Understanding Sustainability

• Sustainability is a long-term goal focused on meeting present needs without compromising future generations.
• Achieving sustainability requires balancing all three aspects with no trade-offs.
• The Paris Agreement (2015), Agenda 2030 (17 sustainable development goals), and the Singapore Green Plan exemplify sustainability initiatives.
• Carbon dioxide, produced by burning fossil fuels, is a primary greenhouse gas naturally removed through photosynthesis.

Three Aspects of Sustainability

• Society: Addresses environmental justice concerning unequal climate change effects and understanding human behavior to implement sustainable changes.
• It also considers the risk of political conflict.
• Singapore is adding 200 hectares of nature parks and planting 1 million trees for CO2 absorption, shade, and temperature regulation using green infrastructure.
• Economy: Involves sustainable capital investments, financial decision-making, and assessing the potential social and environmental impact on profits.
• It also considers the effect of investment and valuation.
• Circular economy aims to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature.
• Singapore promotes a green economy through enterprise sustainability programs, carbon tax, and home-grown innovation.
• Environment: Recognizes human dependence on natural resources and promotes natural climate solutions.
• Singapore aims to increase green spaces, educate about the local wildlife, and limit water pollution.

Poverty, Assistance, and Equality

• Poverty results from a lack of income and productive resources.
• The World Bank targets having no more than 3% of the population living below the poverty line by 2030.
• Poverty-stricken countries include those in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
• Investments in farm productivity, urban productivity, national infrastructure, and human capital investment can reduce poverty.
• Decreasing the fertility rate is recommended. Addressing child malnutrition, lack of education, and gender inequality is also important.
• Assistance is required due to the lack of capital, often obtained from Official Development Assistance (ODA).
• ODA involves government aid donated by high-income countries to promote economic development.
• However, can be misused or wasted.
• It is used for public health and social safety nets.
• Equality respects human rights and diversity.
• Income can be measured using the Gini index, which indicates income distribution and inequality (0 perfect equality).
• Technology widens the gap.
• Gender looks at pay gaps, double shifts at home, and violence.
• The Gender Development Index (GDI) includes health, education, and estimated earned income (higher GDI means lower inequality).

Addressing Hunger

• The World Food Programme (2020) combats hunger and betters conditions for peace.
• War and conflict cause food insecurity and hunger.
• Achieving zero hunger is unlikely in the presence of war.
• Climate change directly and indirectly threatens food production, especially in poor countries.
• Agriculture contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, causing disturbances to stable conditions.
• Sea level rise in low-lying coastal areas leads to water shortages and declining rice yields.
• Food security is when people have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.
• The four dimensions of food security: stability, utilization, availability, and accessibility.
• Stability is protection from shocks threatening resource availability and access.
• Utilization is using food with an adequate diet, clean water, and sanitation.
• Availability is sufficient quantity and appropriate quality.
• Accessibility is adequate access.
• Singapore is working to diversify import sources, boost local production, and help local companies expand overseas.
• The global food system includes all processes related to food production and consumption.
• Agri-food industry, the largest economic sector, creates profit at the expense of the environment and social justice.
• Environment impact needs reducing and also the increased food production.
• Most harmful foods are beef, lamb, meat, and cheese.
• Least harmful are nuts, peas, peanuts, and tofu.
• 27% of livestock causes harm and 7% of crops.
• The minimal expansion of land, plant-based food, food technology can help to reduce food waste.
• Circular economy turns food waste into compost not waste.

Water Resources

• Concerns: Water stress levels, unaffordable/inaccessible water, water pollution, diseases from polluted water, competition for water demand, water scarcity in urban areas, transboundary water conflicts, and global effort.
• Management Strategies: Use reservoirs, water management techniques, local catchment, imported water, NEWater, and desalinated water, with consideration for challenges, capacity, and cost. Deep tunnel sewage systems send sewage to NEWater facilities.

Economy, Energy, and Climate Change (Chapter 5)

• Main Elements: Production and consumption.
• Electricity and Heat: Generates 44% of carbon dioxide emissions.
• Transport: Fossil fuels are used to generate electricity and heat.
• IPCC Findings: Global surface temperature has increased by 1 degree Celsius since industrialization.
• Threats: Extreme weather patterns will disrupt food and water production and supply.
• Human Impact: Humans are increasing the frequency and intensity of disasters.

Energy, Emissions, and Clean Alternatives

• Energy Poverty: Lack of access to sustainable modern energy services and products.
• Emissions Measures: Mitigate and adapt, explore ways to reduce the climate risk, using less energy, and low carbon options.
• Renewable Energy: Adoption of clean energy and efficiency.
• Solar PV Systems: Generate electricity using direct sunlight for endless supply.
• Wind Turbines: Capture wind energy and convert to electricity.
• Hydroelectric: Generates Electricity through water flowing through dam turbines.
• Geothermal: Using heat trapped beneath the earth's crust.
• Ocean: Tapping into thermal (warm water) and mechanical energy (tides).
• Hydrogen: Combined with other elements to create fuel and electricity.
• Biomass: Renewable energy that creates carbon dioxide, however is consumed by plants.

Policy Measures

• Internalization of Negative Impacts: Specify liabilities
• Direct Control Over Polluters: Regulatory and minimum efficient standards
• Cap and Trade: Cap is set for companies.
• Carbon Tax: Direct price on carbon
• Stern Reviews: Stringent and early action outweigh economic costs.
• Pro-Growth Strategy: Aims for no trade-off between growth and climate change.

Pollution: Air, Plastic, Noise, and Light

• UN Goals: Good health, affordable/clean energy, and sustainable cities/communities
• Health: Affects neurological development, cognitive ability, and can cause chronic diseases.
• Plastic Pollution: White pollution (discarding plastic bags), and microplastics traveling through water.
• Noise Pollution: Prolonged exposure leads to diseases and marine disrupts marine life.
• Light Pollution: Effects wildlife like turtle moonlight.

Consumption, Waste, and Sustainability

• Consumption Choice: Aims for sustainable consumption patterns.
• Material Footprint: Total raw materials extracted to meet current consumption, indicate environmental pressures.
• E-Waste: Emits mercury and other toxic substances.
• A hemispheric difference between the North and South.
• Material Economy: Repetitive cycle of buying and throwing products away as waste.
• Five Factors Influencing Consumption: Economy, social influence, demographics, cultural consumption habits, and psychological marketing tactics.
• Circular Economy: Aims to maintain economy as long as possible.
• Reduction Goals: Reduced food waste, energy consumption, release of chemicals and waste to water sources.
• Design products and materials to be reused.

Sustainable Urban Living

• Zero waste aims to close the loop on waste streams.
• Trends of growth are leading to population increase
• Changing Lifestyles: Higher standards and use of energy.
• Urban development leads to clearing plats and pollution.
• Human survival leads to a healthy ecosystem
• Urban Heat: Urban environments with less trees and built areas have higher temperatures.
• Flooding: Lack of drainage prevents rain infiltrating the ground.
• Sustainability: Managing resources guaranteeing wellbeing of future generations.