Unit 12 - Essays - Degraded Environments SIMPLE ENGLISH UPDATED Flashcards
For one degraded environment, evaluate the extent to which attempts to improve the environment overcame the causes of its degradation.
Paragraph 1: What Caused the Aral Sea to Shrink? (The Main Cause of the Problem)
🔹 What happened?
The Soviet Union (a big country that no longer exists) wanted to grow more cotton in the desert.
To do this, they took water from two rivers (Syr Darya and Amu Darya) that flowed into the Aral Sea.
They built big canals to send water to the cotton fields.
🔹 Why was this a problem?
The canals were poorly built, and almost 40% of the water was lost through leaks and evaporation.
Less and less water reached the Aral Sea, and it shrunk by 60% in size and lost 70% of its water by the late 1980s.
The government only cared about farming and didn’t think about how it would damage the environment.
🔹 Key points to evaluate:
The cause of the problem was human actions, not natural changes.
The problem grew over a long time (several decades).
The decisions were made on a national level, but they affected local people and the environment.
Paragraph 2: The Kok-Aral Dam (A Local Success Story)
🔹 What was done?
In 2005, Kazakhstan built the Kok-Aral Dam to stop water from leaving the North Aral Sea.
The project was paid for by the World Bank ($85 million).
🔹 How did it help?
Water levels rose by 4 meters, and the size of the sea increased by 18% in just three years.
Fish started returning, and the fishing industry improved.
Fish catches increased from 600 tons in 1996 to 6,000 tons in 2007.
🔹 Key points to evaluate:
The dam helped bring life back to the North Aral Sea, but it didn’t fix the whole problem.
It only helped one part of the sea, while the South Aral Sea kept shrinking.
This was a short-term success in one area, but it didn’t address the bigger causes of the problem.
Paragraph 3: The Southern Aral Sea – The Problem Continues
🔹 What happened?
The South Aral Sea did not get a dam or large-scale help.
By 2014, it had almost completely dried up, leaving behind salt-covered land.
🔹 Why is this bad?
The dry land creates toxic dust storms filled with salt and pesticides.
These storms spread chemicals into the air, harming over 5 million people in the region.
Many people now suffer from breathing problems, cancer, and skin diseases.
🔹 Key points to evaluate:
Success in the north, failure in the south – the Kok-Aral Dam worked, but there were no large-scale efforts to help the South Aral Sea.
The damage is still affecting people’s health today.
Without a bigger plan, the southern part of the Aral Sea may never recover.
Paragraph 4: Trying to Use Less Water – But It’s Not Enough
🔹 What was done?
Some countries, like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, started using drip irrigation and crop rotation to save water.
These methods could cut water use by 20-40%.
🔹 Did it work?
Less than 15% of farmers actually use these methods.
The main problem? It’s too expensive.
Farmers don’t have enough money to buy new irrigation systems.
Governments don’t give enough financial help to farmers.
🔹 Key points to evaluate:
This is a long-term solution, but it hasn’t worked well yet because it is too expensive for most farmers.
Saving water could help bring water back to the Aral Sea, but not enough people are doing it.
This means the main cause of the problem (water being taken from the rivers) is still happening.
Paragraph 5: Political Problems – Countries Cannot Agree on Water Use
🔹 What was done?
A group called the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) was created in the 1990s to help countries share water fairly.
The goal was to balance water use between different countries.
🔹 Did it work?
No, because countries still fight over water.
Countries like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan need water for hydroelectric power.
Countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan need water for farming.
They disagree on how much water should be used for each purpose.
🔹 Key points to evaluate:
Political disagreements make it hard to fix the Aral Sea problem.
No long-term water-sharing agreement exists between the countries.
Even if good environmental plans exist, they won’t work without political cooperation.
Conclusion
Some efforts have worked, like the Kok-Aral Dam, which helped the North Aral Sea recover.
However, the Southern Aral Sea is still shrinking and causing serious health problems.
Fixing the problem completely requires more cooperation between countries, better irrigation systems, and long-term solutions.
Right now, the attempts have only been partly successful.
‘Economic factors are the most important constraint on improving the quality of degraded environments.’
- Money is a Big Problem Because Fixing the Environment is Expensive
Main idea: Improving degraded places needs money, but many countries cannot afford it.
Aral Sea (Central Asia)
What happened? – The Soviet Union took water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers to grow cotton, which made the Aral Sea dry up (lost 90% of its water by 2007).
