ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES AND SOLUTIONS - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

The environmental degradation is the degradation or loss of key factors of the environment that make up the habitat of humans. This includes the loss of quality and quantity of water, soil, air and biodiversity. The main cause of environmental deterioration are human activities, especially development models and their consequent impact on the environment.

Overpopulation, industrial development and consumption patterns derived from these models, cause a high rate of consumption of natural resources. Additionally, the waste produced generates environmental pollution degrading the global environment.

Environmental degradation in the Himalayas, India. Source: meg and rahul

Among the primary consequences derived from environmental deterioration are the loss of drinking water sources and the degradation of air quality. Likewise, there is the loss of agricultural soils, loss of biodiversity, ecological imbalances and degradation of the landscape.

Environmental degradation is a complex problem that reaches global levels, and threatens life on the planet. The solution to this involves decisions that range from changing the economic development model to specific technological measures.

Some solutions that can be proposed are the installation of sewage treatment plants, recycling and the adequate processing of waste. Likewise, efforts must be made to develop greener agriculture and have stricter environmental legislation.

Causes

Deforestation in Madagascar. Source: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium

The economic development model in force since the Industrial Revolution has resulted in a high rate of environmental deterioration. This model is based on a high consumption of natural resources, which increases every day due to the exponential rate of population growth.

-Economic model and consumption patterns

The economic model based on profit maximization and consumerism generates increasing pressure on the environment. The demand for natural resources and the interest in reducing costs translates into the destruction of natural ecosystems.

An example is the refusal of the United States of America, the world's leading economy, to sign international environmental commitments because it would affect its economic growth. On the other hand, China, the world's second largest economy, is one of the most polluting on the planet.

Popular protest against China and the US for their little support for environmental measures. Photo by Jack Hunter on Unsplash

-Obsolescence and garbage production

The obsession with profit generates policies such as planned obsolescence and induced obsolescence, aimed at increasing superfluous consumption. This generates a higher consumption that translates into producing more waste.

Human societies, especially the more developed ones, produce tons of garbage daily. Many of the waste produced ends up polluting the soil, rivers and seas.

-Industrial development

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, negative impacts on the environment have been evidenced, such as greenhouse gas emissions or acid rain causes. In addition, industries produce large amounts of untreated sewage that reaches surface water bodies and underground aquifers.

On the other hand, accidents such as the escape of methyl isocyanate gas in Bhopal (India) in 1984 or the spill of a thousand metric tons of chemicals into the Rhine River in Switzerland in 1986 are frequent.

-Nuclear plants

Nuclear plants are a constant danger to the environment because there is no safe way to dispose of nuclear waste. This results in problems of radioactive contamination in the places where they accumulate.

On the other hand, the occurrence of nuclear accidents has serious consequences such as the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine in 1986, or the Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011.

Detail of Pripyat, the main city that suffered the effects of Chernobyl. Source: pixabay.com

-Oil and mining

The extractive activities of fossil fuels and minerals have a great environmental impact, due to the forms of extraction.

Petroleum

The extraction of oil, its transportation, refining and the use of its derivatives, causes enormous environmental deterioration. One of the practices with the greatest negative impact is hydraulic fracturing (fracking in English).

In fracking, the rock is fractured into the deep substrate in order to release the oil. In this extraction practice, large amounts of pressurized water and chemicals are used.

The environmental deterioration of fracking is due to the alteration of the rocky mantle, a high consumption of water and the use of polluting products. Some of these contaminants are polyacrylamide, borate salts, and glutaraldehyde.

On the other hand, oil activity generates large amounts of toxic waste such as drilling mud. These muds contain high levels of heavy metals and pollute large areas of the soil and water sources.

Likewise, during transportation accidental oil spills are highly polluting and in bodies of water are deadly for aquatic life.

The Deepwater Horizont oil platform, located in the Gulf of Mexico, contaminating the water after an explosion. Unknown author / Public domain

Mining

Mining, especially in open pit mines, involves the eradication of topsoil and soil from large areas. Additionally, the use of highly polluting chemicals in the environment lethally affect life on the planet.

