Each person contributes to environmental pollution. We, without even thinking about the consequences, throw garbage anywhere, buy any technological rubbish of our “civilization”, use chemicals, poison, and so on, thereby polluting NATURE.

Environmental problems of the modern world are diverse. Probably, not many of us will remember today the long overdue environmental disaster with the insecticide Tiodan type that occurred in 1969 on the Rhine River, when, due to 50 kilograms of a substance that had lain in the river for 2 years, a multi-million kill of fish struck in its scale. Perhaps our fathers remember the terrible environmental disaster in Seveso, when, as a result of the release of a cloud of dioxin at a chemical factory, the city was an uninhabited zone for about a year and a half. We even witnessed how the Aral Sea disappeared from the surface of the planet in 20 years ...

Both accidents and catastrophes occur suddenly and, although they are usually local in nature, their environmental consequences can spread over long distances and cover large areas. At the same time, catastrophes at radiation facilities (nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel processing enterprises, etc.), chemical enterprises, oil and gas pipelines, sea and railway transport, reservoir dams, etc., have the greatest danger.

The largest man-made disaster in the 20th century occurred in April 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (Ukraine). At the same time, the total number of victims exceeded 9 million people, 29 died from acute radiation sickness. The total area of ​​radioactive contamination along the isoline of 0.2 mR/h (more than 10 times the norm) was already in the first days of the accident about 0.2 million km 2, it covered many regions of Ukraine, Belarus, as well as a number of regions of Russia.

The scale of disasters is so terrible for the planet's ecosystem that humanity will pay for its mistakes for centuries, unless he kills himself much sooner, as tried to do this in 1979 in Yekaterinburg (formerly Sverdlovsk). Then the release of anthrax spores killed several hundred people within a radius of 3 kilometers from the source of distribution - the Institute of Virology.

We are killing ourselves, we are destroying the flora and fauna of the planet, polluting water, soil and air, which are necessary as a living wage for all living inhabitants of our planet, we are creating ourselves more and more environmental problems.

The nuclear attack on Hiroshima in 1945 brought not only a humanitarian but also an ecological catastrophe. According to analysts, the number of deaths by 1980 exceeded 98,000 human lives, and still continues to collect its terrible tribute in the form of cancerous tumors and increased levels of radiation that exterminate the population. But it is unlikely that this example taught a person to carefully handle what could cause his extermination. No, we didn't stop there. In 1979, in the United States, at the Three Mile Island reactor, due to system failure and operator negligence, radioactive gases were released into the atmosphere. This list includes dozens of various examples of environmental disasters on the planet, polluting the environment in turn, and today it seems that there is no stopping this vicious circle. Man destroying everything around as a result will disappear himself.

The true danger of what is happening now on our planet is understood by too few people ...

We ourselves are hostages of the age of technology. After all, everyone knows that the development of an electric car that could replace cars with internal combustion engines was completely ruined by the purchase of patents for this development by oil magnates. Why kill the oil business, which brings in hundreds of billions of dollars annually, if you can skim the cream without investing in new assembly lines for environmentally friendly cars.

Each of us knows that September 1 is Knowledge Day, but how many people know that this day is also A day of remembrance for species destroyed by man? For every 60 minutes, about three species of flora and fauna disappear on the planet. It is easy to calculate that it will take only about sixteen and a half thousand years to completely destroy all life on earth, including plants. By the middle of the twentieth century alone, we had exterminated 67 species of mammals and 142 species of birds.

Davis Guggenheim's infamous film An Inconvenient Truth premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. In November, the box office exceeded $ 20 million, and the film itself is now the fourth largest box office in the world during the existence of documentaries. In 2007, the tape received two Oscars, in the nominations "documentary" and "song to the film", and the American Film Institute called it one of the biggest events of the year. The film is based on events that tell about global environmental problems on our planet.

Today, the planet's weighted average temperature has risen by about 0.7°C since the start of the technological industrial revolution. But, oddly enough, a large proportion of this temperature has risen in just the last 50-60 years. And this wave is caused by human activity, namely the emission of gases into the atmosphere, referred to in modern society as the greenhouse effect.

The consumption of natural resources has reached colossal proportions. But have any of us ever wondered how long this natural well-being will last? How much more environmental troubles can our Mother Earth endure? After all, anyway, sometime in the distant future, plants and factories will have to be converted to consume new types of fuel as a result of the depletion of natural ones, so why not do it now? Why not start saving today, without waiting until the exhausted bowels of our planet begin to settle and environmental problems do not destroy humanity?

Unfortunately, due to the change of generations of mankind, the terrible pages of history are quickly erased from the memory of our ancestors. A person does not have time to learn the hard lessons of terrible environmental disasters that claimed millions of human lives, associated with the careless negligence of technicians, operators, drivers, electricians.

