Question

Explain about, Earth’s Principal Biological Systems
In the chapter The Ailing Planet: The Green Movements Role

Answer 1

The Brandt Commission was one of the first international commissions which dealt with the question of ecology and environment. An Indian, Mr LK Jha, was a member of this commission. The First Brandt Report raised the question that whether we want to leave behind a scorched and a sick environment for our coming generations?  Mr Lester R Brown, in his book, ‘The Global Economic Prospect’, points out Earth’s four major biological systems, that are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. These four are the foundation of the global economic system. Besides providing us food, they provide nearly all the raw materials for industries except minerals and petroleum derived synthetics. The demand of human beings on these systems is increasing to such an unsustainable extent that the productivity of these systems is being hampered.  The excessive demand has resulted in deterioration and depletion of resources leading to the breakdown of fisheries, disappearance of forests, deterioration of croplands and turning of grasslands into barren lands. In a protein conscious and protein-hungry world, over-fishing is common. In poor countries, local forests are destroyed to obtain fuel for cooking.

Answer 2

Explanation:

According to Mr. Lester R. Brown, there are four principal biological systems of the earth. These systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands, and croplands. However, due to the increasing demand of human beings to such an ‘unsustainable’ extent, the productivity of these systems is being hampered. The excessive demand results in deterioration and depletion of these resources. A country where protein is consumed on a large scale, over-fishing is common, which leads to the collapse of fisheries in that area. Grasslands have been turned into deserts and the production of crops is decreasing. The forests are destroyed in large proportions to obtain firewood. The depletion of tropical forests has also led to the extinction of several species.