Environmental Poverty and Human Development : the Case of South Asian Countries

The people in the world today are moving towards "economic growth" by engaged in carbon-intensive activities and are becoming the primary source of emitting pollutions into the environment. This fast run towards economic growth is associated with carbon dioxide emissions particularly and deterioration of key environmental indicators such as soil, water and air quality and forest cover. These deteriorations have adverse repercussions for human development especially for the millions of people, who depend directly on natural resources of their livelihoods. Human development represents the process of expanding the freedoms and capabilities to lead a 'good life' and the environmental threats, that result from the economic activities impeding the freedoms and capabilities of the people in general and in developing countries in particular and driving them towards the vicious circle of multidimensional poverty. Land degradation, air and water pollution, deforestation, decreasing land productivity and desertification are all affecting the freedoms and capabilities of the people living in medium and low human development countries. Consequently, the physical and social environments, knowledge, assets, production and consumption patterns are adversely affected leading to low achievements in human development. This paper particularly focuses on this theme and aims at an analysis of symbiosis between environmental degradation and level of human development. Women and children are the worst affected by the environmental threats. At this juncture, the practical ways to redress these environmental imbalances, risks and threats and forming the strategies for tackling environmental problems in such a way that expand people's choices, enrich capabilities, promote human development and protect our environment, are necessary for opening doors to a better future.