1.4 sustainability

Question 1

non renewable natural resources

Answer 1

• essentially irreplaceable except over geological timescales

Question 2

renewable natural resources

Answer 2

• can be replaced as fast as they are used

Question 3

natural capital

Answer 3

• global stock of natural resources that can be used for the long term supply of goods and services

Question 4

goods

Answer 4

• marketable commodities that can be exploited by humans
• forests, fisheries, fertile soil

Question 5

services

Answer 5

• natural processes that provide benefits for humans
• water replenishment, clean air, protection from erosion

Question 6

natural income

Answer 6

• annual yield of resources from natural capital

Question 7

maximum sustainable yield

Answer 7

max amount harvested to be sustainable

natural capital needs to remain the same
input - output = maximum sustainable yield

Question 8

ecological footprint

Answer 8

• amount of land and water required to support a human population at a given standard of living

Question 9

millennium ecosystem assessment (MA)

Answer 9

• 2011, UN
• report
• identified issues with human management of the planet
• majority of ecosystems used unsustainably
• extensive changes, multiple ecosystems reaching tipping points
• impacting LEDC more
• change of ecosystems mostly due to activities to increase natural income
• human well being and economic development at the cost of degradation of ecosystem services, consequences diminish the benefits of future generations

Question 10

ecosystem services
supporting

Answer 10

• needed for other ecosystems to function

nutrient cycling, photosynthesis, soil formation

Question 11

ecosystem services
provisioning

Answer 11

• gives actual products that can be extracted

food, water, minerals, timber, energy

Question 12

ecosystem services
regulating

Answer 12

• regulation of ecosystem processes and the benefits

pollination, carbon sequestration, waste disposal

Question 13

ecosystem services
cultural

Answer 13

• non material benefits we obtain from an ecosystem

building knowledge, creativity, recreation, cultural value

Question 14

environmental impact assessment (EIA)

Answer 14

• identify impacts from a project
• lessen potential impacts
• often required by governments before a project can begin

Question 15

steps of the EIA

Answer 15

scoping
- focus on the environmental issues

baseline study
- asses the area, identify
natural and human features

predicting and assessing effects
- temporary and long term impacts

mitigation
- plans to mitigate effects

the environmental statement
- report on information gathered

Question 16

criticisms of the EIA

Answer 16

• no requirement to follow suggestions or to prioritize the environment
• no standard between countries, other more through and beneficial
• difficult to define the extent of impacts

Question 17

case study
EIA thermal power plan

Answer 17

• proposal to set up thermal power plants to provide power
• thermal power is water intensive, impact local water supply
• release co2, mercury and others
• high sulfur levels released, detrimental to plants, no mitigation considered
• increased traffic due to coal transport
• combustion of coal causes excess dust
• not taken into consideration other seasons
• impact local biodiversity

EIA allows for more things to be taken into consideration, ignores other things