Geo 3B: Factors that impact on decisions about sustainability Flashcards
Explain the concept of sustainability
Forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
It refers to three broad themes, social, economic and environmental, that must all be coordinated and addressed to ensure the long term viability of our community and planet.
The Green Revolution
The application of science and technology to increase food productivity – includes a variety of techniques e.g. genetic engineering to produce high yield varieties of crops and animals, mechanisation, pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilisers and irrigation water.
Advantages:
• Yields are higher
• Up to 3 crops can be grown each year
• More food should lead to less hunger
• More exports create more foreign currency
Disadvantages:
• Not all farmers adopt HYV’s – some can’t afford it
• As the cost has risen, indebtedness has increased
• Rural unemployment has increased due to mechanisation
• Irrigation has lead to
The sustainable yield is the amount of food that can be taken from the land without reducing the ability of the land to produce the same amount of goods in the future, without any additional inputs.
Outline the extent to which climate change impacts upon sustainability from local to global scales.
Socially
Economies in LDC’s are heavily reliant on agriculture and will be impacted more severely. Nepal 75% of people in agriculture.
Poverty and food security issues - African Sahel(Somalia). World population expected 9 million in 2050.
Force changes to farming practices and regions - traditional customs may be impacted.
Urbanisation(Senegal - Dakar)
Environmental
Agriculture is very sensitive to climate and there is sting correlate with agricultural types and climatic regions.
Encourage the introduction of new pests and diseases.
Increasing extreme weather conditions - floods, drought, heat waves, blizzards. Cyclone Yasi 2011 Queensland.
Soil productivity s lost as evaporation increases and top soil is removed.
Make certain areas marginal or sub marginal(WA’s wheat belt), deforestation
Decreasing the predictability of weather conditions - rainfall and temperature, SW WA
Desertification in semi arid areas - Africa, Australia, North America
Economic
Produce increased rates of crop failure and economic loss
Reliance on monoculture crops, making farmers vulnerable but also reluctant to change(Wheat)
Longer growing season in some areas may increase productivity(Greenland). Viticulture growing in England and Denmark.
Production becoming more localized as food miles will need to be reduced.
Food speculation has been increased by climatic changes(droughts), causing inflationary pressure on basic food items - cereal. Riots and political instability - Senegal, price of food imports.
Political
Carbon trading agreements(to curb deforestation, palm oil in Indonesia)
Need to mitigate and adapt and the ability of nations to do so. Costly in terms of research e.g. CSIRO, Australia.
Political disputes over water, damming rivers and glacial melting
Use of subsidies in the EU and USA reduces free trade and makes other producers more vulnerable to climate change.
Discuss the key social factors that impact upon decisions about sustainability
The level of poverty and reliance on agriculture within a nation will influence the impact of climate change(drought, soil, decertification). In Nepal 75% of GDP comes from agriculture so v vulnerable - sustainable planning needed.
The education levels of people involved in agricultural production and therefore their ability to implement changes to accommodate climate change(technology).
Traditional views on agriculture may be difficult to change, especially in less developed nations. Developed nations are in many ways more adaptable. The need to mitigate and adapt may not be a priority.
Population pressures combined with climate change = food security.
The standard of living of the population. The desire to improve or protect the standard of living will impact how food is produced and consumed.
The process of urbanization is occurring rapidly in developing nations as agricultural areas become less productive(desertification) and migrants seek work in cities, leaving families and the elderly to work on the land. Senegal - Dakar.
Some regions may experience changes in the type of agricultural goods produced or they may be lost, this may affect levels of sustainability. Some areas may become wealthier while others may fall into economic decline. Traditional and cultural regions may be impacted.
Food production will likely become more local, increasing the need for farmer’s markets and community gardens. Increase social connectivity - Perth City Farm, Brooklyn Grange.
Discuss the key environmental factors that impact upon decisions about sustainability
The topography and height above sea level will influence producers in low lying areas such as Bangladesh.
The future climatic conditions e.g. rainfall totals, seasonal patterns of rainfall, changing temperature, length and timing of growing season.
Water accessibility - availability of irrigation and the ability to implement conservation strategies.
Land at risk of erosion and degradation, possibly desertification - Sahel, Sub-saharan africa.
Desertification is resulting from forested areas being removed for fuel and sources of income - Senegal. This has resulted from inappropriate use of land but also a lack of alternative energy supplies and a loss of income from farming.
