The Environment Chapter 9

Recent History  In the past forty years the environment has become a growing concern  Not only on a local or regional scale, but on a global scale  In 1992 the UN Conference on the Environment and Development called for what is in effect now, a new global environmental order

Developed Vs. Developing  Cleaner air  Cleaner water  Declined emission of CFCs * Over the past twenty years  CO2 levels increased greatly  More landfills and nuclear waste  Dirtier streams and rivers * Also in the past 20 years

Extinction  We can also see extinction as a function of population and environment  While there is more conservation and policies geared toward environmental protection in developed countries

Extinction cont.  We can see that the reason more developed countries are able to conserve rainforest, which leads to the conservation of animals is because less developed countries have to use their forests to make hardwood products for export, and more developed countries are able to privatize forests, which promotes long-term care, rather than short- term profit.

First Big Conference  In Stockholm, 1972 the UN Conference on the Human Environment was a landmark meeting, because it preceded the United Nations Environment Program in 1973.

Greenhouse Effect  The Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change believe that based on current CO2 emissions by the year 2100 the atmospheric carbon dioxide will rise to about 500PPMV (parts per million by volume)  However, they also feel that not expecting an increase in the emissions of CO2 over the next century is ludicrous, and according to their calculations. By the year 2100 atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will be about 650PPMV

Greenhouse Effect cont.  If that calculation is correct there will be a world- wide temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius and a half-meter rise in ocean levels  If over the next century CO2 levels can return to what they were in 1990 then while global warming can’t be eliminated it can be minimized.

Conclusion  Greenhouse could lead to spread of disease by insects moving into higher latitudes, melting of polar ice-caps, higher global temperatures  While there are paths to avoiding these futures poor countries will still depend on exporting their wood to create industry and using the land to farm to make food  Ultimately, the future of the environment cannot be accurately examined without taking into account: population growth, economics, food, and energy.

Quiz 1. TF The environment has become concern only on a national scale 2. TF The Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change held a conference in 1992 which created a new global environmental order 3. TF Because undeveloped countries have more people they are working harder to create a cleaner environment 4. TF Extinction is not only a function of environment, but populations as well

Quiz cont. 5. Name one reason that developed countries are able to preserver rainforest with greater success a. they have more forestb. there are less people c. there are more animalsd. they do not export hardwood 6. When was the UN Environmental program founded ______ 7. Where was the Un conference on the human environment held?

Quiz cont. 8. Using current CO2 emission rates, what will the atmospheric carbon dioxide level be in 2100? a. 100b. 200 c. 300d According to current calculations how many degrees will global temperature rise by 2100? a. 2b. 4c. 6d TF If CO2 emission can be reduced, global warming can be eliminated.