causing extreme events like floods, droughts, and storms. The loss of biodiversity is another alarming concern – species are disappearing at an unprecedented rate due to habitat destruction and pollution.

Impact of Human Activities on the Environment

Human activities like pollution, deforestation, and waste disposal are causing environmental problems like acid rain, climate change, and global warming. The environment has living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components. Biotic components include plants, animals, and microorganisms, while abiotic components include things like temperature, light, and soil.

In the living environment, there are producers (like plants), consumers (like animals), and decomposers (like bacteria). Producers use sunlight to make energy, forming the base of the food web. Consumers get their energy by eating other organisms, creating a chain of energy transfer. Decomposers break down waste and dead organisms, recycling nutrients in the soil.

The non-living environment includes climatic factors (like rain and temperature) and edaphic factors (like soil and minerals). Climatic factors affect the water cycle, while edaphic factors provide nutrients and a place for organisms to grow.

The environment includes everything from the air we breathe to the ecosystems we live in. It's crucial to keep it clean for a healthy life. All components of the environment are affected by its condition, so a clean environment is essential for a healthy ecosystem.

Sustainable Practices:

Adopting sustainable practices is a key step towards mitigating environmental degradation. This includes reducing our carbon footprint by using renewable energy, practicing responsible consumption, and minimizing waste. Conservation of natural resources, such as water and forests, is essential. Supporting local and global initiatives that aim to protect the environment, like reforestation projects and wildlife conservation efforts, can make a significant impact.

Education and Awareness:

Creating a sustainable future requires a collective effort, and education is a powerful tool in this regard. Raising awareness about environmental issues, the consequences of our actions, and the importance of conservation is crucial. Education empowers individuals to make informed choices and encourages sustainable practices at both personal and community levels.

Why is a Clean Environment Necessary?

To have a happy and thriving community and country, we really need a clean and safe environment. It's like the basic necessity for life on Earth. Let me break down why having a clean environment is so crucial.

First off, any living thing—whether it's plants, animals, or people—can't survive in a dirty environment. We all need a good and healthy place to live. When things get polluted, it messes up the balance of nature and can even cause diseases. If we keep using up our natural resources too quickly, life on Earth becomes a real struggle.

So, what's causing all this environmental trouble? Well, one big reason is that there are just so many people around, and we're using up a lot of stuff like land, food, water, air, and even fossil fuels and minerals. Cutting down a bunch of trees (we call it deforestation) is also a big problem because it messes up the whole ecosystem.

Then there's pollution—air, water, and soil pollution. It's like throwing a wrench into the gears of nature, making everything go wonky. And you've probably heard about things like the ozone layer getting thinner, global warming, weird weather, and glaciers melting. These are all signs that our environment is in trouble.

But don't worry, we can do things to make it better:

Plant more trees—they're like nature's superheroes, helping balance everything out.

Follow the 3 R's: Reuse stuff, reduce waste, and recycle. It's like giving our planet a high-five.

Ditch the plastic bags—they're not great for our landscapes.

Think about how many people there are and try to slow down the population growth.

By doing these things, we're basically giving our planet a little TLC (tender loving care), and that's how we can keep our environment clean and healthy for everyone.

Policy and Regulation:

Governments and institutions play a vital role in shaping environmental policies and regulations. Strong and enforceable laws are essential to curb activities that harm the environment. This includes regulations on emissions, waste disposal, and protection of natural habitats. International cooperation is also crucial to address global environmental challenges, as issues like climate change know no borders.

The Role of Technology:

Technology can be a double-edged sword in environmental conservation. While some technological advancements contribute to environmental degradation, others offer solutions. Innovative technologies in renewable energy, waste management, and sustainable agriculture can significantly reduce our impact on the environment. Embracing and investing in eco-friendly technologies is a step towards a greener and more sustainable future.

Conclusion:

Our environment is not just a collection of trees, rivers, and animals; it's the foundation of our existence. Understanding the interconnectedness of all living things and recognizing our responsibility as stewards of the Earth is essential. By adopting sustainable practices, fostering education and awareness, implementing effective policies, and embracing eco-friendly technologies, we can work towards healing our planet. The choices we make today will determine the world we leave for future generations – a world that can either flourish in its natural beauty or struggle under the weight of environmental degradation. It's our collective responsibility to ensure that it's the former.

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FAQs on Environment Essay

1. What is the Environment?

The environment constitutes the entire ecosystem that includes plants, animals and microorganisms, sunlight, air, rain, temperature, humidity, and other climatic factors. It is basically the surroundings where we live. The environment regulates the life of all living beings on Earth.

2. What are the Three Kinds of Environments?

Biotic Environment: It includes all biotic factors or living forms like plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Abiotic Environment: It includes non-living factors like temperature, light, rainfall, soil, minerals, etc. It comprises the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere.

Built Environment: It includes buildings, streets, houses, industries, etc. 

3. What are the Major Factors that Lead to the Degradation of the Environment?

The factors that lead to the degradation of the environment are:

The rapid increase in the population.

Growth of industrialization and urbanization.

Deforestation is making the soil infertile (soil that provides nutrients and home to millions of organisms).

Over-consumption of natural resources.

Ozone depletion, global warming, and the greenhouse effect.

4. How do we Save Our Environment?

We must save our environment by maintaining a balanced and healthy ecosystem. We should plant more trees. We should reduce our consumption and reuse and recycle stuff. We should check on the increase in population. We should scarcely use our natural and precious resources. Industries and factories should take precautionary measures before dumping their wastes into the water bodies.

5. How can we protect Mother Earth?

Ways to save Mother Earth include planting more and more trees, using renewable sources of energy, reducing the wastage of water, saving electricity, reducing the use of plastic, conservation of non-renewable resources, conserving the different flora and faunas, taking steps to reduce pollution, etc.

6. What are some ways that humans impact their environment?

Humans have influenced the physical environment in many ways like overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have generated climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water. These negative impacts can affect human behavior and can prompt mass migrations or battles over clean water.  

7. Why is the environment of social importance?

Human beings are social animals by nature. They spend a good amount of time in social environments. Their responsibility towards the environment is certainly important because these social environments might support human beings in both personal development goals as well as career development goals.

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Essay on Environment for Students and Children

500+ words essay on environment.

Essay on Environment – All living things that live on this earth comes under the environment. Whether they live on land or water they are part of the environment. The environment also includes air, water, sunlight, plants, animals, etc.

Moreover, the earth is considered the only planet in the universe that supports life. The environment can be understood as a blanket that keeps life on the planet sage and sound.

Essay on Environment

Importance of Environment

We truly cannot understand the real worth of the environment. But we can estimate some of its importance that can help us understand its importance. It plays a vital role in keeping living things healthy in the environment.

Likewise, it maintains the ecological balance that will keep check of life on earth. It provides food, shelter, air, and fulfills all the human needs whether big or small.

Moreover, the entire life support of humans depends wholly on the environmental factors. In addition, it also helps in maintaining various life cycles on earth.

Most importantly, our environment is the source of natural beauty and is necessary for maintaining physical and mental health.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Benefits of the Environment

The environment gives us countless benefits that we can’t repay our entire life. As they are connected with the forest, trees, animals, water, and air. The forest and trees filter the air and absorb harmful gases. Plants purify water, reduce the chances of flood maintain natural balance and many others.

Moreover, the environment keeps a close check on the environment and its functioning, It regulates the vital systems that are essential for the ecosystem. Besides, it maintains the culture and quality of life on earth.

The environment regulates various natural cycles that happen daily. These cycles help in maintaining the natural balance between living things and the environment. Disturbance of these things can ultimately affect the life cycle of humans and other living beings.

The environment has helped us and other living beings to flourish and grow from thousands of years. The environment provides us fertile land, water, air, livestock and many essential things for survival.