Money problem: Uzbekistan could not afford to fix it, so the sea kept shrinking. Kazakhstan got a $85 million loan from the World Bank and built a dam, which helped the northern part recover.
Lesson: If a country has money, it can fix the environment. Without money, problems get worse.
Delhi (India)
What happened? – Rapid urban growth, pollution, and overcrowding have damaged the city.
Money problem: The Smart Cities Mission ($14 billion) was created to fix cities, but many projects are slow because they lack enough money.
Example: Reducing pollution needs expensive solutions (e.g., electric buses, better drainage systems), but the government and people do not have enough money for them.
Burkina Faso (West Africa)
What happened? – The land is turning into desert because of deforestation, over-farming, and less rainfall.
Money problem: 90% of the population are farmers, but they are too poor to buy things like irrigation systems or drought-resistant crops.
Example: The Great Green Wall Project (planting trees to stop the desert from spreading) is failing because it is too expensive to keep planting and maintaining the trees.
Mini Judgement: Money is very important because without it, governments and people cannot pay for solutions to fix the environment.
- Bad Governments and Corruption Make the Problem Worse
Main idea: Even when money is available, poor leadership and bad decisions stop progress.
Aral Sea
Uzbekistan’s mistake: The government kept using water for cotton farming instead of saving the Aral Sea.
Corruption: Even when help was offered, leaders did not use the money properly, so the problem remained.
Delhi
Weak rules: The government has money but does not properly enforce environmental laws.
Example: Factories and cars still cause heavy pollution because the government does not make strict enough rules.
Burkina Faso
Lack of government action: The country does not manage land use well, so overgrazing and deforestation continue.
Example: The Great Green Wall Project is poorly managed because African governments do not work together effectively.
Mini Judgement: Money alone cannot solve problems—strong leadership and good policies are also needed.
- Social and Cultural Issues Can Stop Environmental Improvement
Main idea: Even when money and good government policies exist, people sometimes do not want to change.
Aral Sea
Fishing communities refused to move, even though the sea dried up.
Why? – They wanted to stay near their old homes instead of moving to cities.
Delhi
People rely on polluting jobs like brick-making and waste burning.
Why? – If factories and waste burning are banned, they will lose their jobs.
Population growth: Delhi’s population grew from 9.4 million (1991) to 32 million (2023), making pollution and slums worse.
Burkina Faso
Farmers keep using harmful methods like slash-and-burn (cutting and burning trees to clear land).
Why? – They do not trust new farming methods and prefer traditional ways.
Mini Judgement: Even if governments have money and policies, if people do not change, the environment cannot improve.
- Some Problems Are Too Big to Fix, Even With Money
Main idea: Some environments are so damaged that even with funding, recovery is extremely difficult.
Aral Sea
Extreme salinity (salt levels over 100g/L) – Even if the water comes back, fish and plants cannot survive in the southern part.
Health problems: The exposed seabed releases toxic dust, making people sick.
Delhi
Geography makes pollution worse: Delhi is in a low-lying basin, which traps polluted air, especially in winter.
Weather conditions: Pollution is worse in winter due to temperature inversion (cold air traps dirty air).
Burkina Faso
Climate change is making desertification worse.
Example: Temperatures have risen 1.2°C in the last 100 years, making it harder to grow crops.
Mini Judgement: Some places cannot be fully restored no matter how much money is spent because of natural limits.
- Money is More Important in Some Places Than Others
Main idea: The importance of money changes depending on where and when we look.
Aral Sea
Kazakhstan had money, so it restored the northern part.
Uzbekistan lacked money, so the southern part remains dry.
Delhi
The government can fund projects, but poor families cannot afford clean energy or housing.
Burkina Faso
Farmers have no money, but international organizations like the UN try to help.
Time Changes the Importance of Money
Aral Sea: The worst damage happened between 1960–1990, but since 2000, funding has helped parts recover.
Delhi: Pollution and slums have gotten worse in the last 30 years.
Burkina Faso: Money is needed now, but in the future, climate change may become the bigger problem.
Mini Judgement: Money is important, but its role changes depending on location and time.
Conclusion
Restate the argument: Money is a big problem because it is needed for restoration projects, infrastructure, and better farming.
But other problems matter too: Bad governments, people’s resistance to change, and natural limits also stop progress.
