Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability CHAPTER 1 Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability 1

Core Case Study: A Vision of a More Sustainable World in 2060 A transition in human attitudes toward the environment, and a shift in behavior, can lead to a much better future for the planet in 2060 Sustainability: the capacity of the earth’s natural systems and human cultural systems to survive, flourish, and adapt into the very long-term future

Nature’s Survival Strategies Follow Three Principles of Sustainability Reliance on solar energy The sun provides warmth and fuels photosynthesis Biodiversity Astounding variety and adaptability of natural systems and species Chemical cycling Circulation of chemicals from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment Also called nutrient cycling 3

Sustainability Has Certain Key Components Natural capital: supported by solar capital Natural resources: useful materials and energy in nature Natural services: important nature processes such as renewal of air, water, and soil Humans degrade natural capital Scientific solutions needed for environmental sustainability 4

Some Sources Are Renewable and Some Are Not (1) Resource Anything we obtain from the environment to meet our needs Some directly available for use: sunlight Some not directly available for use: petroleum Perpetual resource Solar energy 5

Some Sources Are Renewable and Some Are Not (2) Renewable resource Several days to several hundred years to renew E.g., forests, grasslands, fresh air, fertile soil Sustainable yield Highest rate at which we can use a renewable resource without reducing available supply 6

Some Sources Are Renewable and Some Are Not (3) Nonrenewable resources Energy resources Metallic mineral resources Nonmetallic mineral resources Reuse Recycle 7

Countries by Gross National Income per Capita Figure 2 This map shows high-income, upper-middle income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries in terms of gross national income (GNI) PPP per capita (U.S. dollars) in 2008. (Data from World Bank and International Monetary Fund) Supplement 8, Fig 2 8

Pollution Comes from a Number of Sources (1) Sources of pollution Point sources E.g., smokestack Nonpoint sources E.g., pesticides blown into the air Main type of pollutants Biodegradable Nondegradable Unwanted effects of pollution 9

Overexploiting Shared Renewable Resources: Tragedy of the Commons Three types of property or resource rights Private property Common property Open access renewable resources Tragedy of the commons Common property and open-access renewable resources degraded from overuse Solutions 10

Ecological Footprints: A Model of Unsustainable Use of Resources Ecological footprint: the amount of biologically productive land and water needed to provide the people in a region with indefinite supply of renewable resources, and to absorb and recycle wastes and pollution Per capita ecological footprint Unsustainable: footprint is larger than biological capacity for replenishment

IPAT is Another Environmental Impact Model I = P x A x T I = Environmental impact P = Population A = Affluence T = Technology 12

Case Study: China’s New Affluent Consumers Leading consumer of various foods and goods Wheat, rice, and meat Coal, fertilizers, steel, and cement Second largest consumer of oil Two-thirds of the most polluted cities are in China Projections for next decade Largest consumer and producer of cars 13

Natural Systems Have Tipping Points Ecological tipping point: an often irreversible shift in the behavior of a natural system Environmental degradation has time delays between our actions now and the deleterious effects later Long-term climate change Over-fishing Species extinction

Tipping Point Figure 1.15: In this example of a tipping point, you can control the ball as you push it up to the tipping point. Beyond that point, you lose control. Ecological tipping points can threaten all or parts of the earth’s life-support system. Fig. 1-15, p. 19 15

Causes of Environmental Problems Population growth Unsustainable resource use Poverty Excluding environmental costs from market prices Figure 1.17: Environmental and social scientists have identified four basic causes of the environmental problems we face (Concept 1-3). Question: For each of these causes, what are two environmental problems that result? Fig. 1-17, p. 20

Industrial revolution 13 12 11 10 9 ? 8 7 Billions of people 6 5 4 3 Industrial revolution 2 Figure 1.18: Exponential growth: The J-shaped curve represents past exponential world population growth, with projections to 2100 showing possible population stabilization as the J-shaped curve of growth changes to an S-shaped curve. (This figure is not to scale.) (Data from the World Bank and United Nations, 2008; photo L. Yong/UNEP/Peter Arnold, Inc.) Black Death—the Plague 1 2–5 million years 8000 6000 4000 2000 2000 2100 Time B. C. A. D. Hunting and gathering Agricultural revolution Industrial revolution Fig. 1-18, p. 21

(% of world's population) Lack of access to Number of people (% of world's population) Adequate sanitation facilities 2.6 billion (38%) Enough fuel for heating and cooking 2 billion (29%) Electricity 2 billion (29%) Clean drinking water 1.1 billion (16%) Adequate health care Figure 1.20: These are some of the harmful effects of poverty. Questions: Which two of these effects do you think are the most harmful? Why? (Data from United Nations, World Bank, and World Health Organization) 1.1 billion (16%) Adequate housing 1 billion (15%) Enough food for good health 1 billion (15%) Fig. 1-20, p. 22

Prices Do Not Include the Value of Natural Capital Companies do not pay the environmental cost of resource use Goods and services do not include the harmful environmental costs Companies receive tax breaks and subsidies Economy may be stimulated but there may be a degradation of natural capital 19