CC6 Notes Final (2) PDF

Week 1: Introduction to Sustainability In 2013, we reached 400ppm, now it’s close to 420ppm 2016 warmest, 10 warmest all after 2005 Global temperatures have increased over 1.2 degree celsius 1971-2000: 2.6 standard deviation Sustainability Effor...

Week 1: Introduction to Sustainability In 2013, we reached 400ppm, now it’s close to 420ppm 2016 warmest, 10 warmest all after 2005 Global temperatures have increased over 1.2 degree celsius 1971-2000: 2.6 standard deviation Sustainability Efforts Paris agreement, COP26 climate summit IPCC report UN Sustainable Development Goals Singapore Green Plan NTU Sustainability Office → NTU to be carbon neutral by 2035, reduce energy, water use and waste by 50% by March 2026 (from 2011 baseline levels) Paris agreement (2015) Every country in the world agreed to work together to limit global warming and made financial commitments to achieve this limit of 1.5 degrees (agreement was updated in 2021) Intergovernmental panel of climate change (IPCC) Regularly produces assessment reports that provide the latest scientific, technical and socioeconomic knowledge on climate change, its causes, impacts and response options UN set up 17 sustainable development goals (2015) Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas End poverty Traps heat and stays in atmosphere for long time Protect the planet Main CO2 emissions is by burning of fossil fuel Promote peace and prosperity by 2030 Manufacturing cement also produces large amounts Action in one area will affect outcomes in others of CO2 Development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability Complexity of sustainable development Long range of interconnected but unique problems Has multiple problems, thus hard to define the problem No clear cut solution, and no right or wrong, rather better or worse Solutions tend to ramify through the system and can take a long time to evaluate Social perspective: Rich countries contribute the highest per capita carbon In Singapore, emissions, but poor countries suffer disproportionately from effects of climate Additional 200 hectares of natureparks for change and sea level rise (rich countries pledge to donate 100bn to less citizens (and wildlife) to enjoy wealthy nations by 2020, but target has not been met) Planting one million trees across the island—CO2 Environmental justice and unequal distribution of e.g. climate absorption, shade and cooler temperature change effects Programmes to reduce human-wildlife conflicts Understanding human behaviour to implement changes for sustainability Risk of political conflict or humanitarian crises due to climate change or environmental degradation Economic perspective: Circular economy 3 basic principles In Singapore, Eliminate waste and pollution Enterprise sustainability programme → helps Circulate products and materials enterprises embrace and develop capabilities to Regenerate nature ride the green wave Carbon tax (introduced in 2019) Needed: Sustainability accountants, for sustainable capital Research innovation and enterprise plan 2025 investments encourages homegrown innovations and makes it Integration of financial decision making and sustainability work more attractive for companies to base their R&D Stating potential social and environmental impact on profits activities in Singapore  Effect on valuation, investment? Environmental perspective: laws of nature govern processes of climate In Singapore, change and environmental degradation More green spaces Intrinsic value of nature Education and appreciation for local wildlife Human dependence on natural resources Limit pollution of water Natural climate solutions, for example, mangrove forests protect Conservation initiatives against storms and flooding , trap CO2 in soil and support biodiversity Tree planting Week 2: No poverty, Social Inclusion and Equality Poverty Measurement of poverty In 2015, more than 734 million people (~10% of the world) was living 1. International poverty line: Costs of basic food for in extreme poverty, earning < $1.90 a day (2015) adequate nutrition, clothing, healthcare, and shelter needs More than 160 million children were estimated to be at risk of in low-income countries continuing to live in extreme poverty by 2030 (2015 estimates) 2. Purchasing power parity (PPP) estimates → solves the Ending poverty is the first of the 17 sustainable goals adopted by the problem of the difficulty of creating the poverty line due to UN eg. diff costs of food in diff countries No.of people living in extreme poverty is declining gradually over the It is a theoretical exchange rate at which you last 3 decades can buy the same amount of goods and services ○ About 36% of the global population was living in extreme with another currency poverty (1990) e.g. burger costs 2 pounds in London and 4 sgd ○ Number went down to 16% (2010) in sg, then ppp exchange rate is 1 pound to 2 ○ About 10% is currently living in poverty (present) sgd Difficulty of