Scope of environmental management includes the organisational functions, physical boundaries, its activities, products, and services as well as compliance obligations. Further the environmental management within the organization comprises several crucial functions aimed at reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability.
Organisational Functions of Environmental Management
Among the main functions of environmental management includes policy formulations, and its development through establishing necessary guidelines and to set standards for execution of environmental practices. It includes ensuring sufficiently adherence to local, national as well as international environmental laws and regulations.
Planning and implementation of the environmental activities includes evaluating potential environmental paraphernalia of organisational aspects of environmental management. It further involves setting up of short term as well as long term goals and strategies for sustainable environmental practices.
Energy aspect has a major role in managing the environmental functions. It relates to implementation of the necessary measures to reduce energy consumption and use of energy efficiently. Formulating and developing of the strategies for reduction of waste, especially solid waste, its recycling and proper disposal to keep clean environment and its management for sustainable development revolves around the main functions of the environmental management.
Proper monitoring at appropriate levels is necessary for conducting environmental audits for regular assessments of environmental performances. Documentation of environmental performances and its communications are needed for initiations to be taken by the concerned stakeholders.
Employees training is very much required for educating the staff on the environmental policies and sustainable practices. Awareness campaigns are conducted for promoting environmental consciousness within as well as outside the organization.
Contemporary age is the period of innovation and technology. It is the function of environmental management to adopt the green technologies that enhances environmental impact. For this purpose, investment in projects for continuous research and development is desirable that enhances environmental sustainability.
Emergency response comes within the scope of organisational functions that comprises contingency planning to prepare for environmental crises and disasters. It involves implementation of actions and responses to mitigate environmental damages during emergencies. All these functions collectively help organizations not only to conform with the rules and regulations but also contribute to enlarge environmental goals.
Physical Boundaries of Environmental Management
Environmental management is the function of assortment of physical boundaries that explains the scope and context within which environmental policies, strategies, and actions are implemented.
Geographical boundaries are among the core physical boundaries that effects the environmental management. This includes urban planning, development of green areas and parks, community homes and green spaces at local levels. At regional levels, it involves management of water bodies, streams local forest patches as well as provincial wildlife reserves. Country wide environmental management policies represent to national level reserves, protected parks, and wild life areas. Global issues revolve around climate change, international military conflict effected regions and ozone depletion among others across internation borders.
Ecosystem boundaries include issues related to forests, deserts, coastal areas, marsh land, wet lands, grasslands to name the few. There are aquatic ecosystems that comprises oceans, rivers, and lakes. There are atmospheric boundaries which involves atmospheric as well as weather conditions, earth pole regions and subjects relating to management of air quality.
There are administrative boundaries that prominently comprises political boundaries comprising countries states and other local government jurisdictions. Other kind of boundaries are relating to land ownership such as private lands, state owned land as well as indigenous territories that effects environmental management.
The boundaries that effect environmental management are also divided by natural resources such as management of water resources, mineral, timber, and soil with energy resources i.e. use of fossil fuels, renewable energy resources and hydroelectric resources that have effect on environment.
Last but not the least are the boundaries that involves environmental impact, such as waste management zones namely recycling centres, land fill zones, waste treatment facilities and other is, pollution control zones in urban areas, industrial zones, disaster management zones and emission control zones.
Studying physical boundaries facilitates creating effective environmental management strategies and plans for making well considered policies to cater to the specific needs and challenges at different levels.
Products and Services of Environmental Management
Environmental management takes into consideration a varied array of products and services that intended at minimizing the environmental impact and to promote sustainability.
Recycling programs are put into practice for waste management services through collection and processing of recyclable materials to ensure safe disposal and treatment, especially of hazardous materials. Organic waste management of bio degradable materials are put to produce compost fertilizers for agricultural use.
Energy use assessments are evaluated through energy audits and opportunities are identified for energy efficiency improvements. Renewable energy sources are explored in the fields of solar, wind and other renewable energy options. Energy efficient products are discovered for providing lighting as well as efficient use of electrical appliances.
Proper and well considered strategies are developed to reduce water consumption and its efficient use through water conservation programmes. Water reuse technologies are developed for easy availability of purified water through treatment of wastewater and rainwater harvesting technologies are developed to recharge and storing ground water.
Pollution control systems, devices and technologies are developed for measuring and managing the air quality. Emission control systems and strategies are developed to manage and control gaseous emissions. Noise reductions measures are implemented to minimize noise pollution, especially in industrial regions, construction zones and in urban areas.