Cause of Environmental Degradation

Human activities are the major cause of environmental degradation because most of the activities humans do harm the environment in some way. The activities of humans that causes environmental degradation is pollution, defective environmental policies, chemicals, greenhouse gases, global warming, ozone depletion, etc.

All these affect the environment badly. Besides, these the overuse of natural resources will create a situation in the future there will be no resources for consumption. And the most basic necessity of living air will get so polluted that humans have to use bottled oxygen for breathing.

essay on environment and development

Above all, increasing human activity is exerting more pressure on the surface of the earth which is causing many disasters in an unnatural form. Also, we are using the natural resources at a pace that within a few years they will vanish from the earth. To conclude, we can say that it is the environment that is keeping us alive. Without the blanket of environment, we won’t be able to survive.

Moreover, the environment’s contribution to life cannot be repaid. Besides, still what the environment has done for us, in return we only have damaged and degraded it.

FAQs about Essay on Environment

Q.1 What is the true meaning of the environment?

A.1 The ecosystem that includes all the plants, animals, birds, reptiles, insects, water bodies, fishes, human beings, trees, microorganisms and many more are part of the environment. Besides, all these constitute the environment.

Q.2 What is the three types of the environment?

A.2 The three types of environment includes the physical, social, and cultural environment. Besides, various scientists have defined different types and numbers of environment.

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The Effect of Technology on the Environment Essay

Introduction, the impact of new technologies on the development of the society.

The twentieth century has witnessed rapid development of new technologies; it stands to reason, that their impact on the environment cannot be underestimated. At the present moment, humankind has to resolve one of the most complicated dilemmas in its history, in particular how to achieve equilibrium between the needs of people or (probably it would be better to say public good ) and the risks to the Earth. One has to admit that in the vast majority of cases, human activities have only detrimental effects on nature, and under some circumstances, scientific achievements may easily aggravate these effects. In this essay, I would like to focus on energy technologies, because they often pose the major threat to the environment.

Overall, there are many means of generating and harnessing energy, but none of them can be regarded as safe. At this point, it is hardly possible to imagine our life without power stations, electricity, and so forth. One can hardly deny that these are constituent and almost inseparable parts of our life. Yet, the risk they present to people and nature are almost unpredictable. In order to substantiate this statement, we may refer to specific examples, such as nuclear power plants. Its explosion can leave a great number a people dead, as it actually happened in the USSR in 1986. The so-called Chernobyl catastrophe has always been a warning to us. Even now, there are many victims to this disaster, and it is impossible to predict when the consequences will be alleviated.

At first glance, it may seem that the only possible solution to problem is to substitute these technologies by safer ones. In fact, many countries prefer not to have nuclear power stations. Certainly, such policy is rather prudent, because it ensures that the environment is not imperiled. Nonetheless, we should say that such approach is not always applicable, because there are some states, which simply cannot afford such transition. The thing is that nuclear power is by far the cheapest way of generating energy, and occasionally it is the most optimal solution, especially, if we are speaking about the developing world. Thus, it is necessary to take into consideration socio-economic factors. Another issue, which should not be overlooked, is the availability of natural resources.

In some regions, nuclear power is the only way of solving energy problem. It goes without saying that we must attach primary importance to long-term policies but the transition to ecologically safe technologies may sometimes lead to severe recession and economic crisis, especially in third-world countries. Perhaps, it is of crucial importance to exercise constant supervision over power plants and bring at least gradual improvements, which may eventually make this technology more reliable. Apart from that, there are many cases, which also illustrate this dilemma, for instance, the extraction of oil in the Pacific Ocean. A great number of people protest against such practice. Nevertheless, even they have to admit that in the near future, it will be the only alternative.

It is possible to come up with several suggestions regarding this issue. First and foremost, we need to emphasize the fact that people will exploit the resources of the nature for a certain period of time, after that they will become entirely depleted. Therefore, it is necessary to devise lest expensive and safe means of generating energy. In the meantime, we need to consider socio-economic situation in a particular region, in some cases, financial assistance should rendered to those countries, who cannot, independently, cope with this problem.

There is a widely held opinion among many philosophers and scholars that new technologies affect the development of human society. Overall, it seems that these are two variables that are so closely interwoven, and it is hardly permissible to separate them from one another. Occasionally, it is the society, which gives rise to new technologies, because there is popular demand for them. Sometimes, this process may be reversed. There are several cases, which can illustrate this process. For example, the supporters of the Marxist society may argue that scientific discoveries or inventions may contribute to further stratification of the community. The thesis comes down to the following: a person, who is able to purchase and utilize the achievements of engineers or constructors, will be able to dictate terms to other people. In order to support their argument, they refer to the so-called Industrial Revolution, which began in the United Kingdom in the eighteenth century. The invention of steam engine or spinning machine resulted in the stratification of the then society, because only very few could buy these devices, and subsequently use them for their purposes.

However, it may happen vice versa as well. The development of science and technology may be motivated by the demand of the community. For instance, at the end of the nineteenth century, there was a necessity to develop more effective means of communication. It stands to reason; there was an immediate response to this demand, namely the advent of telephone and radio.

It is extremely difficult to predict how these relations between the society and technology will develop in the near future. In this respect, we need to discuss the concept of technocracy. Traditionally, it is defined as a political system according to which engineers or scientists take control of the state. It seems that there is a slightly different scenario. Perhaps, the helm will be taken not by scientists, engineers or the inventors of new technologies, but by those ones who hire them. There is sufficient evidence, indicating that this prognosis is not something unrealistic. Big corporations have always attracted the attention of the public, but this issue still requires thorough examination, because for a considerable amount of time the government took somewhat laisser-faire approach to new technologies and economy. Consequently, leading companies (there is no need to name them in this essay) have transformed into de facto or real rulers of many countries. It may seem that new technologies only aggravate the situation, but one should take into consideration that science, itself, is always impartial, it is supposed to work for the sake of all members of the community. Thus, the government must ensure that new technology does not turn into a means of control. Perhaps, some changes in the legislation are needed, especially, concerning, the anti-monopolistic laws, which still allow corporations to control the market and subsequently the world.

Therefore, it is quite possible for us to arrive at the conclusion that new technologies and society can be considered as two interdependent variables, their development is a two-sided process. It is not quite appropriate to presume that only new scientific achievements influence the community. Yet, it has to be admitted that the situation, which has recently emerged, suggests that very soon people, possessing new technologies will come to power, which means that the rest of the world will become completely dependant on them. In order to avoid this disaster, it is necessary to review already-existing legislation, which enables this organization to achieve dominant positions.

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Essays on Population, Environment and Development

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Ecological factors and the policy environment are central constraints on population well-being. This dissertation emphasizes the role of shocks to help understand the nature of such constraints, and explores the relationship between population, environment, and development in greater detail than is typically possible.

Chapter 1 opens by contributing to a growing body of evidence around the impacts of old-age pensions on the well-being of pension recipients and their families. I draw from the unique disbursement structure of a popular, widely utilized benefits program in rural Brazil, and data from two nationally representative surveys conducted in 2013 by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. I first employ regression discontinuity design to measure the direct effect of the program’s age threshold on pension take-up. Second, I compare differences in reports of health and well-being among age-eligible and age-ineligible adults in rural areas to the same differences among populations that generally do not qualify for the benefit (i.e., urban populations). This difference-in-differences shows robust evidence of a beneficial pension effect, though along somewhat different dimensions by gender. I then show evidence of two credible mechanisms for improved health and well-being: first, improved food security within households that have eligible pension recipients; second, the cohabitation of younger family members, potentially providing support to aging family members. Taken together, this chapter demonstrates that the rural benefits program in Brazil leads to tangible health benefits for its recipients, through channels that are likely to complement rather than crowd out other public services.

