Chanderprabhu Jain College of Higher Studies

&
School of Law
An ISO 9001:2008 Certified Quality Institute
(Recognized by Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Affiliated to GGS Indraprastha University, Delhi)

E-Notes

Class : B.A. LL.B (H) I Sem.

Paper Code : BALLB 109

Subject : Sociology-I

Faculty Name: Dr. J.P Arya

Unit-IV

ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY

Inter relationship between society and environment

From its earliest development as an academic field, sociology has been concerned with the
manifold relations between societies and their natural and built environments. Societies adapt
and transform the environments they inhabit. They depend upon the use of resources and
reduction of hazards for their survival and material well-being. They also assign meanings to the
environment that vary over place and time, but that help define their identity and values within
the world.
Although the focus of the field is the relationship between society and environment in general,
environmental sociologists typically place special emphasis on studying the social factors that
cause environmental problems, the societal impacts of those problems, and efforts to solve the
problems.
Societies adapt and transform the environments they inhabit. They depend upon the use of
resources and reduction of hazards for their survival and material well-being. They also assign
meanings to the environment that vary over place and time, but that help define their identity and
values within the world.

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Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning
fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered climate change, soil erosion,
poor air quality, and undrinkable water.
A society is a group of people involved in a social interaction and the deeper study of society,
human behavior and related concepts is called sociology. Furthermore, Environment is our
physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions which affect an
organism or a number of organisms.
The natural environment gives us a wealth of services that are difficult to measure in
dollars. Natural areas help clean our air, purify our water, produce food and medicines,
reduce chemical and noise pollution, slow floodwaters, and cool our streets. We call this work
'ecosystem services'.
Man and environment are inter-related. The environment influences the life of human beings and
also human beings modify their environment as a result of their growth, dispersal, activities,
death and decay etc. Thus all living beings including man and their environment are mutually
reactive affecting each other in a number of ways and a dynamic equilibrium is possible in
between the two, i.e. human beings (society) and environment are interdependent.
The different social structures like industrial, agricultural, religious, aesthetic etc. have
developed during various stages of human civilization and these structures represent human
being’s accumulated cultural resources based on natural environment.
If the natural environment helped in the development of different structures of the society on the
one hand, the existence and quality of environment now rests on the responses of these social
structures to the environment on the other hand.
The burning issues like quality of environment, disruption of earth’s natural ecosystem,
environmental degradation and pollution, ecological imbalances, depletion of resources etc. can
be approached and solved only after considering the value judgments which may be determined
by taking into account the consequences of ‘environmental improvement programme’ on the

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entire society and society’s response towards the improvement programme. Actually all these
depend on the interest and desire of the society in improving the quality of environment.
The interaction between environment and society depends largely on the social and political
system. Even the capitalistic and socialistic systems perceptions and reactions to the environment
are quite different. The differential interactions are due to uneven distribution of natural
resources, uneven economic and social development, dissimilarity of demographic factors,
varying view points of the governments and individuals towards environment etc.
Continuous and exceedingly increasing rate of rapacious exploitation of natural resources,
industrialization, technological growth, unplanned urbanization and profit oriented capitalism by
the developed western world are responsible for grave environmental crisis and ecological
imbalance not confined to their own countries but to the whole world.
The socialistic system of government gives more emphasis on the social importance of natural
resources and environmental problems and the urgent need to tackle, these problems. Marxism
preaches to organise society’s control over the rapacious exploitation of natural resources and to
develop harmony between man and nature. The emphasis on rational exploitation of natural
resources and ecological balance was in the constitution of USSR.
The changes in the relationship between man and environment depend upon the change in
organisation and attitude of society. To improve environmental standard and to maintain
ecological balance, the followings are some issues before the present civilized society.
1. Rapid population explosion:
Puts tremendous pressure on the natural resources and environmental quality. This is due to the
fact that population growth leads to poverty which directly or indirectly declines the
environmental standard.
2. Rational use of non polluted water resources:
The restoration of water quality of our water bodies and their optimum uses are the challenges
before the present society.
3. To sustain and increase agricultural growth:

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Without damaging environment. The over cultivation of soil, results in nutrient deficiency, lack
of organic matter, soil salinity and damage to physical structure of the soil.
4. To check soil erosion:
The soil erosion can be prevented by the restoration of land or soil resources which are directly
or indirectly related to strategies for the management of land, water and forest.
5. Restoration of forest resources:
The forest resources are depleting at a very faster rate in order to meet growing need of timber
and farmland for the increased population. Vast forest areas have been converted into barren
waste lands. So it is the need of the present society to restore our forest resources possibly
through social forestry and afforestation programmes.
6. To check pollution:
The overexploitation of natural resources, intervention of bio-geochemical cycles and trace
element cycle, extraneous release of matter and energy etc. causes serious environmental
hazards.
In addition, continuous green house gas emission, hazardous chemicals of industry and
agriculture, nuclear arsenals; radioactive wastes and biotechnological misuse lead to global
catastrophism. So the prevention of pollution is of prime importance for the present society.
Considering the above issues, it is clear that the fate of human being depends on how he is
managing and overcoming the above problems.
Some possible ways of tackling the problems and maintaining environmental standard are
as follows:
(a) Taking effective measures for population control.
(b) Optimum use of natural resources.

(c) Conserving and protecting biodiversity.

(d) Creating public awareness about the benefits and implications of environment.

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(e) Giving top priority for environmental protection.

(f) Developing ecofriendly technological processes.

(g) Promoting sustainable agriculture which will not harm the environment.

(h) Using bio-fertiliser or ecofriendly fertilisers.

(i) Using minimum amount of pesticides and insecticides.

(j) Developing waste land by adopting afforestation programmes.

(k) Developing suitable biotechnology to clean up hazardous wastes in the environment.

(l) Choosing suitable technique to treat the pollutants before their discharge into environment.

NATURE-MAN-SPIRIT COMPLEX
The concept of Nature-Man-Spirit complex was put forth by L.P Vidyarthi in his book The
Maler: A Study in Nature-Man-Spirit Complex in which he describes the culture of a hill tribe
the Maler in terms of this complex where the three ingredients of the complex are
interdependent and mutually complementary.
The original concept of the Nature-Man-Spirit complex was given by L.P. Vidyarthi to describe
the culture of virgin human society, untouched by civilization, industrialization and urbanization.
Humanity, where the whole culture was divided into three parts is a complex of – Nature, Man,
Spirit. These parts were closely interrelated, inter-dependent and interacting. This
interrelationship helped the society find the perfect balance between man and his ecosystem.
Truly sustainable!
L.P. Vidyarthi’s book “The Maler: A Study in Nature-Man-Spirit Complex “ is based on the fact
that arising out of man’s close interaction with and dependence on nature is his belief in the
supernatural and the spirit world. It has been found that in tribal India there is an intimate

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relationship and interaction between social organizations on the one hand and religious complex
and ecological conditions on the other hand.
The book was divided into three parts with Nature, Man and Spirit respectively. In the first part
he demonstrates the ecological basis of Maler culture showing the importance of hills and forests
as well as the cultivation around which the entire Maler life revolved. In the second part dealing
with Man he examines the network of relationships in all its aspects including the structure and
organization of the family, different social institutions and lifecycle of a typical Maler. In the
third part on Spirit he describes the religious beliefs in supernatural beings, sacred centers, sacred
performances and sacred specialists.
Vidyarthi asserted that Maler culture originated developed and flourished in the lap of nature.
Forests surround the Malers and mainly exiling it in the context of its forests can have
comprehensive understanding of this culture. In addition to providing land for slash-and burn-
cultivation a main source of Maler economy the forests provide them with food, drink, shelter,
medicine etc. He discovered that every moment of the Maler life was profoundly influenced by
nature on the one hand and spirit on the other. These two ingredients of the complex play a
paramount role in the life cycle of the Maler people.

Similarly, Green Buildings offer us the green way to relate, depend, and interact with nature in a
much more peaceful manner. A ‘green’ building is a building that, in its design, construction or
operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts and can create positive effects on our climate
and natural environment. Green buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve our
quality of life (World Green Building Council).

WHAT MAKES THEM GREEN?

