Environmental problems are issues that affect or change the normal setting of natural resources to a level of depletion, or where the rate of use is more than the rate of the resource in question naturally replacing its used part. This has necessitated for actions both from the governments and citizens through Non Governmental Organizations to fully embrace conservation of the ecosystem over the years. Conservation of the ecosystem is the preservation of natural environment with its physical composition which includes animals, insects and micro organisms among others. In central and Eastern Europe, Industrialization and extensive farming using machinery have been the main cause of worry in environmental Issues and Ecosystem conservation.
In the Eastern part just as in Central Europe, countries from the early 1950s took up total economic growth through industrialization and outright farming using heavy machinery. The case of Soviet Union clearly illustrated that, for factories to be set up or huge crop production farms, a lot of forest land had to be cleared to create space and the wood used for construction of factories. This became a continuous process and 40% of the forest covered land was cleared within the first decade starting 1960 (Long, 2000). In the competition spirit, no country cared about environmental conservation.
The genesis of these problems is during the early 1930s when scientists and top environmental researchers warned the soviet government of the planned industrialization which would be accompanied by heavy farming to ensure availability of raw materials (Long, 2000). The government in a bid to ensure full employment of its citizens and improve the living standards and national GDP (Gross Domestic Product) did not put into consideration the fact that, industrialization is a continuous program and more natural resources will be consumed. It is obvious when natural resources cannot match the rate of consumption, the alternative source of raw materials had to be manmade raw materials and this needed space to be cultivated, hence deforestation. It is only the great depression in the economies of the world of the 1990s that slowed down manufacturing and gave opportunity for NGO’s in environmental field to actively involve the said governments in discussions and talk them into programs that would support environmental preservation alongside continued manufacturing.
Extensive farming involved heavy irrigation which over the years caused soil erosion. The additional use of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals in farming led to salinity of the soil which extended and gradually hindered natural growth of some plants. This in turn promoted desertification. Mining was also intensified leading to damage of land. The increase in number of factories translated in more air and water pollution which was made worse because set standards of quality emission and discharge of waste were not strictly adhered to. The Aral Sea basin was converted into massive cotton plantation with water from the sea used mostly for large scale irrigation (Carter & Turnock, 2002). This led to a drop in the water level of the sea thus directly affecting the eco system. Likewise, a lot of nuclear activities were going on in the Sea of Barents area which included heavy mining that channeled some of the waters.
In conclusion the, the governments have come a long way in embracing joint responsibility in environmental preservation and supporting Non Governmental Organizations like the UNEP in their programs aimed at controlling and overseeing conservation of the environment. The governments jointly put up regional control standard for factory emissions and sewerage discharge.
References
Carter, F. W., & Turnock, D. (2002). Environmental problems of East Central Europe. New York, NY: Routledge.
Long, B. L. (2000). International environmental issues and the OECD, 1950-2000: an historical perspective. Paris, France: OECD Publishing.
