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Questions and Answers
What is the main reason democratic governments have been hesitant to implement environmental policies that restrict individual choices or reduce company profits?
What is the main reason democratic governments have been hesitant to implement environmental policies that restrict individual choices or reduce company profits?
What is the CORE Econ definition of economics?
What is the CORE Econ definition of economics?
What does the biosphere primarily provide for human life?
What does the biosphere primarily provide for human life?
In the context of the economy, what is the primary difference in household production compared with firms?
In the context of the economy, what is the primary difference in household production compared with firms?
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What is a key function of households, in addition to producing other goods and services?
What is a key function of households, in addition to producing other goods and services?
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How do firms and households interact with each other?
How do firms and households interact with each other?
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What is the relationship between the environment, society, and the economy?
What is the relationship between the environment, society, and the economy?
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What is the dependence of economic activity according to the text?
What is the dependence of economic activity according to the text?
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According to the Living Planet Report 2020, what percentage decrease in population sizes of various animals was observed between 1970 and 2016?
According to the Living Planet Report 2020, what percentage decrease in population sizes of various animals was observed between 1970 and 2016?
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What is a primary cause of the environmentally destructive pattern of technological change and resource use?
What is a primary cause of the environmentally destructive pattern of technological change and resource use?
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What happened to the Grand Banks cod fishery off the east coast of Newfoundland?
What happened to the Grand Banks cod fishery off the east coast of Newfoundland?
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Why do fishing firms typically have little incentive to maintain the cod population in an open access fishery?
Why do fishing firms typically have little incentive to maintain the cod population in an open access fishery?
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How do government-issued permits for CO2 emissions help protect the environment?
How do government-issued permits for CO2 emissions help protect the environment?
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What is one way that technological progress can mitigate climate change?
What is one way that technological progress can mitigate climate change?
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What does the continuous depletion of natural resources affect?
What does the continuous depletion of natural resources affect?
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What is required to address environmental problems and enable low-income countries to rise out of poverty and sustain standards in rich ones?
What is required to address environmental problems and enable low-income countries to rise out of poverty and sustain standards in rich ones?
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What is the result of governments failing to take action on environmental protection?
What is the result of governments failing to take action on environmental protection?
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What is the concept of 'biocapacity' as used in the text?
What is the concept of 'biocapacity' as used in the text?
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Based on the information provided, what is the relationship between the expansion of the economy and environmental degradation?
Based on the information provided, what is the relationship between the expansion of the economy and environmental degradation?
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How does the text contrast a fishing firm owner with a tour bus operator?
How does the text contrast a fishing firm owner with a tour bus operator?
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What does the text suggest is a likely outcome when natural resources are treated as free goods?
What does the text suggest is a likely outcome when natural resources are treated as free goods?
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In the context of the text, what is meant by 'artificial cheapness' of some goods?
In the context of the text, what is meant by 'artificial cheapness' of some goods?
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Which of the following is an example of a governmental or collective solution to environmental problems given in the text?
Which of the following is an example of a governmental or collective solution to environmental problems given in the text?
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Flashcards
Economics
Economics
The study of how people interact with each other and their natural environment in producing and obtaining their livelihoods, considering how this changes over time and across different societies.
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Biosphere
Biosphere
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Household production
Household production
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Economic Circular Flow
Economic Circular Flow
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Firm production
Firm production
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Environmental resources
Environmental resources
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Earth Overshoot Day
Earth Overshoot Day
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Centrally planned economy
Centrally planned economy
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Per capita mortality from air pollution
Per capita mortality from air pollution
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Reluctance to adopt restrictive environmental policies
Reluctance to adopt restrictive environmental policies
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Carbon-based energy
Carbon-based energy
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Ecological Overshoot
Ecological Overshoot
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Biodiversity Loss
Biodiversity Loss
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Climate Change
Climate Change
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Externalities of Environmental Damage
Externalities of Environmental Damage
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Resource Depletion
Resource Depletion
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Earth's Biocapacity
Earth's Biocapacity
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Ecological Footprint
Ecological Footprint
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Sustainable Production and Consumption
Sustainable Production and Consumption
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Environmental Regulation
Environmental Regulation
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Artificially Cheap Environmental Damage
Artificially Cheap Environmental Damage
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Absorptive Capacity of the Biosphere
Absorptive Capacity of the Biosphere
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Collective Solutions to Environmental Problems
Collective Solutions to Environmental Problems
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Market Failure in Environmental Costs
Market Failure in Environmental Costs
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Technology for Environmental Sustainability
Technology for Environmental Sustainability
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Intergenerational Equity
Intergenerational Equity
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Study Notes
Economics and the Environment
- Economics studies how humans interact with each other and the environment to produce and acquire livelihoods, changing over time and across societies.
- The environment provides essential resources for life (e.g., air, water, food) and raw materials (wood, metals, oil) for production.
- The economy is part of a larger social system within the biosphere.
- Firms combine labor, structures, and equipment to produce goods and services, while households produce the next generation of the labor force.
- Households also produce goods & services, though not always sold in the market.
Environmental Degradation and Resource Depletion
- Living Planet Report 2020: A significant 68% decrease in mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile, and fish populations from 1970 to 2016.
- Humanity's ecological footprint exceeds the Earth's regeneration rate by at least 56%.
- Technological advancements, while improving living standards, often deplete natural resources and harm the environment (e.g., cars, refrigerators, plastics, fertilizers).
- Examples like the Grand Banks cod fishery highlight the consequences of unchecked resource exploitation. Cod stocks collapsed in 1992 due to overfishing.
- Natural resources are often used up without considering their depletion or replacement cost. This is reflected in prices; no financial penalty is included for resource consumption unless specifically regulated.
Addressing Environmental Problems
- Government regulations can address environmental problems by limiting emissions and placing a price on their use (e.g., limits on CO2 emissions).
- Regulations make environmentally harmful products either illegal or costly.
- Technological advancements in renewable energy (e.g., wind, solar) can mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss by reducing the cost of sustainable alternatives.
- Addressing environmental concerns requires collective solutions at local, national, and international levels.
- Local communities and governments can implement recycling programs, restrict harmful products, or subsidize sustainable alternatives.
Failures in Environmental Protection
- Even democratic governments sometimes struggle with implementing environmentally protective policies due to conflicting interests (e.g., restricting car use, taxing carbon-based energy).
- Centrally planned economies historically had poor environmental records, leading to significant pollution issues.
- "Earth Overshoot Day," marking the date humanity's consumption surpasses Earth's regeneration capacity, was July 28th in 2022. Resource use varies by country.
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Description
This quiz explores the relationship between economics and environmental issues. It examines how human activities impact resource utilization and ecological sustainability. Additionally, the quiz highlights trends in environmental degradation and the significance of technological advancements.