● Efficiency – of energy, water and other resources

● Renewable energy – such as solar energy

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● The ‘R’s Re-use & Recycling – reducing waste and pollution

● Ethical materials – non-toxic and sustainable

● Environment centric – in design, construction and operation

● Quality of life for occupants – in design, construction and operation

● Good indoor environmental air quality

● Innovative design – adaptive to changing environment

WHERE DOES INDIA STAND?

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that India has ranked third globally on
its annual list of the top 10 countries and regions for LEED in 2021. India certified a total of 146
buildings and spaces to LEED, representing nearly 2.8 million gross area square meters (GSM)
of space. This marks an about 10% increase in LEED-certified space in India from 2020.

IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) is very closely working with several Central and State
Government agencies to promote the green building movement in the country.

The central government offers incentives. The Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate
change offers fast track environment clearances for green building projects certified by IGBC.
The state government of Maharashtra has drafted a Green Building policy that
provides property tax rebates to buyers for five years. The local government of Pune Municipal
Corporation (PMC) offers an additional Floor Area Ratio of 3%, 5% and 7% for Green
Buildings rated as Silver, Gold and Platinum, respectively, by IGBC.

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THE GREEN OPPORTUNITIES

The pandemic has transformed the home culture. It is more than just a family space. The Work
from Home has moulded it into a contemporary workspace. Online schooling turned it into e-
schools, and the uncertainty of pandemics impelled us to find a recreational place within the
home space.

Against such a backdrop, Green Buildings offer us a chance to correct our mistakes and lean
towards a sustainable, self sufficient lifestyle.
CULTURE AS ADAPTIVE SCREEN

ADAPTATION
An adaptation is any alteration in the structure or functioning of an organism (or group of
organisms) that improves its ability to survive and reproduce in its environment. Adaptations
occur in response to stressors or changes in the environment in which the organism lives.
Stressors can be abiotic (climate or high altitude), biotic (disease), or social (war and
psychological stress). All organisms, including humans, have the ability to adapt biologically,
which is referred to as biological plasticity. However, what makes humans unique is the extent to
which we rely on culture to adapt to our environment.
Definition of Adaptation: An adaptation is any alteration in the structure or functioning of an
organism (or group of organisms) that improves its ability to survive and reproduce in its
environment.
The Biological Plasticity is the ability to adapt biologically in response to the environment.
Stressor is something that causes strain or tension.
Biological Adaptation
Other species rely primarily on biological adaption for living in their respective environments.
Biological adaptations can be short-term, long-term, or genetic. Which type of biological

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adaptation is activated often depends on the severity and duration of stressors in the
environment. Short-term acclimatization can occur within seconds of exposure to a stressor. This
type of response quickly reverses when the stressor is no longer present. Imagine stepping out of
an air-conditioned building or car into a 90-degree day. Your body will quickly begin to perspire
in an attempt to cool your body temperature and return to homeostasis. When the temperature
declines, so will your perspiration. Tanning, which can occur in hours, is another short-term
response, in this case, to increased UV-radiation exposure. Tans are generally lost during the
months when UV-radiation decreases.
Developmental acclimatization occurs during an individual’s growth and development. Note that
these cannot take place once the individual is fully grown. There is usually a “magic time
window” of when developmental acclimatization can occur. This adaptation can take months to
years to acquire. One example of this is the efficient respiratory system of those who have grown
up at high altitudes. Those who were born at high altitudes tend to develop larger lung capacities
than those who move there later in life.
A developmental adjustment can occur in response to cultural stressors as well. Intentional body
deformation has been documented throughout human history. The ancient Maya elite used
cradleboards to reshape the skull. Footbinding in China, now an illegal practice, was considered
a mark of beauty and enabled girls to find a wealthy spouse.
Genetic adaptations can occur when a stressor is constant and lasts for many generations. The
presence of the sickle cell allele in some human populations is one example. Keep in mind that
genetic adaptations are environmentally specific. In other words, while a particular gene may be
advantageous to have in one environment, it may be detrimental to have in another environment.
The sickle-cell allele is a genetic adaptation in response to living in an environment where
malaria is prevalent. However, for those living in non-malarial environments, it is no longer
advantageous and actually a serious disease.
Cultural Adaptation

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A cultural adaption is the knowledge or behavior that enables humans or groups to adjust,
survive, and thrive in their environment. One way humans culturally adapt to their environment
is through the use of tools. As mentioned earlier in the chapter, some non-human species do have
a rudimentary culture as evidenced by their use of tools. Whether it is dolphins using sponges to
protect their beaks when hunting fish on the ocean floor, chimpanzees using sticks to "fish" for
termites, otters using a rock to break open a shell or humans hunting with a bow and arrow, the
use of tools is a cultural adaptation that improves the species chances of survival in their
environment. Humans, however, "use culture instrumentally...to fulfill their basic biological
needs for food, drink, shelter, comfort, and reproduction" (Kottak 2012, p. 21) as well as
fulfilling basic psychological and emotional needs.
Definition: cultural adaptation
The knowledge or behavior that enables humans or groups to adjust, survive and thrive in their
environment.
Cultural adaptations can occur at any time and may be as simple as putting on a coat when it is
cold or as complicated as engineering, building, and installing a heating system in a building, or
building a space station for human habitation. Cultural adaptation has enabled humans to survive
in harsh environments. However, not all cultural adaptations have been beneficial. While the
goal of adaptive traits is to enhance human ability to be successful and survive in their
environment, some traits have become maladaptive. That is they have become more harmful than
helpful and could actually threaten the survival of the people. One example is the use of air
conditioners. Although air conditioners improved our lives and made it easier to live in hot and
humid conditions, older air conditioners released chlorofluorocarbons and contributed to the
depletion of the ozone layer which protects us from harmful ultraviolet rays. Over a long period
of time, this would have a negative effect on life on earth.
A cultural adaption is the knowledge or behavior that enables humans or groups to adjust,
survive, and thrive in their environment. One way humans culturally adapt to their environment
is through the use of tools.

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Defining Cultural Adaptation

In 2011, I left my quaint apartment in South Beach, Florida, and boarded a plane headed for
South Korea. I knew nothing about this part of the world, but I would end up spending the next
three years of my life there. People always like to ask me what it was like to live in a culture so
different from my own. My answer is that you must learn everything again, like a child with an
adult mind. You must learn how to eat, how to dress, how to speak a new language, how to
interact in social settings, and understand various other cultural norms. You not only have to
learn about this new culture, but you must also be able to live and function within it. This process
of adjusting to a new culture is called cultural adaptation.
The theory of cultural adaptation refers to the process and time it takes a person to assimilate to a
new culture. It is not always an easy transition. How would you feel if you could no longer read
signs because they were in a different language? What would you do if the clothes you owned
were considered unacceptable to wear in public because people of your gender dress differently
there? What if you were always expected to eat with chopsticks because Western utensils were
unavailable? Given the right amount of time, would you be able to adjust to these differences?
Living in a new culture can be jarring and very difficult to process, especially if it is drastically
different from your own. A person that is being introduced into a new culture can feel a variety
of different sensations. For example, one may feel frustrated because she or he cannot
communicate or become angry because certain cultural norms do not make sense. In some
cultures, spitting in public is considered bad manners. How would you feel if you ended up in a
culture where spitting in public was okay and done by everyone? It may make you feel
uncomfortable when the people of that culture think nothing of it. Cultural adaptation theory
offers an explanation for these emotions.
Why is culture an adaptive screen?
Culture is considered an adaptive screen or mechanism because it provides behavior patterns,
strategies, and techniques aimed at helping people adapt in a particular environment. The goal of

