6.8 degregation has implications for human well being

Question 1

6.8a forest loss: the implications on human well being (ecosystem services)

Answer 1

provision of goods:
- 13.2 million formal and 41 million informal jobs created from forests
- improves food security
- source of new medicines
- 1.1% global economy income
- fuelwood source for 1/3 world

deforestation creates:
water related risks
increased air and water pollution

cultural value:
- sacred in some cultures
- source of tourism/ leisure
- reliance by indigenous people
——————>
over 1.6 billion people depend on forests and over 90% of these people are amongst the poorest in society

Question 2

6.8a environmental knuts curve

Answer 2

description of the model: over time as a country progresses through economic development, environmental degradation increases until a tipping point! from this point onwards exploitation turns into protection

factors affecting tipping point: investment, TNCs, healthcare, education

Question 3

6.8a protecting forest stores

Answer 3

UK forests: centuries of deforestation reduced forest cover from 80- <10% by end of c19th

Question 4

6.8b the wider impacts of rising temperatures

Answer 4

• increasing both evaporation rates and amount of water vapour… this in turn is impacting on:

1. precipitation patterns
2. river regimes
3. drainage basin stores
4. the cryosphere

Question 5

6.8b impacts of rising temperatures on The Arctic (including on human wellbeing)

Answer 5

The Arctic plays an important role in global climate: sea ice regulates evaporation and precipitation

temperatures have risen twice as fast as global average ….
—- considerable loss of sea ice, North- west passage is now open to summer navigation
—- loss of albedo as the ice that once covered land surfaces melts into tundra which eventually gives way to taiga (sunlight previously reflected is now being absorbed by ever darkening land surface further contributing to warming climate)

HUMAN WELLBEING
warming climate is opening up previously ice bound wilderness areas to tourism and exploitation of resources (eg oil and gas) is becoming more feasible (able to meet growing demands for resources but this will only have negative effects in the long run)

Question 6

6.8b

Question 7

6.8c threats ocean health= threats to human wellbeing

Answer 7

threats of ocean acidification and overfishing!!!!

fishing supports 500 million people of which 90% live in LDCs: fishing is a cultural choice for MEDCs where as it is a necessity for LEDCs

tourism of coral reefs brings in $36 BILLION a yr, acidification can have direct consequences for a country’s economy and employment

ALSO!!! coral reefs shelter 25% of marine species

reefs/ mangroves provide coastal protection, costs of strengthening coastal defences can often exceed the financial resources of coastal countries (mangrove deforestation!!)