During last few decades, environmental problems have attracted the attention of a wide cross-section of people all over the world. The responsibility to harmonise environmental protection with development objectives rests with the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It serves as a focal point for the planning, promotion and coordination of various environmental and forestry programmes. The task is sought to be fulfilled through action on diverse fronts such as survey and conservation of natural resources, impact assessment of development projects, incorporation of environmental protection in the planning process, control of pollution regeneration programmes, legislation, research, extension, education, training, dissemination of information and creation of environmental awareness. As is obvious from the name of the title book contains valuable information on diverse aspects of environmental protection and law.

Forests play a very important role in the life and economy of the country. Forest vegetation and its accompanying soil organism make up as much as 90 per cent of the total Biomass on land. Due to deforestation, the stability of many ecological sub-systems have been greatly disturbed. Forest cover in the catchment areas of the rivers, control soil erosion and recurrence of floods. Once the forest cover is damaged, severe soil erosion takes place disturbing the entire eco-system, chocking the dams and reservoirs with silt load and thereby promotes recurrence of floods. This book covers well researched and varied readings on forestry and forest resources conservation. Besides the academic worth, this book will prove of utmost use to environmentalists, and forest officers.

Ecologists have been observing and documenting that most, if not all, ecosystems are not in balance. But why should scientists be concerned with whether an ecosystem is in equilibrium? The answer to this question is crucial for understanding biodiversity. In the process of gene mutation, all heritable diversity ultimately arises at the molecular level. Gene mutations are chemical changes that take place in the composition of the DNA molecule. According to modern ecological theory, every species in a community occupies a singular ecological niche or a role in the environment. Niche theory predicts that communities that very in total resources or in the quality of those resources will contain more niches and, therefore, more species. This book encompasses highly rich and well-researched readings on the theme.

Since man himself is a part of nature he is affected and in turn affects the other constituents, which are as much a part of Nature as man himself. Climate has from the very beginning regulated Man in practically every aspect of life and has played a very important role in the development of civilizations all around the world.

The Global Climate Change is global in impact, not in sources. A problem that is absolutely impossible for either a single nation or a single area to resolve, it seems unreasonable to blame and expect only a few nations and regions to take up the responsibility for wroughting the change and then finding means of restraining and wiping it totally from the face of the Earth. Several conferences in the recent years have taken place which have provided international policy framework to be considered when dealing with the science of the global climate change. This book is designed to bring together the succinct information on global commons. The rich readings contained in the book will immensely benefit the readers.