ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

DR.S.K.BALASHANMUGAM, M.A., M.L., PH.D

 Environment – Meaning

● The term ‘environment’ is derived from the french

word ‘environner’ which means ‘to encircle’ or ‘to
surround’.
● Dictionary Meaning
➢ external conditions or surroundings especially those in which
people live and work
➢ ecological sense – it means the external surroundings in which a
plant or animal lives which tend to influence its development and
behaviour.
➢ Etymological sense – surroundings, especially the material and
spiritual influences which affect the growth, development and
existence of a living being.
➢ Human Context – it means the sum of all social, economical,
biological, physical or chemical factors which constitute the
surroundings of man, who is both creator and moulder of his own
environment.
 Environment – Definitional Aspects

● Simon Ball and Stuart Bell - Environment means ‘surroundings’.

● Encylopedia Brittanica – ‘Environment’ means the entire range of external
influence acting on an organism, both the physical and biological, and
other organism.
● Goudie – Environment is the representative of physical components of the
earth, wherein man is the important factor influencing his environment.
● C.C.Park – Environment refers to the sum total of conditions which
surround man at a given point in space and time.
● Dr. T.N. Khoshoo – the sum total of all conditions and influences that
affect the development and life of all organisms.
● Therefore, the term ‘environment’ has taken on a rather more specific
meaning, though still a very vague and general one, and may be treated as
covering the physical surroundings that are common to all of us, including
air, space, water, land, plants, and wildlife.
 Environment – Statutory Definitions

● Section 1(2) of the Environment Protection Act, 1990 of

U.K. – Environment consists of all or any of the following
media, namely, air, water and land; and the medium or air
includes the air within the buildings and the air within
other natural or man-made structures above or below
ground.
● Section 2(a) of the Environment(Protection) Act, 1986
(India) – Environment includes water, air and land, and
the interrelationship which exists among and between
water, air and land and human beings, other living
creatures, plants, micro-organisms and property.
 Environment – Kinds or Categories

● Environment is complex totality of many things.

● Various types of environment
❖ Physical Environment – Abiotic components are considered as
physical environment. It consists of
❖ Forces of nature like wind, Gravity conditions like temperature and light,
Time, Non-living objects such as soil and water
❖ Biological Environment – these are biotic components. It consists
of
❖ Plants, animals and other living organisms.
❖ Artificial or Man-made Environment – Human created this type
in order to control the conditions of his life.