The planet endures for the time being, sometimes snapping, then it meekly endures deforestation, burning fields, devastation of the bowels, which gives nothing in return but terrible scars on its rich black soil body. She freezes while testing new types of weapons that can, with cold casualness, make her an uninhabited desert, the same as dozens of sister stars in galaxies, not holding any spark of life, monotonously making their silent way. But how, after all, I want to believe that a person can realize the depth of that ecological abyss, from the edge of which he is just one wrong step. It's not too late today. There is still a chance that we will learn to live in symbiosis with our "green house". With that amazing beautiful globe that gave birth to billions of subspecies of creatures living side by side with a subspecies called itself a man. How you want all our environmental problems, disasters and troubles to be in the past.

Ecological problem is one of the global problems of our time. It is closely related to issues of resource scarcity. environmental safety and ecological crisis. One of the ways to solve the environmental problem is the path of "sustainable development", proposed as the main alternative to the development of human civilization.

Global environmental issues

Scientific and technological progress has posed a number of new, very complex problems for humanity, which it has not encountered before at all, or the problems were not so large-scale. Among them, a special place is occupied by the relationship between man and the environment. In the 20th century, nature was under pressure due to a 4-fold increase in population and an 18-fold increase in world production. Scientists say that from about the 1960s and 70s. changes in the environment under the influence of man have become global, i.e. affecting all countries of the world without exception, so they began to be called global. Among them, the most relevant are:

• Earth's climate change;
• air pollution;
• destruction of the ozone layer;
• depletion of fresh water and pollution of the oceans;
• land pollution, destruction of soil cover;
• depletion of biological diversity, etc.

Environmental changes in the 1970s-90s and forecast for

2030 are reflected in table. 1. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the meeting of heads of state and government of UN member states (September 2000) presented the report "We the peoples: the role of the United Nations in the 21st century". The report looks at the priority policy areas facing humanity in the new millennium and emphasizes that "the challenge of securing an environmentally sustainable future for future generations will be one of the most challenging."

Table 1. Environmental changes and expected trends up to 2030

Characteristic	Trend 1970-1990	Scenario 2030
Shrinkage of natural ecosystems	Reducing at a rate of 0.5-1.0% per year on land; by the early 1990s. about 40% of them survived	Continued trend, approaching near-total elimination on land
Consumption of primary biological products	Consumption growth: 40% land-based, 25% global (1985 est.)	Consumption growth: 80-85% onshore, 50-60% global
Change in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere	Growth in greenhouse gas concentrations from tenths of a percent to a few percent annually	Growth in concentration, acceleration of growth in the concentration of CO, and CH 4 due to accelerated destruction of biota
Depletion of the ozone layer, the growth of the ozone hole over Antarctica	Depletion of 1-2% per year of the ozone layer, an increase in the area of ​​ozone holes	Continued trend even if CFC emissions are phased out by the year 2000
Reduction in forest area, especially tropical	Reduction at a rate from 117 (1980) to 180 ± 20 thousand km 2 (1989) per year; reforestation refers to deforestation as 1:10	Continuing the trend, reducing the area of ​​forests in the tropics from 18 (1990) to 9-11 million km 2, reducing the area of ​​forests in the temperate zone
desertification	Expansion of the area of ​​deserts (60 thousand km 2 per year), growth of technogenic desertification. toxic deserts	The trend will continue, growth rates are possible due to a decrease in moisture turnover on land and the accumulation of pollutants in soils
land degradation	Increased erosion (24 billion tons annually), reduced fertility, accumulation of pollutants, acidification, salinization	Continued trend, increased erosion and pollution, reduced agricultural land per capita
Ocean level rise	Ocean level rise by 1-2 mm per year	Maintaining the trend, it is possible to accelerate the rise in the level up to 7 mm per year
Natural disasters, man-made accidents	Growth in number by 5-7%, increase in damage by 5-10%, increase in the number of victims by 6-12% per year	Maintaining and strengthening trends
Extinction of species	Rapid extinction of species	Increasing trend towards the destruction of the biosphere
Qualitative depletion of land waters	Growth in the volume of wastewater, point and area sources of pollution, the number of pollutants and their concentration	Maintaining and increasing trends
Accumulation of pollutants in media and organisms, migration in trophic chains	Growth in the mass and number of pollutants accumulated in media and organisms, growth in the radioactivity of the environment, “chemical bombs”	Persistence of trends and their possible strengthening
Deterioration of the quality of life, the growth of diseases associated with environmental pollution (including genetic ones), the emergence of new diseases	Increasing poverty, food shortages, high infant mortality, high morbidity, lack of clean drinking water in developing countries; an increase in genetic diseases, a high accident rate, an increase in drug consumption, an increase in allergic diseases in developed countries; AIDS pandemic in the world, lowering of the immune status	Continuing trends, growing food shortages, growing diseases associated with environmental disturbances (including genetic ones), expanding the territory of infectious diseases, the emergence of new diseases

Environmental issue

Environment (natural environment, natural environment) called that part of nature with which human society directly interacts in its life and economic activity.