Some of the chemicals used in mining such as mercury, arsenic, and cyanide are highly toxic.

Another environmental problem produced by mining activity is that the weathering (fracture, erosion) of the rocks releases heavy metals. Later, by washing these metals end up contaminating the bodies of water.

Water pollution by mining waste. Source: pixabay.com

-Agricultural and livestock model

Modern agricultural and livestock production systems are land intensive and input-intensive. Among these inputs, fertilizers, pesticides and drugs have a great impact on environmental degradation.

farming

Agricultural activity causes environmental deterioration in various ways, one is the need to expand the agricultural frontier. This requires new farmland, which ends up causing deforestation of areas in undisturbed ecosystems.

On the other hand, intensive agriculture based on monoculture is highly demanding on agricultural inputs. Those inputs with the greatest environmental impact are fertilizers and pesticides, since they deteriorate water quality and affect the soil microbiota.

The contributions of nitrogen and phosphates to the water from these compounds cause eutrophication, since they decrease the available oxygen in the water.

Transgenic

The demands of industrial agriculture and agribusiness promote production patterns that affect agricultural and wild biodiversity. For example, agricultural profitability has introduced the use of genetically modified organisms.

This brings some negative consequences such as hybridization with wild species, which can see their genetic composition altered. On the other hand, the generation of herbicide resistant species is promoted in order to increase the use of these chemicals.

Agroindustry

The modern food industry relies on the uniformity of the raw material to guarantee the efficiency of the processes. For this, the agricultural producer is required genetic uniformity in the crops.

Therefore, the planting of unique varieties is promoted and the farmer stops growing other local varieties with less demand. In this way, local and regional varieties of different crops are lost and part of the agricultural diversity disappears.

Livestock production

Intensive livestock systems are highly demanding on resources as they use concentrated feed, drugs, food supplements, water, and electricity.

One of the most polluting production systems is pigs, due to the consumption of food supplements and a high use of water for maintenance. The effluents generated contain high levels of organic matter, copper, zinc, nitrogen, phosphate, detergents, disinfectants and other chemicals.

When an adequate treatment is not done to decant and purify the waste, it ends up contaminating the water sources.

Forest industry, resource extraction and forest management

Deforestation in order to extract wood of high economic value is one of the most predatory activities in the environment. In most cases, there is no rational management of the wood resource and the ecosystem is completely destroyed.

Europe's natural forests have already been destroyed for timber, and tropical forests are currently the most exploited. Among the most affected tropical forest areas are the Amazon, dry forests of northern South America, forests of Central Africa and much of Asia.

It is estimated that the destruction of the planet's forest mass is occurring at an accelerated pace, with a daily deforestation rate of between 600 and 700 km2.

Notably deforested natural environment. Source: pixabay.com

Extraction of other resources

In addition to deforestation, other extraction activities affect natural ecosystems. Among them the illegal hunting and the extraction of plant species for their commercialization as ornamental, medicinal plants and other uses.

Among animals, birds and primates are the most affected, and in plants orchids and cacti. Many of these species are included in the CITES convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) for their protection.

The extraction of diamond and other precious stones often deteriorates the natural environment. Source: pixabay.com

Forest fires

80% of forest fires are caused by humans directly or indirectly. In a direct way, fires are intentionally caused for different purposes such as destroying the natural ecosystem to give other uses to the land.

On the other hand, garbage or badly extinguished fires can also indirectly cause forest fires. All these fires are very destructive since they remove the vegetal layer, affect the fauna and cause air pollution.

Detail of monkeys suffering from a forest fire. Source: pixabay.com

Fishing

Traditional fishing activities normally maintain a balance with the ecosystem. However, industrial fishing, especially trawling, has serious consequences for the environment.

Likewise, fishing and hunting of particular species (tuna, whale) affect the population dynamics of these species. In the particular case of countries like Chile, salmon farming represents a great source of contamination.

Industrial fishing.

-Transport

Ground transportation

Automotive traffic, especially in large cities, has reached an enormous volume. Pollutant gas emissions from this traffic are one of the main causes of environmental deterioration.