The level of soil degradation(salinity, erosion, loss of nutrients) and ability of producers to restore degraded land.
The degree of marginalization of agricultural land. Farmers identified with having marginal land are more likely to change practices than those who are in safe farming land where farming practices are clearly established. Eastern Wheat belt of the SW.
The type of agriculture - vines used for viticulture are annual crops and live for 100s of years, once in adaptation is limited. Other forms of crops can be adapted if grown on a perennial basis(wheat).
Advancements in mitigation and adaptation strategies are being made across the globe and hopefully this knowledge will be shared.
Discuss the key economic factors that impact upon decisions about sustainability
The cost of energy, particularly fossil fuels will be a factor as supplies become exhausted and demand from developing nations increase(China, India)
The price of carbon emissions(tax and possible trading schemes)
Financial incentives e.g. Subsidies in US and EU
Farmers who mono-crop are found to have the highest levels of income. A disincentive to change - wheat(Australia), however they are more vulnerable to changes in climate.
Time-changes, such as crop breeding take up to 10 years and require great amounts of resources. Climate ready now - CSIRO.
Land tenure - who owns agricultural land will determine the level of change and response to climate change. In developing countries(e.g. India) many farmers lease land and therefore, have less control on overall management and therefore the ability to adapt and mitigate against climate change.
The end of cheap fossil fuels will impact the food miles of agricultural products. Possibly reducing the variety consumers in the developed world have become accustomed to.
Food labeling giving customers an idea of the ecological footprint of the product(Tesco - UK) may impact the producers as they will be forced to become compliant.
Food speculation on global stock markets has meant basic commodities(rice, wheat) have soared in price over recent years. This has caused riots in many countries e.g. Haiti in 2008. Climate change(esp. droughts) has been linked to this.
Discuss the key political factors that impact upon decisions about sustainability
Type of political system and the ability to implement changes. Democratic systems engage stakeholders and pressure groups whereas autocratic governments can enact change with less public consultation e.g. Cuba.
The level of commitment to protocols that target climate hang - Australia’s carbon tac and possible emission trade change.
Political unrest as food security becomes an issue in places such as Sub Saharan Africa - Senegal.
The level of funding put into research and development - CSIRO, university research.
Political relations with neighboring countries and states, particularly when dealing with water supplies such as rivers and the use of dams.
Similarly, the reduction in glacial melt waters will impact water supplies in places such as India and China.
The impact of foreign investment, particularly when nations invest into farming land within other nations. This is currently occurring with Australia from the Chinese and oil rich nations in the Middle East e.g. Qatar. This could be seen as a threat to local supplies as the impacts of climate change set in.
Governments may stop exports during food shortages increasing issues associated with food security and possibly causing conflicts.
Advancements in mitigation and adaptation strategies within developed nations are being shared with less developed countries as part of foreign aid agreements. Research grants are also offered.
Legalization to use alternative energy supplies(solar, wind, hydra)
Outline the different viewpoints which stakeholders have towards strategies that aim to minimize the effects of climate change.
Biofuels Stakeholder Activity
Biofuels are essential in reducing the usage of fossil duels, increasing carbon sequestration and minimizing
Sceptics:
• Earth Policy Institute
People and cars competing for grain. 107 million tonnes of grain was used to produce ethanol in the US in 2009, this would have been enough to feed 330 million people for a year.
Prices for wheat, corn and soybeans tripled between 2006 and 2008 as demand for grains to be used for fuel increased.
The grain required to fill an SUV’s 25-gallon tank with ethanol once, could feed over 300 people a day.
• Transport and Environment Group
Land use change – using land that was previously used to grow food crops. Now food has to be grown somewhere else, which often involves deforestation in order to clear land.
Campaigning Europe to address the environmental impact of indirect land use change caused by biofuel production, believes it is not sustainable.
Believers:
• Australian Soil Accreditation Scheme
Plants consume CO2 through photosynthesis contribute to net biome production, sequestering significant measurable amounts of CO2 – locking away atmospheric carbon so that it does not add to the enhanced greenhouse effect. Growing crops for biofuel therefore increases this, creating carbon sinks.
• Amyris Biotechnologies
Some major concerns for the aviation industry are oil availability due to conventional oil running out and rising fuel costs.
Biofuel is an alternative, which is renewable, easily transportable and has a high energy content.