Although the second half of the 20th century This is a time of unprecedented rates of economic growth, however, to an ever greater extent, it will be carried out without proper consideration of the possibilities of the natural environment, permissible economic burdens on it. As a result, the degradation of the natural environment occurs.

Irrational nature management

Deforestation and depletion of land resources can be cited as an example of environmental degradation as a result of unsustainable nature management. The process of deforestation is expressed in the reduction of the area under natural vegetation, and primarily forest. According to some estimates, at the time of the emergence of agriculture and animal husbandry, 62 million km 2 of land were covered with forests, and taking into account shrubs and copses - 75 million km 2, or 56% of its entire surface. As a result of the deforestation that has been going on for 10 thousand years, their area has decreased to 40 million km 2, and the average forest cover to 30%. Today, deforestation continues at an ever faster pace: about 100 thousand hectares are destroyed annually. km 2. Forest areas are disappearing as the plowing of land and pastures expands, and timber harvesting grows. A particularly threatening situation has developed in the tropical forest zone, primarily in countries such as Brazil and the Philippines. Indonesia, Thailand.

As a result of soil degradation processes, about 7 million hectares of fertile lands are annually withdrawn from the world agricultural turnover. The main reasons for this process are growing urbanization, water and wind erosion, as well as chemical (contamination with heavy metals, chemical compounds) and physical (destruction of the soil cover during mining, construction and other works) degradation. The process of soil degradation is especially intense in drylands, which occupy about 6 million km 2 and are most characteristic of Asia and Africa. The main areas of desertification are also located within the arid lands, where, due to the high growth rates of the rural population, overgrazing, deforestation and irrational irrigated agriculture lead to anthropogenic desertification (60 thousand km 2 annually).

Pollution of the natural environment with waste

Another reason for the degradation of the natural environment is its pollution with waste from industrial and non-industrial human activities. These wastes are divided into solid, liquid and gaseous.

The following calculations are indicative. Currently, on average, about 20 tons of raw materials are mined and grown annually per inhabitant of the Earth. At the same time, 50 km 3 of fossil rocks (more than 1000 billion tons) are extracted from the subsoil alone, which, using an energy capacity of 2500 W and 800 tons of water, are converted into 2 tons of the final product, of which 50% is immediately thrown away, the rest goes to the deposited waste.

The structure of solid waste is dominated by industrial and mining waste. In general and per capita, they are especially high in Russia and the USA. Japan. The per capita indicator of municipal solid waste is dominated by the United States, where 800 kg of garbage per inhabitant per year (400 kg per inhabitant of Moscow).

Liquid waste pollutes primarily the hydrosphere, with sewage and oil being the main pollutants here. The total volume of wastewater at the beginning of the XXI century. amounted to about 1860 km 3. To dilute a unit volume of polluted wastewater to a level acceptable for use, an average of 10 to 100 and even 200 units of pure water is required. Asia, North America and Europe account for about 90% of the world's wastewater discharges.

As a result, the degradation of the aquatic environment today has taken on a global character. Approximately 1.3 billion people use only polluted water in their homes, and 2.5 billion experience a chronic lack of fresh water, which is the cause of many epidemic diseases. Due to the pollution of rivers and seas, fishing opportunities are reduced.

Of great concern is the pollution of the atmosphere with dusty and gaseous wastes, the emissions of which are directly related to the combustion of mineral fuels and biomass, as well as mining, construction and other earthworks (2/3 of all emissions occur in the developed countries of the West, including the United States - 120 million tons). Examples of major pollutants are typically particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. Every year, about 60 million tons of particulate matter are emitted into the Earth's atmosphere, which contribute to the formation of smog and reduce the transparency of the atmosphere. Sulfur dioxide (100 million tons) and nitrogen oxides (about 70 million tons) are the main sources of acid rain. A large-scale and dangerous aspect of the ecological crisis is the impact on the lower layers of the atmosphere of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and methane. Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere mainly as a result of the combustion of mineral fuels (2/3 of all inputs). The sources of methane emissions into the atmosphere are biomass combustion, some types of agricultural production, gas leakage from oil and gas wells. The international community has decided to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2005 and by 50% by the middle of the 21st century. In the developed countries of the world, relevant laws and regulations have been adopted for this (for example, a special tax on carbon dioxide emissions).

The impoverishment of the gene pool

One aspect of the environmental problem is the reduction of biological diversity. The biological diversity of the Earth is estimated at 10-20 million species, including 10-12% of the total on the territory of the former USSR. The damage in this area is already quite tangible. This is due to the destruction of the habitat of plants and animals, the overexploitation of agricultural resources, environmental pollution. According to American scientists, over the past 200 years, about 900 thousand species of plants and animals have disappeared on Earth. In the second half of the XX century. the process of reducing the gene pool has accelerated sharply, and if the current trends continue over the last quarter of a century, the extinction of 1/5 of all species that now inhabit our planet is possible.

