Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the
environment through
depletion of resources such as
air,
water and
soil; the destruction of
ecosystems and the extinction of
wildlife. It is defined as any change or disturbance to the environment perceived to be deleterious or undesirable. As indicated by the
I=PAT equation, environmental impact (I) or degradation is caused by the combination of an already very large and increasing human population (P), continually increasing
economic growth or per capita affluence (A), and the application of resource depleting and polluting technology (T).