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A Comprehensive Report on Environmental Sustainability: A Global

Perspective

Article in International Journal of Environment and Climate Change · October 2023

DOI: 10.9734/ijecc/2023/v13i113283

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 International Journal of Environment and Climate Change

Volume 13, Issue 11, Page 1310-1316, 2023; Article no.IJECC.107209

ISSN: 2581-8627
(Past name: British Journal of Environment & Climate Change, Past ISSN: 2231–4784)

A Comprehensive Report on
Environmental Sustainability:
A Global Perspective
P. R. Kumaresan a, Narmada Hidangmayum b*,
Akhilesh Singh c++, Deny Yadav d#, Shabnam e†, Brajendra f‡,
Arambam Bebina Devi g^ and Asmatullah h##
a
Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science
and Technology, Ramapuram Campus, Chennai – 600089, Tamil Nadu, India.
b
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Community Science, Central
Agriculture University, Imphal, Tura, Meghalaya, India.
c
RVSKVV, Gwalior-474002, India.
d
Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Delhi-110007, India.
e
Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.
f
ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030, Telangana, India.
g
UGC-SRF, Department of Adult Continuing Education and Extension, Manipur University,
Manipur-795003, India.
h
Department of Civil Engineering, Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology (CBIT), Hyderabad,
India.

Authors’ contributions

This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. All authors read and approved the final
manuscript.
Article Information
DOI: 10.9734/IJECC/2023/v13i113283

Open Peer Review History:

This journal follows the Advanced Open Peer Review policy. Identity of the Reviewers, Editor(s) and additional Reviewers, peer
review comments, different versions of the manuscript, comments of the editors, etc are available here:
https://www.sdiarticle5.com/review-history/107209

Received: 29/07/2023
Accepted: 06/10/2023
Short Communication
Published: 20/10/2023

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
++
Scientist (Agril. Engg.);
#
B. Sc (Biotechnology), M.A., M. Phil (Research Scholar);
†
Scientist (Soil Science);
‡
Principal Scientist;
^
MA (Adult Education), PhD (Adult Education);
##
Bachelor of Technology;
*Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected];

Int. J. Environ. Clim. Change, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 1310-1316, 2023
 Kumaresan et al.; Int. J. Environ. Clim. Change, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 1310-1316, 2023; Article no.IJECC.107209

ABSTRACT

In the last three decades, protecting the earth's environment has become a major challenge in
international relations. Hundreds of regional and bilateral agreements, as well as at least ten global
environmental agreements, were negotiated. Environmentalism can be seen as a social movement
that seeks to influence jobs and education to conserve natural resources and ecosystems.
Concerns for environmental protection have emerged in various forms in various parts of the world
throughout history. The environmental movement is a diverse scientific, social and political
movement. The movement is committed to ecology, health and human rights while accepting
people as workers in the ecosystem. Today, it is generally accepted that environmental protection
is a part of national policies and plans. The accepted standard to achieve this reduction target is
"sustainable development". In fact, all existing laws and policies on environmental protection and
human development, at the national or international level, aim at achieving "sustainable
development". Despite the great environmental protection that humans have used in the past three
decades, global warming has not reduced the occurrence of anomalous atmospheric phenomena
due to scientific knowledge and available technology. Although many environmental policies and
action plans have been negotiated over the past three decades, significant gaps remain in
international environmental policy law. The framework has not yet become a method or method.
Rather, each is a collection of commitments related to a democratic international or regional
environmental issue. Nature has become negative by affecting the climate on the one hand and the
health and safety of all living and non-living beings on the other. The ecosystem resonates with
abnormal noise, vibration, dust and smoke from human activities. These events remind people that
the environment must be protected with all enthusiasm and energy no matter what. Given the
progress we have made in destroying the earth's environment, future global environmental efforts
will focus more on environmental restoration than conservation. Human rights will also provide
important opportunities for better protection of the environment.

Keywords: Environment; human rights; sustainable development.

1. INTRODUCTION intergenerational equity” [3,4]. “Sustainability is

an important aspect of human
The environment is the basis of life on this earth, development. Human development is the
it not only guides but also determines the process of expanding the spectrum of human
survival, growth and development of people and choices. But this development must be for the
all their activities. The word "environment" present and future generations, not
etymologically refers to the environment. In fact, for the next generation. Environment Education
it is an English word consisting of two words refers to the study of the environment and its
"enviro" and "MENT" meaning "to influence" or changes, environmental damage and its
"the whole environment". Therefore, the different types, types of environmental damage
environment is a complex of many variables and their effects on human life. In India, as in
around humans and all living organisms. “An other parts of the world, uncontrolled
external force, material, or circumstance that growth and environmental degradation have
surrounds and influences the life of the organism reached an alarming rate affecting most Indian
in any way and becomes one of its environment. cities and a large part of the population” [5]. “The
Environmental studies are necessary to important question that we face today is whether
understand the environment, ecology and its we can allow the environment to be destroyed, to
impact on humans. The environment is the cause the extinction of living things, to be
master of life on earth” [1,2]. “It is necessary not counted with the people of this world.
only for growth, but also for life on earth. Although deforestation, conflict, pollution of water
According to the United Nations report, and other water resources, and air pollution and
"sustainable development means meeting the noise are increasing rapidly, environmental
needs of the present without compromising the damage Disasters can also be avoided
ability and potential of future generations." Thus, with appropriate policies and management”
it means that there is equity and [6,7].