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each living thing is survival. While plants and animals adapt to their environment genetically, for
humans the most important adaptive mechanism/screen is culture. In Madagascar, for example,
trees have adjusted to the drier climate by losing extra leaves during the dry winter to limit
evaporation. Humans, on the other hand, cannot adapt their bodies to very cold or very hot
climates, and need cultural knowledge and technology in order to survive in the place their live.
While the polar bear, in its evolutionary process, was able to adapt genetically to the Arctic
climate, (by growing a thick fur and a layer of fat under it) our ancestors adapted to cold climates
because of their hunter-gatherer culture. Plains Indians, for example, hunted primarily the
American wild buffalo and used it for food, tools, clothing, and shelter. Their survival depended
primarily on the buffalo. The buffalo was not only an animal to hunt, but a cultural symbol
revered and protected by Pains Indians. The buffalo culture, handed down from generation to
generation, was the Plains Indians’ adaptive strategy to the environment in which they lived.
When the buffalo became an endangered species, Plains Indians were forced to change their
whole scheme of life. And their culture changed with them. Culture for our species has been (and
still is) a complex, questionable, and yet rewarding mechanism learned, shared and modified
accordingly to our needs, consciously or unconsciously.
ADAPTATION – INDIAN TONTEXT
An Ice Stupa designed by Sonam Wangchuk brings glacial water to farmers in the Himalayan
Desert of Ladakh, India.
A research project conducted between 2014 and 2018 in the five districts (Puri, Khordha,
Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak) of Mahanadi Delta, Odisha and two districts (North and
South 24 Parganas) of Indian Bengal Delta (includes the Indian Sundarbans), West Bengal
provides evidence on the kinds of adaptations practiced by the delta dwellers. In the Mahanadi
delta, the top three practiced adaptations were changing the amount of fertiliser used in the farm,
the use of loans, and planting of trees around the homes. In the Indian Bengal Delta, the top three
adaptations were changing the amount of fertiliser used in the farm, making changes to irrigation

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practices, and use of loans. Migration as an adaptation option is practiced in both these deltas but
is not considered as a successful adaptation.
In the Indian Sundarbans of West Bengal, farmers are cultivating salt-tolerant rice varieties
which have been revived to combat the increasing issue of soil salinity. Other agricultural
adaptations include mixed farming, diversifying crops, rain water harvesting, drip irrigation, use
of neem-based pesticide, and ridge and furrow land shaping techniques where "the furrows help
with drainage and the less-saline ridges can be used to grow vegetables". These have helped
farmers to grow a second crop of vegetables besides the monsoon paddy crop.
In Puri district of Odisha, water logging is a hazard that affects people yearly. In the Totashi
village, many women are turning the "water logging in their fields to their advantage" by
cultivating vegetables in the waterlogged fields and boosting their family income and nutrition.
Education: Education is an integral tool that can be used in the adaptation of the measures that
have been put in place to curb climate change. When considering the adaptation of measures that
have been established to curb climate change, it is important to ensure that the education system
has been included in such a project. By improving people's knowledge of climate change, it
would be easier for them to adopt different mitigation measures. Also, there is a need to instill a
culture among the younger generation on the best practices when it comes to environmental
matters. The government must seek to ensure that systems that support learning, which
undergirds adaptation are supported to enhance adaptation.

Community participation and environment management

Community participation is the most powerful tool for environmental conservation in protected
areas. Community participation modulates the relation between place attachment and pro-
environmental behaviours (PEB). Perception Changes in Livelihood Capitals (PCLC) positively
affect residents' PEB in high-level community participation group.
Community participation is considered an effective measure to protect the eco-environment and
to improve people's livelihoods in protected areas. However, it has not received enough attention

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at the practical level in most developing countries, and it is unclear how important it is in
stimulating locals' pro-environmental behaviours to achieve eco-environmental protection goals.
Some studies focused on the relationship among community participation, perception changes in
livelihood capitals and place attachment, which are related to residents' production, livelihoods,
and pro-environmental behaviours.

The study conducted on Nanling National Nature Reserve, China in which a convenience
sampling method was used; the Regression analysis results show that community participation is
the most powerful predictor of pro-environmental behaviours. Furthermore, community
participation moderates the relationship between place attachment and pro-environmental
behaviours. In addition, perception changes in livelihood capitals positively affect pro-
environmental behaviours in the high-level community participation group while having negative
or positive results in the low-level community participation group. The findings, which
emphasize the importance of community participation in conservation, provide a better
understanding of the differences in pro-environmental behaviours between high and low
community participation groups and will aid future development and conservation planning of
these initiatives.
Management of any programme requires the participation of various stakeholders for its success.
Issues related to concept of environment and its management requires a careful understanding of
resources, its management and steps for its sustainable development. Participation of community
role in environmental management requires a local understanding of resources, problems and
suitable mechanism to find the management of the problems. The community participation is an
important agenda for environmental management programmes and by involving community the
success can be achieved. Within the community the role of various stakeholder including women
has been very crucial in the success of the programme.

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Let us look into how grass root level development programmes have been successful in
achieving targets and for attaining long term and sustainable development through community
participation in environmental management. It is very important that the policy makers must
also train more grass root level workers with the suitable remuneration.
Basically, environmental management involves the management of all components of the bio-
physical environment, both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic). This is due to the
interconnectedness and network of relationships amongst all living species and their habitats. It
also involves the relationships of various human facets, such as the social, cultural and economic
environment with the bio-physical environment. Over the last decades, management on usage of
natural resources in a sustainable manner has become one of the priorities of government, policy
makers and environmentalists etc. Due to unbridled industrial growth in last century huge
impacts both positive as well negative has been realized, of which one major negative one is on
the environment. The increasing focus placed on the environment globally, through multilateral
norms, agreements and conventions, has shifted the responsibility from the governments
(particularly the national governments) as a 'provider' to a more consensus-based approach,
where all stakeholders have a role to play, bringing to the table different resources during the
different processes of environmental management.

Community Participation is Very Helpful

The participation and role of the ‘community’ has been of particular significance. The primary
stakeholder in these processes has become an important component of all environmental
programmes and projects, both in terms of decision-making processes, and of creating an
enabling environment for the community to have a say over aspects that affect their lives. In
general in all development programmes of government local level participation has occupied an
important position in project implementation. Otherwise also participation or decentralized
governance is one of the cornerstones of Indian democracy and has equal benefits for policy
makers, public servants and civil society. To highlight a few:

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 Community participation helps government to make more appropriate decisions based on

the local needs of people
 The more informed people are, or the more participation, the better they understand about
government’s strategy, budget and resource limitations. The local needs are varying in
various communities and thus creating a partnership between community and government
helps in addressing the development needs and service delivery. The present paper tries
to look into the role of local community with specific focus on women in managing
environmental programmes through sustainable use of natural resources and of disposing
and keeping the generated wastes judiciously. It will look into the intersection between
community participation, and environmental management, the dynamics of
interrelationships of local community with the policy makers and environment. This will
help in providing significant opportunities and challenges for sustainable development at
the local level. The paper would also supplement few case studies from rural area where
local community specifically women have helped in environmental management.

Key Issues in Community Participation which helps in Environmental Management

Community Participation (CP) is a process which involves people to participate in planning,

implementing and managing their local environment. It is actually a readiness on the part of both
local governments and the community to accept equal responsibilities and activities in managing
their surroundings. It also means a commitment to bring to the table resources, skills and
knowledge for this purpose, and a respect for the capabilities and capacities of all partners. It
means that the value of each group's contribution is seen, appreciated and used. It is an inclusive
form of development in which the community's representatives as "partners" in decision-making,
makes for successful community participation.
Community in general may be defined as a group of people coming together on the basis of a
geographical area, a work place, even an idea or a theme/issue, or on the basis of gender/age.

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The shape and size of a community varies, and hence definitions of communities have also
varied. Women forms and important of all communities and with the implementation of various
women empowerment programs they have been the key beneficiaries as well as the targets for
achieving development.
There are five key issues which illustrate the importance of community participation and
involvement for environmental management:
(1) To understand the perception of community: Any activity directly involving community
requires one to understand the issues and perspectives from community perception. This helps in
identifying the choices and preferences regarding the lifestyle at the local level which are made
at the community, household and individual levels. In other words we also refer this as local
needs of community which could have short-term and long-term impacts i.e. it gives a detail
picture of utilization of local resources, its consumption and steps required for intervention of
proper management. By understanding the quality of life and lifestyle issues in environmental
management ensures that problems are tackled at its source, and long term benefits accrued .This
also helps in ensuring the visualization and planning for smooth environmental managements
both at locally as well as globally.
(2) Involvement in decision making: It is important to maintain subsidiary of decision-making,
since local, daily decisions need to be taken at the local and community levels, Community
participation involves creation of forums where issues are discussed and implemented. These
help in maintaining the scale of decisions and commitment is ensured and built at appropriate
level. Local forums are the outcome of effective community participation where issues are
discussed and suitably planned as well as implemented. The localized decisions making process
is a reflection of community dynamics on awareness building, which need to be built into the
core of an environmental management plan.
(3) Commitment from localities: Community participation is also one of the right way to have
the clear commitment and complete involvement of local members in order to reach the desired
goals and success in joint activities of environmental management programme. By bringing the