Ecological situation in Russia at the beginning of the XXI century.

The ecological situation in our country is determined by two factors: a decrease in environmental protection costs, on the one hand, and a smaller scale of economic activity than before, on the other.

For example, in 2000, almost 21,000 enterprises with emissions into the atmosphere operated in Russia. These emissions (including cars) amounted to more than 85 million tons, of which almost 16 million were without any treatment. For comparison, in the USSR, emissions from stationary sources and road transport in the mid-80s amounted to. 95 million tons, in Russia in the early 90s - about 60 million tons. The largest air pollutants in modern conditions are the Siberian and Ural federal districts. They accounted for about 54% of total emissions from stationary sources.

According to the State Water Cadastre, in 2000 the total water intake from natural objects will be 86 km 3 (of which more than 67 km 3 was used for household and drinking, industrial needs, irrigation and agricultural water supply). The total volume of discharges of polluted wastewater into surface waters exceeded 20 km3, of which 25% falls on the Central Federal District. In the USSR, this figure was 160 km 3, in Russia in the 90s. — 70 km 3 (40% of them untreated or insufficiently treated).

In 2000, more than 130 million tons of toxic waste were generated in Russia as a whole. Only 38% of the waste was fully used and neutralized. The largest number of them was formed in the Siberian Federal District (31% of the entire RF). If we talk about solid waste in general, then in the USSR they were generated annually about 15 billion tons, in Russia in the early 90s. — 7 billion tons.

Thus, although in Russia in the 90s. due to the economic crisis, there was a sharp decrease in emissions of all types of waste, the subsequent economic growth leads to an increase in the volume of waste polluting the environment.

Representing a serious danger to the existence of all mankind, did not develop immediately. Only by the beginning of the 80s. this topic has become the subject of serious research by various specialists.

Environmental hazard is one of those problems that drew attention long before it became a completely tangible reality. A great merit in this belongs to the prominent Russian scientist V.I. Vernadsky, who warned more than 80 years ago that if we want to continue on the path of social progress, we must seriously think about the interaction of nature and society. If society does not develop on a reasonable basis, in accordance with the natural laws of nature, he noted, then the death of all life on Earth is inevitable. IN AND. Vernadsky created the concept of the evolution of the biosphere into the noosphere - the sphere of mind on Earth. He considered the noosphere as a certain stage, a stage in the development of the biosphere, when the conscious, transforming activity of people becomes the real driving force of this development. At the same time, the idea of ​​the noosphere was developed by the French scientists E. Leroy, P. Thayer de Chardin. They tried to substantiate the uniqueness of man as an integral part of the biosphere, they understood the noosphere as an ideal formation, as a special non-biospheric “shell of thought” of the planet. Based on these ideas, they built the concept of harmonizing the relationship between man and nature, while calling for the rejection of selfish aspirations in the name of uniting all of humanity. Even then, an understanding was formed that a new era was coming - the era of planetary phenomena, and that in these new conditions people would be able to resist the natural and social elements only together.

At the present stage of development of the “man-society” system, the dynamics of global environmental problems is observed: the replacement of some problems occurs not because the severity of the real threat to life is decreasing, but because new, no less important environmental problems arise all the time, such as climate warming, thinning ozone layer, acid rain. The dynamics of global environmental problems is understood as the emergence of new global environmental problems, while existing ones do not lose their relevance, but are not solved, we are talking about the effect of the so-called "snowball" of environmental problems.
The content of the concept of "global environmental problems" has changed from insoluble, the existence of which inevitably leads to the death of a person, to reducing them to a metaphor, as a kind of language trap. The last approach is caused by the crisis of human thinking.

What are the global environmental problems in the 21st century? What is the probability of their solution? What role does it play in their decision? All the material presented below contains answers to the questions posed.

The dynamic development of environmental problems at the beginning of the new millennium puts forward the problem of global climate change associated with the "greenhouse effect". Sources of greenhouse gases are anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, freon and some other gases. The impact of anthropogenic emissions is exacerbated by a number of indirect causes, which include deforestation, landscape and land use changes. By 2000, the increase in the average annual temperature of the northern hemisphere was 1.3 degrees Celsius higher than in the middle of the 20th century. Industrial emissions of carbon dioxide from factories, plants, cars, and aircraft are especially dangerous. An increase in emissions of this substance is predicted throughout the 21st century, which is due to the combustion of fossil energy sources (oil, gas, coal). By 2100, the average global temperature will rise to a maximum of 5.8 degrees Celsius. The greatest influence on climate warming, based on carbon dioxide emissions, is exerted by industrialized countries, such as the United States,. The assessment of the negative impact of carbon dioxide emissions within the EPR is ambiguously assessed by scientists. There is an opinion that the increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere should slow down and stabilize by 2100.

