Block 1 Flashcards
Block 2
What is an environmental issue
Block 3
Why are environmental issues often controversial?
Block 4
Why are environmental issues so difficult to resolve?
Block 5
How can we make a difference?
Environmental imagination…
A particular way of conceiving and thinking about environmental issues.
Environmental issue…
An undesired condition or change that prompts actors to engage publicly.
All affected principle…
The idea that all who are affected by an action should participate in decisions about that action.
Infrared active…
A compound is infrared active if it absorbs long-wave infrared radiation - owing to the way it’s molecules vibrate.
Common but differentiated responsibilities…
A principle of international law that holds the states that have done most to cause an environmental problem should do the most to solve it.
Block 1
Why are the causes of environmental change?
Climate induced migration CIM
Displacement migration undertaken when all other coping strategies are exhausted.
Interdisciplinary..
Environmental challenges are a result of biophysical and social factors, understanding them requires insights from both the natural and social sciences.
Crisis of inhabitation…
Problems created by increasing degradation of the earth, the effects this has on it’s ability to sustain our lives and the difficulties of solving this crisis.
Sustainable development…
Development that does not leave a degraded environment for future generations.
Intergenerational equity. ..
The principle of fairness between generations.
Precautionary principle…
The principle that scientific uncertainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to protect the environment.
Tragedy of the commons…
It’s a model. Climate change can be said to be a tragedy of the commons. The atmosphere may be seen as a global common, a shared resource from which all benefit which no one can claim jurisdiction.
Carrying capacity…
The population of a species that can be supported without permanently damaging the ecosystem on which it depends.
Action at a distance…
Where an action in one geographical space influences events in another space.
Globalisation…
The geographical extensification and intensification of social networks on a global scale.
Risk =
Probability that hazard will occur X severity of hazard.
Intragenerational equity…
The principle of fairness between different groups of people.
Property right…
A law, created by a government, on how individuals may come into ownership of property and how they may transfer it to others.
Tipping point…
A threshold that, if crossed, causes a system to change from one state to another.
2 responses to environmental problems…
Mitigation and adaption
Mitigation…
A strategy that deals with an environmental problem by addressing its causes.
Adaption…
A strategy that deals with an environmental problem by addressing its effects.
Biodiversity
A measure of the number and variety of species in an area.
Virtual water
The total volume of water required to produce a commodity.
Physical water scarcity.
A shortage of water relative to the demand that occurs when all available resources are insufficient to meet all demands, including minimum environmental flow requirements.
Economic water scarcity
A lack of the human, institutional and financial resources required to use an available water supply.
Instrumental values..
Valuations of the environment for humans!! Like it exists for us!
Use values
Values that arise from the actual use of a particular environmental good.
Non-use values
Values that do not arise from the use of an environmental good. Amazon rainforest etc
Displacement migration
Migration which is undertaken when other coping strategies are exhausted.
Innovation
New ways of doing things in science and technology and in associated institutions and social practices
Multi-scale approaches..
Approaches to solving environmental issues that connect actors working at different spatial scales, from individuals, communities and groups to those working on a global decision making policy.
Three dimensions of innovation if multi scale approaches are to work..
Direction - goals principles
Diversity - social and technical
Distribution -
Greenhouse gases
Co2 h2o cfc hfc o3 n2o methane
Water. Residence time =
Amount in reservoir / rate of transfer from or to the reservoir.
Water. Ice an snow
A few weeks to 10,000 years
Water. Soil moisture
A few weeks to 1 year.
Water. Underground water
A few weeks to 10,000 years
Water. Lakes
About 10 to 100 years
Water. Plants n animals
A few days to several months
Water. Rivers
A few weeks or months
Water. Atmosphere
About 10 days
Water reservoirs.
Ice snow Soil moisture Underground water Lakes Rivers Plants animals Oceans Atmosphere
Water. Oceans
About 3000 years