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community at a common platform in relation to environment is one of the launching steps in

continuous process of awareness building and attitudinal change. By bridging the community to
a platform it provides a rallying point that can build commitment and involvement from the
community. Linking environmental problems, both local and global, to everyday lifestyles is
critical in motivating communities and planning for action.
(4) Optimum utilization of Resources: Community participation pools resources and diverse
skills and working strategies from within the community, creating pride and ownership of a
programme or project. Within the homogeneity of a 'community' lies a broad diversity of
resources that are prerequisites for the implementation of any plan or programme. Inherently,
these have to be taken into account. By pooling resources and diverse skills enables a complex
issue such as managing the local environment. It also enables creative brainstorming that
identifies 'problems-behind-problems' and ensures 'solutions-forsolutions' – maximizing the
benefits derived by a small resource base.
(5) Monitoring & Evaluation: Community participation will ensure that checking and
corrective action through monitoring/evaluation can be done by and for the community itself.
The local community can ensure close vigilance through community involvement by controlling
its own actions, outputs i.e. mechanism of garbage disposal and its effects in terms of pollution
and health hazards. By having the community’s view on environmental management and its
commitment, it would enable and facilitate the overall environmental management by close
monitoring the environmental issues. In conclusion, involving the community in local
environmental management has been prescribed as a panacea for a whole lot of environmental
ills – in some cases, to also avoid responsibilities and accountabilities of the concerned entities.
Real positive impacts can be ensured through partnerships that respect the stakeholders involved,
and the resources that they bring to the table, and to enable actions that each stakeholder is best
suited to perform. Consensus-driven visions and goals are also important, to coordinate activities
and to monitor and evaluate actions
MECHANISM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

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THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Environmental management system provides a cohesive and comprehensive framework for a city
or local government to identify significant aspects and manage its environment - both
opportunities and risks - and to document, evaluate and communicate its environmental plans
and programmes to local stakeholders.
To have a cohesive environmental management following important key principles are to be
followed:
 Development of strong Local government commitment: Local government
commitment to improve environment performance and establish policies for management
is very important for obtaining political support, developing policy, integrating into
operational system, and showing environmental leadership. A strong commitment from
the local government to be inclusive, develop political support, or show leadership will
necessitate the involvement of the community. A prudent local government will involve
the community in order to ensure broad commitment from all residents of the city. This
will also ensure acceptance and ownership of its policies and programmes with the
community.
 Planning and compliance: The local government plans and implements proactive
programmes to identify and address environmental problems and corrects deficiencies in
the local environment. These programmes also broadly aim to, for example, comply with
environmental laws/regulations, prepare for natural and man-made emergencies, and
prevent pollution and conserve resources. This kind of planning includes the views of the
community members in order to ensure its success and become effective which is mainly
through participation like meetings, seminars, hearings etc. 2.3. Enabling systems The
local government develops and implements the necessary measures to enable various
stakeholders to perform their tasks and implement their programmes/projects on the
environment. These measures provide opportunities for learning, and support with
standards, systems, and programmes. Information management, communication and

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documentation policies also create the necessary enabling environment. System once
enabled will help the stakeholders to perform effectively for environmental management.
A well built management system and process helps an effective participation and
management.
 Performance and Accountability” The local government develops measures that
addresses environmental performance of all stakeholders, and ensure complete
accountability of their functions that help in building responsibility, authority and
accountability amongst the community. Effective participation helps in outlining the
benchmarks for performance standards in consultation with local units which in turn
leads to transparent processes and accountability. The other way of looking this is the
decentralized approach where all participants undertake their role to achieve the goals
and how does this facilitate community participation? It is essentially through effective
community participation that good performance and accountability can be built. A
decentralized approach where all actors play their role to achieve overall goals and
objectives, works best when effective participation is linked to effective performance and
accountability.
Measurement and Improvement
The local government develops and implements programmes to assess progress towards
meeting it environmental goals and uses it to improve its environmental performance.
This is done through the development of an evaluation programme or gathering and
analyzing relevant data. It could also compare its performance with other local
governments, or incorporates continuous improvement of its policies, programmes and
their impacts. How does this facilitate community participation? Measurement and
improvement of environmental management processes can be done to established
indicators and parameters. But it is third party views, particularly coming from the
community and its representatives that will lead to better performance and improvement.
This can be generated through good community participation and involvement.

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ROLE OF WOMEN
Women have a key role to play in preserving the environment and natural resources, and in
promoting sustainable development. For example, women still have the main responsibility for
meeting household needs and are therefore a major force in determining consumption trends. As
such, women have an essential role to play in the development of sustainable and ecologically
sound consumption and production patterns.

Women an important section of society serves a crucial role in environmental management and
the implementation of its principles. Women view environment as the life support systems of
humanity and the source of all life, that people are dependent on the environment. Women play
multiple roles in the family, community, and in the protection and management of the natural
resources. Their multifaceted roles lead to their multiple burdens. Their women’s perspective on
the connections of women and environment are linked to the domestic roles of women. Further,
women’s roles are directly affected by the state of environment because women are the main
users of resources like water, forest resources and other land resources.

Involving women in protecting the environment would help societies develop the sense of
responsibility which is required to maintain a balance between humans and the earth’s resources.
In general women have better awareness than men of the need to protect the environment for all
humans. Motivating them to take part in protecting the environment and managing disasters
would harness their enthusiasm for the effort. They would help develop the sense of
responsibility all humans needed to maintain a good balance between humans and the earth’s
resources.

It was in the first World Conference on Women, 1975 (Mexico City), that the “women and
environment” issue was brought into public consciousness and, it was only in the 1980s that

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governments and development agencies became actively aware of the need to consider gender
issues in their environmental and natural resource management programmes. It was also realised
later that the active participation of women and the integration of gender issues in environmental
policies and actions are critical determinants for the implementation of the commitments of the
Beijing Platform for Action (1995), the World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002), and
the Millennium Development Goals. Yet discriminatory structures and attitudes continue to
result in deeply entrenched patterns of gender inequality in these areas.

Women form the vital part of Indian economy constituting one third of the national labour force.
Although most women are considered to be marginal workers and are the major contributors to
the survival of the family. Women are also considered to managing various agricultural
activities, animal husbandry, livestock and in managing these things they are generally hooked
towards the nature.

Various grass root level development programme focusing on women empowerment, economic
empowerment, sanitation, environmental programmes have taken women as a means of change
agents. They have been planned and implemented through a gendered lens and involves decision
making and assigning proactive roles to women. The projects on women empowerment in
various States have used the Self Help Group model for women empowerment in which various
activities ranging from awareness building on social, legal, environmental issues have been
undertaken successfully. Also the activities of women at the grass root level in creating
transformation in society as well as bringing economic empowerment has been found. The
formation of group, its building process, development brings a sense of integrity and sorority
among its members where they feel collective to form particular tasks. Various SHGs across the
country have been successful in combating some of the important environmental issues like
watershed development programmes, Joint forest management, general environmental hygiene,
vermicomposting, tree plantation etc..Involvement of Anganwadis and ASHA as grass root

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worker has been very instrumental in implementing the programmes and making the women
availing benefits and access to programmes.

CONCLUSION
Role of women and community participation in environmental management cannot be
undermined. Involvement of people in planning and democratic development has long been
practiced and in various development programmes success is visible. However with the growing
number of organization working at grass root level for involvement of people in villages for
participating in development programmes has also led to the development of bureaucratization
and politicization of panchayats and local governing bodies. In the coming years with more
development projects specific to environment like Swach Bharat, Clean Ganga would be coming
up it would involve more people in developmental process. It would be important and
challenging for policy makers to create more grass root level workers with suitable honorarium
and incentives. Similar to anganwadis and asha workers who are all women, can be trained at
grassroot level workers with financial incentives so that the gains which has been actually
achieved by participation is sustained. Only participation without any remuneration may not
work at broader level.
Thus it can be said that Environmental Conservation through Community Participation is
integrating traditional conservation activities with livelihoods issues. They are empowering
women and men to generate more income, close off land for conservation purposes and
accessing new technology that help to reduce community pressure on forests.

MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT IN INDIA

Contemporary India experiences almost unrestricted exploitation of resources because of the

lure of new consumerist lifestyles.
The balance of nature is disrupted. This has led to many conflicts in society.

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An environmental movement can be defined as a social or political movement, for the

conservation of the environment or for the improvement of the state of the environment. The
terms ‘green movement’ or ‘conservation movement’ are alternatively used to denote the same.
The environmental movements favour the sustainable management of natural resources. The
movements often stress the protection of the environment via changes in public policy. Many
movements are centred on ecology, health and human rights.
Environmental movements range from the highly organized and formally institutionalized ones
to the radically informal activities.
The spatial scope of various environmental movements ranges from being local to almost
global.
Some of the major environmental movements in India during the period 1700 to 2000 are the
following.
1. Bishnoi Movement
Year: 1700s
Place: Khejarli, Marwar region, Rajasthan state.
Leaders: Amrita Devi along with Bishnoi villagers in Khejarli and surrounding villages.
Aim: Save sacred trees from being cut down by the king’s soldiers for a new palace.
What was it all about: Amrita Devi, a female villager could not bear to witness the destruction
of both her faith and the village’s sacred trees. She hugged the trees and encouraged others to
do the same. 363 Bishnoi villagers were killed in this movement.
The Bishnoi tree martyrs were influenced by the teachings of Guru Maharaj Jambaji, who
founded the Bishnoi faith in 1485 and set forth principles forbidding harm to trees and animals.
The king who came to know about these events rushed to the village and apologized, ordering
the soldiers to cease logging operations. Soon afterwards, the maharajah designated the
Bishnoi state as a protected area, forbidding harm to trees and animals. This legislation still
exists today in the region.
2. Chipko Movement

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Year: 1973
Place: In Chamoli district and later at Tehri-Garhwal district of Uttarakhand.
Leaders: Sundarlal Bahuguna, Gaura Devi, Sudesha Devi, Bachni Devi, Chandi Prasad Bhatt,
Govind Singh Rawat, Dhoom Singh Negi, Shamsher Singh Bisht and Ghanasyam Raturi.
Aim: The main objective was to protect the trees on the Himalayan slopes from the axes of
contractors of the forest.
What was it all about: Mr. Bahuguna enlightened the villagers by conveying the importance of
trees in the environment which checks the erosion of soil, cause rains and provides pure air.
The women of Advani village of Tehri-Garhwal tied the sacred thread around trunks of trees
and they hugged the trees, hence it was called the ‘Chipko Movement’ or ‘hug the tree
movement’.
The main demand of the people in these protests was that the benefits of the forests (especially
the right to fodder) should go to local people. The Chipko movement gathered momentum in
1978 when the women faced police firings and other tortures.
The then state Chief Minister, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna set up a committee to look into the
matter, which eventually ruled in favour of the villagers. This became a turning point in the
history of eco-development struggles in the region and around the world.
3. Save Silent Valley Movement
Year: 1978
Place: Silent Valley, an evergreen tropical forest in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India.
Leaders: The Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) an NGO, and the poet-activist
Sughathakumari played an important role in the Silent Valley protests.
Aim: In order to protect the Silent Valley, the moist evergreen forest from being destroyed by a
hydroelectric project.
What was it all about: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) proposed a hydroelectric
dam across the Kunthipuzha River that runs through Silent Valley. In February 1973, the
Planning Commission approved the project at a cost of about Rs 25 crores. Many feared that

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the project would submerge 8.3 sq km of untouched moist evergreen forest. Several NGOs
strongly opposed the project and urged the government to abandon it.
In January 1981, bowing to unrelenting public pressure, Indira Gandhi declared that Silent
Valley will be protected. In June 1983 the Center re-examined the issue through a commission
chaired by Prof. M.G.K. Menon. In November 1983 the Silent Valley Hydroelectric Project
was called off. In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi formally inaugurated the Silent Valley
National Park.
4. Jungle Bachao Andholan
Year: 1982
Place: Singhbhum district of Bihar
Leaders: The tribals of Singhbhum.
Aim: Against governments decision to replace the natural sal forest with Teak.
What was it all about: The tribals of the Singhbhum district of Bihar started the protest when
the government decided to replace the natural sal forests with the highly-priced teak. This
move was called by many “Greed Game Political Populism”. Later this movement spread to
Jharkhand and Orissa
5. Appiko Movement
Year: 1983
Place: Uttara Kannada and Shimoga districts of Karnataka State
Leaders: Appiko’s greatest strengths lie in it being neither driven by a personality nor having
been formally institutionalised. However, it does have a facilitator in Pandurang Hegde. He
helped launch the movement in 1983.
Aim: Against the felling and commercialization of natural forest and the ruin of ancient
livelihood.
What was it all about: It can be said that the Appiko movement is the southern version of the
Chipko movement. The Appiko Movement was locally known as “Appiko Chaluvali”. The
locals embraced the trees which were to be cut by contractors of the forest department. The

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Appiko movement used various techniques to raise awareness such as foot marches in the
interior forest, slide shows, folk dances, street plays etc.
The second area of the movement’s work was to promote afforestation on denuded lands. The
movement later focused on the rational use of the ecosphere by introducing alternative energy
resource to reduce pressure on the forest. The movement became a success. The current status
of the project is – stopped.
6. Narmada Bachao Andholan (NBA)
Year: 1985
Place: Narmada River, which flows through the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra.
Leaders: Medha Patker, Baba Amte, Adivasis, farmers, environmentalists and human rights
activists.
Aim: A social movement against a number of large dams being built across
the Narmada River.
What was it all about: The movement first started as a protest for not providing proper
rehabilitation and resettlement for the people who have been displaced by the construction of
the Sardar Sarovar Dam. Later on, the movement turned its focus on the preservation of the
environment and the eco-systems of the valley. Activists also demanded the height of the dam
to be reduced to 88 m from the proposed height of 130m. World Bank withdrew from the
project.
The environmental issue was taken into court. In October 2000, the Supreme Court gave a
judgment approving the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam with a condition that the
height of the dam could be raised to 90 m. This height is much higher than the 88 m which
anti-dam activists demanded, but it is definitely lower than the proposed height of 130 m. The
project is now largely financed by the state governments and market borrowings. The project is
expected to be fully completed by 2025.

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Although not successful, as the dam could not be prevented, the NBA has created an anti-big
dam opinion in India and outside. It questioned the paradigm of development. As a democratic
movement, it followed the Gandhian way 100 per cent.
7. Tehri Dam Conflict
Year: 1990’s
Place: Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand.
Leaders: Sundarlal Bahuguna
Aim: The protest was against the displacement of town inhabitants and the environmental
consequence of the weak ecosystem.
Tehri dam attracted national attention in the 1980s and the 1990s. The major objections
include seismic sensitivity of the region, submergence of forest areas along with Tehri town
etc. Despite the support from other prominent leaders like Sunderlal Bahuguna, the movement
has failed to gather enough popular support at the national as well as international levels.

8. Earth5R Environmental Organization

Earth5R is a revolutionary platform that helps citizen volunteers and the youth create
meaningful impact, and develop leadership skills via climate actions. Earth5R is a U.N.
awardee and one among India’s leading Environmental Organizations helping the effective
implementation of U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
Earth5R is actively running programs across 53 countries with the help of 65,000+ citizen
volunteers and a network of schools, universities, NGOs, municipalities, and local
governments.
The 5Rs of Earth5R
The 5Rs of Earth5R Organization refer to 5 ethics: Respect, Reduce; Reuse, Recycle, and
Restore. These 5R's define the entire gamut of sustainable development.

Vision

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We aspire to make global change by regionally implementing an ecosystem of Circular

Economy, Citizen-led Actions and Technology for all.
Our purpose is to promote resource conservation and help communities offset their carbon
footprint while also empowering local circular economy initiatives to achieve U.N. Sustainable
Development Goals.
Mission
Our mission is to mobilize 2 billion citizens globally by the end of 2030 to take action against
climate change, with rapid restoration of our ecological community.
What Earth 5R Does to protect Environment
We create the local ecosystem of Circular Economy. Our programs include citizen engagement
through hands-on training on waste segregation and waste reduction.
We build and manage the network of Waste Recovery, Segregation, Recycling with various
stakeholders like waste pickers, recyclers, NGOs and municipality.
We constructively build and conduct a network of Waste Recovery, Segregation, and
Recycling with various stakeholders like waste pickers, recyclers, NGOs and municipalities.
Our programs strengthen the implementation of UNSDGs.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE

APPRECIATE THE EARTH5R
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 1989
“I'm impressed by the young people involved in this program who are putting in their time and
effort to take action”.

