Environmental Geography: An Overview

In the past few years, the subject of environmental concern has drawn greater attention from all around. Amidst all this, geography is one of the disciplines that has an unavoidable and inseparable relationship with the environment. This is how the importance of environmental geography became one of the top concerns for everyone in general.

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the impacts of human activities on the environment have become more ostensible. Pollution, global warming, climate change, and biodiversity loss are just a few of the challenges that require serious attention from the international government, policymakers, researchers, and the general public.

What is the Meaning of Environment?

The environment, in simple language, is the surrounding area of a human being that directly or/and indirectly affects and influences human activities and lifestyle. Likewise, human beings interact with the environment more dynamically than other living beings. Humans’ lifestyle, food habits, clothing, occupation—everything is largely determined by the environment.

What is the Meaning of Environmental Geography?

Environmental geography, which focuses on the study of interactions between human beings and their immediate environment, is a branch of geography. This field of geography is comparatively a new branch developed to understand human relations with the environment comprehensively and subsequently preserve the damaging ecology. For example, it focuses on how human activities alter and impact the environment and then how the environment affects human activities. Environmental geography includes a wide range of topics, such as climate change, land use, natural resource management, pollution, and conservation.

Nature of Environmental Geography

As discussed above, environmental geography focuses on the study of different elements of the environment, their systematic description, and their interactions with humans.

However, in totality, environmental geography is −

• The study of the environment of the earth comprehensively by focusing on both living organisms (flora and fauna, including human beings) and non-living things.

• The study of the life supporting layers of the earth, including atmospheric, lithospheric, and hydrospheric components

• The study examines the relationships between these different components, which include several physical and biological processes, mutual interaction, and the interdependence of abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem.

• The study of environmental degradation and pollution arising out of increasing pressure through various human activities, including economic, construction, and technological.

Branches and Scopes of Environmental Geography

Environmental geography is a broad and interdisciplinary branch of geography that focuses on the interactions between humans and the natural environment; likewise, its branches are −

• Physical environmental geography − This branch of environmental geography emphases on the physical components of the environment, such as landforms, water bodies, climate, etc.

• Human-environmental geography − This branch of environmental geography emphases on the study of interactions between humans and the natural environment. It includes, how human activities, such as agriculture, infrastructure development, urbanization, and industrialization, affect the natural environment and how the environment, in turn, influences human activities.

• Biogeography − This branch of environmental geography emphases on the study of the distribution and characteristics of living organisms in different climatic regions of the Earth.

• Environmental hazards − This branch of environmental geography emphases on the study of natural and human-induced hazards that affect the environment and human populations on a large scale. For example, earthquakes, landslides, etc., and try to develop strategies for risk reduction and disaster management.

• Environmental policy and management − This branch of environmental geography emphases on the legislation and implementation of policies and strategies for environmental management and conservation.

• Environmental justice − This branch of environmental geography emphases on the study of the social and environmental factors that contribute to environmental inequality and work to promote equitable distribution of environmental resources and protections.

Based on the given information, it can be concluded that the scopes of environmental geography are diverse and interconnected, and reflect the complex interactions between humans and the natural environment. By understanding these interactions and relationships, better sustainable strategies for natural resource use and environmental protection can be designed.

Importance of Environment Geography

Environmental geography plays a critical role in understanding the complex relationships between humans and the natural environment. However, the following are some of the key features that define why environmental geography is important −

• Multi-disciplinary in nature − because of its diverse nature, it helps in understanding the various environmental issues, such as climate change, pollution, deforestation, and the depletion of natural resources. By understanding the causes and effects of these issues, suitable and sustainable strategies can be developed to ensure sustainable development.

• Protects biodiversity − by understanding the geography and significance of the distribution of different living organisms and their particular ecosystem, it helps in protecting and conserving biodiversity and their ecosystem, which ultimately helps in maintaining ecological balance.

• Aware the people − it defines various environmental phenomena on local levels as well as on global level and also describes their negative and positive characteristics. Based on such information, people are suggested to behave or design their economic activities accordingly

Conclusion

Moreover, environmental geography is a critical field of study that studies and analyses the interactions between human beings and the natural environment. This branch encompasses a broad range of current topics, including climate change, land use, natural resource management, pollution, and conservation, and tries to help in addressing environmental challenges, providing insights into the causes and impacts of environmental problems and identifying solutions that promote sustainability and protect the environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the examples of Environmental Geography?

Environmental geography is an interdisciplinary branch of geography and its examples include −

• Climate change: Mitigation and Adaptation

• Urban ecology

• Environmental justice

• Natural resource management

• Urbanization and its environment friendly architecture.

• Solving Environmental Problems with Code, etc.

Why is it important to study environmental geography?

Studying the environmental geography is important because it helps in −

• Understanding the life giving natural world

• Understanding the environmental issues and trying to find possible solution

• Improving the human health and overall sustainable environment

• Ensuring the sustainable growth

• Legislating the environment friendly policies, etc.