Sugar cane is used as it is low cost.
Carbon Trading Stakeholder Activity
Indonesia’s rainforests play a major role in the development of global carbon trading and minimizing the effects of climate change.
Skeptics:
• PT Marten – Palm Oil Plantation
Refuse to see the way that they are harming the environment, because they are making a profit by deforestation in order to produce palm oil. They are ignorant to the way that the practice is unsustainable.
• Patrick Anderson – Environmentalist
Does not see the benefits of introducing carbon trading.
Believers:
• Carbon Conservation Pty Ltd (Dorjee Sun)
He can see the benefits of protecting the forest, carbon tax will add value to the forest. He also sees it as a business idea.
• Starbucks (MNC)
Will gain good marketing if seen as an ethical company.
Discuss the mitigation strategies used to deal with climate change.
Mitigation with reference to climate change refers to a reduction in the output of greenhouse gases and/or increasing the size and amount of greenhouse gas storage or sink sites.
Current – City Farm
• Perth city farm = an example of a growing movement to localize food systems.
• Community gardens aim to mitigate against climate change through reducing food miles. Food miles is a term which refers to the distance food is transported from the time of its production until it reaches the consumer.
• Food that is transported by road produces more carbon emissions than any other form of transported food. Road transport produces 60% of the world’s food transport carbon emissions, air 20% and rail and sea 10%.
• Perth City farm sells organic fruit and vegetables to the local community, reducing food miles as well as reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers that produce nitrous oxide, a green house gas.
• The farm acts as a carbon sink in what was formally metal scrapyard yard.
• Perth has seen a growth in farmer’s market, which collectively have similar aims. In New York, the Brooklyn Grange organization has converted the roof spaces of former industrial buildings into productive market gardens.
• Ideally, local food systems need to replicate on a vast scale to e entirely effectively mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and reduce the need for large-scale industrial agricultural systems.
Current - Biofuels
• Biofuels are energy sources made of living things, or the waste that living things produce.
• Supporters argue that their use could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions given off from the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal
• Although burning the biofuels produces carbon dioxide, growing the plants/biomass removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – sequestering it within the plants.
• However, biofuel production also poses a major threat to global food systems and the natural environment.
Proposed – Carbon Trading
• Tradable carbon units are one of the effective weapons in the battle for a better environment.
• A carbon unit is a permit to emit one ton of CO2
• The emission trading scheme determines how much CO2 and other greenhouse gases we can emit.
• In 1997 many countries signed the Kyoto Protocol. The aim of this agreement is that all industrialised countries should reduce their total emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 5%, compared to their emissions in 1990.
• The UN distributes quotas of carbon units to those industrialised countries that have signed the treaty.
• These units set a limit on the level of emissions. This limit is equivalent to the total amount of CO2 that these countries are permitted to emit.
• Some countries are so efficient in their emissions that they do not need all the carbon units they have been allocated, while other countries may struggle to reduce their emissions and need more units.
• Countries may therefore buy and sell carbon units. The price of tradeable units depends on how many there are in circulation, similar to a stock exchange – prices vary according to supply and demand.
• Each country is individually responsible for deciding how to cut its emissions.
• Currently happening in European Countries, proposed in Australia
Discuss the adaptation strategies used to deal with climate change.
Adaptation with reference to climate change refers to changing our lifestyles to cope with a new environment rather than trying to stop climate change.
Current – Adaptation of Agricultural Plants
• Australia produces one quarter of the world’s wheat, therefore a very important industry from many viewpoints.
• The CSIRO is currently co-ordinating the ‘Climate Ready Now’ program. Using 4 climate controlled tunnels at the Shenton Park research facility, agricultural scientists are trying to replicate future atmospheric compositions by regulating different amounts of CO2 (between 350-750ppm in each tunnel) together with increased temperatures (2 degrees celcuis) and declining rainfall.
• Different varieties of wheat are being trialled and their genoplasm analysed…
• Early vigour – rapid growth from the early vigour variety will enable greater biomass within the plant to store energy for faster grain growth.
• Deeper roots systems in some varieties can reduce water loss during drought periods and greater leaf growth in the stages of development can shade roots.
• Breeding times are problematic, taking up to 10 years, so scientists are using the tunnels to forecast growing conditions and develop varieties ahead of climatic changes.
• The patenting of such crops could pose problems for developing countries that may be unable to purchase new varieties.
