Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

Janne Salminen, PhDDirector, sustainable development and environmental responsibilityLahti Region Educational Consortium

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

Lahti Region Educational Consortium is owned by 14 municipalities in the region, including the City of Lahti.

Lahti Region Educational Consortium consist of three business units: Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Salpaus Further Education and Tuoterengas (vocational rehabilitation).

Consortium level service units are Property Services, Library and Information Services, Catering Services, Administrative Services and IT Services.

We have more than12000 students and1600 staff members (totally > 20 000 students per year).

Environmental issues and responsibility are strategic focus areas in the Lahti region (municipal organizations and private enterprises).

The challenge

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

1. Life supporting natural RESOURCES or ECOSYTEM SERVICES are decreasing (clean water, air and soil, fossil fuels…).

2. DEMAND for resouces is increasing (human population growth, higher living standards, increasing resource consumption…).

Standard of living

Resources ‘Global crossroads’

The challenge is

Ecosystem service = fertile soil, recreation value of a lake…

?Balance Problems

Problems

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

Climate change

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

Hansen et al. 2006. PNAS 103: 14288-

Days with cover of snow in Finland

1961-19902010-2039

2070-2099

Finnish Environmetal Agency 2009

Hansen et al. 2006, PNAS 103, 14288-

Temperature increase was stopped in last decade 2000-10(Science 2009). 2010 warmest in 130 years (NASA 2010).(?)

• ’Scandals’ on IPCC report (?)• UEA e-mails (?)• Scientific fact vs. Political reason (?)

Problems

?

Reducing biodiversity

Heath and social problems

Vasala et al. 2008. Sitra workshop

Reducing resources

WHO-Unicef

First: peak oil

Max. rate of petroleum extraction 2007 (or later ?)

Harvesting

Growth

Forests

Water vs. diseases

’Virtual water’(e.g. fruits)

Then: gas, coal…

Irrigation vs. drinking

More problems

Trend 1950-2009

Boundaries for planetary systems: A safe operating space for humanity The safety zone

Current position

J. Rockström et al. 2009. Nature 461, 472-.

?

?

The inner green shading represents the proposed safe operating space for nine planetary systems. The red wedges represent an estimate of the current position for each variable. The boundaries in three systems (rate of biodiversity loss, climate change and human interference with the nitrogen cycle), have already been exceeded.

Positive or negative results expected?

J. Rockström et al. 2009. Nature 461, 472-.

Ecological debt

Yearly surpassing occured in late September 2009 ( i.e. 3 months over consuption) and in late August 2010 (i.e. 1 month more in debt). (Finnish Environmental Agency)

Consumption of natural resources proportion to their renewal rate (1 = one planet Earth).

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

2011

?

Balance

Problems

Sollutions

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

How to beat the challenge (the Global crossroads)?

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

growth

effects

Disconnection of ecomomic growth and envirommental effects

’Dilemma of eco-efficiency’Eco-efficiency = environmental effects / economic profits (or visa versa)

Ecosystems do not count relativity – absolute stress affects?

Dilemma of eco-efficiencygrowth

effectsValuation of relativity

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

Traditional approachs for the grossroads challenge are:

1. Regulations and bans (laws, taxes, punishments…)

2. Technology (filters on pipes, waste and water treatments…)

A successful case: acidificationChallenge: Industrial emmissions and acid rains (sulphur and nitrogen deposition)

Effects: Forest damageFish mortalityGroudwater contaminationCorrosion/erosion

In 80’s and 90’s:• Emission regulation• Process technology • Clean fuel (coal vs. gas)• Cleaning systems 1980s

1990s

Time

SO4/NO3

Trend on the acidification level of surface waters is decreasing:

Stoddard et al. 1999. Nature 401, 575 –.

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

Solutions

Is the slope of the trend deep enough?(in more complex problems)

Pollution prevention hierachyEsty & Winston 2009. Green to Gold.

Trad

ition

al p

riorit

ies

New

prio

ritie

s

Recycle

Reuse

Reduce

Redesign

Reimagime

?

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

New approachs?

Original figure: Finkbeiner 2008

Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?

2. Environmental friently production and services with reasonable profit.

Market

Development

3. High Tech

2. Emerging technologies Clean technology

4. Sustainable technology

1. Tradition environmental technology

Time2000 2010 20201990

Original figure: Helmut Kaiser Consultancy. Redrew by JS.

1. Less energy, materials, toxins, emmissions and wastes but not only because of regulations.

CleanTech

New approach and solution

Nano, Bio, V

irtual, H

ybrid…

Recycle

Re use

Re duce

Re design

Re imagime!

growth

effects

Kg

CO2

profit

Innovations

Water, Solar, T

ermal, Wind, N

uce….H 2

, burning cell, Fusion...

Energy:

Thank you for your attention

and

have an innovative intensive week on

responsibility issues.