Environnement et développement durable - Chapitre 1

Course Title

• Course Title: Environment and Sustainable Development
• Academic Year: 2024/2025
• Course Level: L2
• University: USTHB
• Section: Biotechnologies and Health
• Instructor: Mme KHELIF

Chapter 1: Introduction and History

• Global resources are decreasing, pollution is increasing, and social/economic problems (unemployment, overpopulation, poverty, malnutrition) are becoming more prevalent
• Sustainable development aims to address these issues through social equity (respecting worker rights, reducing unemployment), economic efficiency (profitable projects), and environmental protection (reducing pollution)
• Sustainable development is crucial for future generations while benefiting current ones
• Key dates shaping the concept of sustainable development:
  • 1972: The Meadows Report (Club of Rome) highlighted the dangers of continued population and economic growth
  • 1972: The Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment emphasized the need for development compatible with environmental protection
  • 1983: Establishment of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), chaired by Gro Harlem Brundtland
  • 1987: The Brundtland Report defined sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Chapter 2: Definitions

• Environment: Everything, natural or constructed, that surrounds us—resources, and potential threats to health and well-being.
• Environment: The totality of relationships, sometimes conflictual, between humans and nature
• Environment components: Living (flora and fauna) and non-living elements (water, rocks, air)
• Development: A process of change and growth, not just economic, but encompassing changes in an organism, or society.

Chapter 3: Main Dimensions of the Environmental Crisis

• Human demographics: Population growth leads to more demands for resources, and a rise in social and political issues.
• Demographic issues: high birthrates, rapid urbanization, lack of sanitation systems lead to environmental degradation, and social problems as well.
• Climate change: Increase of greenhouse gases from human activity, causes shifts in weather patterns and rising sea levels.
• Consequences of climate change: shifts in vegetation and agricultural cycles, threats to biodiversity, food shortages, displacement of people.

Chapter 4: Environmental Resources Depletion

• Energy resources (non-renewable): Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) are finite and contribute to pollution.
• Renewable energy resources: Solar, wind, hydro, and biomass are potentially sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels.
• Water resources: Water scarcity is a growing problem due to population increase and climate change.
• Mineral resources: Many minerals are non-renewable and their extraction damages the environment.

Chapter 5: Biodiversity and Agriculture

• Agriculture's role: Agriculture is a major driver of environmental change, both in terms of resource use and biodiversity loss.
• Biodiversity: Maintained through biological practices, and proper agricultural practices that limit impact on natural environments.
• Erosion of biodiversity: The conversion of natural ecosystems (forests, grasslands) into agricultural land disrupts ecosystems and reduces biodiversity
• Protecting biodiversity: Sustainable agricultural practices can help preserve ecosystems and the diversity of species
• Biological principles: Close relationship between farming and biodiversity, biological practices that preserve this richness.

Chapter 6: Meaning of Sustainable Development

• Sustainable development: Considers economic, environment, and social elements equally important to consider.
• Sustainable development goals (SDGs) 17 objectives from the United Nations are presented to guide sustainable development in the 21st century, from poverty reduction to protecting biodiversity.

Chapter 7: Areas of Application of Sustainable Development

• Environmental protection: Use of renewable resources, waste management, and mitigation of pollution to maintain ecosystems for future generations.
• Protection of biodiversity: Preserve ecosystems and genetic diversity to maintain ecological balance, and to ensure healthy and productive environments
• Sustainable development principles: Sustainability involves several principles for social equity and ecological balance (consideration of future generations, pollution reduction).

Chapter 8: Sustainability Indicators

• Indicators: Measuring and monitoring different aspects of sustainability to ensure that progress is being made.
• Important indicators: Human Development Index (HDI), Environmental Performance Index (EPI), ecological footprint.

Chapter 9: Product Sustainability

• Environmental impact of products: Life cycle assessment and environmental footprinting help evaluate the environmental impacts of products to guide better production methods.
• Sustainable consumption: Focusing on how individuals consume resources can also increase chances of sustainability.
• Production and consumption: Companies can use a variety of tools and techniques for assessing their products

Chapter 10: Ecological Footprint

• Definition: The impact of a person or group of people on the environment
• How it works: quantifies the human Ecological footprint (EF) to assess ecological impact on natural resources.
• Results: If the ecological footprint exceeds the capacity of the Earth to replenish resources, humans are overusing the planet's ecological capacity and it should be managed through sustainability practices.
• Using other indicators to assess Ecological Footprint: Ecological footprint is not the only tool or indicator to understand ecosystem and resource use. Other measurements are required.