ending poverty (i.e. rate of poverty decline has been Therefore, to calculate international poverty line, slowed significantly) world bank considers the average of the national Covid-19 may have pushed >100mil ppl to extreme poverty in 2020 poverty line of 15 very poor countries converted World Bank’s target: To have no more than 3% of world to ppp estimates population live below the poverty line by 2030 International poverty line was at $1.90/day (2011 PPP) Updated poverty line is at $2.15/day (2017 PPP) Poorest areas: Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia Problem is countries’ economy might be increasing, but GDP (2010) South Asia poverty rate was as high as 30% but decreased per capital may decrease due to high population growth → Sub-saharan’s poverty rate increased solutions that might help end poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa Middle East and North Africa’s poverty rate also increased from 2.3% Farm productivity → farmers are too poor to spend in 2013 to 10% in 2018 on nutrients for a good crop yield (agriculture East Asia has the fastest decline of extreme poverty, mainly China poverty trap) → should have fundings Urban productivity Who? rural young and under-educated, especially women National Infrastructure Human capital investment (in education etc) Decreasing fertility rate (should be priority) As for South Asia, problems are… Official Development Assistance (ODA) High population density ODA: Government aid mainly donated by high-income Human development (child malnutrition) countries (~1% of GDP) that promote and specifically target Primary dedication the economic development and welfare of developing Gender inequality countries Governance of corruption Challanges of climate change Mainly used for economic development in the poor countries: Build capital or capacity (e.g., pave roads, power grids, build clinics and schools, training and salaries for teachers and health workers, healthcare delivery) Most effective use of ODA after 2000 (e.g. Korea and China from beneficiaries to donors)  Public health: Control AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis; lower mortality rate of children and mothers during pregnancy, especially in sub-Saharan Africa Investment in health systems and social safety nets to combat the medical, social, and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis Social Inclusion: a society that entails respect for human rights, cultural SDGs (3 direct goals for achieving social incl + 3 other diversity, and democratic governance, and upholds principles of equality and indirect ones to promote social incl) equity (Dugarova, 2015) Peace Justice and Strong Institutions Broad-based prosperity, eliminating discrimination, equal protection Reduce Inequalities under the laws, ensuring that every human being can meet basic Sustainable cities and communities needs, and enabling high social mobility Quality Education A socially inclusive society aims to 1) eliminate discrimination, 2) Good Health and Well being enable high social mobility, and 3) ensure that every human can Gender Equality meet basic needs Measure of Income Inequality Reasons for Income Inequality Gini coefficient/index: Statistical measure of income inequality within a country Social and historical factors or social group Racial discrimination 0 = good (perfect equality, everyone same income) Social discrimination 1 = bad (perfect inequality) Ethnic discrimination Gini coefficient does NOT show the overall wealth/ income of a country, Gender discrimination quality of life, or general economic well-being South Africa rank 1 in lowest income equality in the world, richest 10% hold 70% Forces widening of the income gap wealth, >50% Western, Central and Eastern Europe enjoys relatively equal Skills, education and globalisation income Technology and digital revolution Political influence and economic winners Redistribution policies Social Mobility Achieve income equality By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain population at a rate higher than the national average By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, or economic status, etc Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations Ensure enhanced representation for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, etc. Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people Measuring Gender Inequality Achieve Gender equality The Gender Inequality Index (GII): Reproductive health (maternal End all forms of discrimination against all mortality rate, adolescent fertility rate), female empowerment (share women and girls everywhere in parliament and higher education), and labour force participation. Eliminate all forms of violence against all women A low GII indicates low inequality between women and men and girls in the public and private spheres Gender Development Index (GDI): Measures gender inequalities in Recognise and value unpaid care and domestic achievement in three basic dimensions of human development - life work through the provision of public services, etc. expectancy, education, and estimated earned income. The higher Ensure women’s full and effective participation the GDI, the smaller the gap between women and men and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision- making Gender Inequality Ensure universal access to sexual and Labor force participation and the gender pay gap reproductive health and reproductive rights Double shift at home Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, A growing challenge from automation early and forced marriage Economic fallout due to pandemics and other shocks (women 1.8x more vulnerable)  Gender-based violence (1 in 3 women) Week 3: Introduction to Food Security and the Global Food System (UN Sustainability Goal 2) 22% of children under 5 are stunted The World Food Program 6.7% of children under 5 suffer from wasting Nobel Peace Prize 2020 5.7% of children under 5 are overweight For its efforts to combat hunger for its contribution to Feeding 10 billion people, eradicating hunger, and being bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas healthy while also promoting economic growth, securing and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the jobs, and saving the planet use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict → Total number of undernourished people in the world conflict is the single greatest challenge to achieve zero increased. hunger 2020: 720-811 million undernourished people Relationship between Climate Change and Food Security When Climate Change Threatens Food Security and Climate change directly and indirectly threatens food People’s Livelihoods production and livelihoods, particularly in poor countries. Bangladesh and Vietnam are ‘hot spots’ for Agriculture is also a major source of greenhouse gas, which climate change impacts such as sea-level rise causes climate change and saltwater intrusion Specifically, rice production is increasingly difficult Salinity issues in Bangladesh will most likely lead to significant shortages of water for drinking and irrigation by 2050 (according to the World Bank) Climate migration/refugees Food Security: when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life Food Availability: refers to the availability of sufficient quantities and appropriate quality of food products that are either locally produced or supplied by imports, including food aid Food Accessibility: refers to adequate access to food resources for a nutritious diet Utilisation: refers to the utilisation of food in conjunction with adequate diet, clean water, sanitation and healthcare to a state of nutritional well-being, demonstrating the importance of non-food inputs for food security Stability: refers to a secure population, household or individual access to adequate food at all times, protected from sudden shocks or cyclical events that can threaten availability of and access to food resources Food Security in Singapore Imports 90% of food today → vulnerable However, they… ○ Diversify sources of import supply ○ Boost local production “30 by 30” ○ Food technology (Leader of lab-grown meat) ○ Promote expansion overseas to import back to sg Global Food System Definition of the global food system: “...the sum of actors, sectors and interactions along the food value chains — R&D, input supply, production, harvesting, storage, transportation, processing, retailing, wholesaling, preparation, consumption and disposal of food.” (Fan, 2021) A complex global web of production and consumption People, institutions, activities, processes, and infrastructure involved in the production and consumption food The Agri-Food Industry Agriculture and impact on Environment World’s largest economic sector Single largest cause of biodiversity loss Employs half the global work force 25–30% of greenhouse gas emissions  Directly and indirectly responsible for about a quarter of Consumptive use of freshwater global greenhouse gas emissions Loading of nutrients ○ Deforestation Pollution due to pesticides ○ Lost of carbon from soils ○ Soil erosion and degradation ○ Methane gas from cattle ranching ○ Water pollution Creates economic profit at the expense of the natural ○ Climate change and global warming environment ○ Depletion of freshwater resources Generates social injustices between countries and among actors in the chain from production to consumption and waste As people get richer, they onsume more food Strategies for Producing More Food Sustainably Need to increase food production worldwide in a More sustainable agricultural practices sustainable way due to growing population Minimal land expansion Over 2 billion people worldwide suffer from hunger today Reducing food waste Per capita consumption is also increasing, as Shifting diets from meat to vegetables incomes go up - 50% more food per person is Food technology produced today compared 1961 Food Waste Meat Consumption According to FAO, one