Transportation generates as waste a series of highly polluting gases such as CO2, which is the main greenhouse gas. On the other hand, nitrogen and sulfur oxides in the troposphere generate acids that precipitate in the form of acid rain.

Marine transport

Maritime traffic, especially cargo, fishing fleets and large passenger liners, have a negative impact on marine areas. Among other pollutants, fuel and oil residues, organic waste and plastics are thrown into the sea.

Furthermore, one of the most serious problems is oil spills from large tankers, which cause ecological disasters.

Air Transport

Environmental degradation caused by air traffic is not easy to quantify, but airplanes produce CO2 and contrails that contribute to global warming.

Airplanes also emit a certain proportion of nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the environment, which are precursors to acid rain.

Noise pollution from the passage of an airplane in London. Source:

-Population growth

The human population is growing exponentially, so the demand for resources and the generation of waste increase every day. Furthermore, the concentration of this growing population in large cities ends up becoming a serious environmental problem.

In some cities such as Tokyo (37 million inhabitants) or Mexico City (20 million) the production of pollutants is very high. These large cities generate an enormous amount of greenhouse gases, acid rain precursors, effluents and garbage.

The problem in these cities can be so serious that the smog or polluting fog that is produced makes their air unbreathable.

Indian train.

-Building

The effect of the urban heat island in cities is a direct consequence of the intense construction activities that are carried out. Construction causes polluting substances to be trapped in cities.

This effect is caused by the retention of solar radiation by concrete and cement, which are materials that retain heat extremely well.

Construction activities also cause the removal of the topsoil which, under normal conditions, allows for more effective heat exchange.

This effect also results in restricted air circulation, which causes pollutants to remain within urban areas. This implies that there is not an effective mixing of air currents, therefore the quality of the same is reduced.

Environmental degradation caused by urban planning can cause some damage from which ecosystems cannot recover. The flora and fauna that once inhabited these sites are lost forever.

In order to reduce future impacts, urban planning, industry, and resource managers must consider the long-term effects of development projects on the environment to prevent future impacts to it.

Consequences

-Loss of drinking water sources

One of its most serious consequences of the deterioration of the environment is the loss of fresh water sources. In this sense, the amount of available water decreases and its quality decreases.

When forests are destroyed and topsoil is lost, water runs off the ecosystem and drifts into the oceans. On the other hand, urban and industrial sewage, without proper treatment, pollutes water sources.

-Impact on wildlife

Many aquatic species are affected by the contamination of waters with pesticides and nitrates derived from agriculture. Additionally, industrial and urban waste laden with heavy metals are deadly to wildlife.

As an example, we can point out that of amphibians, 32% of whose species are threatened with extinction due to environmental deterioration. The main cause is polluted water where the larvae die or develop malformations.

-Degradation of air quality

Emissions from automotive traffic and industries pollute the air, to levels where it is harmful to health. In some large cities the air is so polluted that it causes skin and respiratory diseases and can even lead to lung cancer.

The accumulation of nitrogen and sulfur oxides and CO2 produce acid rain that generates soil and water pollution. On the other hand, this acid rain can cause the deterioration of buildings, monuments and equipment.

-Loss of agricultural soils

Thousands of hectares of agricultural soils are lost annually due to erosion, due to the destruction of the vegetal layer, alteration of rain and bad agricultural practices. On the other hand, the phenomenon of desertification is exacerbated due to agricultural activity and global warming.

Desertification is affecting large areas of Africa, the island of Madagascar and other areas of the planet. While in Europe, Spain is the country with the highest rates of desertification.

-Loss of biodiversity

It has been argued that we are going through the sixth great extinction of living beings on the planet. Unlike the other great extinctions, this one is considered to be basically caused by human activities.

Biodiversity is being lost by leaps and bounds due to the deterioration of the environment as a result of water, soil and air pollution. Similarly, many ecosystems have been destroyed to extract both living and mineral resources.

Estimates that have been made so far indicate that the current extinction rate is 114 times higher than any previous mass extinction event.

-Ecological imbalances

Disappearance of ecosystems

The deterioration of the environment causes the disappearance of entire ecosystems, so that water pollution can make aquatic ecosystems sterile. On the other hand, deforestation and open pit mining can completely destroy forest ecosystems.

