Issue Description


Authors : Alka S. Zade, S. R. Sitre

Page Nos : 843-858

Description :
The management of natural resources to meet people’s requirements has been practised since the pre-Vedic era. Apart from technical knowledge, traditional knowledge is vital for natural resources conservation including forests, water, and agro-ecosystems with the challenges that contemporary society faces in India. The process of economic growth and development, though vital for any nation’s progress, done at the cost of environmental degradation through industrialisation and urbanisation, transportation, burning of fossil fuels and deforestation has led to the emission of green house gases into the atmosphere. These gases absorb the heat of solar rays, which results in the warming of the atmosphere, seas and oceans leading to floods, droughts, severe storms, melting of ice at the poles, receding of glaciers and rise in sea water levels. These issues have brought the concerns for environmental conservation and sustainable development to the forefront. Nature has always been very vibrant, giving and resilient to a very large extent. We, as Indians, take pride in our strong cultural heritage. Religion protects and nurtures nature. The natural and social sciences have helped us by acquiring and applying knowledge about ecosystem conservation and restoration and by strengthening the policy and practice of sustainable development. It is concluded that collective wisdom of humanity for conservation of biodiversity, embodied both in formal science as well as local systems of knowledge, therefore, is the key to pursue our progress towards sustainability.

Date of Online: 30 May 2014