Chapter 12Preserving and Enhancing the Biosphere

Ecological State of the World

• Environmental Pessimists• Environmental Optimists• Sustainable Development - "meeting the

needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" The World Commission on Environment and Development

Sustainable Development

• Carrying capacity: Exploding population x consumption x waste =

potential problems.

Sustainable Development: the ability to continue to improve the quality of life of those in the industrialized countries, and particularly, those in the less developed countries while simultaneously protecting the Earth’s biosphere

How?

1. Restrict Development2. Pay for Sustainable Development3. Hold Earth Summits

Populations Problems

• United Nations Children’s Fund• World Health Organization• 1994 United Nations Conference on

Population and Development• Population Control and Reproductive Health• Abortion issue

Reducing Birthrates

1. Social2. Economic3. Policy

Population has slowed down.

Photo available at fixedreference.org and scienceahead.blog.dada.net

Resource Problems & Progress

• Supply of oil, gas and mineral resources• Supply and Demand• Drilling vs. harm to environment• Depletion of copper, lead, mercury, tin and

zinc• Need to maintain the economies and

standards of living while promoting economic development and managing natural resources

Forests

• UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports depletion of forest due to population growth and development.

• Answers:1.Conservation2.Lessen economic incentives for cutting down3.Educate about side effects such as global

warming.

Land

• Erosion of topsoil• No tress = runoff, silt clogs, etc.• Unchecked runoff can lead to mudslides, loss

of life• UNEP says 3.5 million square miles degraded• Worst Case scenario desertification

Wildlife• Deforestation• Economic value (example: Komodo dragon

$30,000 in Indonesia)• Many argue problem grossly exaggerated• Endangered Species Act

Water

• Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.

• Water usage in LDCs will increase as economic development and production increases

• Global water will decline by 1/3 by 2050• 1st water treat signed 4500 years ago by

Sumerian City-States• Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable

Seas and Fish

• Regulation of fisheries• Effects of natural disasters• PCBs and other pollutants• Role of consumers (don’t want whales killed,

don’t buy)

Ground Quality

• Less predominant environmental issue• Becomes a domestic policy issue b/c of borders• LDCs subletting as disposal sites new issue• Multinational corporations often cause issues of

ground pollution• Regional Agreements for protection include

Convention on Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes

Water Quality

• Spills• Pollution• Wastewater runoff• Dumping• International Maritime Organization proactive• Stockholm Convention on Peristent Organic

Polluntants

Air Quality

• Air pollution from sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and suspended particles (dust, soot) case 500,000 deaths per year.

• Beijing’s air pollution is 346% higher than anywhere else

• Pollution control policies have drastically reduced emissions in recent years

Ozone Layer

• UNEP Conferences• Buildup of CFCs down until 1994 then back up.• Sustainable development and economic

advancements in LDCs = lower CFC use• China has vowed to end CFC by 2010• Global Warming Issue

Environmental Pessimists

• Humans wrecking earth• Impact of global warming nonreversible• Change already done

Environmental Optimists

• Pessimists are alarmists• Natural progressions• Downplay damage • Positive steps forward