Environment

The poisoning of the world's land, air, and water is the fastest-spreading disease of civilisation. It probably produces fewer headlines than wars, earthquakes and floods but it is potentially one of history's greatest dangers to human life on earth. If present trends continue for the next several decades, our planet will become uninhabitable. Overpopulation, pollution and energy consumption have created such planet-wide problems as massive deforestation, ozone depletion, acid rains and the global warming that is believed to be coursed by the greenhouse effect. The seas are in danger. They are filled with poison: industrial and nuclear waste, chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The Mediterranean is already nearly dead; the North Sea is following. The Aral Sea is on the brink of extinction. If nothing is done about it, one day nothing will be able to live in the seas.Every10 minutes one kind of animal, plant or insect dies out for ever .Industrial enter-prises emit tons of harmful substances. These emissions have disastrous consequences for our planet. They are the main reason for the greenhouse effect and acid rains An even greater environmental threat are nuclear power stations. We all know how tragic the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster are. People are beginning to realise that environment problems are not somebody else's. They join and support various international organisation and green parties. If governments wake up to what is happening-perhaps we'll be able to avoid the disaster that threatens the natural world and all of us with it.

Environmental Pollution

People have always polluted their surroundings. But until now pollution was not such a serious problem. People lived in uncrowded rural areas and did not have pollution — causing machines. With the development of crowded industrial cities which put huge amounts of pollutants into small areas, the problem has become more important. 
Automobiles and other new inventions make pollution steadily worse. Since the late 1960's people have become alarmed with the danger of pollution. 
Air, water, and soil are necessary for existence of all living things. But polluted air can cause illness, and even death. Polluted water kills fish and other marine life. On polluted soil, food can not be grown. In addition environmental pollution spoils the natural beauty of our planet. 
Pollution is as complicated as serious problem. Automobiles are polluting the air but they provide transportation for the people. Factories pollute the air and the water but they provide jobs for people and produce necessary goods. Fertilizers and pesticides are important for growing crops but they can ruin soil.
Thus, people would have to stop using many useful things if they wanted to end pollution immediately. Most people do not want that of course. But pollution can be reduced gradually. 
Scientists and engineers can find the ways to reduce pollution from automobiles and factories. Government can pass the laws that would make enterprises take measures for reducing of pollution. Individuals and groups of people can work together to persuade enterprises to stop polluting activities.

Ecological Problems

Since ancient times Nature has served Man, being the source of his life. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with environment and it seemed to them that natural riches were unlimited. But with the development of civilization man's interference in nature began to increase. Large cities with thousands of smoky industrial enterprises appear all over the world today. The by-products of their activity pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we grow grain and vegetables on. 
Every year world industry pollutes the atmosphere with about 1000 million tons of dust and other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog. Vast forests are cut and burn in fire. Their disappearance upsets the oxygen balance. As a result some rare species of animals, birds, fish and plants disappear forever, a number of rivers and lakes dry up. 
The pollution of air and the world's ocean, destruction of the ozone layer is the result of man's careless interaction with nature, a sign of the ecological crises. The most horrible ecological disaster befell Ukraine and its people after the Chernobyl tragedy in April 1986. About 18 percent of the territory of Byelarus were also polluted with radioactive substances. A great damage has been done to the agriculture, forests and people's health. The consequences of this explosion at the atomic power-station are tragic for the Ukrainian, Byelarussian and other nations. 
Environmental protection is of a universal concern. That is why serious measures to create a system of ecological security should be taken. Some progress has been already made in this direction. As many as 159 countries — members of the UNO — have set up environmental protection agencies. Numerous conferences have been held by these agencies to discuss problems facing ecologically poor regions including the Aral Sea, the South Urals, Kuzbass, Donbass, Semipalatinsk and Chernobyl. An international environmental research centre has been set up on Lake Baikal. The international organization Greenpeace is also doing much to preserve the environment. 
But these are only the initial steps and they must be carried onward to protect nature, to save life on the planet not only for the sake of the present but also for the future generations.

The Problem Of Environmental Protection In Great Britain

Environmental protection is an international issue of great importance and Great Britain pays much attention to it. There are nearly 500 000 protected buildings and 7000 conservation areas of architecture of historical interest in Britain. The 
Government supports the work of the voluntary sector in preserving the national heritage. 
Total emissions of smoke in the air have fallen by 85 per cent since 1960. Most petrol stations in Britain stock unleaded petrol. The Government is committed to the control of gases emission, which damage the ozone layer. They also contribute to the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming and a rise in sea levels. Britain stresses the need for studying the science of climate change. Green belts are areas where land should be left open and free from urban sprawl. The Government attaches great importance to their protection. National parks cover 9 per cent of the total land area of England and Wales. The National Rivers Authority protects island waters in England and Wales.
In Scotland the River purification authorities are responsible for water pollution control. Great Britain takes care of its environment for themselves and next generations.

Britain's Ecological Activity

Mankind long believed that, whatever we did, the Earth would remain much the same. We know now that is untrue. 
Nature is under threat. One country's pollution can be every country's problem. So we all need to work together to safeguard our environment. 
We have a moral duty to look after our planet and hand it on in good order to future generation. That does not mean trying to halt economic growth. We need growth to give us the means to live better and healthier lives. We must not sacrifice our future well-being for short-term gains, nor pile up environmental debts which will burden our children. Where there are real threats to our planet we have to take great care. Prevention can often be better and cheaper than cure. But action in Britain is not enough. The Government will play a full part in working out international solutions through bodies like the United Nations, the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the European Community. 
The British Government will aim: 
to preserve and enhance Britain's natural and cultural inheritance; 
to encourage the more prudent and efficient use of energy and other resources; 
to make sure that Britain's air and water are clean and safe, and that controls over wastes and pollution are maintained and strengthened where necessary. 
The world's population doubled between 1950 and 1987. 
More people means more mouths to feed, and that demands more agricultural land. That in turn can lead to deforestation and soil erosion. 
By burning forests, draining wet lands, polluting water courses and overfishing mankind is rapidly driving many species to extinction. 
The Government is supporting international efforts for a global agreement to protect species of plant and animal life. 
The Government is also supporting projects to conserve endangered species of wild life such as the black rhino and the African elephants.