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Ouided-Bouchamaoui
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 2015
“Exceptional work by the Earth5R team. The women empowerment model that generates
livelihood while solving the plastic waste problem is a great example of a circular economy in
action”.
INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CONSERVATION
Definition of Indigenous Knowledge: For our purposes, we understand "Indigenous
Knowledge" as a term that refers to a set of complex knowledge systems based on the
worldviews of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Knowledge reflects the unique cultures,
languages, values, histories, governance and legal systems of Indigenous Peoples.
Indigenous knowledge is basically the traditional knowledge (TK) of indigenous people.
According to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO),
“Traditional knowledge (TK) is knowledge, know-how, skills and practices that are developed,
sustained and passed on from generation to generation within a community, often forming part of
its cultural or spiritual identity.”
Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) describes indigenous and other traditional knowledge
of local resources. As a field of study in Northern American anthropology, TEK refers to "a
cumulative body of knowledge, belief, and practice, evolving by accumulation of TEK and
handed down through generations through traditional songs, stories and beliefs. It is concerned
with the relationship of living beings (including human) with their traditional groups and with
their environment." It is important to note that indigenous knowledge is not a universal concept
among various societies, but is referred to a system of knowledge traditions or practices that are
heavily dependent on "place". Such knowledge is used in natural resource management as a
substitute for baseline environmental data in cases where there is little recorded scientific data, or
may complement Western scientific methods of ecological management.
The application of TEK in the field of ecological management and science is still controversial,
as methods of acquiring and collecting knowledge—although often including forms of empirical

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research and experimentation—differ from those used to create and validate scientific ecological
knowledge from a Western perspective. Non-tribal government agencies, such as the U.S. EPA,
have established integration programs with some tribal governments in order to incorporate TEK
in environmental plans and climate change tracking.
There is a debate whether Indigenous populations retain an intellectual property right over
traditional knowledge and whether use of this knowledge requires prior permission and
license. This is especially complicated because TEK is most frequently preserved as oral
tradition and as such may lack objectively confirmed documentation. As such, the same methods
that could resolve the issue of documentation to meet Western requirements may compromise
the very nature of traditional knowledge.
Traditional knowledge is used to maintain resources necessary for survival.While TEK itself, and
the communities tied to the oral tradition, may become threatened in the context of rapid climate
change or environmental degradation, TEK is proving critical for understanding the impacts of
those changes within the ecosystem.
TEK can also refer to traditional environmental knowledge which emphasizes the different
components and interactions of the environment

Conservation: Conserving Earth’s natural resources for present and future generations is
conservation. There are 4 types of conversation: Environmental Conservation, Animal
conservation, Marine Conservation, Human Conservation.
Nature conservation, or conservation ecology, is one of many methods at the forefront of
climate change mitigation. By helping conserve our natural resources, we can ensure that
generations to come will also have a thriving planet to live and grow on.
Conservation is the act of protecting Earth's natural resources for current and future generations.
Conservation is a careful preservation and protection of something

Especially: planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or

neglect

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Water conservation

Wildlife conservation
Conservation means the preservation of a physical quantity during transformations or reactions
Example Sentences
They are trying to raise money for conservation.
the conservation of the environment
She specializes in the conservation of furniture.
the conservation of religious shrines
Recent Examples on the Web
• The rest of the park is set aside for wildlife conservation. Dateline Nbc, NBC News, 7 Dec.
2022
• Over the last few years, the quick pace of environmental change has sparked a string of
scientific publications emphasizing the importance of animal culture
for conservation. Saima May Sidik, WIRED, 3 Dec. 2022
• Palisades Tahoe agreed to preserve other lands for wildlife conservation and donate money
to the Tahoe Donner Land Trust for the purchase of private land bordering the Granite
Chief Wilderness. Steve Larese, Outside Online, 29 Nov. 2022

What Is Nature Conservation?

Nature conservation is a movement that focuses on protecting natural resources and wildlife
from extinction, while also slowing down the rate of climate change and other detrimental
effects. Nature conservation ensures that there is enough biological diversity within the
planet’s ecosystems, helps establish protected areas, reduces habitat loss, and strives to prevent
further destruction.
Purpose of Nature Conservation
Conservation actions can enhance ecosystem services, encourage sustainability, and help us
maintain a healthier environment. Conservation can maintain natural resources for future

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generations to use, focusing on the well-being and longevity of our planet. Nature conservation
comes in many forms, with each one aiming to benefit all living organisms on earth.
6 Nature Conservation Methods
Conservationists and local communities can all have a hand in conserving our natural world.
Below are a few methods of nature conservation:
1. Planting trees. Each year, approximately 15 billion trees are cut down. Trees absorb
the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, converting it into breathable oxygen.
Reestablishing forests deforestation-.
2. Using alternative energy resources. Switching to solar power or geothermal
energy can help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, cutting down on the amount of
greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, while also reducing the need for mining
and drilling.
3. Establishing protected areas. Establishing protected areas (like national parks and
nature reserves) can help protect biodiversity from harmful land use and human
activities, keeping wildlife habitats and animal food resources safe.
4. Protecting biodiversity. Biodiversity ensures a healthy overall natural environment.
Conservation efforts aimed at biodiversity can be done on a local level (for example, by
encouraging native plant growth) or through legislation, like the United States’
Endangered Species Act of 1973. Federal decision making can help keep animals that
are on the brink of species extinction from completely dying out.
5. Hunting restrictions. Wildlife conservation programs establish laws limiting the time,
areas, or animal allotment for hunting and fisheries, which can help reduce the amount
of wildlife that are killed every year.
6. Proper planting. Making sure you know where your plant seeds come from can help
prevent the spread of invasive species, which can devastate indigenous crops,
threatening biodiversity.
Indigenous Knowledge and Natural Resource Management

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Indigenous peoples are great contributors to sustainable resource management. A new study
highlights how natural resource managers can improve their conservation mechanisms, by taking
into account the needs and perspectives of indigenous people.

If you were to look carefully at a map of the world, you would see that many of the most
biodiverse forests overlap with the lands of culturally distinct indigenous communities. The
lands on which they live and the natural resources on which they depend are inseparably linked
to their identities, cultures and livelihoods. Therefore, even small changes in their environment
can have dramatic impacts on their lives. With the increasing pressure of global development,
many countries are conserving these rich forest areas to protect their nature and biodiversity.
These areas are called protected areas.

Creating protected areas can increase biodiversity and benefit the ecosystem at the national or
global level. However, at the local level, conservation can come at a cost to indigenous peoples’
physical and spiritual well-being. This is the root cause of many conflicts over conservation
objectives. Several examples across the globe show that conflicts with indigenous groups
challenge the sustainability of conservation programs. Most recently, tension between large
international conservation groups and local communities has been growing. In Southeast Asia,
for example, the establishment of a protected area was recently suspended due to land use
conflicts with indigenous peoples who have been living in the area for generations. Examples
like this suggest the need for conservation strategies that better integrate the priorities of
indigenous communities.
In a recent study published in Land Use Policy, researchers investigated how indigenous
residents of a protected area experienced and perceived their rights while interacting with
authorities. They also looked at indigenous livelihood opportunities under the current
government management. The researchers conducted a study in Bosque Protector de Palo Seco

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(BPPS), located in Western Panama, to show how taking account of residents’ views and
priorities can lead to positive conservation outcomes.
During the study, the researchers collected socio-economic data through household surveys,
interviews with local people, and group discussions. They analyzed indigenous peoples’
perspective on the implementation of rights and responsibilities over resources management.
They also assessed ecological data about the extent of forest cover loss and its drivers. Finally,
they evaluated the communities’ views, needs and aspirations in terms of livelihoods,
conservation, and development.
The results show that food security is a basic concern of communities involved in conservation
activities. Interestingly, most indigenous people share a positive view of living in the protected
areas as long as protection law allows them to enjoy the available benefits from the forests.
However, the researchers found that it is critical to establish shared rules that are clear about
sustainable natural resource use and conservation. The local context and perceptions of
indigenous people may change from area to area. But the study proves that focusing on the
perceived local needs, such as food security, and indigenous priorities is a universally helpful
way to inform conservation strategies.
This research highlights the importance of balancing human needs with conservation objectives
by taking the perspectives of indigenous peoples into account. Establishing shared rules between
indigenous people and governments on what activities should be permitted, restricted or
prohibited, could lead to more equitable, and more successful, conservation programs.