Global warming

The deterioration of the environment through the emission of greenhouse gases and the destruction of forests is generating an increase in global temperature. Therefore, deep ecological imbalances are generated such as extinction of species and alteration of biogeochemical cycles.

Landscape degradation

Environmental deterioration has an aesthetic effect by negatively altering the landscape for various reasons. Among others we have the accumulation of waste and the alteration of the quality of water and air.

This situation results in many areas losing their tourism and recreational potential, affecting economic development.

Loss of human quality of life

One of the most important consequences of environmental deterioration is that it affects the quality of life of human beings. Among other factors, food production, health, recreation, and hydroelectric power generation are affected.

Therefore, it can affect the health and diet of people until it causes death. Should environmental deterioration continue to worsen, it could have consequences for the perpetuation of the human species.

-Loss of the ozone layer

The ozone layer is responsible for protecting the earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. The presence of chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere is causing the ozone layer to be lost.

-Lack of natural resources

The degradation of the environment through aspects such as overexploitation of natural resources, pollution and deforestation can contribute to the scarcity of means or resources such as arable land, water, genetic resources, medicinal plants and food crops.

Solutions

Need to raise awareness among citizens

To at least reduce environmental degradation, it is necessary for people to develop environmental awareness and act accordingly. A change in consumption habits and a lifestyle less demanding of natural resources is required.

For this, it is necessary to consume fewer resources, so less waste will be produced. In addition, the recycling of garbage and the treatment of sewage in cities and industries should be promoted.

Sustainable economic model

The current economic model is unsustainable in ecological terms, since its demand for non-renewable resources increases day by day. In this sense, it must seek to promote a development model that is sustainable and finds a balance between the demand for resources and social welfare.

International legislation

The international community must develop global policies that force a reduction in environmental degradation. Therefore, it is necessary to establish national and international laws that oblige States and large multinational companies to protect the environment.

Prevention and remediation measures

Prevention

There is a large number of environmentally friendly technological alternatives that can avoid or reduce environmental deterioration. These include promoting the use of electric vehicles, developing recycling plans and encouraging responsible consumption.

In addition, it is essential to install both urban and industrial sewage treatment plants. On the other hand, programmed obsolescence practices should be avoided by the industries.

Remediation

To try to cushion the damage caused by environmental deterioration, various technological alternatives have been developed. For example, in the case of contaminated water there are different purification techniques that can be applied.

When there is contamination with heavy metals in soils and waters, it is possible to use fixing species that can extract them from the environment. Additionally, oil spills can be treated with bacteria capable of degrading fuel.

Environmental deterioration in Mexico

An example of serious environmental deterioration is found in northern Mexico, where most of the population of this country is concentrated. Thus, in the Valley of Mexico there are serious problems due to the loss of agricultural soils due to erosion.

In Mexico City, air pollution and garbage are public health problems. For example, the city's wastewater falls into the Tula River, where the irrigation water for the Valley of Mexico comes from.

Air pollution over the Iztaczihuatl volcano in Mexico. Source: Libertymas

Forests

Mexico has a vast expanse of forests that occupies approximately 48,350,000 hectares. However, the annual deforestation rate is estimated at 1.3% with a loss of 65,000 hectares.

The main causes of deforestation in the country are the expansion of the agricultural frontier, and the development of livestock activities.

Mexico's valley

In this valley, where the capital city of the country is located, the environmental deterioration is considerable. There are various causes that affect the various environmental components.

Floors

More than 71% of the soils in this area suffer erosion problems, and it is estimated that about 700 hectares of agricultural land are lost annually.

Air

Air quality in Mexico City is poor due to its geographical and climatic characteristics (height above the sea, winds, rains), urban development and industrialization.

In the metropolitan area there are about 60 industries, including cement, refineries and thermoelectric plants that affect the composition of the ambient air.

Sewage or wastewater and solid waste

In Mexico there are serious problems in the management of urban, industrial and mining wastewater. One of the most affected regions is the Valley of Mexico, since it is the most populated and industrialized.

