OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:

The role objective of the project is to help the society regarding the various risk associated with the environment. Study of global environmental risk and environment is only the task where we study the affect of the earth by the environment. As our understanding of environmental threats deepens and broadens, it is increasingly clear that many environmental issues cannot be understood, analyzed, or acted on simply. The multifaceted relationships between human beings, social and political institutions, and the physical environment in which they are situated extend across disciplines as well as geopolitical confines and cannot be analyzed or resolved in isolation. This project addresses the increasingly complex questions of how societies come to understand, confront, and cope with both the sources and the manifestations of present and potential environmental threats. Works in the project may focus on matters political, scientific, technical, social, or economic.

Page | 1

Introduction
We are all trying to live a life which is finally unknowable, a backdrop of societal risks. In our day to day lives, no one even not the most privileged/ no one has the power of controlling the cluster of risks which arise today even if it would be in a world of advance technology, science and multinational organizations. From our daily directory concerns to stock market crashes, from worries about polluted air, to terrorist attacks the risk climate of our world today is one of the endless task and it is bound up with increased specialist knowledge and selfproclaimed experts in risk management about the future. It is now widely agreed by social theorists & has become a central organizing category of both the personal and public domains. Every attempt of risk seems to breed only further risks. Consideration and calculation of risk-taking and risk-management can never be fully complete or secure. Since, they are always unforeseen and unintended aspects of risk environments especially. This is true at the land of global hazards. Ex: Industrial, Technological, Chemical and Nuclear Damages.

Page | 2

Global Environmental Risk

Nature: The earth summit, the Kyoto Convention of 1997, focused on atmosphere, human beings induced/ have the potential to alter the conditions of the earth system. Ex: Climate Change, Stratospheric, Ozone depletion and Loss of Biodiversity. Global community focuses on greenhouse warming is a great threat to environmental system. Change: Global Environmental Change is represented by Climate Change is of two types. (I). Systematic: It can only affect its environmental characteristics, even the global system itself. (II).Cumulative Environmental Change: Global environmental change refers to the accumulation of regional and localized changes that are distributed widely throughout the world. Such changes not only involve the degradation of ecosystem, such as coral reefs, ground water resources or rain forests but also the entail accumulating contamination of air, water, land and as well as mounting deforestation and loss of soil under the pressures of increasing population, economic growth and the global value of high consumption. It represents problems in human society. These two changes are widely diffuse and often unmeasured.

Page | 3

Global Risk and Environment

Definition:- Global environmental risk is about threat and it is also about opportunity. On the one hand, stratospheric Ozone depletion, potential global warming and the loss of bio and cultural diversity singular human capacity to transform perhaps the planet on which human depend. Global environmental risk also involves the recognition that the biosphere is both fragile and resilient. Fragile means of what people supports their life of present and future, their values, interactions which could easily transformed / lost with nature. But resilient tells us about the planet that it has an enormous capacity to absorb, abuse and to recover and that human society are often enormously adaptive. Global environmental risk is about finding new path ways for ongoing destructive human activity and for creating a life sustaining planet. It also brings about analysis of powerful risk concepts, methodologies and experience. At the same time, it tells us about how global environmental risk pose new challenges and fundamental problems. Global Risks is about the ability to identifying and characterize threats and the capability of societies to address the management challenges/ accepting the challenges. The particularity of this Global Risks report is that it considers risks that are global in their nature and impact, such that they would have a widespread impact should they play out. The criteria for what constitutes a global risk have been set as follows:

Page | 4

Characteristics
Global Scope: To be considered global, a risk should have the potential to affect (including both primary and secondary impact) at least three world regions in at least two different continents. While these risks may have regional or even local origin, their impact can potentially be felt globally. Cross-Industry Relevance: The risk has to affect three or more industries (including both primary and secondary impact). Uncertainty: There is uncertainty about how the risk manifests itself within ten years combined with uncertainty about the magnitude of its impact (assessed in terms of likelihood and severity). Economic Impact: The risk has the potential to cause economic damage of at 10 billion US$ or more; and/or Public Impact: The risk has the potential to cause major human suffering and to trigger considerable public pressure and global policy responses. Multi-Stakeholder Approach: The risks complexity both in terms of its effects and its drivers as well as its inter-linkages with other risks requires a multi-stakeholder approach for its mitigation. Global catastrophic risks are risks which would have seriously damaging effects on global human civilization. It is not necessarily Existential risks, but many global catastrophic risk scenarios could pose or have the potential to pose an existential threat. It includes Pandemics, super volcanoes, Global warming, Climate chaos, biodiversity, Space war, Nuclear war, Cyber war, Artificial general intelligence, Nano technology Biotechnology etc..