Chapter 2 moves on to explore how a massive natural disaster affected smoking behavior, a common coping mechanism. External stressors are commonly hypothesized to play a role in the adoption of certain health behaviors, but understanding the role of exposure is frequently hampered by research designs and data that are inadequate for tracing causality. I use this study to evaluate the relationship between unanticipated exposure to a natural disaster and smoking behaviors using longitudinal data collected from families in Aceh, Indonesia before and after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Exposure to the tsunami is measured as a community indicator of physical proximity to damage, and as individual indicators of personal experiences at the time of the tsunami. My analysis indicates that the effect of exposure on smoking uptake varies considerably by age, and that most forms of exposure increase smoking volume. These effects appear to be temporary, but even in the context of Indonesia’s extraordinarily high smoking rates an impact is perceptible even ten years after the tsunami.

Chapter 3 delves further into the effects of the tsunami, exploring the distribution of resources after the broad destruction of infrastructure and subsequent, fast-paced reconstruction. I evaluate multiple aspects of water access for roughly 6,000 families through 2014. Logit regression analysis show increasing disparities in access to basic amounts of water, and multinomial logit regression analysis indicates that shifts are driven by a massive increase in the market for privately distributed bottled water. This study disentangles key distributional processes to show how reconstruction influenced a central social determinant of health among an already vulnerable population.

The chapters to follow aim to relate the well-being of individuals to the influences that arise from interconnected policy choices and ecological factors. The first chapter emphasizes a policy shock, the second an ecological shock, and the second seeks to identify a combined effect of the two. This original research is intended to help illuminate the role that institutions might play in improving population well-being.

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Burrows, Michael Andrew (2018). Essays on Population, Environment and Development . Dissertation, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/17510 .

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Essay on Environment and Development in English for Children and Students

essay on environment and development

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Essay on Environment and Development: Environment and development are interrelated. One cannot think of development without considering the environment. While focusing on development, if the environment is neglected, it will have further impact on the development.

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Long and Short Essay on Environment and Development in English

Below you will find some essays on environment and development that will help in your exams and school assignments. Choose any environment and development essay as per your requirement and interest:

Essay on Environment vs. Development – Essay 1 (200 words)

Introduction

Development is a continuous and constant process. However, every development has some positive and negative results. While development is carried out for the benefits of the inhabitants, the environment is equally important. If development is carried out without considering the environment, it may have a negative impact on the environment. This, in turn, will cause harmful effects on the inhabitant.

Environment versus Development

The environment does not only mean surroundings. Environment refers to air, water and land and the interrelationship of all these factors with human beings. Environment and development cannot go against each other. They should be complementing each other. If all the resources on earth are utilized for the development of the world, without the thought of preserving them, soon the earth will turn into an uninhabitable place.

For the development of a nation, a huge amount of land is acquired which results in the cutting of trees. Again, as a result of development, non-renewable resources like fossil fuels, water and minerals are utilized faster before they are replenished. The global warming and depletion of resources affect the inhabitants of the world, for which they cannot reap the benefits of development.

In order to fully enjoy the benefits of development, conservation of the environment is necessary. Though this fact has been neglected in prioritizing development, there has been an increase in awareness among human beings in recent times. By giving adequate importance to the environment, we all will be able to enjoy the benefits of development for a long time.

Essay on Environment and Economic Development – Essay 2 (300 words)

Environment and economic growth are interrelated. On one hand, the economic growth of a nation affects the environment. At the same time, the degradation in environmental resources will affect the economic growth. There are environmental policies that can help in making the most out of environmental protection and economic growth.

Environment and Economic Development

Economic development is very much essential for the growth of a nation. A nation is considered developed if it provides enough job opportunity for the inhabitants thereby providing them a better life than struggling with poverty. This type of development helps in reducing income inequality. The higher economic growth of a nation also results in the increase in tax revenues and reduction in government expenditure on unemployment and poverty-related welfares.

Environment plays an important role in the economic development of a nation. A large part of the development of a nation is related to production in different sectors. The natural resources like water, fossil fuels, minerals, soils etc from the environment are needed for production in various sectors. However, the pollution caused as a result of production is absorbed by the environment. Additionally, the consumption of resources for production can lead to shortage of resources in the environment.

The continuous process of consumption of the natural resources and the increased rate of pollution to the environment will lead to poor quality of resources. This, in turn, will not only impact the quality of production but also result in various negative health impacts not only for the labors involved in production but also for the inhabitants for whom the production or the development is being carried out.

In order to enjoy the benefits of economic developments, in the long run, one should give equal importance in conservation of natural resources. Maintaining a proper balance between environment and economic development will keep on running the cycle of development whose benefits will be not only is limited to the current generation but also for the future generations.

Essay on Environmental and Sustainable Development – Essay 3 (400 words)

Sustainable development is based on three pillars of sustainability – economic, environmental and social sustainability. Environmental sustainability refers to the concern related to natural resources like air, water, and climate. An important aspect of sustainable development is to adopt activities or measures that will help in sustaining the environmental resources which would not only meet the requirements for the present generation but also the upcoming generation.

Environmental and Sustainable Development

The concept of Sustainable Development is derived from the definition phrased in the Brundtland Commission in 1987. According to the phrase, sustainable development refers to the development that meets the needs of the present generation and preserves enough resources for the future generation to meet their needs. At the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015, world leaders have included some goals as Sustainable Developments Goals. They are –

  • Eradication of poverty in every form all over the world.
  • Promotion of sustainable economic growth by providing full employment and decent work for all.
  • Attaining gender equality and empowerment of women.
  • Maintaining sustainability of water and providing sanitation for all.
  • Promoting healthy lives for all irrespective of age.
  • Promoting lifelong learning opportunity for all.
  • Promoting sustainable agriculture and providing nutritious food for all.
  • Reducing inequality within and among countries.
  • Providing safe and sustainable human settlements for all.
  • Conserve water bodies for sustainable development.
  • Revitalizing global partnership for sustainable development.
  • Introducing sustainable production and consumption pattern.
  • Accessibility of sustainable energy for all.
  • Fostering innovation and building sustainable industrialization.
  • Adopting measures to deal with climate changes.
  • Restore terrestrial ecosystem, forests and stop soil degradation.
  • Building of effective and responsible institutions at all levels to provide justice for all.

The above mentioned sustainable goals are aimed to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice and tackle climate changes by 2030. These goals are set to ensure that the future generations are not deprived of the benefits of development and they can utilize the natural resources to satisfy their needs as well.

The concept of sustainability is related to the concept of carrying capacity. If the natural resources are used up fast than they are being replenished, it would lead to degradation of the environment. This might lead to the destruction of the population to a level where the natural resources become inadequate for the living population. Therefore, environmental and sustainable development should be given equal importance for the benefits of the population.

Essay on Protection of Environment and Sustainable Development – Essay 4 (500 words)

Sustainable development aims to preserve the natural resources so that even after the current generation used them to meet their needs, there is enough left for the coming generation. And as a matter of fact, even for generations after that. In order to maintain the sustainable development, the environment is needed to be protected.

Protection of Environment and Sustainable Development

Some of the current issues related to environment are global warming and depletion of natural resources. Global warming refers to the permanent climate change of the earth owing to industrial pollution, degradation of the environment, greenhouse gas emission, depletion of the ozone layer which means a decline in the total amount of ozone on earth’s stratosphere. Scientists have proven that the temperature of the earth is increasing and if necessary precautions are not being taken, the situation will be worse which will cause further negative impact on the environment and human health.

Depletion of natural resources is another major concern. With the overpopulation, the consumption of earth’s natural resources is taking place at a faster rate even before they could be replenished. Global warming leads to the low rate of production of agricultural products and with depletion of natural resources adding to it, very soon the mass population of earth will face not only a shortage of food but also shortage of resources to carry out any development process.