Final judgement: Economic factors are often the biggest challenge, but they do not act alone. To fix degraded environments, a mix of money, good policies, and public support is needed.
‘Overcoming issues created by the attempts to improve a degraded
environment is important for successful management.’
With reference to one or more examples, how far do you agree?
- The Aral Sea: Water Problems and Social Effects
Main Point: Fixing the North Aral Sea helped some people but caused new problems for others.
What Happened?
The Aral Sea was one of the world’s biggest lakes, but in the 1960s, the Soviet Union took its water for farming.
By 2007, the lake lost 90% of its water. This created:
Drought (no water for farming)
Pollution (chemicals from farms stayed in the dry land)
Climate change (hotter summers, colder winters)
How Did They Try to Fix It?
Kazakhstan built the Kok-Aral Dam (2005) to stop water loss in the North Aral Sea.
Water levels rose by 30%, and fish returned.
New Problems Created:
South Aral Sea became worse because the dam stopped water from reaching it.
Uzbekistan suffered because it depended on the Aral Sea for farming.
Water was still polluted from old chemicals.
Why Fixing These New Problems is Important:
The Aral Sea will not fully recover unless countries work together.
Cleaning the polluted water is necessary for fish and farming to return properly.
- Delhi: Fixing Pollution Created New Problems
Main Point: Delhi tried to clean its air, but other problems appeared.
What Happened?
Delhi has one of the worst air pollution levels in the world.
Traffic and factories release dangerous gases.
In 2020, pollution levels were 10 times higher than the safe limit set by the WHO.
How Did They Try to Fix It?
In 2001, public transport switched to cleaner fuel (CNG).
The government cleared slums to make the city look better.
New Problems Created:
CNG fuel was expensive and in short supply.
People bought more private cars, which added more pollution.
Slum clearance left thousands homeless.
Why Fixing These New Problems is Important:
A long-term plan is needed, not just a quick fix.
The government must control private car use and help displaced people find homes.
- Burkina Faso: Land Restoration Problems
Main Point: Local solutions worked, but big projects failed due to lack of money and support.
What Happened?
Burkina Faso’s land is turning into desert because of climate change, deforestation, and overgrazing.
Farmers cannot grow food, and people are forced to move away.
How Did They Try to Fix It?
Farmers used the Zai technique (digging pits to catch rainwater), which helped restore 200,000 hectares of land.
The Great Green Wall project planned to grow trees across Africa to stop desertification.
New Problems Created:
Farmers do not have enough money or tools to continue land restoration.
The Great Green Wall depends on foreign funding—when money stops, the project stops.
Land disputes began because people wanted to control restored land.
Why Fixing These New Problems is Important:
If there is no long-term funding, desertification will return.
Governments must support farmers and prevent land conflicts.
- Problems Change Over Time and Place
Main Point: Environmental problems and solutions work differently in different places and time periods.
Different Locations, Different Problems:
Aral Sea: Water restoration helped Kazakhstan but hurt Uzbekistan.
Delhi: Air pollution laws helped at first, but private cars increased pollution again.
Burkina Faso: Local solutions worked, but national projects failed due to lack of funding.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Problems:
Aral Sea: Water came back quickly, but pollution and farming issues remain.
Delhi: Air pollution dropped at first, but new sources of pollution appeared later.
Burkina Faso: Farmers had early success, but projects stopped without long-term money.
Why Fixing These New Problems is Important:
Solutions must work for both the short-term and long-term.
Governments should plan for the future effects of their solutions.
- Governments Must Help Fix These Problems
Main Point: Governments must fund projects, make better laws, and work together to fix environmental issues.
What Governments Did in These Cases:
Aral Sea: Kazakhstan helped restore water, but Uzbekistan did not get enough support.
Delhi: The government made air pollution laws but did not control private cars.
Burkina Faso: The government relied on foreign money instead of creating a long-term solution.
Why Governments Must Fix These Problems:
Environmental solutions need good policies, long-term funding, and enforcement.
Without government action, problems will return.
Conclusion
Fixing the environment is not just about restoring nature—it is about solving the new problems that arise.
The Aral Sea case shows the importance of water cooperation and pollution control.
Delhi’s case proves that urban planning must be sustainable.
Burkina Faso’s case highlights the need for long-term financial support.
Final Judgment: Overcoming these problems is necessary to ensure long-term success in environmental management.