third of all produced food were People tend to consume more meat when they get riched globally wasted in 2020 Excess consumption lead to health problems Great losses during the production line, in shops, and Excess meat and dairy consumption leads to environmental where food is consumed impacts → mainly comes from CO2 in soil and deforestation Reducing waste is a way to increase food availability without increasing production! Why Veggies Feed More People The lower down in the energy pyramid we feed, the more energy is available and the more people we can feed Energy pyramid: ○ Energy is lost up the pyramid ○ Lower energy, feed less people: Sun → Plant (with largest energy) → Animals → Man ○ More energy, feed more people: Sun → Plant → Man Land use for veggies for cropstock vs livestock ○ Cropstock: for plant production to be eaten (7%) ○ Livestock crops: plants grown to feed animals (27%) ○ More land is used to grow livestock crops than cropstock Black Soldier Fly Larvae Turn Food Waste Into Nutrients in Lab-Grown Meat Singapore Singapore was first in the world to approve the sale Food waste converted into nutritious compost which of lab-grown meat to consumers in December can then be used to grow local food, or even as 2020. animal feed → closed food loop Multiple alternative protein start-ups set up in Circular economy—no end of product life, just the next stage Singapore—growing industry in the circle Week 4: Water – Availability and Sustainable Management of Water Resources (UN Sustainability Goal 6) Water Stress Levels around the World Water and Sanitation for all in a Pandemic 17 countries (¼ of world) face high levels of baseline water Some families reported that available water was stress unaffordable or inaccessible 44 countries face a high- level stress For some, handwashing was forgone due to unexpected Water is a Human Right shutoffs or contamination e.g. Brazil 1 in 3 people don't have access to clean water 2 in 5 lack handsafe water Hand hygiene saves lives Water Pollution An “invisible crisis” that involves water inequality and gender inequali Impact are sanitary related ○ Death by diarrhea caused by unclean drinking watch, mostly because of clean water (half a million yearly) ○ Africa has high risk of desertification ○ Gender inequality: more than 25% must walk 30 minutes or more to collect water, most are females ○ Take time away from income generation 80% of world’s wastewater are released to the env without treatment → sanitation related bacteria Use of nitrogen as a fertiliser has increased by more than 700% since 1960 with nearly all of that growth coming from Asia Leaves microplastics → micro-plastics: gets removed up to 90%, nano plastic: does not get removed Competition for Water Demand for Other Essentials such as Food Production Due to urbanisation, climate change, and rising income for more calories and complex foods Agriculture needs to expand by 70% by 2050 Agriculture is the largest water user, but there is a shortage of funds to maintain irrigation facilities Good irrigation for clean and efficient system Water must be treated as an economic good: Use financial instruments to encourage water savings and generate revenue Market-driven pricing, volumetric charges, treatable water rights are not a priority in LDCs Development and infrastructure planning New policies help to improve future water security A Non-traditional Threat: Water Scarcity in Urban Area More than 40% of residents in cities of the Global South lack quality water daily Lack of access to piped-in water means that families must buy water that needs financial cutbacks on other needs Cost more than 50x as piped-in water May result in finding unsafe, ground and surface water in their own expense for their health and time or buy water at the opportunity cost of food, education, healthcare, electricity, etc. 2018, South African Cape Town water drought → a result of unpredictable climate change Transboundary Water Conflicts Future wars will be over water The matter of water diversion was a devastating issue of life and death Lack of communication over natural resource can be a bad sign for cooperation Most water conflicts are intra-state Downstream nations resent the effects of the action of upstream countries Water basins in south asia, middle east are hotspots for violent conflicts Need a framework to resolve tensions with clear communication Solutions to Global Concerns Water security and sustainable development framework: Individuals , decision-makers, and national and international organisations must find ways to ensure that finite water resources will continue to sustain our planet’s human, environmental and economic needs Singapore and Water Ranked 170th out of 193 countries Collect every drop of water Has poor land availability to watch rainfall Total of 17 reservoirs, including the largest Marina Catchment 10,000 ha Build barrage whether 5 rivers run, dam at northeastern Singapore → Catchment area currently