Meaning of Environment

Vande Matram friends! The environment is one of the science topics. But the environment and its protection is our implied duty as human beings. So it is necessary to create some laws, rules, and regulations for the protection of this very basic thing for our better life. This series will discuss all the things related to environmental laws in India.

Meaning of Environment

The environment has been defined as that outer physical and biological system in which man and other organisms live as a whole. The human Human environment consists of both the physical environment and biological environment. The physical environment covers land, water, and air. The biological environment includes plants, animals, and other organisms.

The term environment has been derived from the term ‘environ’, which means ‘to surround’. Thus, etymologically environment means ‘surrounding conditions, circumstances affecting people’s lives’. The same meaning has been given in Collins Dictionary.

As per Section 2(a) of the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, ‘Environment’ includes Water, air, and land and the inter-relationship which exists among and between, water, air, land, human beings, other living creatures, plants, microorganisms, and property.

As per Section 2 (d) of the National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995 ‘Environment’ includes water, air, and land and the inter-relationship which exist among and between water, air, land and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organisms, and property. The definition is having similarities to that given in the Environmental Protection Act, 1986.

As per the statutory definition of environment given in the Environmental Protection Act, 1986 and in the National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995; it is clear that humans are having interrelationships with water, air, land, other living creatures, plants, microorganisms, and property.

The environment includes the complex physical, chemical, and biological factors surrounding an organism or an ecological community. Such factors act and interact with various species and organisms to affect their form, growth, and survival.  From the above definitions, it is clear that the “Environment” comprises all entities, living and non-living, natural or man-made, external to oneself, and their interrelationships, which provide value to humankind.