In order to overcome the shortage, chemicals are used to increase the production of agricultural products. This not only decreases the value of soil, but also affects human health in a negative way. If the process continues, the inhabitants of the earth are going to face serious issues. In all these years, plenty of damages have been caused to earth’s environment and its resources. If necessary activities and measures are taken to protect the environment, there is hope that much worse condition could be postponed if not totally avoided.

In order to reduce global warming, protection of forests and wetlands are important. Trees should not be cut until and unless they are absolutely necessary. In such cases, it is required to plant as many trees wherever possible. A single step taken by a huge part of the population can play a major role in protecting the environment. It is also important to conserve natural resources, biodiversity, and wildlife. Apart from that, every inhabitant of the earth should play their part in preventing ozone layer from depletion.

The main ozone-depleting substances are widely used in refrigerators, air conditioners and fire extinguishers. Many refrigerators and air conditioners use Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) as a refrigerant. These are important elements in causing depletion to the earth’s ozone layer.

It is hence important to not use products that use HCFC and CFC as refrigerants. It is also advisable to avoid using aerosol products that use HCFCs and CFCs as propellants. Apart from all these above-mentioned measures, precaution should be taken to emit less carbon to the environment.

In order to undergo sustainable development, necessary precaution should be taken to protect the environment. This, in turn, will benefit the present population as well as the coming generations, which is the ultimate goal of sustainable development. Protection of environment hence is an important step in sustainable development.

Essay on Sustainable Development and Environment Conservation – Essay 5 (600 words)

Conservation refers to the process of protection, preservation, management, and restoration of natural environments and their inhabitants. The main objective of sustainable development is to preserve the resources of the environment for future generation use even after being used by the present generation. Hence, to achieve the objective of sustainable development, conservation of the environment is important.

Sustainable Development and Environment Conservation

Conservation of the environment involves two processes – protecting natural resources and living in a way causing less damage to the environment. Environment refers to natural resources like air, water, and land and their interrelationship with the human beings. In a broader aspect, it also comprises of trees, soil, fossil fuels, minerals etc. Trees help in protecting the soil from getting eroded due to flood or rain. They are also needed to purify the air.

Water is needed not only by human beings for consumption, but also for agriculture, the existence of living beings like plants and animals and production in different sectors. The soil is needed for providing production of food for all living beings as well as for filtering water. Hence, trees, soil and every source of water is needed to be conserved and stopped from getting polluted. These three elements play an important role in the existence of living beings. Pollution of these elements will not only cause us harm, but they will also pose more threat for the coming generations.

Conservation of environment not only includes conservation of natural resources. It also refers to the conservation of energy. Solar and wind energy are two forms of renewable energy that will help in the reduction of usage of non-renewable energy like fossil fuels, power cars etc. If all forms of renewable energy are used to replace the non- renewable forms of energy, a huge positive impact on earth could be achieved. Non-renewable energies take time to replenish; this is the reason why renewable forms of energy should be used.

Apart from the conservation of the environment, certain measures should be taken to replenish the resources of the environment that are being used. Reforestation of trees, composting of soil, to maintain their quality are some of the useful ways to replenish the resources of the environment. These methods will certainly help in maintaining a balance in the environment.

Along with these factors, measures should be taken to reduce pollution in the environment. Usage of electric or hybrid vehicles instead of gas guzzlers can be a wise alternative in reducing carbon emission to the environment. It is also advisable to walk or ride a cycle or share a vehicle to reduce carbon emission. Organic farming is another alternative to maintain the quality of soil as well as the food thereby causing less harm to the environment and reducing health hazards which might be caused due to the usage of chemicals in farming.

Quitting smoking and using natural products instead of chemical products not only benefit your health, but also have a positive impact on the environment. One can save water by turning off the faucet or by storing rainwater for different uses. Cleaning clothes and dishes only after having a full load can also save water. Unplugging electrical devices when not in use is a cost-effective and energy-saving way. Besides, one can also reuse and recycle products that will bring a new life to old items. Also, avoiding using plastic products can have a positive impact on the environment.

The aim of sustainable development could be achieved by conserving the environment. It will not only help in reducing the damage to the environment but also help in the preservation of resources for the future generation.

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Environment and Development Essay

Environment and Development Essay In English

Environment and Development Essay In English - 2100 in words

Development is a continuous process, although every development has its own positive and negative consequences. But when development is being done for the benefit of the residents, it is equally important to take care of the environment. If development is done without taking care of the environment, then its negative effects will be generated on the environment, due to which it will also have a harmful effect on the residents living in that place.

Short and Long Essay on Environment and Development in English

Essay – 1 (300 words).

Environment and economic development are related to each other, on the other hand the economic progress of a country also affects the environment. Similarly, degradation of environmental resources also affects economic development. There are many such environmental policies. By adopting which we can also save our environment and also ensure our economic progress.

environment and economic development

Economic development is very necessary for the progress of a country. A country is considered developed only when it can provide enough employment to its citizens. So that the residents there can get rid of poverty and lead a good life. Such development reduces inequality in income. The more a country makes economic progress, the more its revenue tax increases, and the more the government's spending on unemployment and poverty-related welfare services falls.

Environment plays a very important role in the economic progress of a country. A large part of the development of a nation is linked to production in various sectors. Natural resources like water, fossil fuels, soil like natural resources are needed in different areas of the production area. However, production also results in absorption of pollution by the environment. Apart from this, due to excessive use of resources for production, the problem of lack of resources in the environment also arises.

Due to continuous consumption of natural resources and increasing pollution level, the quality of environmental resources will deteriorate, which will not only affect the quality of production. Rather, all kinds of health problems will arise in the workers engaged in its production and with this it will also prove to be very harmful for those for whom it is being made.

To enjoy economic development, it is very important that we give special importance to the conservation of environmental resources. It is very necessary to establish a balance between the balance of environment and economic development, not only will we be able to enjoy the progress achieved in this way, but our future generations will also benefit from it.

Essay - 2 (400 words)

Sustainable development rests on three pillars of sustainability - economic, environmental and social, these three things are its cornerstone. Environmental sustainability refers to air, water and climate, an important aspect of sustainable development is the adoption of activities or measures that can help in sustainable environmental resources. By which not only we will be able to fulfill our needs but also we will be able to ensure the fulfillment of the needs of the coming generations.

Environment and Sustainable Development

The concept of sustainable development is derived from the Brutland Commission set up in 1987. According to this phrase, sustainable development is the development under which the present generation fulfills its needs, but at the same time ensures adequate security of resources. So that the demands of the future generations can also be fulfilled in the coming time. In the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Summit (UN Sustainable Development Summit), world leaders have set some goals for sustainable development, they are as follows-

1. Poverty should be eradicated from all over the world.

2. To promote sustainable economic growth by providing full employment and good work to all.

3. To achieve the goal of women's lagging equality and empowerment.

4. Maintaining water sustainability and ensuring sanitation measures for all.

5.Promoting healthy living for all without any age discrimination.

6. To promote lifelong reading and learning opportunities for all.

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7. Promoting sustainable farming systems and ensuring availability of nutritious food for all.

8. Reducing inequality between countries.

9.Providing safe and sustainable human housing for all.

10. Conservation of water resources and their sustainable development.

11. Restoring the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

12. Producing and consuming the goods properly.

13. To provide sustainable energy to all.

14. Promoting innovation and building sustainable industrialization.

15. Adoption of measures to deal with climate change.

16. The terrestrial and forest ecosystem should be restored, which can prevent soil degradation.

17. To create effective and responsible institutions, so that everyone can get justice at all levels.

The above goals have been set for the eradication of poverty, along with these steps have also been set to fight climate change and injustice by 2030. These decisions have been taken so that we can preserve these natural resources for the needs of our future generations.