makes up two- third of Singapore, and will occupy 90% of Singapore’s land area by 2060 Water Demand and Management 430 gallons daily in Singapore As water demand continues to increase in tandem with population and economic growth, we need to plan and implement water infrastructure well ahead Increase self production: NEWater and Desalinated Water  Four taps 1. Water From Local Catchments (reservoirs for storage, then treated) 2. Imported Water 3. NEWater (Very expensive) 4. Desalinated Water (Most energy intensive, price is TWICE of NEWater) Three Cs 1. Challenges 2. Capacity 3. Cost Deep Tunnel Sewerage System By 2050, all water will be channeled to one of the 3 coastal reclamation plant for treatment Closed water loop Move water to the water cleaning system Singapore has achieved prosperity through hard work Singaporeans have cut from 163 litres to 148 litres, goal is 140 litres by 2030 The four National Taps serve to supply 100% of our population with potable water at the tap with 100% sanitation Integrated urban and water planning to enhance the quality of our living environment (ABC programme) Encourage the motivation for future water stability Manage Demand We need to adopt various approaches to improve our water consumption habits Consumers use too much water Suppliers need to label water efficiency Week 5: Energy and Climate Change (I) Even with huge income disparity, the one thing that connects these Economy consists of 2 simple blocks, production and consumption people is their constant struggle for improvement We are completely dependent on the environment → over exploiting the environment is a threat to our well-being, future generations Poor: Struggle to find food, shelter, drinking water, sanitation and good health Middle income: better opportunities for themselves and their children High income: Even higher levels of well being mainly through the help of technological advancements Effects of Global Warming Global warming → climate change → temperature increases (increase freq and intensity of hot extremes, marine heatwaves, heat precipitation, reductions in arctic sea ice and snow cover) → negative effects (extreme weather, food production, water supply and human health) - 4000 natural disasters and 1.19 mil deaths compared to 7400 natural disasters and 1.23 mil deaths - Number of natural disasters reported in last 20 years (in descending order): China, US, India, Philippines, Indonesia - Climate-fuelled disasters killed 475k people between 2000 and 2019 - More than $2.5 trillion of financial losses Present CO2 180 times higher than 1850 (when industrialisation started), 50% increase in 20 years Parts per million (ppm): how many molecules of CO2 are there in every 1 million molecules of air Greenhouse effect is a natural process that makes life possible on the planet earth—the problem is artificially ramping up the greenhouse effect - IPCC scientific evidence shows that CO2 has contributed more than any other driver to climate change between 1750 and 2011 → IPCC suggests limit of global temp increase to 1.5 deg C, currently 1.1 deg C  - 44% comes from burning of fossil fuels for electricity and heat generation - 6 major ones, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and 3 fluorinated gases → need consider 1) concentration 2) lifetime 3) global warming potential → 76% of global GHG emission comes from CO2 Energy poverty: lack of access to sustainable modern energy Action #1: Emissions Mitigation and Adaptation services and products In 2010, 1.2 billion people without access to electricity In 2020, 771 million people without access to electricity, 95% live in Africa and Asia e.g. of adaptation: flood barriers → buy some time Clean Sources of Energy Pros and Cons of Renewable Energy 1. Solar energy + Never run out 2. Concentrated solar thermal e.g. steam drive turbines + Reduce emissions 3. Solar photovoltaics (heating through such panels) + Saves money 4. Passive solar heating (naturally heat buildings) + Potential to add green jobs (12 million jobs, solar pv most jobs at 4 million), electricity access to remote locations since they can be 1. Onshore wind (more expensive) employed at a small scale 2. Offshore wind + Mostly immune to market fluctuations, stable energy prices and less dependence on imported energy 1. Run-of-drive hydropower 2. Storage hydropower systems - Natural resources availability and intermittence 3. Pumped storage hydropower systems - Storage issues, need a lot of land area - Higher upfront cost - Space intensive: Lots of land areas required - Social acceptability → need R&D Energy Efficiency Zero energy buildings (increased energy efficiency + Greater output per unit of energy input renewable energy) Energy input → energy conversion method → useful Efficient energy generation and distribution energy output Efficient vehicles Energy efficient tech: saves enormous amt of energy in Behaviour change heating, cooling and ventilation of buildings, electrical Long distance