Biodiversity conservation habitats are developed for protecting wildlife and green spaces are promoted by creating parks in urban areas. Available lands are efficiently used through rehabilitating degraded lands for ecological as well as for agricultural purposes.
Environmental education is needed for all the stakeholders through conducting seminars, workshops, training sessions and promoted through social media. Organizations are required to help providing skills and impart knowledge for implementing sustainable environmental practices.
Environmental consulting agencies play important roles in evaluating environmental impacts of the development activities, sustainable planning to achieve sustainable environmental goals and adherence to environmental compliances and to regulate environmental standards.
Environmental management systems are developed and suitable environmental strategies are evolved to help organizations manage their environmental responsibilities sufficiently effectively, and efficiently.
Collectively, these products and services of environmental management are practiced by the communities to manage respective environmental issues, compliances to the rules and regulations to help promoting sustainable environmental future.
Compliance Responsibilities of Environmental Management
It is very much clear that environmental obligations and responsibilities varies based on industry, regions, territories, and occupations, but organizations are required to adhere to the various environmental compliances according laws, regulations, and standards of the land.
There are various environmental laws and regulations that are needed for adherence at national as well as local levels. The example for these is stte pollutions control regulations, state wildlife protection laws, waste disposal regulations, to quote a few.
Necessary no objection certificates, desired statutory permissions and required licenses re obtained for the activities that effect and impact environment. Likewise, land use permissions are secured for developing infrastructure, industrial and mining activities.
Organizations are statutorily required to put in place the monitoring systems to measure environmental impacts, and its proper reporting to the regulating authorities periodically at appropriate levels to help control environmental impacts and to develop necessary strategies to manage environmental impacts wherever and whenever feel necessary.
Environmental impact assessment systems and necessary regulations for conducting and its implementation are required to put in place. These are needed well before starting the development activities. These are to be conducted by the specialist in the field and the help of trained consulting agencies are desirable.
The systems to control and prevent the different aspects of pollution, such as, air, water and noise pollutions, a few among plethora of pollutants and the necessary regulations for its monitoring and preventions are implementation are necessary to put in place.
Adherence to health and safety of humans and natural resources is the important responsibilities involving environmental management. It is much imperative to put in place responsibly, the emergency response plans.
Adherence to Corporate Social Responsibilities, its timely reporting for contribution to the environmental sustainability caused is significant, and finally is the responsibility to comply with the international agreements and standards is obligatory at all levels vital for environmental management.
Diverse Aspects of Environmental Management
Environmental management encompasses an array of aspects that aim to protect and conserve the natural resources of mother earth.
Air quality management is among the foremost important aspects of environmental management. That comprises monitoring and controlling the air pollution from manufacturing units, construction sites, industrial sources, and vehicles as well as other emissions. It includes implementation of regulations and technologies to reduce pollutants like chemical elements and particulate matter.
Water resources management involves ensuring the sustainable use and conservation of fresh water resources. Treating and managing wastewater to prevent contamination of water bodies through implementing advanced and well considered practices like rainwater harvesting, watershed management and irrigation efficiency are undertaken.
Waste management, especially solid waste management aims to reducing, reusing, and recycling waste materials to minimize environmental impact. Waste management includes proper disposal and treatment of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Organic waste management and bio composting is promoted for efficient waste management.
Environmental management intends to preventing degradation, erosion, and desertification of soil through sustainable agricultural practices and restoration of land. Development and conservation balance is maintained by managing urban land use.
Restoration of natural habitats and protection of plant and animal species are ensured through establishing protected areas like natural parks wildlife reserves and marine sanctuaries. Sustainable use of biodiversity resources is promoted for environmental management.
Climate change is major challenge in the contemporary era and mitigation measures to reduce green-house emissions are ensured through energy efficiency, renewal energy as well as carbon sequestration. Strategies are applied to cope with the impacts of climate change. Promoting the use of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro and geothermal intends for sustainable energy management to ensure improving energy efficiency in industries, construction of building and transportation. It includes development and adoption of clean energy technologies.
It is the characteristic of environmental management to spread environmental education and awareness for promoting sustainable behaviours of individuals, communities, and organisations on the best practices for environmental stewardship. Programmes are required to be developed imparting special training on environmental management.
Last but not the least, well considered policies and regulations are desired to be formulated and implemented to promote environment. Proper compliances on environmental impact needs to be regulated for strict adherence to maintain environmental standards. All stakeholders are to be engaged in environmental decision-making processes.
In nutshell, coordinated efforts for all stakeholders such as individuals, communities, businesses, organisations, corporate houses as well as, most importantly governments are required to be highlighted to achieve sustainable development and manage environment to save our planet for our future generations.