Page | 5

ULRICH BECKS CONCEPTION OF RISK SOCIETY

Introduction: Becks analysis of the Risk Society suggests about the centralized institutions such as National Governments and fundamentally incapable of responding to contemporary environmental and risk issues/concerns. Instead, these institutions are largely trapped have been generated the current crisis for modernity. Therefore, Becks argument is that the challenges which are faced currently by a mere reorientation of current policy directions and patterns of technological development cannot be resolved. There are a wide number of other areas- such as gender and the family the workplace, class relations and our treatment of risk and the environment issueswhich are the major problems that are being generated. These problems have no immediate/ obvious solution. But instead they provide a new source of doubt, uncertainty and confusion. Two Major Concept: By risks Beck starts with two things. First he means the physical hazards that can destroy life radioactivity, toxins, pollutants which are invisible dangers that threaten us all. Example: Chernobyl and Bhopal are two obvious cases. Secondly he means, that there are social and cultural insecurities such as: sex, work, the street, marriage, childhood etc. For Beck, the process of modernity becomes/ is reflexive. There are many/ various problems and constraints of everyday life which are no longer externally imposed by the natural world and its limited resources. Beck talked about the rationalization which brought about rationalization, which brought about transformations by Classical modernity. In both cases rationalization refers to transformations in the relationship between our style of thought& our way of life.

Page | 6

He also talked about the process of Individualisation means- we are each obliged to reflect upon our personal experiences and should make our own decision about how we wish/ love/want to live. Problems: Nuclear power represents especially an clear example of the scientific phenomenon. Ex- Scientific development produced the Chernobyl: which represents that we depend on scientific analysis to control the consequent risks and to inform us about the effects of low level radiation. Even if we cannot see, smell, hear or touch this scientifically produced risks brings the situation about more troublesome. The occurrence of Chernobyl reduces our confidence in these same manners. In late modernity we were depending on science and also were fighting against it. The simple notion of truth as seen from one perspective may not be the same as that seen from another. As reaction to Chernobyl from friends of the earth the British nuclear industry and the Soviet authorities. The phenomenon of modernity dealing with the problems created by modernity it appears to be the characteristics of reflexive modernization. Reflexive way is above all one of Self-confrontation individuals and institutions are forced now to deal with the consequences of social action. Everyday side effects are being challenged. Sciences monopoly on rationality has begun to breakdown the new set of risks & challenges created by science itself.

Page | 7

According to Beck the concept of Risk Society suggests systematic transformations in three main areas:
1. The relationship of modern industrial society to the resources of nature & culture includes a category that- nature is external to human beings and human cultures as well as cultural life forms. Accordingly our relationship both to conventional ways of life and to the natural world are being challenged & changed. 2. The relationship of the society to the hazards & problems by it. Particularly these hazards upset the basic assumptions of previously existing social order and causes special problems for policies and decision making. Risks go beyond the insurable since they cannot be limited in terms of time, place or social group. The injury of Chernobyl is not even all born yet. In other words, we have no longer a means of redressing the imbalances caused by risks. Instead they represent a constant undermining of the normality everyday life. 3. The collapse of collective and group specific sources of meaning according to beck, places new pressures on individuals to live with most diverse contradictory global & personal risks. Each of us must somehow confront the loss of creativity and the awareness that every aspect of life is open to challenge. Threat is just one part of a transformed social structure.

Page | 8

In The Form Of Environmental Issues External Threat Is Concerned And Therefore We Are Linked To A Wider Questioning Of

Techno Scientific Rationality.

Everywhere pollutants and toxins laugh and play their tricks like devils. People are bound over to them in case of breathing, eating, dwelling, wearing clothes everything has been penetrated by them. In the risk society our ideas of the natural consensus cannot be kept apart from the social concerns. They are inter-related to the environment. The place of eliminating scarcity is taken by eliminating risk. Environmental problems for our surroundings but are thoroughly social problems, problems of people, thei history, their living conditions, their relation to the world and reality, their social, cultural and political situations. At the end of the 20th century nature is society and society is also nature.

Page | 9

Global Warming
Definition: - The current rise in the average temperature of Earth's oceans and atmosphere and its projected continuation. The scientific consensus is that global warming is occurring and was initiated by human activities, especially those that increase concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as deforestation and burning of fossil fuels causes Global warming. History: - According to the Scientists in the 20th Century there was a global increase in surface temperature of about 0.74o C (1.33oF). In 2007, it is estimated as 3.4oC (6.1oF) and by 2010 it is likely to range from 2.0 5.4oC (3.6 9.7oF). Role: - An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to rise and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, probably including expansion of subtropical deserts.[14] Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be associated with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Temperature Change: - Evidence for warming of the climate system includes observed increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level. Temperature also changes from region to region in order to provide suitable climate to all the areas. Effects: - Global warming can also be detected in natural, ecological, species migration and also in form of social system.