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“Humanity is constantly changing the form and 2. WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL

type of interaction with the environment at an SUSTAINABILITY?
increasing rate. Natural processes and features
that depend on the structure and other features Environmental sustainability is about ecological
of the world are associated with social processes balance. Humans have been carbonizing our
and features that depend on the structure and planet for nearly two millennia, causing global
other characteristics of our community” [8,9]. In climate change. According to the United
ancient Indian scriptures, "nature" or Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
"environment" is considered the regulator of all Change (IPCC), the agency responsible for the
human activities, including economic scientific assessment of climate change, it is
development. After the Industrial Revolution, undeniable that human activities are affecting the
followed by the transportation revolution and earth by warming the air, oceans and soil. As we
urbanization, the environment began to continue to see the negative effects of climate
deteriorate, which led to the idea of sustainable change, more and more governments,
development [10,11]. The sudden interest in organizations and individuals are accepting and
sustainable development is a clear response to supporting environmental sustainability. These
warnings that the world will face environmental diverse groups are working towards the lofty goal
destruction and destruction in the future unless of decarbonizing our planet in order to preserve
people change some of the practices and our planet's ecosystems for the benefit of future
attitudes that have led to the current crisis. This generations. Environmental sustainability is the
crisis is caused by the poisoning of our rivers, ability to maintain ecological balance in our
seas and groundwater, ozone depletion, global natural environment and to conserve natural
warming, rapid animal deaths, mass resources to support the health of current and
deforestation and land development rapid future generations [8-21].
population growth and uncontrolled urbanization
and its effects and causes social problems.

Social sustainability Economic sustainability Environmental sustainability

Fig. 1. Three spheres of sustainability

Source: The Three Pillars of Sustainability (University of Michigan... | Download Scientific Diagram
(researchgate.net)

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3. THE THREE PILLARS OF agreement is to reduce carbon emissions

SUSTAINABILITY enough to limit the rise in global temperature to 2
degrees Celsius below pre industrial levels - with
3.1 Social Sustainability the aim of reducing the increase to below 1.5
degrees Celsius [12-14]. In recent years, many
For businesses, it includes important workplace organizations have made environmental
and employee issues such as health and safety, sustainability a priority, increasing their efforts to
including social security, motivation, performance reduce carbon emissions, reduce and eliminate
improvement work, and work-life balance. waste, and reduce water use.

3.2 Economic Sustainability 5. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

IMPORTANT?
While this post seems to focus on an
organization's ability to generate profits over its Environmental sustainability is important for the
lifetime, business sustainability isn't just financial. health of present and future generations. Climate
A sustainable business organization is one that change has brought many environmental, social
can increase revenue and sustain business over and economic challenges to countries around the
the long term without affecting the community, world. From global warming and more extreme
the environment, or the health and well-being of weather to more severe storms, fires and floods,
its employees. the effects of climate change have become more
pronounced in recent decades. As people and
3.3 Environmental Sustainability ecosystems around the world suffer from the
devastating effects of climate change, many
This post is to protect the environment for future people, communities and organizations around
generations. Environmentally sustainable the world support the environment and making
organizations are taking steps to increase values becomes important. These efforts will
efficiency, reduce resource use and waste, and enable us to decarbonize the world and conserve
measure and monitor carbon emissions natural resources to support the health and well-
throughout the supply chain. Many organizations being of future generations. For organizations,
today are becoming eco-friendly using new environmental sustainability is not only good for
technologies, including cloud and IoT sustainable the environment, but also good for business. By
solutions that allow them to monitor and mitigate advocating for sustainability and offering
their impact environments. programs that promote a healthy environment,
organizations in all industries can build trust,
4. BRIEF HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL strengthen users' product loyalty and increase
SUSTAINABILITY employee satisfaction. Environmental
sustainability is no longer a corporate luxury, it is
In 1969, the United States created the first now a social responsibility [15].
national treaty for environmental protection with
the enactment of the National Environmental 6. ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES FOR
Policy Act (NEPA). According to the U.S. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under GOOD GOVERNANCE
NEPA, it is U.S. policy to "create and maintain
conditions in which people and nature live in The world's 6 billion people are not only
harmony" to meet social quality, business, and disrupting and destroying natural ecosystems,
other requirements and present and future but also destroying the world's ability to support
generations. In the decade since the passage of population growth and needs. Therefore,
NEPA, global public interest in environmental achieving sustainable and balanced development
sustainability has continued to grow as countries is still the most difficult for humanity. Despite
around the world compete with the growth of great progress over the past few decades, our
climate change. In 2015, 196 parties adopted the failure to address poverty and inequality in
Paris Agreement at the international security access to the resources needed to improve lives,
conference called the COP (Conference of the education, healthcare, infrastructure, land and
Parties). According to the United Nations, the credit is still a concern [16,17]. Although
Paris Agreement is an international legal development is about improving livelihoods,
agreement signed by almost every country in the improving livelihoods, improving education,
world to combat climate change. The aim of the