The second global environmental problem is the destruction of the ozone layer, which requires its cardinal solution. As you know, the ozone layer, located at an altitude of over 20 km, protects the earth's surface from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun, among which the greatest danger is represented by short-wave radiation. Especially negatively they affect the health of the population, its immune and gene systems. Depletion of the ozone layer leads to an increase in the rate of infectious diseases. The reason for the thinning of the ozone layer and the formation of "holes" are emissions of fluorinated and chlorinated hydrocarbons (FHC) and halogen compounds (halons) into the atmosphere. Ultraviolet rays are destroyed by plankton, which are the basis of the food chain in the sea, ocean. Due to the warming of the waters in which plankton live, there is a change in its quantity and species composition, and in general, it will affect the supply of food. Scientists have found the effect of ozone depletion (by 25%) on a decrease in soybean yield by 20-25%. In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was adopted, significantly limiting chlorofluorocarbon-12, or freon, which have the most damaging effect on the ozone layer. Russia is also one of the largest producers and consumers of ozone-depleting substances. UN environmental programs envisage an increase in the content of chlorine over several decades, even if all countries reduce its emissions into the atmosphere by 50%. According to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Atmosphere (1985) and the Montreal Protocol (1987), starting from 1993, the annual consumption of ozone-depleting substances should be reduced to 80% of the 1986 level. A ban is imposed on the import of chemicals from countries that have not signed the protocol, as well as on the import of goods containing CFCs (fluorinated and chlorinated hydrocarbons) and halogens. The creation of an international climate fund is envisaged, from which countries can receive assistance for investment in technology that contributes to the preservation of the ozone layer.

The third problem is acid rain and transboundary air pollution. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels, can be carried by wind to considerable distances from the source of emission and return to the ground with rain, snow and. Acid rains change the acidity of lakes, rivers, soils in places where they fall, lead to the death of many animals and plants, and to significant losses and costs in the public sector. Acid precipitation leads to the death of forests, to the sea of ​​fish in inland waters, which are hundreds of kilometers away from the source of pollution. Corrosion of open metal structures also occurs, monuments of culture and history are damaged. Germany also makes the main contribution to the transboundary acidification of the European territories of Russia. Russia is more of a "consumer" of transboundary air pollution than its exporter.

The fourth problem is the reduction of forest area. In the twentieth century vast forests were destroyed, about half of the tropical forests. If the current rate of deforestation continues, their area will decrease at the beginning of the 21st century. by 40%. The value of forests is very high, they produce the bulk of oxygen, which plays an important role in ensuring a closed cycle of substances in, deforestation leads to soil erosion, a reduction in the diversity of flora and fauna, degradation of water basins, a reduction in the absorption of carbon dioxide, a decrease in the amount of fuel and industrial wood. Russia accounts for 22% of the world's forests. To the greatest extent, the processes of degradation and reduction of forest areas are typical for South America, Asia and the countries of the Pacific basin.

The next global problem is the reduction of biological diversity. According to experts, the planet may lose up to half of its biological diversity. Possible solutions are to increase the area of ​​specially protected natural areas of the national level, this is in, Germany,. In Russia, this figure is very low. The Red Book of the Russian Federation includes a list of rare animals and plants, the disappearance of which has increased by 1.6 times in recent years.

There are also other global environmental problems, which include the decline in soil fertility, the depletion of mineral resources, water problems, demographic problems, food supply and others. The problems of degradation of the agricultural resource base are calculated by the existence of the . In total, during the existence of agriculture, 2 billion hectares of biologically productive soils have been lost. The main reasons for the loss of land resources are soil erosion, mainly due to uncontrolled water supply, mechanical soil degradation (overconsolidation, violation of the structure of the arable layer, etc.), as well as a decrease in the natural fertility of the land. One of the most serious manifestations of land degradation is "technogenic desertification". The problem of land degradation is closely related to the production of monocultures in developing countries. As a rule, monocultures quickly deplete soils, and environmental problems arise due to the use of chemical fertilizers. This is especially true for African countries (, etc.). In Russia, there is a steady trend towards a reduction in productive areas.

As for the problem of the exhaustibility of mineral resources, oil reserves will last for 40 years, gas - for 60 years, coal - a little over 100 years, mercury - for 21 years, etc. The world community is recommended to carry out a total reconstruction of the global economic system without prejudice to economic growth in three directions: to stabilize the increase in population, switch to alternative energy sources, and also through the use of industrial materials that can be recycled.