The concept of sustainable development is related to the consumption of our resources. If natural resources continued to be used rapidly in this manner before their re-storage. So it will completely spoil the level of our environment and if it is not taken care of now, then due to this pollution our natural resources will not be saved in sufficient quantity, due to which it will become the cause of our destruction in the coming time. That is why it is very important when we try to achieve the goal of sustainable development keeping our environment in mind.

Essay – 3 (500 words)

Under sustainable development, efforts are made to conserve natural resources, so that they can be saved to meet the needs of the coming generations. The most important thing is that for the safety of our coming generations, we need to maintain sustainable development in such a way that the environment can be kept safe.

environmental protection and sustainable development

At present there are some main problems related to global warming and environment. Global warming refers to the problem of increase in the temperature of the earth due to permanent climate change happening in the earth, industrial pollution, increasing environmental pollution on earth, emission of greenhouse gases and depletion of ozone layer etc. Scientists have also proved the fact that the temperature of the earth is increasing and if necessary steps are not taken to stop it, then this problem will become even more serious, which will have negative effects on our environment and human health.

Rapid exploitation of natural resources has also become a major concern. Due to overpopulation, natural resources on the earth are being consumed before they can be re-stored. The problem of global warming is arising due to the low rate of production of agricultural products and depletion of natural resources. If this continues, then soon the population of the earth will not only face the shortage of food, but will also have to deal with the lack of resources to complete any development process.

To overcome the shortage of food and agricultural production, chemicals are used in their production. This not only degrades the soil quality, but also affects human health in a negative way. If this process continues like this then the people of the earth will have to face its dire consequences. In these past years, the earth's environment and its resources have suffered many damages due to these reasons. If important steps are not taken to solve the environmental crisis, then this problem is likely to get worse.

To prevent the problem of global warming, the protection of forests and lakes is also necessary. Trees should not be cut unless absolutely necessary. At this time we need to plant more and more trees, even a small step taken by our large population can contribute significantly to the protection of the environment. It is also very important in terms of environmental protection, biodiversity, and protection of wildlife. Apart from this, every inhabitant of the earth needs to make a significant contribution on his part to prevent the depletion of the ozone layer.

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Substances responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer are mostly used in refrigerators and air conditioners, in which hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are used as refrigerants. It is the main element due to which the ozone layer is getting depleted.

That's why it is very important that we do not use HCFC and CFC as refrigerant, apart from this we should also avoid using aerosol substances because HCFC and CFC are also used by them. By adopting the above-mentioned measures and taking precautions, we can reduce the emission of carbon in the environment.

To achieve the goal of sustainable development, it is very important that we take necessary steps to protect the environment. In this way, it will not only be beneficial for the present population but the coming generations will also be able to take advantage of it and this is the main goal of sustainable development. Therefore, it is very important for sustainable development to protect the environment.

Essay – 4 (600 words)

Environmental protection means protecting, protecting, managing and improving the condition of the environment and its inhabitants. The main goal of sustainable development is to conserve the environment and resources for the future generation and use it in such a way that even after our use, it can be saved for the future generation. Therefore, to achieve the goal of sustainable development, it is very important that we make efforts for environmental protection.

There are two ways to protect the environment - to protect natural resources or to live in such a way that there is least damage to the environment. Environment means air, water and land and its interrelationship with human beings. If we say in a broader aspect, it includes trees, soil, fossil fuels, minerals etc. Trees reduce the occurrence of soil erosion due to floods and rains, as well as clean the air by many.

The use of water is essential not only by humans, but also for the survival of living beings like agriculture, plants and animals, and for the security of production in various fields. Soil is needed for all living beings as well as for agricultural production. Therefore there is a need to conserve trees, soil and every source of water. These three elements play an important role in the existence of living beings. If these resources continue to be polluted like this, then it will not only harm us, but will also become a big problem for our future generations.

Environmental protection does not mean only conservation of natural resources. It also means to conserve energy resources such as solar and wind energy. These two types of renewable energy will help us in protecting non-renewable energy sources like fossil fuel and gas. If all types of non-renewable energy are replaced with renewable energy sources, then it will prove to be very positive for the earth's environment. Because non-renewable energy sources take a long time to be restored, this is the reason why we should use renewable energy sources.

Apart from environmental protection, efforts should also be made to replenish the resources being used. For this, afforestation and using organically made dung manure are some such good measures. Through which we can try to replenish the natural sources. These measures will definitely help us in maintaining balance in the environment.

Apart from this, many more important steps should be taken to reduce the pollution of the environment. Under which electric and hybrid vehicles should be used instead of oil and gas powered vehicles. Similarly, measures like cycling, sharing of vehicles or walking can be adopted to reduce carbon emissions. Apart from this, organic farming is another option of this positive initiative, through which the quality of soil and food products can be maintained and the harm caused to the environment and our health due to chemical farming can be reduced.

Quitting smoking and stopping the use of chemical products will not only be beneficial for our health, but it will also have positive effects on the environment. We can also make an important contribution to water conservation by turning off the tap water by a person or by collecting rainwater, using it for different purposes like washing clothes or utensils. If water electronic products are not in use, then we have been able to save energy by stopping their use and also by using energy-saving electronic products. Apart from this, as a person, we can also make a positive contribution to environmental protection by recycling and reusing things and by using old items and not using plastic products.

Sustainable development can be achieved only by conserving the environment. This will not only reduce the damage caused to our environment, but it will also ensure the availability of natural resources for our future generations.

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Environment and Development Essay In English

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Large language models reveal big disparities in current wildfire research

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  • Fire ecology
  • Natural hazards

Contemporary fire-human-climate nexus has led to a surge in publication numbers across diverse research disciplines beyond the capability of experts from a single discipline. Here, we employed a generalized large language model to capture the dynamics of wildfire research published between 1980 and 2022. More than 60,000 peer-reviewed papers were scanned and analyzed. Through integrating geographical metadata extracted by the artificial intelligence and satellite wildfire datasets, we found large disparities in geographic patterns and research themes. The hottest spot of wildfire research is western United States, accounting for 15% of publications but only 0.5% of global burnt area, while the world’s most widely burnt region, like Siberia and Africa are largely underrepresented by contemporary publications. Similar discrepancies are found between the fuel of wildfire and its ignition and climatic drivers, between socioeconomic development and wildfire mitigation, raising concerns on sustainable wildfire managements and calling for further artificial intelligence-aided transdisciplinary collaborations.

Introduction

The escalating severity and frequency of wildfires and the risks they pose to ecosystems and society have stimulated a rising interest in wildfire research. Indeed, a search of the Web of Science (WOS) bibliographic database using wildfire-related keywords returned over 100,000 papers (see Methods). More notably, the number of publications per year has surged by more than fourfold in the last two decades (Fig.  1 ). This rapid growth in wildfire research has been contributed by an interdisciplinary community. However, communications across disciplines remain limited, raising the question of how research on this topic is distributed across various aspects of wildfire research and geographical regions. Addressing this issue is crucial for identifying research gaps and informing future research priorities.

figure 1

The topics are marked by circles and bold-oblique font, sub-topics by rounded rectangles and normal font. Different colors indicate different topics; while the sizes of these markers and the widths of their connecting lines represent the numbers of publications.

On the other hand, the growing volume of literature also poses grand challenges for literature reanalysis that aims to recap knowledge consensus and identify research gaps. Traditional expert-based methods, such as literature reviews and meta-analyses 1 , 2 , 3 , are often constrained to a limited number of publications, typically a few hundred. More recently, artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches, including deep-learning methods, develop the capacity for analyzing large volumes of literature, offering a solution to bridge the gap between the exponentially increasing number of publications and the ability to effectively synthesize them 4 . In particular, the rapid growth in the size of Large Language Models (LLMs) 5 , 6 , 7 have enabled end-users to perform a variety of complex tasks beyond semantic analyses 8 , making it a potentially powerful tool for overcoming the limitations of traditional literature analyses. These LLMs, represented by ChatGPT, are known for substantially large corpus in their training stages and capable for general tasks, providing the confidence in completing tasks such as textual geographical entity recognition. Furthermore, these models have demonstrated unprecedented “emergent abilities”, even reaching human-level performance in various complex tasks 9 , 10 , 11 .