freight transport, maritime and shipping appliances, transport and other applications → reduce The share of renewables in global electricity generation was 29% in GHG emissions, reduce demand for energy imports 2020—a 2-percent increase from 2019 and lower cost Renewable energy still quite low → renewable fridge will cost more but will save more over the entire lifespan Week 6: Policies Action #2: Policies Traditional approaches 1. Institution-based: internalisation of negative impacts e.g. specify liabilities → sue pollutants, development of social responsibility 2. Regulatory: direct control over polluters e.g. emission license, minimum energy efficiency, mandatory energy management practices, building codes New approaches (ask polluters to pay → financial incentives to reduce emissions → lowest cost option) 3. Market-based tool e.g. cap and trade → lowest cost option is to cut emissions all companies combined can only release a certain amt of CO2 → company with unused CO2 can trade their permits in the market (rewarded) 4. Non-market mechanism e.g. carbon tax: price on carbon ($5/ tonne in sg) → pay or reduce emissions → extra cost passed on to customers → consumers have the incentive to save energy AND investment in clean energy AND gov generates revenue that can be invested in other public policy objectives Economies of Climate Change Every decision is based on a cost-benefit analysis Hard to quantify pain, suffering and loss of life due to climate change during economical cost benefit analysis → hard to calculate the exact impact on human well-being and the economy Countries don’t feel that they should be the ones making the change: Developing countries think that richer countries made this mess, and they should not need to clean up after them Benefits of strong and early action far outweigh the economic costs of not acting Costs of taking action around 1% of global GDP each year → if we do not act, at least 5% of global GDP each year Not every country is emitting equally → China is the biggest emitter of CO2 in 2018 followed by US, India then Russia and Japan, Qatar is the top emitter of CO2 per capita in 2018 Rich countries have originated the pollution in the past, why shift it to No one is safe until everyone is safe: developing countries? e.g. if small country that depends heavily on Rich countries should take the responsibility to reduce 60–80% of exports does their part in combating climate emissions by 2050 change but US economy fails due to effects Developing countries should take significant actions too of climate change, small country also very Tackling climate change is a pro-growth strategy detrimentally impacted Provide financial support to developing countries for low-carbon Free ridership: if everyone wants to take development advantage of other countries’ efforts to Effective global response with appropriate policies combat climate change, no one will act Action #3 International Collaboration Continuation in 2015 Most countries want to move towards net Landmark agreement in Paris zero by 2050 but a lot not on track Limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius Climate-fuelled disaster skilled 475,000 Almost every country takes the target to reduce their GHG emissions, submit people between 2000 and 2019 national plans by 2020, five-year cycle of submit, review and revise More than $1 trillion of financial losses Financial, technical, and capacity-building support to countries in need Mobilise USD100 billion/year by 2020, extend this until 2025 Enhanced international support to developing countries for adaptation Overacrching Plans Advanced tech Low carbon/ clean electricity  Switching to clean fuel Energy efficiency People Financial and technical assistance to low-income countries to meet their emission reduction goals and be part of the sustainable development Behaviour change — every individual has a part to play Participation of civil society, research institutes, non-profits, etc Policy Large-scale R&D plans to tackle the technical challenges of low-carbon future Policies to accelerate the decarbonisation of theeconomy Market tools for efficient reduction of GHG emissions Week 7: Pollution: Air, Light, Noise and Plastic Pollution: Presence of substances and heat in environmental media (air, water, land) whose nature, location, or quantity produces undesirable environmental effects Air pollution Not a modern problem from medieval london to pea souper Coal combustion caused by industrial activity increased air pollution (great smog of London) Human health has been the focus → europe, japan etc target ambient emission and emission has declined since 1990s → but during 1990 to 2010 emission has increased in south asia and other emerging cities 2012, 9 in 10 people breathed polluted air → up to 7 million people in developing countries dies from this and 600k children under 15 years breathe air that is so polluted that puts them at risk, trigger asthma and childhood cancer