Current – Conservation of Farming Practices (No-till)
• Farmers leave cop residue on the fields after harvest, where it acts as a mulch to protect the soil and provide nutrients.
• To sow seeds, farmers use seeders that penetrate through the residue to the undisturbed soil below.
• USA, Brazil, Canada, Argentina, Australia
• ☺ Reduces soil erosion, conserves water, improves soil health, cuts fuel and labour costs, reduces sediment and fertiliser pollution in lakes and streams and the process sequesters carbon.
• ☹ New machinery required is costly, there is heavier reliance on herbicides, more nitrogen fertiliser may initially be required, there may be a greater prevalence of weeds and other pests and yields may be reduced.
Aims of sustainable development
Environmental factors:
• To minimise the environmental impacts on air, land, water and ecosystems
• To provide adequate resources including water, energy, land and food
• To promote energy conservation and efficiency
• To utilise renewable energy technologies
• To promote waste reduction and recycling
Economic factors:
• To provide adequate and varied employment opportunities
• To encourage private and government investment in capital growth
• To develop primary, secondary and tertiary industries
• To generate wealth through increased opportunity
• To improve accessibility
• To improve proximity between home and work
Social factors:
• To meet the needs of the population
• To improve social equity and create a fairer society
• To increase standards of living
• To provide appropriate health and education services
• To provide adequate, affordable housing
• To improve social interaction and inclusion to reduce isolation
Political factors:
• To improve participation so that all sectors get to have a say
• To ensure the representation of all socioeconomic groups, especially the poor, in decision making
• To implement state, national and international policies and agreements
• To support nations less able to implement sustainability strategies
How the concept of sustainability applies to global agriculture
- Social: Farming provides jobs which support communities, decline in farming → decline in community.
- Environmental: Deforestation → is the farming sustainable? How do you minimise effects on the environment?
- Economic: Providing jobs → $ → decline in farming → flow on effects through economy
- Political: Who represents us? Farming lobby has declined. Cities have political power, population → has power. Farmers have to implement government policy.
How Climate Change Impacts the Sustainability of Agricultural Communities in Africa’s Sahel Region
Social Unemployment Community/tribes breakdown Young people/adults = migrate to cities = squatter settlements Crime
Economic Poverty - lower income Little to trade due to decline in harvest Few business opportunities Low taxes so can’t afford infrastructure
Environmental
Desertification
Pollution - human
Chopping down trees - fuel
Fewer trees -> soil erosion, in streams and wells = sedimentation, less transpiration = less rainfall because stopped the cycle
Soil depletion because more people are trying to get more out of the ground/over farmed and over grazed
Increase temperature = increase in disease e.g. mosquitos - malaria
Wind erosion
Political Corruption Civil war due to decreasing resources Tribes fighting over diminishing resources - grazing, fuel(wood), water, climate change has caused it to be drier so more competition for water, border conflicts Access to AK47s(machine guns)
Climate change = increased temperatures and decreasing rainfall = increased drought so less productivity. This results in decreased income therefore increased poverty, also decreases national productivity in countries where large areas are affected by climate change.
Impacts of Climate Change in Western Australia
ST Richard Drove Back Home Catching Dave’s Yellow Llama
Sea level rise - 5mm a year around WA. Increased due to ice melt and temperature increase which causes increased expansion. Only impacts because near the coast.
Temperatures increasing. 0.8 degrees celcius in the last 100 years (global scale). 28 days a year above 35 degrees -> 67 days in 2070.
Reduced rainfall - 15% since the mid1970s. Perth average 880mm 1970s - last 10 years 660mm, drop 25%.
Drought - length/severity/frequency.
Bushfires increasing in frequency and intensity because the bush is drying out. Always had bushfires, naturally about every 7 years.
Heat-related deaths/health
Cyclones - increase in proportion of tropical cyclones in the more intensive categories. Increase in number/severity/location. Need 26 degrees Celsius, in future likely to happen further south and not just north. Generally tropical cyclones move inland and create rain for farmers 200km off coast. But also can lead to flooding and erosion. (Both positive and negative)
Disease - increase in diseases due to warmer temperatures and therefore the bugs are not killed in winter. (Affects livestock and humans). Also impact on people’s mental health if they have low harvests.
Yield reductions 9-13% decline is predicted.
Livestock affected by heat stress, decreased access to water.
