The negative impact of human activities which affect / alter the balance of nature result into environmental issues. There are many causes which lead to the development of these issues. Awareness about human activities causing environmental issues started in the 60s decade. Environmental pollution, climate change, environmental degradation, etc., are amongst the important environmental issues. The development of environmental science as an independent discipline / branch of science also is the result of awareness about the environment. Let us understand about the environmental issues 2011, and related facts. Important Environmental Issues 2011 The environmental problems that have surfaced in today's times are the result of years of massive destruction and abuse of our fragile eco-system. A long time is needed to create a particular thing than destroying it. It is therefore necessary to address the environmental issues and take appropriate action to prevent further damage. The environmental issues 2011 and in general, are discussed through this article. A year's period is too short to observe environmental changes, since, they are the product of continual degradation of the environment. However, as we begin with the year 2011, some of the environmental issues have attained a state which concerns scientists and people in general around the globe. The different environmental issues 2011 are presented below. Energy Crisis: The subject of energy efficiency has always been a burning issue. Governments of different nations encourage scientists to find innovative ways to satisfy their energy needs. With petroleum fuels about to end one day, this issue has to be addressed as early as possible. Solar energy is one of the best alternatives to the conventional energy resources like petroleum. Research and study in the direction to solve energy crisis is therefore, necessary. Mindless use of petroleum products not only depletes the stock, but also results in the emission of harmful gases like carbon monoxide (CO). Energy crisis is therefore one of the burning environmental issues 2011. Climate Change: The emission of greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane is the result of industrialization other improper practices, which result into their production. The ozone layer which protects life on earth from ultraviolet (UV) radiations is becoming thinner gradually due to these greenhouse gases. The greenhouse gas emissions adversely affect our environment and is the underlying cause of the global warming phenomenon. There is a gradual shift in the patterns of climate observed over many years; it is therefore one of the global environmental issues. Understanding the different causes and factors associated with climate change is therefore important. Intensive Farming: Practice of intensive farming leads to the consumption of natural resources for obtaining profits. Monoculture, overgrazing, meat production, etc., are the important aspects of intensive farming. Meat production accounts for generation of greenhouse gases more than any other source. According to one of the United Nations reports (2006), the greenhouse gases produced by all the trucks and cars in the world is lesser than those generated in the process of meat production. There are many environmental issues 2011 which need to be addressed. However, those mentioned above are the current environmental issues and important ones. Drastic steps need to be taken to prevent harmful consequences resulting from climate change and other environmental problems. 2011 Environmental Conferences The environmental conferences that are organized annually have a purpose behind them to create awareness about importance of protecting our nature. It is through these conferences that we get to listen to the expert opinions on environmental issues. The following table enlists environmental conferences to be held in the year 2011.

Conference	Location	Date
Environmental Management in Mining 2011	Perth, Australia	21st February, 2011
International Conference on Biological and Environmental Engineering	Penang, Malaysia	23rd February, 2011
International Seminar on Climate Change: Environmental Insight for Climate Change Mitigation	Solo, Indonesia	4th March, 2011
Greenprints Conference and Tradeshow	Atlanta, USA	14th March, 2011
The 1st EnvironmentAsia International Conference	Bangkok, Thailand	23rd March, 2011
South Asian Conference on Contemporary Environmental Perspectives, 2011	Raipur, India	25th March, 2011
3rd International Conference on Energy and Sustainability	Alicante, Spain	11th April, 2011
Carbon Neutral Destinations Conference Series	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	20th April, 2011
6th International Conference on River Basin Management	Riverside, USA	25th May, 2011
5th International Conference on Sustainable Development and Planning	New Forest, UK	12th July, 2011
Adapting to Coastal Change: local perspectives	The Hague, Netherlands	13th September, 2011
BITs 1st Annual World Congress of Environmental Biotechnology	Dalian, China	19th October, 2011
International Conference on Water, Energy and Environment	Phuket, Thailand	21st December, 2011

The environmental issues list presented in this article cover only a minuscule part of what concerns today's world. Our ecosystem needs to be protected and nurtured. There are adequate resources on our planet to fulfill our needs. However, a balance need to be maintained. Putting in M.K. Gandhi's words, "Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed." Environmental issues 2011 and all problems associated with the ecosystem should therefore be given due importance.