C8 Sustainable Management of the Environment Flashcards
ecological sustainability
the ability of Earth to meet the needs of the present, w/o compromising the needs of the future generation’s needs
PRINCIPLES of Ecological Sustainable Development
- outline the 3 ethical principles
- outline the 3 strategies
ETHICAL
1. Intergenerational equity
- equity across different generations
- future society can access same resources we have access to now
- Intragenerational equity
- equity across same generation
- resources for all people, across country/world - Conservation of biodiversity/eco integrity
- continuation of ecosystem existence/function
- minimal harm to biodiversity
- no slow degradation of ecosystems
STRATEGIES
4. Precautionary + Anticipatory principle
- if there are possible threats to biodiversity, conditions should be implemented to prevent harm
- despite a lack of scientific evidence
- i.e. be cautious
- Full cost pricing (user pays)
- prices for resources should be sufficient to cover the cost of any impacts the resource’s use/extraction is having - Efficiency
- resources should be used efficiently + sustainably
- we should act within the biocapacity/carrying capacity
triple bottom line
an approach that looks at finding a balance between people (social), the planet, and profit, in order to achieve sustainability
APPROACHES of Ecological Sustainable Development
- outline the 4 ways to achieve sustainability
- Education
- based on science, involve public, has target audience
- usually less expensive than other methods
- achieves: awareness, behaviour reinforcement, power of individuals to take action (knowledge) - Economics
- brown eco: focus solely on $$ growth
- green eco: triple bottom line
- Externalities: the costs of production not paid for by businesses (eco, enviro, social), can be reduced by full cost pricing, fines/taxes, or bonuses for doing the right thing - Science/tech
- reduce, monitor and assess impacts
- adaptation to current/future issues (low flow shower, desalination, GMOs
- mitigation to reduce impacts (e.g. carbon sequestration, removal of CO2 from atmos.) - Law
- implementation of laws/treaties to reduce enviro impacts
EIAs vs EMPs
EIAs
- Enviro Impact Assessment
- before development goes ahead
- an assessment of likely enviro, eco, social impacts
- suggests alternatives/mitigations to reduce impact
- an EIS (statement) is created and submitted for review
EMPs
- Enviro Management Plan
- activity/development/project is established
- a plan to achieve sustainability/protect ecosystems
- most commonly used in Tas for parks/reserves
tragedy of the commons
- common = a shared resource
- optimising individual gain short term negatively affects the wider population long term
- every individual affected
- e.g. overfishing, deforestation
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- describe CITES
Convention on International trade in Endangered Species
- regulates trade of thousands of species to protect them
- voluntary for countries, but must follow laws once signed up
- lists species under Appendix I, II or III:
I: no trade allowed at all, species are endangered or threatened (primates, bears, whales)
II: trade is allowed but heavily regulated (rhino)
III: species that are protected in at least one country, CITIES helps regulate it (koala)
- Strengths: reduces endangered species trade, allows countries to peer pressure to follow rules, some flexibility
- Weaknesses: voluntary sign up, policing of areas and penalisation of offenders, black market still exists
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- describe the Montreal Protocol
Montreal Protocol
- regulates the production, consumption and use of ozone depleting chemicals/substances (ODCs)
- aims to protect ozone layer
- reduces enhanced greenhouse effect
- one of the only treaties to reach global ratification
- Strengths: universally successful, reduces climate change, reduces ozone depletion, reduces health effects from UV radiation
- Weaknesses: black market of ODCs, cutback of ODCs increased consumption of HFCs (chemicals in many household products, now being controlled)
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- describe the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention for Wetlands
- voluntary agreement to protect wetlands as a habitat type
- prior to convention, wetlands were undervalued and not protected
- specially focuses on migratory birds
- not legally binding
- Strengths: protection of wetlands, raise awareness, enforces sustainable use of them
- Weaknesses: voluntary, policing of areas and penalisation of offenders, some communities have heavy reliance on wetlands resources and may be affected
FEDERAL LEGISLATION
- describe the EPBC
Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
- applies to all states/territories
- law protects important flora, fauna and ecological communities
- has 9 triggers (which trigger the act into action): WH properties, NH places, wetlands, threatened species/ecosystems, migratory species, MPAs, great barrier reef, nuclear actions, contaminates a water source
STATE LEGISLATION
- describe the Tas Threatened Species Protection Act
- protects hundreds of species that are endangered/vulnerable/rare
- illegal to trade, remove from habitat, or keep
NRS - National Reserve System
- describe the framework behind the NRS system in Australia
- aiming to develop a Comprehensive, Adequate and Representative network of protected regions (CAR)
- Comprehensive: broadness, to ultimately protect ALL the biodiversity, ecosystem types, and niches
- Adequate: are species able to sustain themselves within the reserve? large/extensive enough
- Representativeness: inclusion of all biodiversity within the reserve, to accurately reflect the ecosystem
Describe how conservationists decide which areas should be conserved.
- ecosystem/bioregions that are lacking protection
- areas with extensive biodiversity
- areas with threatened/vulnerable/rare species
- areas that are key in providing habitat for species (esp. migratory)
bioregion
large regions that Australia is divided into, that are based on ecosystem type
World Heritage Areas (WHAs)
- properties deemed to be of outstanding international value
- can be cultural or environmental
- maintained by UNESCO