In terms of global reserves, there is a huge surplus of water resources on Earth, but the amount of water that is unusable due to pollution is almost equal to the amount consumed by the entire economy. For its needs, humanity mainly uses fresh water, the volume of which is slightly more than 2%, and the distribution of natural resources across the globe is extremely uneven. In Europe and Asia, where 70% of the world's population lives, only 39% of river waters are concentrated. The total consumption of river waters is increasing in all regions of the world. The lack of water is exacerbated by the deterioration of its quality. The waters used in industry, agriculture and everyday life are returned to water bodies in the form of poorly treated or generally untreated effluents. Currently, many rivers are heavily polluted - the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Ohio, Volga, Dnieper, Dniester, etc. In Russia, water is purified up to a maximum of 80%, although there are modern technologies that allow water to be purified up to 100%. Pollution of fresh water continues to progress in our country, in recent years, pollution of not only surface, but also groundwater has increased. Over the past 50 years, catches of valuable species of commercial fish have decreased by almost 20 times, and in the basin by 6 times. In Russia, the rivers and lakes of the Irkutsk region are the reservoir of fresh water, the Kemerovo region takes the second place.

Absolutely all tendencies of deterioration of the ecological situation extend to the territory of Russia. Moreover, Russia acts as one of the regions that make a significant contribution to the development, preservation and strengthening of negative global environmental trends. Resource and energy consumption in the country per unit of gross national product is 2-3 times higher than in countries, 5-6 times higher than in . There are two polar points of view on the natural features of Russia. According to one assessment, large areas of wetlands contribute to the intensification of some anthropogenic impacts. Based on a different approach, the North of Russia, Western and Eastern Siberia and the Far East, like Scandinavia, are centers of environmental stabilization of the first order, which together with Scandinavia represent 13 million square meters. km of taiga and forest tundra.

The well-known American historian, Professor of the University of Arizona Douglas Weiner highly appreciated the scientific ecological potential of Russia in the 20-30s, since in our country for the first time in the world they began to allocate specially protected areas for the study of ecological communities. The Soviet government was the first to implement this idea. In addition, in our country, for the first time, the importance of regional land use planning and the restoration of destroyed landscapes, which must be carried out on the basis of environmental studies, was realized. At present, these ideas and concepts are guided by the development of policy in the field of protected areas not only in Russia, but also in many other countries. These same ideas have received international recognition in the UNEP Biosphere Reserve Program.

The concept of sustainable development has been criticized since its inception, but nevertheless it remains so far the only real concept of the survival of mankind. The solution of global problems is associated with the formation of a new man, according to V.I. Vernadsky, a man of the noosphere, that is, with a formed ecological worldview. The tool for the formation of such a personality should be statistic ethics, namely environmental ethics.

Environmental problems of the earth- these are critical environmental situations that are relevant for the entire planet, and their solution is possible only with the participation of all mankind.

It should be immediately noted that any environmental problems of the earth are closely related to other global world problems, they affect each other and the occurrence of one leads to the emergence or exacerbation of others.

1. Climate change

First of all, we are talking about global warming. It has been worrying ecologists and ordinary people around the world for several decades.

The consequences of this problem are completely bleak: rising sea levels, a decrease in agricultural production, a shortage of fresh water (primarily for lands that are located north and south of the equator). One of the main causes of climate change is greenhouse gases.

Ecologists have proposed the following solutions to this problem:

– reduction of carbon dioxide emissions

– switch to carbon-free fuels

– developing a more economical fuel strategy

2. Overpopulation of the planet

During the second half of the 20th century, the world's population grew from 3 to 6 billion. And according to existing forecasts, by 2040 this figure will reach the milestone of 9 billion people. This will lead to shortages of food, water and energy. The number of diseases will also increase.

3. Depletion of the ozone layer

This environmental problem leads to an increase in the influx of ultraviolet radiation to the Earth's surface. To date, the ozone layer over countries with a temperate climate has already decreased by 10%, which causes irreparable harm to human health, can cause skin cancer, vision problems. The depletion of the ozone layer can also harm agriculture, as many crops are damaged by excessive ultraviolet radiation.

4. Reduction of biodiversity

Due to intensive human activities, many animals and plants have disappeared from the face of the earth. And this trend continues. The main reasons for the reduction of biological diversity are considered to be loss of habitat, overexploitation of biological resources, environmental pollution, and the impact of biological species brought from other territories.

5. Pandemics

Recently, almost every year, new dangerous diseases have appeared, caused by previously unknown viruses and bacteria. What caused the centers of epidemics around the world.

6. Crisis of fresh water resources

About a third of people on earth suffer from lack of fresh water. At the moment, practically nothing is being done to conserve existing water sources. According to the UN, most cities around the world do not properly treat their wastewater. Because of this, nearby rivers and lakes are prone to pollution.