Here, we designed a literature analysis workflow (Supplementary Fig.  1 ) to disentangle thematic and regional patterns in recent wildfire research with gpt-3.5-turbo (updated on 13th Feb 2023), the same LLM model underlying the public version of ChatGPT. The model has already been proved to function effectively even without fine-tune, making it more convenient for the initial information extraction and classification processes. A recent study also showed comparable or even better performance in ChatGPT than conventional Natural Language Processing (NLP) method (e.g., BERT) models especially on inference and question-answering tasks 12 . We used the LLM to first categorize the collected publications into different themes related to various aspects of wildfire research, including its causes, consequences, and the methodologies used to detect or simulate wildfire dynamics (see Methods). Additionally, we extracted the geolocation information and converted it from textual descriptions in titles and abstracts into numeric forms with the maximal outside boundary coordinates, also known as geoparsing. Ultimately, we were able to include 60,488 relevant articles for subsequent analysis (see Methods for paper inclusion criteria). We focused on addressing the following questions: (1) What prevailing preferences and trends have emerged in wildfire research over recent decades? (2) How do spatio-temporal variations in research paradigms manifest? (3) What are the real-world implications of disparities in research of wildfire components and actual wildfire activities for populations and socioeconomic development?

Among all the keywords associated with wildfire research, “vegetation” emerged as the most frequently discussed, accounting for 47% of the papers. Within the “vegetation” category, forest fires attracted the most attention (72%; Fig.  1 ). There was also a large volume of wildfire studies involving “anthropogenic,” “atmospheric,” and “modeling” aspects.

From a temporal evolutionary perspective, the recent rapid increase in the overall number of wildfire publications (Fig.  2a ) is comparable to other trending key words such as climate change 4 . Furthermore, we also observed distinct shifts in topics that have experienced the most rapid growth since 1990s (Fig.  2a ). For instance, when comparing research preferences in the 2000s to that in the 1990s, we found that discussions on the “hydrological” and “atmospheric” impacts of wildfires were among the fastest-growing topics. Since the turn of the century, the widespread adoption of advanced satellite-based instrumentation and retrieval/analysis algorithms, exemplified by the deployment of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), has catalyzed increased scholarly interest in “remote sensing” themes 13 . Similar shifts have been observed in the most recent decade, during which the domains of “climate change” and “anthropogenic” influences have gained prominence in wildfire research 4 .

figure 2

a Growth in the number of wildfire publications. The dotted and solid lines represent the “total wildfire publications” and “geoparsed wildfire publications”. Boxes highlight three topics that have the highest increase rate during their past decades. b The spatial patterns of total geoparsed publication numbers during 1980 to 2022. The blank pixels represent no observed burned area according to a long-term global burned area product, AVHRR-LTDR (1982-2018) 31 .

Using the LLM to extract and parse geolocation information from the texts (see Methods), we were able to map published papers according to their focused regions (Fig.  2b ). An analysis of affiliations of full authors’ lists of selected papers uncovered a consistent pattern that countries with higher levels of development dominate the research landscape. Specifically, 87.1% of the total research contributions come from the leading 20 countries by publication count, with more than half of them classified as high-income economies (Supplementary Fig.  2 ). In addition, 517 (70.4%) of the 732 papers dedicated to wildfire datasets were contributed from high-income countries, while less than 10% originated from lower-middle income countries. Clearly, such publication biases in wildfire research papers and datasets were primarily due to resource inequality (e.g., funding to conduct research, generate and maintain databases) between developed and developing countries. Inadequate funding could largely hamper the investment in wildfire research, monitoring systems, and policy measures for mitigation 14 , 15 .

Furthermore, we also found a notable discrepancy in the attentions of study areas (Fig.  2a ). For instance, while the burned area in the western United States accounts for less than 0.5% of the global burned area over the past two decades, this region emerged as a primary global research hotspot for wildfire, accounting for 15.0% of the total published papers. Other well-known wildfire-prone regions, including Canada, the Amazon, Australia, Mediterranean regions, northern India, and northeast/south China, also received substantial attention, each being the subject of more than one thousand papers (Fig.  2a ). On the other hand, despite accounting for more than 1.3% of global burned area and 4% of global fire emissions, vast Siberia has been largely underrepresented in the current literature 16 . Using the ratio of publication rates to the observed burned areas or fire emissions as indicators, it is evident that the African continent also emerges as a major understudied region (Fig.  3 and Supplementary Fig.  2 ).

figure 3

We classified the pixels into three major categories with imbalance level scales from 1 to 6. The percentile thresholds for pixels were established at the 50th and 90th percentiles for assessing the relative scale of publications, ensuring inclusion of studies spanning from 1980 to 2022. These thresholds corresponded to multi-year averages of 19.5 and 31.6 papers per year, respectively. Regarding burned area analysis, a 90th percentile threshold (equivalent to 554.3 hectares per year) and a frequency threshold (requiring at least 90% coverage across the entire temporal span of the burned area product) were applied. Blank pixels indicate areas where no burned area was observed within AVHRR-LTDR 31 .

At the biome level, our analyses reveal a large disparity in research attention and the actual occurrence and impact of wildfires in grasslands and savannas in Africa and northern Australia (Fig.  3 ). Despite constituting just 8% of the global population, these biomes bear the burden of 72% of the global total burned area. In contrast, 14% and 69% of the global population experience medium (categories 3 and 4) and low (categories 1 and 2) levels of disparity, with only 8% and 18% of the burned area, respectively. Together, areas characterized by a high level of under-representation in wildfire research account for only 2% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP, in 2011 purchasing power parity international dollars), a demonstration of low economic capacity for both wildfire management and research. In particular, the high costs of implementing state-of-the-art fire management strategies pose a substantial challenge for these communities with limited economic resources 17 . Furthermore, developing economies in the tropics are also vulnerable to rapid land-use changes 18 , 19 . These changes can trigger a positive feedback loop involving wildfires, land use, and climate, further increasing the likelihood and severity of wildfires. In addition to burned areas, it is important to note that fire emissions may impact or extend to places beyond local ecosystems via atmospheric transportation (Supplementary Fig.  3 ). Especially, public health expenditures associated with exposure to open fires impose a considerable burden on regions marked by large disparities in wildfire research 14 , often due to inadequate study and research. In our analysis, we found that 39% of the population and 24% of socioeconomic development were exposed to high imbalance level, most of which lack of adequate representation, with 77% of total fire-induced carbon emissions. In contrast, 41% of the population and 48% of the GDP were found in regions with low imbalance levels, with only 5% of total wildfire emissions. It should also be mentioned that our analysis may still fall short in fully assessing complexity and scale of imbalances, given the diverse significance and impacts of wildfires across different regions and ecosystems. For example, a large proportion of burned area in Africa comes from routine seasonal burning in savanna and cropland 20 . On the other hand, the high-latitude forests act as essential carbon sink but are concurrently highly susceptible to severe wildfires, which can lead to profound disruptions in their carbon sequestration and release processes 21 .

