Global Environmental Crisis:

• Thirty years ago, the scientist James Lovelock worked out that the Earth possessed a planetary-scale control system which kept the environment fit for life. He called it Gaia, and the theory has become widely accepted.
• Now, he believes mankind’s abuse of the environment is making that mechanism work against us. His astonishing conclusion - that climate change is insoluble, and life on Earth will never be the same again. Global warming, ozone depletion, climate change, huge population and above all human greed will make the earth not fit for living.

1) Crisis Related to Population:

• According to United States Census Bureau(USCB) world population exceeded 7 billion on March 12, 2012. The world population has experienced continuous growth since the end of the Great Famine and the Black Death in 1350. when it stood at around 370million.
• Current projections show a continued increase in population.
• By year 2050, global population would be about 7.5 to 10.5 billion.
• Malthus Law: According to Malthus law. “population increases by geometrical way but natural resources increase by arithmetical way”. Therefore, providing dignified life to all is the biggest challenge.
• Therefore, huge population is at the center of almost all environmental crises we are facing today. Land, water, air, forest, livestock etc all are under tremendous pressure. This pressure later turned in to socio-political conflicts. Like every year Delhi and Haryana fight over issue of release of water from Haryana to solve shortage in Delhi.
• Problems due to high population:

1. Shortage of natural resources
2. Shortage of healthcare services
3. Shortage of educational institutes
4. Poor management of resources
5. increase in crime and other social problems
6. Disturbing demographic structure of an area
7. Poor status of female and children.
8. Water, sanitation and land crisis emerge due to high population.

2) Crisis Related to Water:

• When we talk about crisis about water, it includes, the issues related with quality as well as quantity of water available to population. Due to poor sanitation and public awareness our available water sources get polluted beyond the curable limit.
• Rivers, wells and ponds get polluted with heavy metals in few' areas, agriculture run off which are contaminated with lots of chemicals pollute various food chains and food webs.
• Similarly, in middle and west Asian countries e.g. Israel, Syria, Egypt, Jorden etc. are suffering from water shortage.
• According to UNO presently population being more than 7 billion, almost more than l billion do not get potable water.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) says that at any time, up to half of population suffers one of the six main diseases like from diarrhea, schistosomiasis, trachoma, with ascaris. guinea worm, or hookworm due to poor drinking water and inadequate sanitation. About 5 million people die each year from poor drinking water, poor sanitation, or a dirty home environment often resulting from water shortage. The UN suggests that each person needs 20-50 litres of safe freshwater a clay to ensure their basic needs for drinking, cooking and cleaning.

3) Crisis Related to Sanitation:

• Water and sanitation are integrally related and equally important for human beings. Lack of safe sanitation is a major cause of contamination of water sources, so without safe sanitation, safe drinking water is impossible.
• Many diseases are caused by the lack of safe sanitation, or by poor quality water. Safe water is essential for hygiene. Diseases - diarrhea, schistosomiasis, or trachoma, or infestation with ascaris, guinea worm, or hookworm are associated with poor drinking water and inadequate sanitation.
• UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation. Sanitation facilities must be hygienically and technically safe to use. To ensure hygiene, access to water for cleansing and hand washing is essential.
• Sanitation facilities, in particular, have to be culturally acceptable. This will often require gender-specific facilities, constructed in a way that ensures privacy and dignity. Water and sanitation services must be accessible to everyone in the household or its vicinity on a continuous basis. The price of sanitation and water services must be low.

4) Crisis Related to Land:

High population density leads to crisis related to land crisis. Cities with high population densities are considered to be overpopulated, depending on factors like quality of housing and infrastructure, access to natural resources, better job prospects, education, health services, recreational facilities etc.

Most of the most densely populated cities are in southern and eastern Asia, though Cairo and Lagos in Africa also fall into this category.