1.4: sustainability

Question 1

sustainability definition:

Answer 1

use and management of resources that allows full natural replacement of the resources exploited and full recovery of the ecosystems affected by their extraction and use.

Question 2

sustainable development definition:

Answer 2

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Question 3

inertia:

Answer 3

changing what we do seems difficult

Question 4

tragedy of commons:

Answer 4

when many individuals act in their own self-interest to harvest a resource but destroy the long-term future of the resource

Question 5

natural capital:

Answer 5

natural resources that can produce a sustainable natural income of goods or services

Question 6

natural income:

Answer 6

yield obtained from natural resources

Question 7

classes of natural capital -

Answer 7

• renewable natural capital
• replenishable natural capital
• non-renewable natural capital

Question 8

renewable natural capital -

Answer 8

living species and ecosystems. they are self-producing and self-maintaining. they use photosynthesis and solar energy.

can yield marketable goods such as wood fibre but may also provide unaccounted essential services when left in place, for example climate regulation.

Question 9

replenishable natural capital -

Answer 9

groundwater and the ozone layer, is non-living but is also often dependent on solar energy for renewal.

Question 10

non-renewable natural capital -

Answer 10

fossil fuels and minerals, are analogous to inventories: any use implies liquidating part of the stock.

Question 11

environmental impact assessments (EIA) –

Answer 11

planning tool that provides decision makers with the understanding of the potential effects that human actions, especially technological ones, may have on the environment.

it is a report prepared before a development project to change the use of land. weighs the relative advantages or disadvantages of the development.

Question 12

EIA’s are used for:

Answer 12

• New road networks
• Airport and port developments
• Building power stations
• Quarrying
• Large-scale housing projects

Question 13

whilst EIA processes differ between countries and projects, there are several common components:

Answer 13

~ Screening – an EIA requirement. Identifies what level of detail is required

~ Scoping – what are the issues and impacts of the project; who are the stakeholders; what is the current state of the environment

~ Identification of alternatives

~ Impact analysis – what are the environmental, social and other related impacts of the project

~ Mitigation and impact management

~ Evaluation of significance

~ Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or report – documentation of proposal, impacts, impact mitigation and management options, level of significance and concerns

~ Review of EIS – EIS is open for public comment for a sufficient period of time

~ Decision making – public comments considered and a decision made whether to accept the proposal as is, modify the proposal or reject the proposal outright

~ Monitoring and review – develop an implementation plan; begin monitoring and review of the project

Question 14

weaknesses of EIA’s

Answer 14

• diff standards in diff countries
• boundary of impact zone
• cost
• difficult to consider all indirect impacts of a development (some will be missed)

Question 15

ecological footprint -

Answer 15

• area of land and water required to sustainably provide all resources at the rate at which they are being consumed by a given population
• if the EF is greater than the area available to a population, that is an indication of unsustainability
• hypothetical area of land required by a society, group or individual to fulfil all their resources needs and assimilation of wastes

Question 16

ecological footprints can be increased by –

Answer 16

• greater reliance on fossil fuels
• increased use of technology and energy (technology can also reduce the footprint)
• high levels of imported resources
• large per capita production of carbon waste (high energy use, fossil fuel use)
• large per capita consumption of food
• a meat rich diet

Question 17

ecological footprints can be reduced by –

Answer 17

• reducing use of resources, recycling and reusing resources
• improving efficiency of resource use
• reducing amount of pollution produced
• transporting waste to other countries to deal with
• improving country to increase carrying capacity
• importing resources from other countries
• reducing population to reduce resource use
• using technology to increase carrying capacity
• using technology to intensify land