On the other hand, Mexico is the Latin American country that produces the most garbage, and its capital alone contributes some 13,000 tons of solid waste daily. However, the city does not have recycling plants or an adequate waste management system.

Environmental deterioration in Colombia

Environmental deterioration in Colombia is mainly caused by agricultural activity, associated with deforestation, and the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals. Furthermore, as in many Latin American countries, there are serious problems with the treatment of sewage.

Waters contaminated by illegal mining in Colombia. Source: Lady Castro

Agriculture and Livestock

For this country, the most serious problem of environmental deterioration are agricultural and livestock activities. For example, in recent years the number of hectares devoted to livestock has doubled due to the destruction of forested areas.

In addition, tropical savannas are transformed at a rate of 100,000 Ha / year for industrial crops such as sugar cane and oil palm. Additionally, illicit crops affect jungle areas.

On the other hand, the indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers generates serious problems of soil and water contamination.

Mining

Mining activity, especially coal and gold, causes serious problems of environmental deterioration in certain areas of Colombia. Thus, in 2012 5.6 million hectares had been accounted for under mining exploitation.

This problem is aggravated because only 11% of the country's mining is controlled and follows the legal order.

Sewage or wastewater and solid waste

Another serious problem of environmental deterioration in this country is related to the lack of wastewater treatment. Therefore, a large part of the Colombian rivers have significant levels of contamination due to untreated effluents.

In the case of the Bogotá and Medellín rivers located on the Pacific slope, the situation is so serious that they have totally lost their biodiversity.

With regard to solid waste, garbage is deposited in landfills that do not have adequate treatment. In addition, 11.6 million tons of garbage are produced nationally per year and only 17% are recycled.

Environmental deterioration in Peru

Peru's environmental deterioration problems are caused by the erosion of agricultural soils in the Andean highlands and contamination by mining.

La Oroya Antigua, located in Junín, is considered one of the most polluted cities in the world. Maurice Chédel / Public domain

Livestock production

More than 80% of livestock production in Peru is developed in natural grasslands located above 2000 meters above sea level. Therefore, these areas are subject to strong environmental deterioration, one of their main problems being soil erosion.

Mining

Mining activities have a negative impact because they pollute the air and water, so many species of fish in mountain rivers have disappeared. One of the most serious cases is the Mantaro river, polluted by the washing waters of the La Oroya refinery.

The wastewater from the refinery contributes a large amount of heavy metals (arsenic, iron, zinc, mercury, selenium, lead, cyanide).

Sewage or wastewater and solid waste

A high proportion of rivers in Peru have illegal levels of heavy metal contamination. This is due to the inadequate treatment of urban, industrial and mining effluents.

With regard to solid waste, in Peru about 23,000 tons of garbage are produced daily and recycling is only 15%. Garbage is handled in sanitary landfills, in many cases poorly conceived, so they function only as deposits for waste.

Environmental deterioration in Argentina

For its part, Argentina faces serious environmental problems derived from agriculture and livestock due to the intensive use of agrochemicals. Likewise, there are serious problems due to untreated sewage and a high production of poorly processed garbage.

Agricultural and livestock impact

The country's biggest problems in terms of environmental deterioration are generated by industrial agriculture and livestock. The main main impact of these activities is the destruction of natural habitats to incorporate land into agricultural production.

Between 2001 and 2014, Argentina's forests were reduced by more than 12%, with 93% of this loss being concentrated in the north of the country. For its part, in Patagonia overgrazing is causing high levels of desertification.

On the other hand, industrial transgenic soybean crops use high amounts of agrochemicals. This results in the contamination of water sources close to cultivated lands.

Mining

Copper and gold mining cause water pollution problems in regions such as Jujuy, Tucumán and Catamarca.

Air pollution

In cities like Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Mendoza, air pollution exceeds the threshold recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Sewage or wastewater and solid waste

Poor wastewater treatment produces contamination of aquifers with urban and industrial waste. It has been indicated that only 65% ​​of sewage is collected and only 12% goes through treatment plants.

Argentina is the third country in Latin America in garbage production after Mexico and Chile. It currently generates more than 40 thousand tons of garbage per day, but recycling only reaches 13%.

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