The current global environmental crisis is primarily the result of non-standardized parameters for environmental regulation, and is impacting e.g. clean air, safe drinking water and the quality of food, particularly in developing nations. Due to their poor/lax execution of EIA protocols, newly developing countries are preferred destinations for establishing pollution-emitting industries, which results in the degradation and depletion of their natural resources. Lack of environmental policy intervention is another major incentive to base "dirty" industries in these nations.
In order to ensure sustainable development, the highest-priority issues include the monitoring and eradication of environmental problems stemming from economic development; virtually every form of economic development primarily results in the loss of forests and thus biodiversity, followed by declining air quality and the contamination of natural resources.
Sustainable development ensures responsible interactions with the environment, so as to minimize the depletion or degradation of natural resources and preserve environmental quality. It involves integrated approaches to understanding the importance of environmental management systems and policy measures that lead to improved environmental performance.
This book addresses the environmental concerns associated with economic development, and with approaches to attaining sustainable economic development, which include monitoring the quality of water resources, soil erosion and degradation of the natural environment.
About the Author: Vertika Shukla holds an MSc in Organic Chemistry and PhD (2003) in Chemistry from H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar (Garhwal). Presently, she is teaching as an Assistant Professor of Integrated Applied Geology at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar (Central) University, Lucknow. During her 17 years of research experience, she has been awarded 3 fellowships by the DST, New Delhi; two projects were pursued at the NBRI-CSIR and one at BBA (Central) University, Lucknow.
To date, she has published 63 scientific articles in prominent national and international journals, has authored one book ('Lichens to Biomonitor the Environment' (Springer)) and coedited the books 'Recent Advances in Lichenology (Springer) and 'Plant Adaptation Strategies in Changing Environment' (Springer Nature).
Her areas of interest include secondary metabolite chemistry, interactions between lichen and the environment, and the role of lichen in the bioremediation of atmospheric fallouts.
Narendra Kumar has obtained his MSc and PhD in Environmental Science from Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar (Central) University, Lucknow, India. An active researcher with 16 years of graduate teaching and research experience, Dr Kumar began his academic career as a project fellow at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI-CSIR), Lucknow, India. In 2002, he joined the Department of Environmental Science, Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, CSJM University, Kanpur, India as a Lecturer. Dr Kumar has been working as an Assistant Professor at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow since 2005. He has published more than 30 research papers and 10 book chapters with reputed national and international publishers.