Building on the conceptual framework of fire research components known as the “fire triangle” model 22 , we further examined changes in research attention to different wildfire topics since 1980s (Fig.  4 ). Overall, “vegetation” attracted the most attention in terms of the amount of literature, not only due to its direct ecological and socioeconomic impacts caused by vegetation fires but also its critical role as “fuel” in the “fire triangle.” With rapidly changing fire weather driven by climate change, the aspect of “climate” in fire research has gradually become a focus of recent wildfire-related research. Regarding ignition sources, our analysis revealed changes in both the quantity and varying levels of attention given to human versus natural causes across different regions (Supplementary Fig.  4 ). Human-caused fires are increasingly dominating wildfire research in South America, Europe, and numerous parts of Asia. Although in regions like the Amazon and Southeast Asia, commodity-driven deforestation remains the primary cause of forest loss 23 , 24 , fires ignited for land clearing purposes to create cropland, pastures, and plantations are common practices 23 . These fires sometimes spiral out of human control and can escalate into numerous active fire spots and extensive burned area 25 , 26 . Among the research with inferred ignition sources, “Vegetation,” “Atmospheric” are ranked as the top topics for both the human and natural-caused fires in most areas. China and India show different preferences in ignition studies, likely due to the lower percentage of burned areas, higher instances of crop residual burning, and heightened population exposure 27 , 28 .

figure 4

The changes of research paradigms were assessed by the relative increase in the number of publications primarily concerning one of the three “fire triangles” (ignition, climate, fuel (vegetation)) 22 . Connection lines denote publications addressing two of the triangle points (aspects). Each different aspect is marked by a different color. The chronological sequence of these research focuses is also illustrated with color changes. The sizes of circles and widths of lines indicate the number of annual publications within a specific decade. The background is depicted by light gray dashed lines, representing the axis of increasing frequency of publications.

In conclusion, the utilization of LLM allowed us to efficiently and quickly monitor research trends across numerous specific research questions and objectives, while also in a transparent and upgradable manner. By deploying an AI-aided approach, we uncovered large disparities among various wildfire research components and quantified their associated levels of imbalance with an extensive database of tens of thousands of peer-reviewed papers. This becomes especially relevant in light of the ongoing rapid global changes that are expected to heighten fire risks 29 , 30 . We found that the pronounced imbalances in many fire-prone regions (e.g., Africa and the Amazon) coincides with the less-developed and less-resilient to increasing fire activities. Such disparity undermines our ability to understand the historical role of fire in local ecosystems and society, and to design mitigation strategies coping with anticipated future global changes.

Query from bibliographic database

To identify and gather as much relevant literature as possible on the topic of “wildfires,” we conducted a thorough search of the Web of Science bibliographic database. The detail of searching and query results are demonstrated as below:

Temporal range: 1900-13th Feb. 2023

Keywords: see details in Supplementary Table  1

A total of 103,720 peer-reviewed papers and conference reports were selected from the query after duplicates removed.

Information extraction

We implemented the gpt-3.5-turbo model by utilizing the OpenAI API, which is identical to the model used in the ChatGPT product and requires no fine-tuning steps. Based on 1,569 independently screened results (with 899 identified as “related to wildfire research” through human classification), we employed a cross-validation approach to test the model’s ability to make “rational” decisions and automatically eliminate items with little relevance to the key topic. Binary comparisons between the model outputs and human-supervised results achieved an average F1 score of 0.85 through bootstrapping with 1000 repetitions, a value comparable to that of previous research based on BERT. Initially, 72,352–80,297 papers were selected as belonging to the category “related to wildfire research” based on various descriptions of prompt instructions. We systematically designed a set of advanced prompts to extract relevant information from the literature, such as the major and minor disciplines, study area, study period, stage of fire (whole fire process/pre-fire/actively burning/post-fire), and other key information summarized from abstracts. To ensure maximum coverage, we carefully tested and refined the prompts. Additionally, we utilized the geoparser capabilities of the model to extract location information from the text and converted it to sets of coordinates describing the maximum boundaries of geographical entities at 1° spatial resolution. Country codes under the standard ISO-3166 were also returned where applicable. The valid geoparsing results within the scope of wildfire research returned a total of 60,488 articles, making up the primary database for subsequent analysis. The workflow, including the geolocation parsing process, is illustrated in Supplementary Fig.  1 .

Prompt examples

In contrast to feature engineering, data cleaning, and other machine-learning processing approaches, LLMs prefer prompting interfaces as the method to interact with them. The quality of prompts directly affects the effectiveness of results. Here, we provide the prompt lines that used in this study to extract information:

Key information extraction

“You are a perfect classifier. List all the following contents and start with a new line. I would like you to (not specific or not applicable marked as N/Az):

(1) determine if the text is related to wildfire research (1 for yes and 0 for no, item name: relaty);

(2) if not (relaty eq 0), marked as NANA_zxy and then stop this dialogue;

(3) if so (relaty eq 1), select at least one topic from the following pool: vegetation/zoological/atmospheric/climate change/ecological/environmental/anthropogenic/hydrological/modeling/remote sensing/site-level observation/soil, list the type of article (research/review/opinion/policy/letters), study area, study period (e.g., 2005, 2001–2010), stage of fire (whole fire process/pre-fire/actively burning /post-fire). List the above information in different lines.

Notice: medical-relevant papers should be marked as NANA_zxy and not be considered wildfire research.”

Geolocation parser

“You are an accurate geoparser with outputs in 1° spatial resolution (per grid). Parse the following text into separate regions. Start with a new paragraph for every single region. Define the maximum outer boundary as MOB ([left-top location, right-bottom location]) and the central point as CP. All the MOB and CP are recorded in the pairs of (latitude, longitude) and integers.

(1) if it is a qualified geographical location:

(a) no smaller than the area of 1 grid, list the parsed name and MOB;

(b) smaller than the area of 1 grid, list the parsed name and CP;

(2) if not, only return ‘None + ‘; no extra notes/raw texts nor explanations should be returned.”

Ignition classifications

“does the given text contain any descriptions of ignition sources?

if does, select from the below type: natural-caused/human-caused/mixed; default as mixed; if not, return N/A; do not return any extra/further words.”

Multisource data

To ensure comparable spatial and temporal coverage with the evidence synthesis map, we applied different sources of supplementary data to depict the comparisons between publication attention and observed wildfire occurrence or emission. The burned area data were from AVHRR-LTDR from 1982 to 2018 at 0.05-degree spatial resolution 31 . This global burned area product was derived from a long-term data record generated from advanced very high-resolution radiometer images. Fire emission data were obtained from GFED4.1 s from 1997 to 2021, with inclusion of contributions from small fires and revised fuel consumption parameterizations optimized 16 . We used the Gridded Population of the World, Version 4 (GPWv4, Population Count Adjusted to Match 2015 Revision of UN WPP Country Totals, Revision 11) as the human population inputs. This product was adjusted to match the 2015 Revision of the United Nation’s World Population Prospects (UN WPP) country totals for the years from 2000 to 2020 at 5-year intervals 32 . Socioeconomic development indicators were obtained from Gridded global datasets for Gross Domestic Product from 1990 to 2015 33 . We resampled and reprojected the results from above datasets to align with the same preferences as the publication patterns.

Data availability

Global Detection of Long-Term (1982–2017) Burned Area with AVHRR-LTDR Data is publicly available from ESA Climate Change Initiative (Fire_cci) ( https://climate.esa.int/en/projects/fire/ ). The global fire emission database (GFED4.1 s) is available from its repository: https://www.globalfiredata.org/data.html . The Gridded Population of the World (GPWv4) is publicly available from NASA’s Data Center, Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC): https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/gpw-v4-population-count-adjusted-to-2015-unwpp-country-totals-rev11 . Gridded global datasets for Gross Domestic Product can be accessed through https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dk1j0 . The selected literature and processed data to create the figures are available through Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/10859331 .

Code availability

The python programming codes used for the generation of ChatGPT outputs of this study are publicly available through the open-access repository https://zenodo.org/records/10811211 .

