| prefLabel |
- environmental degradation
|
| definition |
- Environmental degradation is a process through which the natural environment is compromised in some way, reducing biological diversity and the general health of the environment. This process can be entirely natural in origin, or it can be accelerated or caused by human activities. Many international organizations recognize environmental degradation as one of the major threats facing the planet, since humans have only been given one Earth to work with, and if the environment becomes irreparably compromised, it could mean the end of human existence.
|
| related |
|
| narrower |
|
| inScheme |
|
| broader |
|
| Abstract from DBPedia | Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as quality of air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; and pollution. It is defined as any change or disturbance to the environment perceived to be deleterious or undesirable. Environmental concerns can be defined as the negative effects of any human activity on the environment. The biological as well as the physical features of the environment are included. Some of the primary environmental challenges that are causing great worry are air pollution, water pollution, natural environment pollution, rubbish pollution, and so on.[2] Environmental degradation is one of the ten threats officially cautioned by the high-level PaneI on Threats, Challenges and Change of the United Nations. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction defines environmental degradation as "the reduction of the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological objectives, and needs". Environmental degradation comes in many types. When natural habitats are destroyed or natural resources are depleted, the environment is degraded. Efforts to counteract this problem include environmental protection and environmental resources management. Mismanagement that leads to degradation can also lead to environmental conflict where communities organize in opposition to the forces that mismanaged the environment.人間（ヒト）によって手を加えられる事がない、あるがままの状態のもの（すなわち自然）に、人間の手を加えて破壊してしまうことがある。これを、自然破壊という。人間が直接的に手を加えて破壊すること（森林破壊など）もあれば、人間の活動によって間接的に影響を受けて破壊に至る（大気汚染、気候変動など）こともある。 「あるがままの自然」に人間の手を介入させること自体が「あるがままの自然」ではないとみなし、人間の手を加えてしまうことそのものを指すこともあれば、「人間が手を加えた自然」さえも利用できない状態にまで破壊されてしまう場合もあるが、いずれにしても人間の都合によって自然が変えられてしまうことには変わりはない。 環境問題の一つであり、環境破壊と表現することもある。 (Source: http://dbpedia.org/resource/Environmental_degradation) |
