The need for environmental management stems from the following facts:
(1) Environmental or natural resources are finite.
(2) Environmental is a closed system.
(3) Environment is a natural gift and thus a public property.
(4) Human induced environmental degradation is stretching the limits of ecological resilience and humans being the cause are responsible for solutions too.
There are following hurdles in environmental management:
--- Globalization, free market economy, regulation of WTO and denial to share the historical burden of environmental degradation by the developed countries.
----- Rapid growth of human population in developing and underdeveloped countries.
---- Irreversible and rapid rate of urbanization and industrialization and consequential increase in the consumption of natural resources.
----- Rapid change in social outlooks and values with consumption driven and use and throw culture.
---- Bad governance
----- Limitations in enforcing environmental laws and regulations.
----Social and religious impediments.
Environmental Management
It involves two management approaches -
1. Command and control approach or top down approach – Government controlled, hierarchical order based approach.
2. Participatory approach – decentralized, with participation of local communities, civil society. NGO along with government e.g. Approach suggested by Western Ghats Expert Ecology Committee.
Ecological Approach
