WEEK 8: DEVELOPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Topic purpose:
The purpose of this topic is to assess the effects of man’s development activities on the
environment
Learning outcomes:
By the end pof the topic, the learner should be able to:
i)describe the effects of man’s development activities on the environment
ii)discuss various ways in which man can address the effects of development activities on the
environment
Content:
Environmental problems of developing countries fall broadly into two categories – the problems
arisingout of poverty (or the inadequacy of development itself) and the problems thatarise out of
the very process of development.
a) AGRICULTUTRE
-Traditional agriculture
Traditional agriculture, in many tropical regions, is a characterized by a range of environmental
hazards which include:-
- Leaching of nutrients and degradation of planted farmlands following the removal of
forests.
- Rapid soil depletion resulting from permanent cultivation of relatively infertile soils
without the addition of nutrients.
- Soil erosion through heavy rain falls and prolonged drought or flash floods.
- Indiscriminate loss of forest resources through slash and burn techniques of cultivation.
-
-Modern (Mechanical ) agriculture
In the case of modern agriculture, the environmental hazards that arise are mainly due to the
chemical control of weeds and pests and from irrigation works. The side effects of insecticides
and pesticides need to be watched carefully. Their toxicity to man and animals make them a
hazard beyond their target area.
Irrigation projects, unless matched with drainage facilitates, can result in salination and water –
logging. Constant tillage facilitated by mechanization can also damage the soil structure.
ACTIVITY 13: DISCUSS THE EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ON
THE ENVIRONMENT
a) INDUSTRY
The problems experienced by the industrially advanced countries have to a large extent brought
about the current concern with environmental issues. These problems are themselves very largely
the outcome of the high level of economic development. The creation of large productive
capacities in industryand agriculture, the growth of complex systems of transportation and
communication and the evolution of massive urban conglomerations have all been accompanied
in one way or the other by damage and disruption to the human environment. These disruptions
have attained such major proportions that in many communities, they largely constitute serious
hazards to human health and well-being. In some waysthe dangers extend beyond national
boundaries and threaten the world as a whole.
By taking sensible decisions on the location of industries and their waste disposal and by
instituting social controls under which the private sector must function, some of the world’s
environmental problems that have arisen in connection with industrial pollution can be avoided.
Developing countries should give careful consideration to the question of local industries and
formulate concrete guidelines in the context of the major environmental problems. Identifying
cases where labour intensive may produce less environmental disruptions would also be useful.
Though technology is meant to improve the living standards of a society, it may and does have a
negative impact on the society and environment in which it is implemented. It has been well
articulated in various fora that the technology we use is polluting our environment in many ways,
for instance, factories discharge effluents,sometimes obnoxious and always offensive into rivers,
the sea and the atmosphere. Similarly, in the process of mining (of coal, iron or gold), quarries
are often left open thereby restricting land use and reducing the aesthetic value of the
environment. Quarries should be filled and trees planted to restore the environment to its original
beauty.
Lack of proper planning for the disposal of industrial waste leads to the problem of the
bionondegradables,such as plastics, which cannot be easily disposed of.
ACTIVITY 14: DISCUSS THE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
b) URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Urbanization or the increase in the percentage of the population living in urban settlements has
become an issue of concern to environmentalists because urban development introduces
biological, chemical and physical hazardsto the environment. Biological hazards include
pathogens in solid waste and water disease vectors and infections. Chemical hazards caused by
urban development included air pollutants from motor vehicles, garbage burning and toxic
substances. Physical hazards in urban environments include site- related injuries, dangerous
machinery, traffic accidents etc.
Poor waste management strategies are the main cause of water and air pollution in urban areas.
Emission of greenhouse gases and acids also contributes to environmental pollution in urban
areas. Emission of greenhouse gases and acids also contributes to environmental pollution in
urban areas.Urban development contributes to thousands of deaths from respiratory infections
and diarrhea. Resource degradation that results from urban development includes deforestation,
lands clearance and poor watershed management. Sewage and contaminants from industries are
the main water pollutants in urban areas. The World Bank notes that the negative effects of
urban development can be prevented through provision of good sanitation, proper drainage,
protection of environmentally sensitive lands and proper waste management.
ACTIVITY 15: DISCUSS THE EFFECTS OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