Indigenous knowledge and Environment Protection

Currently, India stands out at the Global Environment Performance Index due to an enhanced
rate of air, water, and land pollution. The emergence of industrialization and urbanization
brutally impact the environment around us. The loss of biodiversity due to such constant
transformation has become a global concern. Around the world, people have initiated countless
measures to promote alternatives to protect the environment.

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Contrarily, in many parts of India, indigenous people have inherited the tradition of love and
duty of protecting nature through ages. The proponents of the rich traditional knowledge
associated customs of intimate contact and a sense of belonging towards their habitat. Indigenous
knowledge contributes to biodiversity conservation, maintenance, and restoration of ecosystems,
sustainable water management, tropical ecological restoration and management of other
resources. Conservation and management of plants and animals is not a new concept for the
indigenous communities. Today, in the world full of ecological crisis, it is important for us to
understand and encourage such contribution.
There are many ways in which traditional communities are helpers in combating environmental
degradation and climate change.
Traditional Agro-Economics
Traditional farming practices are sustainable and innovative. Techniques used for cultivation are
economically viable and safeguards land dilapidation. The sustainable lifestyle, local diet, and
dependence on rain-fed irrigation have influenced local communities to cultivate and conserve
traditional cultivars and landraces. By selecting and conserving the seeds from one season to the
next helps conserve the biodiversity and be self-reliant in sustaining. For example, an indigenous
community in India uses a mixed cropping system to prevent soil erosion.
Traditional Medicine and HealthCare System
The traditional health care practices involve the usage of the plants, leaves, fruits, mineral, herbs
and other resources with healing properties. These practices are holistic in nature and effective as
well. Many of such practices are also considered better than allopathic medicines available in the
market with mostly causing side effects after longer usage. Other than the medication in any
form, exercises and postures are also included in such a health care system. Instances of usage of
such traditional medicines and methods can be explored from many ancient scriptures available
in many languages. The easy access to such practices not only helps in health care but continues
usage also facilitates in conserving significant biodiversity around.

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Conserving Flora and Fauna (वनस्पतियों और जीवों का संरक्षण)

The practice of using the leaves of the neem tree as a mosquito repellant and coffee beans
produced from a type of an animal are some popular illustrations of handy ways to involve
nature into our lifestyles. Other instances like one of the indigenous communities predominantly
utilize dry leaves of pine trees to get stable organic production and sustain agro-ecosystem. The
womenfolk of this tribe collect the dry leaves of both these trees. Adding on, these communities
are involved in protecting animals around the vicinity as part of their customs and practices.
Traditional Methods for the Weather Forecast
Sounds and change in water-flow, the direction of the wind and behavioral change in wildlife are
some of the famous methods adopted by traditional communities to predict the time and weather.
Traditional Religious Beliefs
Religious beliefs and practices attached to trees, rivers and sacred groves play a huge role in
protecting biodiversity. Religious practices followed by these communities have not only helped
in maintaining ecological balance but also conserving the biodiversity. Sacred groves are found
all over India especially in regions where indigenous communities reside and are managed by
them on traditional and religious grounds. For instance, there are many tribes that consider
forestlands, ponds, and lakes to be sacred in nature and are also prohibited for the commons to
visit.
Nowadays traditional knowledge systems have been traded with the modern changes in the
lifestyles. The displacement of native communities specifically from the forests due to
development planning related to the construction of dams, bridges, highways, national parks,
railways or due to mining activities have led to the deterioration and extinction of traditional
knowledge.
At the same time, there are prominent the patent claims for the usage of neem and turmeric. Such
cases of misappropriation confirm the need for stronger legal awareness amongst the traditional
communities as well as protection of such invaluable knowledge. Such acts of bio-piracy raise a
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need to prevent exploitation. In a situation like these, we need to promote these communities and
their contribution towards protecting our environment as it is vital to evolve mechanisms so that
these systems benefit the community at large.

How indigenous knowledge can

help prevent environmental crises

Indigenous knowledge refers to the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and
local communities around the world. Developed from experience gained over the centuries and
adapted to the local culture and environment, indigenous knowledge is transmitted orally from
generation to generation.
Indigenous knowledge and conservation management has challenges as well as
opportunities. Effective conservation management must be informed by robust information on
the status of species and their habitats of concern. In relation to human interactions, this is
generally derived from research-led scientific studies.
Many indigenous groups had their own concepts of respect for nature and stewardship long
before the conservation movement began. They have been observing environmental changes for
generations; and have recognized patterns. And this is exactly the kind of knowledge and
expertise we need, to tackle climate change and mitigate its harmful impact.
Nemonte Nenquimo has spent years fending off miners, loggers and oil companies intent on
developing the Amazon rainforest.
The leader of Ecuador's indigenous Waorani people, she famously fronted a 2019 lawsuit that
banned resource extraction on 500,000 acres of her ancestral lands — a court win that gave hope
to indigenous communities around the world.
But Nenquimo, a 2020 United Nations Champion of the Earth, isn't only hoping to save the
Waorani. By protecting the Amazon, an important store of greenhouse gases, she’s hoping to
save the planet.

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“If we allow the Amazon to be destroyed… that affects us as indigenous peoples, but it will also
affect everyone because of climate change,” says Nenquimo. “The struggle we do is for all
humanity.”
On the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, experts say governments must learn
from the environmental examples set by indigenous communities, some of which have lived in
harmony with nature for thousands of years. Otherwise, we risk accelerating the
triple planetary crisis the world faces of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
"Biodiversity loss and climate change, in combination with the unsustainable
management of resources, are pushing natural spaces around the world, from forests to
rivers to savannahs, to the breaking point,” says Siham Drissi, Biodiversity and Land
Management Programme Officer with the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP). “We absolutely need to protect, preserve and promote the traditional
knowledge, customary sustainable use and expertise of indigenous communities if we
want to halt the damage we’re doing – and ultimately save ourselves.”
If we allow the Amazon to be destroyed… that affects us as indigenous peoples, but it will also
affect everyone because of climate change.
Nenquimo Nenquimo, leader of Ecuador's indigenous Waorani people.
An ailing Earth
The planet is home to more than 476 million indigenous people living in 90 countries. Together,
they own, manage or occupy about one-quarter of the world’s land. It is territory that has fared
far better than most of the rest of the Earth.
A landmark 2019 report from the United Nations-backed Intergovernmental Science-Policy
Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) found that the natural world is
declining at a pace unprecedented in human history. Some three-quarters of the planet’s dry land
has been “significantly altered” by human actions, which has imperiled crucial ecosystems,
including forests, savannahs and oceans while pushing 1 million species towards extinction.

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While environmental decline is accelerating in many indigenous communities, it has been “less
severe” than in other parts of the world, the report found.
Experts say that is due in part to centuries of traditional knowledge and, in many communities, a
prevailing view that nature is sacred. This knowledge, “encompasses practical ways to ensure the
balance of the environment in which we live, so it may continue to provide essential services
such as water, fertile soil, food, shelter and medicines,” says Drissi.
Conservation leaders
In many parts of the world, indigenous communities are at the forefront of conservation,
according to a recent report supported in part by UNEP. In the Democratic Republic of Congo,
the Bambuti-Babuluko community is helping to protect one of Central Africa’s last remaining
tracts of primary tropical forest. In Iran, the semi-nomadic Chahdegal Balouch oversee 580,000
hectares of fragile scrubland and desert. And in Canada’s far north, Inuit leaders are working
to restore caribou herds, whose numbers had been in steep decline.
Including indigenous peoples and local communities in environmental governance and drawing
from their knowledge enhances their quality of life. It also improves conservation, restoration,
and the sustainable use of nature, which benefits society at large.
Indigenous groups are often better placed than scientists to provide information on local
biodiversity and environmental ange, and are important contributors to the governance of
biodiversity at local and global levels, the IPBES report noted.
Despite that, indigenous groups often see their land exploited and dispossessed and struggle to
have a say in what happens in their territories.
“Governments need to recognize that cultural heritage and traditional knowledge of indigenous
peoples and local communities significantly contribute to conservation and can enhance national
and global action on climate change,” says Drissi.
A key part of that process, she added, is recognizing indigenous land claims and embracing
traditional ways of managing land.
Mounting threats

