environmental problem - it's a definite change of the natural environment as a result of human impact, leading to the failure of the structure and functioning of natural systems (landscapes), and leading to negative economic, social or other consequences.This concept - anthropocentric as negative transformation in the nature of estimate on the conditions of human existence.
Classification
Earth Environmental problems associated with disorders of the landscape components, conventionally divided into six categories:
- atmospheric (thermal, radiological, mechanical or chemical pollution);
- water (contamination of the oceans and seas, as the depletion of groundwater and surface water);
- geological and geomorphological (activation of negative geological and geomorphological processes, strain relief and geological structure);
- soil (contamination of soil salinization, erosion, deflation, water logging, and so on. N.);
- biotic (degradation of vegetation and forests, reducing the diversity of species, pasture digression, and so on. D.);
- landscape (integrated) - deterioration of biodiversity, desertification, crashing an established regime of protected areas, and so on. N.
By major changes to the ecology of nature are isolated problems and situations:
- Landscape genetic. arise as a result of the loss of genetic resources and unique natural sites, compromising the integrity of the landscape.
- anthropoecological. consider relative changes in living conditions and health.
- Natural-resource. associated with the loss or depletion of natural resources, worsen the process of economic activity in the affected area.
additional division
Ecological problems of nature but of the above options can be classified as follows:
- As the main cause - ecological transport, industrial, hydraulic.
- For sharpness - not sharp, moderately sharp, sharp, very sharp.
- According to the complexity - simple, complex, complicated.
- On solvability - decides to solve difficult, almost impossible.
- to reach the affected areas - local, regional, planetary.
- On time - short, long, almost disappearing.
- coverage of the region - the problem of the north of Russia, the Ural mountains, tundra, and so on. N.
consequence of active urban
city called socio-demographic and economic system that has territorial complexes of means of production, a permanent population, artificially created habitatand established form of social organization.
The present stage of human development is characterized by the rapid growth in the number and size of settlements.Especially intensively increasing number of large cities from one hundred thousand people.They take up about one percent of the entire land area of the planet, but their impact on the global economy and the natural environment really great.It is rooted in their activities the main causes of environmental problems.In these limited areas inhabited by more than 45% of the world's population, produces about 80% of all emissions that pollute the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
Urban environmental problems, especially large, much more difficult to solve.The larger the town, the substantially transformed the natural conditions.When compared to rural areas, in most megacities environmental living conditions significantly worse.
According to Reimer environmentalist, environmental problems - is any phenomenon associated with the impact on nature and reversibility of the impact of nature on people and their vital processes.
Nature and landscape problems of the city
These negative changes are mostly related to the degradation of the landscape of big cities.Under the major cities and towns changed all components - groundwater and surface water, topography and geological structure, flora and fauna, soil cover, climatic features.Urban environmental problems lie in the fact that all living components of the system are starting to adapt to the rapidly changing environment, which leads to a reduction in species diversity and reducing the area of terrestrial plants.
Resource and economic problems
They are related to the huge scale of the use of natural resources, their processing and producing toxic wastes.Causes of environmental problems - human intervention in the natural landscape in the process of urban development and thoughtless waste.
Anthropological problems
environmental problem - it's not only negative changes in natural systems.It can also consist of deteriorating health of the urban population.Reduced quality of the urban environment entails the emergence of various diseases.The nature and the biological properties of the people who have not formed within a millennium may not change as quickly as the world around them.Discrepancies between these processes often lead to conflict between the environment and human nature.
Considering the causes of environmental problems, we note that the most important of them is the impossibility of rapid adaptation of organisms to the conditions of the environment, and yet adaptation - it is one of the main qualities of all living things.Attempts to influence the speed of this process does not lead to anything good.
Climate
environmental problem - it is the result of interaction between nature and society, which can lead to global catastrophe.Currently, there are on this planet following an extremely negative changes:
- Huge amount of waste - 81% - into the atmosphere.
- more than ten million square kilometers of land is eroded and opustyneno.
- Changes the composition of the atmosphere.
- Violated the density of the ozone layer (for example, a hole appeared over Antarctica).
- Over the last ten years has disappeared from the face of the earth 180 million hectares of forest.
- As a result of pollution of the oceans height of its waters annually increased by two millimeters.
- There is a constant increase in the consumption of natural resources.
As scientists estimate, the biosphere is able to fully compensate for the human disturbance of natural processes, if the consumption of primary production will not exceed one percent of the total, but now the figure is closer to ten percent.Expansion capabilities of the biosphere is hopelessly compromised, as a consequence, the planet's ecology is deteriorating constantly.
environmentally acceptable energy consumption called threshold figure of 1 TWh / year.However, it is substantially exceeded, therefore destroyed the advantageous properties of the environment.In fact, we can talk about the beginning of the third world war, which is against the nature of humanity.It's clear that the winners in this opposition simply can not be.
disappointing prospects
development of global ecological crisis associated with the rapid growth of world population.In order to ensure increasing needs must be three times lower consumption of natural resources in countries with high levels of development and contribute to improving the well-being of the individual states.The upper allowable feature - twelve billion people.If people on the planet will be more then three to five billion are simply doomed to die of thirst and hunger each year.
Examples of environmental problems on a planetary scale
Development "greenhouse effect" has recently become more and more threatening for the Earth process.As a result, changing the heat balance of the planet and increase the average temperature.The culprits are the problems of "greenhouse" gases, especially carbon dioxide.The consequence of global warming is the gradual melting of snow and glaciers, which in turn leads to an increase in the water level of the oceans.
Acid rain
The main culprit of this negative phenomenon recognized as sulfur dioxide.The area of the negative effects of acidic precipitation is wide.They are already severely affected many ecosystems, but most damage is applied to plants.As a result, humanity may face a massive loss phytocenoses.
Lack of fresh water
shortage of fresh water in some regions there is because of the active development of agriculture and public utilities as well as industry.An important role is played here, rather than quantity, and quality of natural resources.
deterioration of the "lungs" of the planet
thoughtless destruction, deforestation and unsustainable use of forest resources led to the emergence of another major environmental problem.Scaffolding is known to provide the absorption of carbon dioxide, the "greenhouse" and produce oxygen.For example, with one ton of the vegetation released from 1.1 to 1.3 tons of oxygen in the atmosphere.
ozone layer under attack
destruction of the ozone layer of our planet is primarily associated with the use of CFCs.These gases are used in the assembly of refrigeration units and a variety of cartridges.Scientists have found that in the upper atmosphere ozone layer thickness decreases.A striking example is the problem of the ozone hole over Antarctica, an area which is constantly growing and has gone beyond the borders of the continent.
address global environmental issues
Do mankind to avoid catastrophe global scale?Yes.But it needs to take concrete steps.
- At the legislative level to establish clear rules of nature.
- actively apply centralized measures to protect the environment.It may be, for example, uniform international rules and standards for the protection of climate, forests, the oceans, the atmosphere, etc.
- Centrally planned comprehensive restoration work to solve environmental problems of the region, city, town and other specific objects.
- Foster environmental awareness and promote the moral development of the individual.
Conclusion
Technical progress is gaining speed, there is a constant improvement in production processes, modernization of equipment, introduction of innovative technologies in various spheres.However, only a tiny part of the innovation concerns the protection of the environment.
very important to understand that only the complex interaction of all social groups and the state will help to improve the ecological situation on the planet.It's time to look back to realize what awaits us in the future.
