Environmental Degradation

The term environmental degradation is used to refer to the decline in the state of the natural environment owing to the contamination of soil, water and air, the extinction of wildlife, the decreasing reserves of fossil fuels and the deteriorating condition of the ecosystems. The United Nations constituent High Level Threat Panel has declared it as one of the ten threats to the existence of all living forms.

According to the green police, there are several reasons for environmental degradation. Human beings have not been judicious with their use of the natural reserves of fossil fuels and this has led to a vast drop in the fossil fuel reserves. Further exploitation of these sources can lead to their complete exhaustion.

Human activities have not spared forests and therefore led to the gradual waning of natural habitats of wild animals. Moreover indiscriminate hunting and poaching of wild animals for their meat and hide has also led to the extinction of some species of wildlife and brought others almost to the brink of destruction. These activities have had a huge impact on the natural ecosystems and have contributed to the overall environmental degradation.

The recent times have witnessed a widespread awareness about environmental degradation and there have been attempts to heal the damage to an extent.