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Because their lives are often intimately tied to the land, indigenous communities have been
among the first to face the fallout from climate change. From the Kalahari Desert to the
Himalaya Mountains to the Amazon Rainforest, droughts, floods and fires have beset
communities already struggling with poverty and incursions onto their land. That makes it all the
more imperative for the outside world to acknowledge the rights and practices of indigenous
communities, said Nenquimo.
“The extractivists*, the capitalists, the government – they say indigenous people are
ignorant,” she says. “We, the indigenous people, know why climate change is
happening… [humanity is] damaging and destroying our planet. As indigenous people,
we must unite in a single objective: that we demand that they respect us.”
*Note: Extractivism is the process of extracting natural resources from the Earth to sell
on the world market.[1] It exists in an economy that depends primarily on the extraction
or removal of natural resources that are considered valuable for exportation worldwide.
Some examples of resources that are obtained through extraction include gold,
diamonds, lumber and oil.[1] This economic model has become popular in many Latin
American countries but is becoming increasingly prominent in other regions as well.

The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is celebrated globally on 9

August. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples requires that free, prior and
informed consent of indigenous peoples be obtained in matters of fundamental importance for
their rights, survival, dignity, and well-being. Marking the start of the UN Decade for
Ecosystems Restoration (2021-2030), UNEP is working with the UN Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues to publish work on traditional knowledge for ecosystems restoration and
resilience. UNEP has also established a policy to promote the protection of environmental
defenders, and engages religious leaders and communities to work with the indigenous peoples
to advocate for sound forest policies and the protection of the rights of its guardians through
the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative.

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India in the present scenario is rich in biodiversity. The indigenous people have helped in
conservation of bio-diversity. However, efforts for conservation have to be made in both vertical
as well as horizontal direction due to rapid industrial revolution. Conservation of diversity,
sustainable management, propagation of such valued flora and their in-situ as well as ex-situ
conservation are the need of this century. Therefore various disciplines like Genetics, Pollen
biology, Tree Breeding, Ecology, Botany, Physiology, Eco - restoration, Taxonomy, Ethno -
botany, Taxonomy, Phyto chemistry, Biometrics, Bio-stat should work at one platform and
linkages have to be established. In sacred forests as well as in localities dominated by ethnic
people needs to be served for identification of plants associated with various ethno-botanical
uses followed by phytochemical studies. Awareness campaigns and training programmes are to
be organized in tribal localities for eco-restoration and conserving floras.

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CONSERVATON

1. Role of Traditional Knowledge in Conservation
2. Traditional Knowledge
• Traditional knowledge refers to the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous
peoples. Developed from experience gained over the centuries and adapted to the local culture
and environment, traditional knowledge is often transmitted orally from generation to generation.
3. Characteristics of Traditional Knowledge
• Is generated within communities is location and culture specific
• Is the basis for decision making and survival strategies
• Is not systematically documented
• Concerns critical issues of human and animal life: primary production, human and animal
life, natural resource management.
• Is dynamic and based on innovation, adaptation, and experimentation
• Is oral and rural in nature

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4. Indigenous Knowledge
• It is the knowledge owned by indigenous individuals as they learned it by the experience of
many years
• It includes facts, concepts, theories about the characteristics which describe the objects, events,
behaviors and interconnections that comprise both the animate and inanimate environments of
Indigenous peoples.
• Even though Indigenous knowledge is not quantitative in nature, it does not mean that it is not
precise.
5. Characteristics of indigenous Knowledge
• Holistic, specific, and situated knowledge
• Specific to a particular place
• Accumulation of observations of places, processes and relations over time
• Connected to continually of resource use, occupation, as well as maintenance of language and
culture
• Knowledge held collectively, with different people possessing different knowledge (such as
different ages, gender, genealogy, occupation)
• Knowledge transfer often through oral transmission (and involvement in specific activities)
• Collective nature of knowledge means that disruption of access to resources, loss of
sovereignty rights, loss of people and language (linked to colonization and globalization)
negatively affects IK
6. Role and Value of TK
• There is today a growing appreciation of the value of traditional knowledge. This knowledge is
valuable not only to those who depend on it in their daily lives, but to modern industry and
agriculture as well
. • Many widely used products, such as plant-based medicines, health products and cosmetics,
are derived from traditional knowledge. Other valuable products based on traditional knowledge
include agricultural and non-wood forest products as well as handicraft.

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7. Its Role in conservation of Biodiversity

• Traditional knowledge can make a significant contribution to sustainable development. Most
indigenous and local communities are situated in areas where the vast majority of the world’s
genetic resources are found.
• Many of them have cultivated and used biological diversity in a sustainable way for thousands
of years. Some of their practices have been proven to enhance and promote biodiversity at the
local level and aid in maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, the contribution of indigenous
and local communities to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity goes far
beyond their role as natural resource managers.
• Their skills and techniques provide valuable information to the global community and a useful
model for biodiversity policies. Furthermore, as on-site communities with extensive knowledge
of local environments, indigenous and local communities are most directly involved with
conservation and sustainable use.
8. Role of indigenous Communities
• Indigenous peoples have been responsible stewards of their lands and resources for thousands
of years. ... For example, a significant fraction of the world’s protected areas, the principal tool
for biodiversity conservation, is found within or overlaps with indigenous lands, territories and
resources.
• There are 90 countries that have the indigenous communities.
9. Protection of Traditional Knowledge
There are various methods through which TK can be protected:
a) Positive Protection: Positive protection means protecting TK by way of enacting laws, rules
and regulations, access and benefit sharing provisions, royalties etc.
B) Defensive Mechanism:. Defensive Mechanism means steps taken to prevent acquisition of
intellectual property rights over traditional/Indigenous knowledge.
There are 4 ways to protect intellectual property rights:
 Copyrights

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 Trademarks
 Patents
 Trade secrets
These are the four primary types of intellectual property protection.
Determining the best way to protect Intellectual Property can be complex. This can be especially
true in highly technical areas like industrial design or computer algorithms.

Example: Someone who writes and markets new computer programs may need to copyright and
patent the code and algorithms, as well as register a trademark for marketing them.

Deciding on Intellectual Property Protection takes careful consideration, so an intellectual

property attorney can ease your mind and help make sure your property is fully protected.
There are 4 Tips for Protecting Intellectual Property
Protecting your intellectual property is a means to secure an economic advantage for your
business and make sure you can defend your unique ideas, products, and services. The best way
to protect IP is to register it with the government and enforce your ownership rights. Beyond
registration and enforcement, you can protect certain types of intellectual property by:
 Documenting your discoveries
 Using digital rights management
 Opting for strong nondisclosure agreements
 Creating strong access credentials
Indigenous peoples and the nature they protect

States have these 13 duties when it comes to biodiversity and human rights
1. Address biodiversity and habitat loss and prevent their negative impacts on human
rights.
2. Guarantee equality and non-discrimination

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3. Protect the rights of indigenous peoples

4. Protect environmental human rights defenders
5. Ensure equity in actions to address biodiversity loss and in the use of the benefits of
biodiversity
6. Ensure meaningful and informed participation, including inland and resource
governance
7. Ensure accountability and effective remedy for human rights harms caused by
biodiversity and habitat loss
8. Protect against business-related human rights harms from biodiversity loss
9. Ensure regional and international cooperation
10. Effectively mobilize adequate resources to prevent human rights harms caused by
biodiversity loss
11. Guarantee that everyone enjoys the benefits of science and its applications
12. Ensure education with respect for nature
13. Respect and protect nature for all its values

Unprecedented biodiversity loss, pollution, climate change and the rise of zoonotic diseases have
showcased the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. The human right to a safe,
clean, healthy and sustainable environment, as well as other human rights, can only be realized
where biodiversity thrives and ecosystems are healthy.

State obligations at the intersection of human rights and biodiversity come from international
human rights laws, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and
the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). According to these commitments and the
responsibilities they encompass, states are obliged to do the above mentioned 13 key things.

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