Page | 10

Acid Rain
Def:- Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure through the process of wet deposition. Acid rain is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids. It can be have harmful efforts on plants, aquatic animals and infrastructure through the process of wet deposition. NO2 , SO2 and CO2 released from industries and automobiles are present in the atmosphere. The chemicals found in acid rain can cause paint to peel and stone statues to begin to appear old and worn down, which reduces their value and beauty. History: - It was first noted by John Evelyn in the 17 th Century, who remarked upon the poor condition of the Arundel marbles. In 1852, Robert Angus Smith was the first to show the relationship between acid rain and atmospheric pollution in Manchester, England. Though, acid rain was discovered in 1852, NAPAP (National Acidic Precipitation Assessment Program) was coined in 1872, by Robert Angus Smith. In 1980, the U.S congress passed an Acid Deposition Act. . In 1991 NAPAP provided its 1st assessment of Acid Rain in U.S. Emission of chemicals leading to acidification. SO2 & NO2 are the two important gas which leads to the occurrence of acidification. Emission of Chemicals: Natural Phenomena:The principal natural phenomena that contribute acid-producing gases to the atmosphere are emissions from volcanoes. Ex:- Poas Volcano create extremely high amounts of acid rain and fog with acidity 2 of PH. Nitric acid in rainwater is an important source of fixed nitrogen for plant life, and is also produced by electrical activity in the atmosphere such as lightning.
Page | 11

Human Activity: Livestock production plays a major role. It is responsible for almost two-thirds of all sources of ammonia produced through human activities, which contributes significantly to acid rain. Chemical processes: Combustion of fuels creates sulfur dioxide and nitric oxides. They are converted into sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Effects: It has been shown to have adverse effects on forests, fresh water and soils, aquatic animals as well as causing damage to buildings and having impact on human health. Wet deposition:Wet deposition of acids occurs when any form of precipitation (rain, snow, and so on.) removes acids from the atmosphere and delivers it to the Earth's surface. Aquatic Animals And Water Surface Both the lower pH and higher aluminum concentrations in surface water that occur as a result of acid rain can cause damage to fish and other aquatic animals. Lower pHs can kill adult fish. Such as the Adirondack Mountains of the United States has eliminated or effected by acid rain. Dry deposition: Acid deposition also occurs via dry deposition in the absence of precipitation. It occurs when particles and gases stick to the ground, plants or other surfaces. Soil : Soil biology and chemistry can be seriously damaged by acid rain. Soil chemistry can be dramatically changed when base cat-ions, such as calcium and magnesium, are leached by acid rain thereby affecting sensitive species.

Page | 12

Forests and other vegetation Plants are also affected by acid rain and the effect on food crops is minimized by the application of limestone and fertilizers to replace lost nutrient. When calcium is leached from the needles of red spruce, these trees become less cold tolerant and exhibit winter injury and even death. Human Health Effect:It does not directly affect human health. SO2 & NO2 have an adverse effect. Increased amounts of fine particulate matter in the air do contribute to heart and lung problems including asthma and bronchitis. It also releases aluminum and cadmium which can effects on structures causes kidney disorders. These may also cause skeletal and brain damage. Other Adverse Effects: Acid rain can also damage buildings and historic monuments, especially those made of rocks such as limestone and marble containing large amounts of calcium carbonate. Acid rain also increases the oxidation rate of metals, in particular copper and bronze. Ex:- The Tajmahal, the famous historical monument is polluted by the emission of Mathura Oil Refinery which is 40 km away from it. Affected Areas 1. Thousands of lakes and several large rivers in Scandinavia have been polluted causing death of fish and other aquatic fauna & flora. 2. Acid rain adverse impacts have also occurred in China, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Venezuela, Nigeria, Brazil and India. 3. Drinking water was contaminated by leaching copper from water pipes by acid rain in Sweden. 4. Historical monuments and structures were destroyed/ corroded by pollutants of acid rain in USA, UK, Italy, India, & several other countries. 5. Large scale damage to forests occurred in several countries like: Germany, Switzerland and Sweden about half of the natural forests are dead or dying and 60% of all tree in Britain show signs of decay.

Page | 13

Prevention One of the ways to control the effects of acidity in short-term is to clean up air with dumping vast quality of limestone into soils, acid waters and adding fertilizers and nutrients to forest soils. In 1982 the remedial measures of acidification were also discussed in Stockholm Conference. In 1993 the executive members of European Countries like Finland, Norway, and Sweden proposed 30% cut in Sulphur emission. To protect forests and lakes emergency measures have been taken in Europe such as spreading lime on them fertilizing damaged trees with Calcium, Potassium. Magnesium & so on. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) of Nagpur developed a technology to remove sulphur from coal. According to Supreme Court order all the refineries will have to produce diesel with sulphur content less than 0.25% by the year 1999. Advanced countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan with higher industrial production than India have a low atmosphere pollution load because they adopt appropriate pollution control measures. Current policy operations for controlling the problem are residual improvements in energy efficiency. Switch over to low Sulphur fuels like natural gas, greater use of renewable major cut down and removal of sulphur from crude oil distillers such as diesel and fuel oil and finally the widespread use of strict pollution control devices in all sectors of the economy. In India 70% of coal is used by power stations. In India develops a technology to provide a desulphurised coal to power stations a major part of the acid rain problem would be solved. Lastly, acid rain is a global problem which can be tackled with international understanding and co-operation between several countries.

