3.2 Natural Capital Human Population, Carrying Capacity, and Resource Use

Assessment Statements  Explain the concept of resources in terms of natural income.  Define the terms renewable, replenishable, and non- renewable natural capital.  Explain the dynamic nature of the concept of a resource.  Explain the concept of sustainability in terms of natural capital and natural income.  Discuss the concept of sustainable development.  Describe and evaluate the use of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).

3.2.1 Explain the concept of resources in terms of natural income.  Natural Capital – The store of resources of the planet  Natural Income – Resources in the forms of valuable goods and services produced by the planet  Goods – Marketable commodities  Services – Flood and erosion protection, climate stabilization, and maintenance of soil fertility.

3.2.2 Define the terms renewable, replenishable, and non- renewable natural capital. Renewable Resources – Living species and ecosystems which can be replaced by natural productivity as fast as they are used.

3.2.2 Define the terms renewable, replenishable, and non- renewable natural capital. Replenishable Resources – Non-living resources that are continuously restored by natural processes as fast as they are used.

3.2.2 Define the terms renewable, replenishable, and non- renewable natural capital. Non-renewable resources – natural resources that can’t be replenished within a timescale of the same order as that at which they are taken from the environment.

3.2.3 Explain the dynamic nature of the concept of a resource. Nature of resources is very dynamic – what was valuable a long time ago, may be worthless now, and vice versa Examples – Flint and Uranium

3.2.5 Explain the concept of sustainability in terms of natural capital and natural income.  Sustainability – Use of global resources at a rate that allows natural regeneration and minimizes damage to the environment.  When processing a natural resource (natural capital) to create income, sustainability needs to be applied at every level of the supply chain.  Harvesting  Processing  Packaging  Marketing

3.2.6 Discuss the concept of sustainable development.  Sustainable development – Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  Encompasses ideas and values that inspire individuals and organizations to become better stewards of the environment and promote positive economic growth and social objectives.

3.2.6 Discuss the concept of sustainable development.  Is it possible in the long term – would require people to reduce their standard of living, to find renewable resources to replace non- renewable resources, and controlling population growth.  Global summits can play a leading role in this as they can affect changes across the globe.

 Environmental Impact Assessment – designed to establish the impact of a project on the environment. Should provide a non-technical summary so that lay-people and the media can understand the implications of the study.  Ranges from being part of legal framework, as help for policy decision, to be often ignored Describe and evaluate the use of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).

 Requires a baseline study to understand what area is like before the project. Study includes:  Habitat type and abundance  Species list  Species diversity  Endangered species  Land use  Hydrology  Human population  Soil Describe and evaluate the use of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).

 Difficult for it to be complete due to lack of data. The EIA is directly limited by the quality of the baseline study.  It is often speculative, with few concrete answers.  Can potentially lead to changes in a development, avoiding negative environmental impact Describe and evaluate the use of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs).