Which of the following have placed a huge stress on the environment, so that the demands on it go beyond its carrying capacity?
1. Rising population of the developing countries
2. Affluent consumption and production standards of the developed world
3. Generation of wastes within the absorptive capacity of the environment
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → 1 and 2
The environment is under stress when demand on it goes beyond its carrying capacity: resources are used faster than they regenerate, or wastes go beyond what it can absorb.
1. Rising population of the developing countries — Correct. More people need more resources.
2. Affluent consumption and production standards of the developed world — Correct. Rich lifestyles use more resources and create more waste.
3. Generation of wastes within the absorptive capacity of the environment — Incorrect. Waste within the absorptive capacity causes no stress; the problem arises only when wastes go beyond it.
NCERT (2026-27): “7.2 Environment — Definition and Functions … The rising population of the developing countries and the affluent consumption and production standards of the developed world have placed a huge stress on the environment in terms of its first two functions. Many resources have become extinct and the wastes generated are beyond the absorptive capacity of the environment. Absorptive capacity means the ability of the environment to absorb degradation. …” |