Page | 14

Desertification
Definition:Desertification is the degradation of land in dry lands. Caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities, desertification is one of the most significant global environmental problems. It is most widely accepted of these is that of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The discussion explores the prehistoric expansion of the Sahara Desert. History:Paleo deserts are large sand seas now inactive because they are stabilized by vegetation, some extending beyond the present margins of core deserts, such as the Sahara, the largest desert. It plays an important role in human history. Affected Areas:Dry lands occupy approximately 40-41% of Earths land area and are home to more than 2 billion people. The Sahara is currently expanding south at a rate of up to 48 kilometers per year. Causes:Dry land ecosystems are already very fragile, and can rarely sustain the increased pressures that result from intense population growth. Many of these areas are inappropriately opened to development, when they cannot sustain human settlements. The most common cause of desertification is the over cultivation of desert lands. Over-cultivation causes the nutrients in the soil to be depleted faster than they are restored. Improper irrigation practices result in salinated soils, and depletion of aquifers. Vegetation plays a major role in determining the biological composition of the soil. Studies have shown that, in many environments, the rate of erosion and runoff decreases exponentially with increased vegetation cover. Overgrazing removes this vegetation causing erosion and loss of top soil.
Page | 15

Preventions:Enriching of the soil and restoration of its fertility is often done by plants. Of these, the Leguminous plants which extract nitrogen from the air and fixes it in the soil, and food crops/trees as grains, barley, beans and dates are the most important. Sand fences can also be used to control drifting of soil and sand erosion.

Page | 16

Conclusion
Global warming is the result of green house effect. Due to rise in temperature arctic icebergs are melting. Waters rising will be a disaster, food will be affected and we got a plan for catastrophes like Katrina. This is gone a hit everyone, not just the poor or the democrats or any particular religion --we're all in a heap of trouble and the sooner we accept this FACT. This global warming is predicted to lead a variety of negative effects, to reduce this we need to develop steps for the prevention such as organizing self awareness programs, planning exhibitions in different parts of the countries to create awareness on global warming. Apart from the plans to slow down the global warming, adaptation schemes must move forward fast. Constructing flood differences, banning buildings close to sea areas are some of the measures we can adapt. Many countries, both developing and developed, are aiming to use cleaner, less polluting, technologies. Use of these technologies aids mitigation and could result in substantial reductions in CO 2 emissions. Policies include targets for emissions reductions, increased use of renewable energy, and increased energy efficiency. Studies indicate substantial potential for future reductions in emissions. To limit warming to the lower range in the overall IPCC's (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) "Summary Report for Policymakers" means adopting policies that will limit emissions to one of the significantly different scenarios described in the full report. This will become more and more difficult, since each year of high emissions will require even more drastic measures in later years to stabilize at a desired atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, and energy-related carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2010 were the highest in history, breaking the prior record set in 2008. Since even in the most optimistic scenario, fossil fuels are going to be used for years to come, mitigation may also involve carbon capture and storage, a process that traps CO2produced by factories and gas or coal power stations and then stores it, usually underground. We should put serious effort to overcome the problems due to it. We must try our best to solve the problem and strive as much as possible to reinstate our earth for sake of future generation.
Page | 17

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Reference: 1. Contemporary Social Theory An Introduction By Anthony Elliott. Published in the year- 2009, Indian Edition-2010, Page No: 283-286. Anthony Elliott is Professor of Sociology at Flinders University, Australia & Visiting Research Chair at the Open University, UK. 2. Risk Concepts In The Social Sciences By Roy Boyne. Indian Edition: 2003, Page No: 98-102. Roy Boyne: Professor of Sociology Vice Provost of the Stockton Campus at the University of Durham. 3. Global Environmental Risk By Jeanne X. Kasperson & Roger E. Kasperson. Published in the year- 2001, Indian Edition-2003, Page No: 1-4. Jeanne X. Kasperson: Research Associate Professor And Research Librarian at the George Parkins Marsh Institute, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA at Stockholm, Sweden Roger E. Kasperson: Professor and Director Of the George Parkins Marsh Institute, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA at Stockholm, Sweden

WEBSITE www.wikipedia.org/

Page | 18