chapter 1.3 Flashcards
sustainability
Define the terms : sustainability, natural income and capital, environmental, social and economic sustainability.
sustainability is a measure of the extent to which human activities allow for the long-term viability of a system. sustainability is when we use resources that meet our needs but also the needs of our future generations
natural income is the yield or harvest from natural resources
natural capital is the stock of natural resources on earth
environmental sustainability is the use and management of natural resources that allows replacement of resources and the recovery and regeneration of ecosystems
social sustainability focuses on creating the structures and systems that support human well-being including health education equity community and culture such as belief systems and language
economic sustainability focuses on creating the economic structures and systems to support production and consumption of goods and services that will support human needs into the future
Differentiate between renewable and non-renewable natural capital
renewable natural capital can be generated or replaced as fast as it is being used.
not renewable natural capital is either irreplaceable or can only be replaced over geological timescales.
What is sustainable development?
sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
what is ecological overshoot
ecological overshoot is when the pace of consumption of humans for natural resources is much faster than the rate of regeneration
what is environmental justice
environmental justice is the right for all people regardless of gender race social economic status and national origin to live in a pollution free environment free from hazardous waste, have equitable access to natural resources, and have fair treatment through laws and regulations.
what is an ecological footprint
an ecological footprint EF is the area of land and water required to sustainably provide all the resources required at the rate of consumption and to assimilate all wastes at the rate of production by a given population
what are indicators of sustainability
air quality, environmental vulnerability, water poverty to GDP per capita, life expectancy or gender equity.
define carrying capacity
carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a species that the environmental can sustainably support
define bio capacity
biocapacity is the capacity of a biologically productive area to generate a supply of renewable resources and to absorb its waste
What is the planetary boundary model? Draw a rough layout.
A planetary boundaries model describes the nine processes and systems that regulate the stability and resilience of the earth in the Holocene Epoch. The traffic light system shows how human activities have moved the process or a system to a danger zone in which there is a risk of fast and irreversible change.
Diagram on page 49
What is the doughnut economics model
The donut economics model is a framework of creating a regenerative and distributive economy that meets the needs of all people within the means of the planet. The model has two concentric rings. (1)n a social foundation to ensure that no one is left falling shot on live essentials and (2) an ecological ceiling to ensure that humanity does not collectively over the planetary boundaries that protects earth’s life support systems.
See page number 51.