‘Population pressure is the main cause of environmental degradation.’ With reference to one or more rural or urban environments, how far do you agree?
- The Aral Sea Disaster: Too Many People or Poor Water Management?
Main Point:
The Aral Sea, once one of the biggest lakes in the world, shrunk by more than 90% because people took too much water from the rivers that fed it.
Evidence (Facts & Figures):
Soviet government (1960s) diverted two rivers (Amu Darya and Syr Darya) to grow cotton.
By 2000, the lake had lost 75% of its water volume.
Fishing industry collapsed → Over 40,000 people lost their jobs.
Health problems increased → Toxic dust from the dry seabed caused breathing diseases.
Explanation:
The population did grow, which increased demand for water.
BUT, the real problem was the government’s decision to use the water for farming instead of protecting the lake.
Comparison: Countries like Israel have large populations but manage water well using recycling.
Mini Conclusion:
Population pressure added to the problem, but the biggest reason was bad government planning.
- Pollution in Delhi: Too Many People or Poor City Planning?
Main Point:
Delhi has over 32 million people, making it one of the most crowded cities in the world. The city has severe air pollution and waste problems.
Evidence (Facts & Figures):
Air Pollution:
PM2.5 levels in Delhi regularly reach 300 µg/m³ (WHO safe limit: 25 µg/m³).
Main causes: Car traffic, factory smoke, and construction dust.
Waste problems:
Delhi produces 11,000 tonnes of waste per day.
Rivers polluted → Yamuna River is full of untreated sewage.
Overcrowding in slums:
Lack of clean water and proper toilets makes pollution worse.
Explanation:
More people = More pollution, BUT the real cause is poor city planning.
Comparison: Tokyo and Singapore have similar populations but do not have the same pollution problems.
This shows that good government policies (like public transport, waste recycling) can reduce pollution, even in crowded cities.
Mini Conclusion:
Delhi’s pollution problem is made worse by overpopulation, but the real cause is bad waste management and lack of government action.
- Desertification in Burkina Faso: Too Many People or Climate Change?
Main Point:
Burkina Faso is losing its farmland because of desertification (land turning into desert).
The population has grown fast, which means more people need land for farming, leading to deforestation and soil erosion.
Evidence (Facts & Figures):
Population growth:
1960: 4.7 million people → 2024: over 22 million people.
Land degradation:
34% of Burkina Faso’s land is now desert.
Overgrazing (too many animals on the land) and deforestation make the soil weaker.
Climate change:
Rainfall in some areas has dropped by 20% since the 1970s.
Rising temperatures make it even harder to grow food.
Explanation:
More people = More farmland needed → this damages the soil.
BUT, the biggest cause is climate change, which is making the land drier and hotter.
Some areas have fought back by planting trees and improving farming techniques (Great Green Wall project).
Mini Conclusion:
Population growth makes desertification worse, but climate change and poor farming methods are the real causes.
- How Environmental Degradation is Different in Different Places and Over Time
Main Point:
Population pressure affects different places in different ways, and its impact changes over time.
Evidence:
Rural vs Urban:
In Burkina Faso, too many farms and deforestation are major problems.
In Delhi, pollution is caused by traffic, factories, and waste.
Changes Over Time:
The Aral Sea shrank fast in 40 years, but some areas are recovering due to conservation efforts.
Burkina Faso is fighting desertification with tree planting and better farming methods.
Mini Conclusion:
Population pressure has different effects in different places.
Sometimes, human actions can make the problem better or worse over time.
- Other Causes of Environmental Degradation (Besides Population Growth)
Main Point:
Other causes are often more important than population growth.
Evidence:
Bad government policies:
The Aral Sea dried up because of bad irrigation policies, not just population growth.
Economic policies:
Delhi’s pollution is worse because factories and industries are not properly controlled.
Climate change:
In Burkina Faso, higher temperatures and less rainfall are causing land to dry out faster.
Comparison:
Singapore has a large population but has good environmental policies, so it does not suffer the same problems.
Mini Conclusion:
Population pressure matters, but governments, industries, and climate change are usually bigger causes of environmental problems.
Conclusion
Restate the argument: Population pressure contributes to environmental damage, but it is not the main cause.
Summarize key points:
Aral Sea: Government decisions caused water mismanagement.
Delhi: Pollution is caused by weak city planning, not just people.
Burkina Faso: Climate change makes desertification worse.