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health, and improving the health of people when issues should be interrelated and people related
considering relationships with everyone, despite [15,16,18].
the success of these indicators, it is possible to
say that development has an impact on health 8. CONCLUSION
being human (a) The human impact on climate
has been enormous recently and anthropogenic People balance various situations to better meet
emissions are the cause of environmental their needs without understanding their pain.
problems. Emissions of nearly all greenhouse Natural resources are becoming scarce due to
gases continue to rise (b) Ground-level ozone, unethical and unplanned actions of humans.
smog, and particulate matter have become a While rapid industrialization, technological
serious health hazard in both developed and advancement of human life and scientific
developing countries, causing respiratory and development have made people's lives more
heart problems, especially in children, the comfortable, they have also created new and
elderly, and those with strong asthma, such as various pollution problems and new diseases. In
asthma. (c) Overuse of many surface water the blind society of development, people forget to
bodies and major rivers that provide water for pay attention to the side effects of environmental
agriculture and domestic use has resulted in pollution. The need of the hour is to prepare
countries facing water shortages and scarcity.(d) environmental education strategies to protect our
The world's biodiversity is increasingly environment. Environmental awareness is a
threatened. (e) Land degradation continues to must. It can be concluded that the complexity of
increase, especially in developing countries. (f) life in today's world puts pressure on natural
Many remaining forest areas are degraded and resources. It is out of context to say that the
fragmented. (g) Inadequate vehicle maintenance world is on the verge of a sword. An additional
(h) Improper use of vehicle and motor fuel. impact of ecological dynamics is dangerous and
endless. While modernization permeates almost
7. STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE every aspect of our social life, we are not
GOOD GOVERNANCE responsible, enlightened and awakened. Our
responsibility towards nature goes far beyond
Sustainability cannot be achieved without good being a good friend. Let's work together to make
governance. The 2001 Johannesburg World the future better and make the world a better
Summit on Sustainable Development noted that place. Environmental policy should be taken from
governance and sustainable development are things like cooperation with the management of
closely related and that the role and structure of natural resources. It is not possible to follow the
future institutions, from regions to the world, will old saying that the mind of the state is the best.
be key to the success of developing security and Cultivation, soil management, park protection,
future plans. Management and Sustainability water management, sanitation, drainage and
examines the possibility of integrating the flood protection services are needed. In
environmental, social and economic aspects of conclusion, environmental sustainability is a
sustainable development into the management complex and multifaceted issue that requires a
process and explores how this can make the broad and global perspective to be addressed
community safe. The aim of ecological properly. Through initiatives such as the United
sustainability is to improve human health or Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the
quality of life without sacrificing life support. Paris Agreement, as well as the actions of
Developed and developing countries have governments, businesses and individuals, we
different levels of technological and economic can work towards a more sustainable future for
development, and sustainable development ourselves and future generations.
measures may differ. However, developing
countries such as India can focus on (a) 9. RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGES-
maintaining sanitation and hygiene and TIONS
employing people (b) ensuring safety through
information and evidence of hazards (c) 9.1 Global Action
supporting trees (d) identifying alternatives based
on local resources (e) environmental education In addition to government level action, measures
(f) Promote the use of products (g) Promote by local people, polluters and international
environmental products wherever possible (h) platforms will also be important. Developing
Encourage the use of organic fertilizers and other countries may return to monitor the poverty and
biotechnologies(i) Environmental management, degradation of types of natural resources in
sustainable development (j) All environmental developing countries.

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9.2 Collective Action The goal of environmental protection should be

in harmony with the basic goals of peace and
One of the tools of environmental policy will be development in international relations and the
the cooperation of polluters and economy. (f) Achieving environmental goals
will affect the community to reduce pollution. requires citizens and communities at all levels,
including businesses and organizations, to take
9.3 Information and Communication responsibility for pre-shaping the future
environment of the earth. Local and national
Ignorance is a major obstacle to finding a governments bear the greatest burden for the
solution. It was agreed that international projects important environmental regulations and actions
should fill the gap of knowledge in some areas in their legislation. International cooperation is
related to the environment. essential to mobilize resources to support
developing countries in fulfilling their
9.4 Conservation of Natural Resources responsibilities in this area. Environmental
Justice can provide long-term solutions to all
Recyclability provides virgin polymers where no environmental aspects of human life.
resources are wasted. Recycling is very difficult Environmental justice can be achieved when the
nowadays. In addition to recycling, polymer state, judges, and officials work in harmony and
composites provide us with valuable properties commit to achieving the desired goals.
that currently cannot obtain from natural
materials such as metal and wood. COMPETING INTERESTS
Authors have declared that no competing
9.5 Renewable Energy interests exist.

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