7. Widespread use of chemical and toxic substances, heavy metals

Over the past two centuries, mankind has been actively using chemical, toxic substances, heavy metals in industry, which causes great harm to the environment. An ecosystem polluted with toxic chemicals is very difficult to clean up, and in real life it is rarely done. Meanwhile, reducing the production of harmful compounds and minimizing their release is an important part of preserving the environment.

8. Deforestation

Deforestation around the world is proceeding at alarming rates. The first place in this environmental problem is occupied by Russia: in the period from 2000 to 2013, 36.5 million hectares of forest were cut down. This problem irreparably harms the vital habitat of many plants and animals and leads to the loss of biodiversity and the deterioration of important ecosystems, as well as an increase in the greenhouse effect due to a decrease in photosynthesis.

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Russia is one of the most environmentally polluted countries in the world.

This is facilitated primarily by technogenic factors, such as deforestation, pollution of water bodies, soil and atmosphere with factory production waste.

This is a problem not only for individual countries, but for the entire planet as a whole. Let's look at what environmental problems exist in Russia, global and major.

In Russia, uncontrolled and illegal deforestation is carried out. These are global environmental problems of entire regions of Russia. Most of these are observed in the Far East and north-west of the country. In addition to the fact that poachers cut down valuable species of trees, which are already scarce, there is an acute problem of the rapid deforestation of Siberian regions. Land is also being cleared for agricultural land and for mining.
In addition to economic damage to the state, uncontrolled deforestation causes irreparable harm to many ecosystems that have been created and maintained for thousands of years.

Deforestation has the following consequences:

• Displacement of animals and birds from their original habitats.
• Violation of established ecosystems, an increase in the greenhouse effect on the planet. As a result, global warming occurs, which, to one degree or another, leads to a change in almost all ecosystems of the Earth. In particular, the water cycle is disrupted, which leads to a more arid climate on the planet.
• Accelerated and their weathering. Especially dangerous is the deforestation of areas with mountainous and hilly terrain, as it causes landslides and flooding.

Energy of Russia and ecology

The dependence of the environmental situation on electricity generation is the most direct, since there are three types of energy sources:

1. organic, these include gas, oil, charcoal and wood itself.
2. water, that is, the use of the power of the water flow to convert it into heat and electricity.
3. nuclear, or the use of energy released during nuclear reactions.

The operation of organic energy sources is directly related to their combustion. It must be said that deforestation is carried out not only in order to use wood as a type of fuel, but also in order to clear a place for the extraction of coal, oil and gas, which in themselves are organic sources of energy.

The environmental problem of the use of oil, gas, coal is associated not only with the finiteness of organic resources on the planet, but also with the problem of atmospheric pollution by substances that result from its combustion.

A large amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, and the lack of vegetation for its full absorption in our days lead to the formation and global warming of the climate.

The damming of rivers for the construction of hydroelectric power plants entails a change in established local ecosystems. Animals and birds are forced to move to other areas, which leads to the extinction of many species.

In addition to carbon dioxide, a lot of harmful substances enter the atmosphere that cause acid rain, thereby polluting the soil and water bodies. As you can see, the problem is already beyond the scope of energy and goes into the next category.

Ecologists regularly draw up various maps, where you can clearly see the environmental problems of Russian cities. So, for example, the most comfortable places to live in terms of ecology are Pskov, Novgorod regions, Chukotka, Altai, Buryatia.

Pollution

The problem of pollution is one of the most urgent today. Let us consider in more detail the main types of pollution.

Pollution of water and reservoirs

This problem is most acute in the industrial and densely populated areas of the country. Experts say that most diseases in residents of large settlements are associated with the problem of polluted water. In regions with a high level of pollution of water bodies, an increased incidence of various types of oncological diseases, as well as pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, is noted.

Every year, thousands of tons of waste from the chemical and oil refining industries from various enterprises fall into lakes throughout Russia; in reservoirs they destroy many species of flora and fauna. In addition, they make water unsuitable even for technical use.

Human waste products also significantly affect the pollution of water bodies, since the water that is used in cities for the needs of the population from the sewerage system often enters directly into open water bodies, bypassing the system of treatment facilities, the quality of which, by the way, leaves much to be desired: most of them are practically do not cope with their functions due to outdated and worn-out equipment.

Thanks to satellite research, the environmental problems of the seas of Russia were revealed, and the most dangerous of all the water areas of our country turned out to be the section of the Gulf of Finland, where the largest amount of hazardous oil products spilled from oil tankers is located.

At this rate of pollution, drinking water shortages may soon occur, as chemical waste enters the soil, thereby poisoning groundwater. In many springs across Russia, the water has already become undrinkable due to soil contamination with chemical waste.

The decline of heavy industry in the 1990s did a great deal to remedy Russia's air pollution problem, which was already on the rise, with air pollution levels among the highest in the world during Soviet times. The Soviet government did not anticipate that heavy industrial waste released into the atmosphere and deforestation, which reduces the absorption of carbon dioxide from the air, could pose any problem.