Final Judgment: Solving environmental problems is not just about controlling population growth. The real solutions are better policies, better planning, and action on climate change.
“Evaluate the effectiveness of attempts to protect one or more environments at risk of being degraded.”
- The Aral Sea: Some Success, But Not Everywhere
What was the problem?
The Aral Sea was one of the biggest lakes in the world, but lost 90% of its water because of Soviet irrigation projects.
The dry lakebed turned into a toxic desert, leading to dust storms, loss of fish, and bad health for local people.
What was done to fix it?
Kazakhstan built the Kok-Aral Dam in 2005 with help from the World Bank ($86 million).
The North Aral Sea started recovering—water levels rose by 30%, fish returned, and 13,000 people got their jobs back.
What problems remain?
The South Aral Sea (in Uzbekistan) is still dry because irrigation projects continue to take water away.
There is no cooperation between countries, making it hard to save the whole lake.
Was this attempt successful?
Success in some places: The North Aral Sea is recovering.
Failure in others: The South Aral Sea is too damaged to recover.
Shows that recovery is possible, but only if countries work together. - Pollution in Delhi: Some Improvements, But Big Problems Remain
What is the problem?
Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world.
Causes of pollution:
Too many cars and traffic jams.
Factories releasing dirty smoke.
Burning of crops in nearby areas.
Waste and sewage polluting the Yamuna River.
What was done to fix it?
Odd-Even Traffic Rule (2016-2019):
Only some cars were allowed on the roads each day (based on their number plate).
Helped reduce pollution by 13-15% during rush hours.
But pollution returned when the rule ended.
Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) (2017-present):
Helped reduce small dangerous air particles (PM2.5) by 25%.
But Delhi’s pollution is still very high, especially when farmers burn crops.
Yamuna Action Plan (1993-present, $500 million spent):
Tried to clean up the river, but sewage and industrial waste still pollute it.
Was this attempt successful?
Short-term success: Some air pollution laws worked for a while.
Long-term failure: Air pollution keeps coming back, and the river is still dirty.
Biggest problem: Delhi can’t control pollution from neighboring states, so it’s hard to make lasting changes. - Desertification in Burkina Faso: Local Success, National Failure
What is the problem?
470,000 hectares of land turn into desert every year in Burkina Faso.
Causes of desertification:
Climate change (less rainfall).
Overgrazing (too many animals eating plants).
Cutting down too many trees (deforestation).
What was done to fix it?
Zai pits and stone bunds (traditional farming methods):
Help trap rainwater and make the soil fertile again.
Increased crop production by 50% between 1990 and 2010.
Great Green Wall project (Pan-African project):
Plan: Plant 8,000 km of trees to stop the Sahara from spreading.
Problem: By 2020, only 4% of the project was completed.
Was this attempt successful?
Small-scale success: Farmers using Zai pits and stone bunds have improved their land.
Large-scale failure: The Great Green Wall is not making enough progress because of lack of money and political problems.
Shows that small solutions can work, but large projects need more investment. - The Role of Money and Politics
Why does money matter?
The Aral Sea project worked in Kazakhstan because of World Bank funding, but failed in Uzbekistan, where water use was not controlled.
Delhi’s pollution solutions are expensive, and businesses don’t want strict rules.
Burkina Faso’s small projects are cheap and effective, but the Great Green Wall lacks funding.
Why does politics matter?
The Aral Sea problem involves multiple countries, but they don’t work together.
In Delhi, pollution comes from neighboring states, making it hard to stop completely.
Burkina Faso’s government can’t expand small successful projects to the whole country.
Was this attempt successful?
Money and politics often decide success.
Without government support and cooperation, even good projects struggle. - Short-Term vs. Long-Term Success
Short-term success examples
North Aral Sea recovered quickly because of a dam.
Delhi’s pollution laws worked for a few weeks but were not enforced long enough.
Long-term failure examples
The South Aral Sea is beyond saving.
The Great Green Wall has made almost no progress in 20 years.
Was this attempt successful?
Short-term efforts help, but long-term success needs constant effort.
If projects are not funded or maintained, they fail in the long run.
Conclusion
Some projects worked, but many failed.
The Aral Sea recovery was only partly successful.
Delhi’s pollution control worked for a short time, but problems remain.
Burkina Faso’s small projects work, but big projects struggle.
For environmental protection to be successful, governments must invest more money, enforce laws strictly, and work together on long-term solutions.
