Week 2 - Sustainability & Resilience Flashcards
What is Natural Resource Management? Why is it important?
The protection and improvement of environmental assets such as soils, water, vegetation and biodiversity.
It is important as it is central to our national identity and economy (agriculture, mining, tourism).
Has historical, social and cultural value.
What are some of the main threats to Australia’s Natural Resources?
Climate change Water scarcity Pollution Poor land management practices Declining soil health Feral animals Weeds
Name the Climatic Zones
Equatorial - rainforest (monsoonal) & savanna
Tropical - rainforest (persistently wet & monsoonal) & savanna
Subtropical - no dry season, distinctly dry summer or dry winter, moderately dry winter
Desert - hot, persistently dry, summer drought, winter drought, warm (persistently dry)
Grassland - hot, persistently dry, summer drought, winter drought, warm (persistently dry), warm (summer drought)
Temperate - no dry season (hot summer), moderately dry winter etc.
Grain Production
The most important export commodity in Australia.
Problem of Agriculture System
Food and agricultural systems have succeeded in supplying large volumes of food to global markets. However high external input, resource intensive agricultural systems have caused massive deforestation, water scarcities, biodiversity loss, soil depletion and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
What is Agroecology?
What does it do?
It is an INTEGRATED approcah ; simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of food and agricultural systems.
Seeks to optimise interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment, whilst taking into consideration SOCIAL aspects that need to be addressed for a sustainable and fair food system.
What is the approach of Agroecology?
It is a distinctive approach. Provides ‘bottom-up and territorial contextualised solutions.
Cocreation that combines: science, traditional & local knowledge, practicality of techniques/technologies
- Enhances autonomy and adaptive capacity
- Empowers producers & communties as change agents
- Builds sustainability and resilience into agricultural systems and communities
What are the 10 elements of Agroecology?
What is sustainability?
“…is progress that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
The Earth is a finite environment, with its physical systems tightly interconnected with all life on the planet
What is Sustainable Development?
Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable to ensure that it meets the needs of present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
What are the four pillars of sustainability?
Environment Culture Economic Social Ideally all decisions concerning natural environment ought to be taken, with these FOUR pillars in mind
Describe Environment
We want a clean environment, can’t do that due to use of fossil fuels.
We would like resources to be finite
- Consumption vs Conserving Natural Resources (rates) - renewable (water), oil (nonrenewable) - Disposal of wastes (pollution) - Conserving biodiversity - everything on the planet has a place/reason to be there - Natural vs Anthropogenic-Influenced landscapes
Describe Culture
Cultural trends, can lead to mass production and use of a particular product that may not be fairly or approproiately distributed
Respect of different cultures (religious, heritage, local beliefs) - these specific views can affect the way individuals and groups view and utilise resources.
e.g. meat industry - vegetarians, indeginous australians -
- Making links with past (especially true for indigenous communities) - Freedom of expression - Diversity acceptance - Creativity of thought, beliefs, speech and action
Describe Economic
Steady economic growth - economy can’t be constantly climbing. A reason would be limited resources. Short term flourishing does not equal sustainability.
Think about how resources are being used in our own backyard, then looking out further (scale)
is everyone happy?
- Employment - Economic Growth - viable businesses (fair returns or investment - Efficiency competitiveness Trade - Local, national, international
Describe Social
Different communities and classes
Aims to reserve social capital by investing in services that form the framework of our society
United Nations - sustainable development goals - global warming
- Welfare of individuals vs communities - certain places have practices, government policies i.e. pension in Australia vs none China - Inter and Intra generational equality - Equal opportunity for all / ethical decision making - oil rights to antartic ocean Social cohesion - everyone working together