To increase production capacity, no natural resources were spared, and thick smoke over the chimneys of factories was considered evidence of unprecedented technocratic and industrial achievements. And it evoked a sense of pride instead of the logical in this case concern for the environment and one's health.

During the combustion of automotive fuel, in addition to carbon dioxide, fine dust and microscopic soot particles are emitted into the atmosphere. Inhaled by humans, they cause various oncological diseases, since they are quite strong carcinogens.

Even substances that are harmless to humans, such as freon, entering the upper atmosphere, contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer. Consequently, there are more and more ozone holes that allow the hard ultraviolet spectrum of solar radiation to pass through. This affects not only the climate of the Earth, but also all people, since such radiation is one of the main causes of skin cancer, and an increase in temperature leads to an increase in cardiovascular diseases.

Climate change due to air pollution and global warming significantly affects human life and has much more serious consequences than we can imagine. For example, it leads to a reduction in land suitable for cultivation, thereby reducing the area of ​​agricultural land. Which, in turn, threatens to reduce the possible amount of food and the onset of general hunger.

Nuclear pollution

The problem of radioactive contamination began to be discussed closely only after the catastrophe at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Prior to this, the question of the possible threat of such contamination, as well as the problem of disposal of radioactive waste, which lead to radioactive contamination of the environment, was practically not raised.

Many of the nuclear power plants in Russia have already worked out their deadlines and require more advanced equipment. Failure to replace it promptly can lead to serious natural environmental disasters due to accidents at nuclear power plants, as happened in Chernobyl.

The main danger of radioactive radiation lies in the fact that radioactive isotopes cause death or mutation of the cells into which they penetrate. Radioactive substances can enter the human body together with the inhaled air, water and food, as well as settling on unprotected areas of the skin. Many of them are deposited in the thyroid gland and bone tissue, showing their pathogenic properties not immediately, but after some time, depending on the radiation dose received by the person. In this regard, the problem of disposal of radioactive waste is extremely relevant today.

The problem of household waste in Russia

Along with the above, the problem of disposal of household waste and environmental pollution is no less relevant in Russia. At present, it is one of the most serious environmental problems in the country: about 400 kg of household solid waste is generated per year per inhabitant of Russia. And effective methods for the utilization of inorganic matter have not yet been invented.

One of the most effective methods of how to deal with part of household waste (in particular, with paper and glass containers) is the recycling of raw materials. In cities with an established mechanism for collecting waste paper and glass containers, the problem of household waste is less acute than in others.
What measures need to be taken?

In order to solve the environmental problems of Russian forests and reduce their deforestation, it will be necessary to:

• establish less favorable conditions for the export of timber, especially its valuable species;
• improve working conditions for foresters;
• strengthen the control of cutting down trees directly in the forests.

For water purification you need:

• reorganization of treatment facilities, most of which do not cope with their functions due to outdated and largely faulty equipment;
• revision of technologies for processing and disposal of production waste;
• improvement of the processes of utilization of domestic non-organic waste.

To purify the air you need the following:

• the use of more modern and environmentally friendly types of fuel, which would make it possible to significantly reduce the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere; improvement of filters in heavy industry enterprises.
  To reduce household waste:
• in addition to improving the ways in which household waste is disposed of, it will also be necessary to address the issue of using more environmentally friendly materials in the manufacture of, for example, food packaging;
• to reduce the pollution of forest plantations and other places of recreation, it is necessary to organize work with the population on environmental topics, as well as the introduction of severe penalties for the release of inorganic garbage in the wrong place.

Solving environmental problems in Russia

It is in the interests of our country to preserve and improve the environment around us. Currently, state supervision over its use has been significantly weakened. Of course, relevant laws and conceptual documents are being adopted, but we often see that they are not working effectively on the ground, in the regions. But despite this, there are still shifts. Comprehensive measures are being taken to stabilize and mitigate the environmental situation in the industrial regions of Siberia and the Urals, which often use innovative technologies. Energy-saving programs are being introduced throughout the country. Supervision of hydraulic structures is being strengthened. Below is a map of Russia's environmental problems, cities and regions of comfortable living are indicated. Despite the fact that the map was made in 2000, it is still relevant today.

Very good article! I totally agree with you! Why is it sometimes difficult for people to take a few extra steps to throw garbage not on the ground, but in a trash can? If everyone were aware of this, there would be no pollution. Although many understand this, they do not want to save the planet. It is very sad that in today's world everything turns out this way. It's good that there are now societies for the protection of nature! Thank you very much for this information!

The situation in our country has always been difficult. I was not so long ago in France, where, for example, garbage is not thrown into one bin, but is thrown into several bins, then sorted and processed at the factory, we are not close to that yet. The rudiments of this are already there, plants are being created for the disposal of used household appliances, household and chemical waste.