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (42041007, 42171096 & 42301085). We also acknowledge supports by High-performance Computing Platform of Peking University. A.C. acknowledges support from the US Geological Survey (G22AC00431-00). 

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These authors contributed equally: Zhengyang Lin, Anping Chen.

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Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China

Zhengyang Lin, Xuhui Wang & Shilong Piao

Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA

Anping Chen

CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China

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Xuhui Wang & Zhengyang Lin conceived and designed the study. Zhengyang Lin performed the analyses and drew the figures. Zhengyang Lin, Anping Chen and Xuhui Wang wrote the first version of the manuscript, with inputs and revisions from Zhihua Liu and Shilong Piao. All authors contributed to interpretation of the results.

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Lin, Z., Chen, A., Wang, X. et al. Large language models reveal big disparities in current wildfire research. Commun Earth Environ 5 , 168 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01341-7

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  3. Environment and Development Essay: Tips & Topics [2024]

    Environment vs. Development Essay: Tips & Topics [2024] (10 votes) Environment vs. development is a multifaceted present days' dilemma. On the one hand, environmental problems are increasing year after year. We have more polluted areas on our planet, more polluted rivers, fewer trees that produce oxygen.

  4. The Relationship Between the Environment and Development

    The first conference on the environment was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972 by the United Nations (Hite & Seitz, 2016). As a result of the conference, the governments of many countries began to cooperate in protecting the environment; developing countries, however, feared that strict anti-pollution laws would halt their technological development, which could contribute to their economies ...

  5. Long and Short Essay on Environment and Development in English for

    Essay on Environment vs. Development - Essay 1 (200 words) Introduction. Development is a continuous and constant process. However, every development has some positive and negative results. While development is carried out for the benefits of the inhabitants, the environment is equally important. If development is carried out without ...

  6. Essay on Environment: Examples & Tips

    Environment Essay (100 words) The natural surroundings that enable life to thrive, nurture, and destroy on our planet called earth are referred to as an environment. The natural environment is vital to the survival of life on Earth, allowing humans, animals, and other living things to thrive and evolve naturally.

  7. 500+ Words Essay on Sustainable Development with PDF |Leverage Edu

    Essay on Sustainable Development: Samples in 250, 300 and 500 Words. On 3rd August 2023, the Indian Government released its Net zero emissions target policy to reduce its carbon footprints. To achieve the sustainable development goals (SDG), as specified by the UN, India is determined for its long-term low-carbon development strategy.

  8. Sustainable development: Meaning, history, principles, pillars, and

    1. Introduction. Sustainable Development (SD) has become a ubiquitous development paradigm—the catchphrase for international aid agencies, the jargon of development planners, the theme of conferences and academic papers, as well as the slogan of development and environmental activists (Ukaga, Maser, & Reichenbach, Citation 2011).The concept seems to have attracted the broad-based attention ...

  9. Essay on Sustainable Development

    Finally, the key is environmental management which must be monitored and ensure accountability. Conclusion of Essay on Sustainable Development. To sum it up, sustainable development continuously seeks to achieve social and economic progress in ways which will not exhaust the Earth's finite natural resources. Thus, we must all develop ways to ...

  10. 500+ Words Essay on Sustainable Development

    There are three aims of sustainable development; first, the "Economic" which will help to attain balanced growth, second, the "Environment", to preserve the ecosystem, and third, "Society" which will guarantee equal access to resources to all human beings. The key principle of sustainable development is the integration of ...

  11. Essay on Environment

    Essay on Environment is an excellent way for students to learn about the environment and its implications. The environment, in the simplest of terms, refers to the interaction between living organisms and non-living things. Living organisms are classified as biotic components, while non-living things form the abiotic components.

  12. An Essay on Sustainable Development,

    environment and development may constitute soft legal principles. (Lowe 1999: 6) To this extent they are relevant when courts or international bodies have to apply or develop the law. At least there is consensus that sustainable development represents a goal that can influence the outcome of litigation and the practice of states and that, by means

  13. Environment Essay for Students in English

    In this essay, we'll explore the importance of our environment, the challenges it faces, and what we can do to ensure a sustainable and thriving world for generations to come. Our environment is a complex and interconnected web of life. Every living organism, from the tiniest microbe to the largest mammal, plays a crucial role in maintaining ...

  14. Essays on Human Capital, Environment, and Development

    This dissertation examines how government policies and natural environment, independently and interactively, influence education outcomes as well as if and how households or individuals adapt to fixed or changing features of the natural environment.

  15. Three Essays in Environmental and Development Economics

    In these three essays I examine the relationship between environmental quality and economic development in a variety of settings. In Chapter 1, I examine the impact of the world's largest anti-poverty program (NREGA) on agricultural burning and its subsequent contribution to air pollution in India. I find that agricultural burning increases ...

  16. Essays on environmental and development economics

    Abstract. This thesis comprises four empirical essays on environmental and development economics. In the first chapter, we examine to what extent individual and contextual level factors influence ...

  17. Essay on Environment for Students and Children

    500+ Words Essay on Environment. Essay on Environment - All living things that live on this earth comes under the environment. Whether they live on land or water they are part of the environment. The environment also includes air, water, sunlight, plants, animals, etc. Moreover, the earth is considered the only planet in the universe that ...

  18. The Effect of Technology on the Environment Essay

    The impact of new technologies on the development of the society. There is a widely held opinion among many philosophers and scholars that new technologies affect the development of human society. Overall, it seems that these are two variables that are so closely interwoven, and it is hardly permissible to separate them from one another.

  19. Essays on environmental and development economics

    Abstract. This thesis comprises four empirical essays on environmental and development economics. In the first chapter, we examine to what extent individual and contextual level factors influence individuals to contribute financially to prevent environmental pollution.

  20. Essays on Population, Environment and Development

    Ecological factors and the policy environment are central constraints on population well-being. This dissertation emphasizes the role of shocks to help understand the nature of such constraints, and explores the relationship between population, environment, and development in greater detail than is typically possible. Chapter 1 opens by contributing to a growing body of evidence around the ...

  21. Essay on Environment and Development in English for Children & students

    Essay on Environment vs. Development - Essay 1 (200 words) Introduction. Development is a continuous and constant process. However, every development has some positive and negative results. While development is carried out for the benefits of the inhabitants, the environment is equally important. If development is carried out without ...

  22. Environment and Development Essay In English

    Environment and Development Essay In English - 2100 in words. By Webber Essay 1 year ago 181. Development is a continuous process, although every development has its own positive and negative consequences. But when development is being done for the benefit of the residents, it is equally important to take care of the environment.

  23. Economics and Environment: Essays on Ecological Economics and

    Part II: Sustainable development. Part III: Applied Environmental economics. Skip to search form Skip to main content Skip to account menu. Semantic Scholar's Logo. Search 217,467,672 papers from all fields of science ... @inproceedings{Pearce1999EconomicsAE, title={Economics and Environment: Essays on Ecological Economics and Sustainable ...

  24. Diplomacy and environment; conflict of interest or need for a legal

    Today, environmental protection and sustainable development are two fundamental pillars of human existence. In this process, the major roles are played by governments and international organizations. Adherence to international obligations (Erga Omnes) and Jus Cogens are two important rudiments in environmental diplomacy towards sustainable ...

  25. Large language models reveal big disparities in current wildfire

    An analysis of affiliations of full authors' lists of selected papers uncovered a consistent pattern that countries with higher levels of development dominate the research landscape.

  26. Home

    Environmental Science and Pollution Research is an online-only journal and its print ISSN (0944-1344) is ceased. Editor-in-Chief. Philippe Garrigues; Impact factor ... Call for Papers: Special Issue on PRR: Preventing, Removing and Recycling. Pollutant Toxic Ions and Molecules (PTIM2023) View all updates. Journal information. Electronic ISSN