For adults, fine particles penetrates lungs and cardiovascular systems resulting in stroke, heart disease and lung cancer → 7 million deaths (4.2 million by outdoor air and 3.8 million by cooking polluted fuel) Responsible for up to 40% of global warming → temperatures to rise → every degree increase decrease 10% of food crops Reduced work days as breathability decreases and daily heat rises In Sept 2021, WHO set new guidelines on air quality (although not legally binding) e.g. India provides free liquiedied partoleum gas connection to 37 million women living below poverty line Plastic Pollution (SDG 14) White pollution (stemmed from people discarding white plastic bag) Since 1964, plastic production has increased 20x, reaching 311 million metric tons in 2014 Between 1950 to 2015, more than 6700 million metric tones were produced Plastic packaging accounts for 26% of total plastic Great pacific garbage patch is a marine debris, spans water from west coast of north america to Japan → a lot not biodegradable Synthetic fishing net makes up nearly half the mass of giant patch Plastics become microplastics (less than 5mm in size) Primary microplastic (plastics specifically designed to be very small) example plastic exfoliation Secondary Microplastics (Big plastics that just get ground down over time due to sunrays abrasion etc) 3 forms of plastics (macro, meso and micro) theres an emergence of nanoplastic → Primary nanoplastics are intentionally manufactured → Secondary nanoplastic is breakdown of bigger plastics Effects of microplastics on human is not known, more than 100,000 microplastic per year No standard guideline to measure marine plastics→ UN environmental program is trying to measure this using citizen data → threat of plastic pollution is still not legally recognised by countries and organistations Companies skipping straight to recycling are ignoring proven waste reduction strategies Noise Pollution In Singapore, there are 218 workplace noise-induced deafness cases per year HDB received 15,000 noise-related complaints in 2020 → most did not break the law of 90 decibels over 5 minutes Average decibels of 69.4 decibels throughout the day in singapore higher than the recommended limit of 67 decibels According to a recent study, enclosed areas such as estates’ sheltered linkways can trap the sound of surrounding area, thus reaching an average noise level of 78 dB → way above the safe sound pressure of 55 dB prescribed by the WHO Prolonged exposure to urban noise will lead to: Cardiovascular disease, stress and anxiety, physical damage to inner ear and hearing  loss (acute or permanent) Anti noise control windows can lower 10 decibels To help marine animals, we can establish quiet areas in the ocean, and develop quieter ships and machinery To help the animals on the land and air, we can develop quieter cars, reduce speed limits, and build noise reduction barriers around major traffic areas Sound travels faster in water, thus amplifying noise pollution underwater and whales, dolphins and porpoises communicate via sounds, making them vulnerable to noise pollution According to a research, fresh-water Irrawaddy dolphins inIndonesia’s Mahakam River are hypersensitive to intensive boat traffic Light Pollution Lit places are perceived to be safer Human illumination of planet is growing 20% in ten years Artificial lights affect wildlife such as reproductive success and pollination (turtle hatchlings are supposed to follow the light out to sea, not into town…) Week 8: Waste Management First stage: 1500s–1800s Fourth stage: 1930s–1970s Adoption of new, exotic and luxury goods, including tea, coffee, spices, silks, Widespread acceptance in the west about the idea etc, mainly restricted to urban elites who can afford them that a modern democratic society required access to education and employment based on ability and skills Second stage: 1800s–1880s Require economy based mainly on production and Industrialisation and the rise of a large urban middle class, consumption distribution of consumer goods was used to talk about the spread and use of manufactured goods Consumption and production would improve living standards (Victor Lebow), avoid social Third stage: 1880s–1930s conflicts, and increase prosperity for all “Consumerism”: economic strategy that stimulated an increase in production of consumer goods, initially a more positive phenomenon Fifth stage: 1970s–Now Surge in the circulation of goods helps improve the nation’s living Exponential increase in consumption associated with standards globalisation and digitalisation Idea was especially attractive during the great depression Consumption is the process of using up a resource (access) E-waste explosion toxic substances (mercury and CFC Consumerism is when you’re buying things that you don’t necessarily need (contained in e-waste are more likely to be released into the for the sake of buying them (excess) environment → 38% increase → in 2017, 7.7 million tonnes of waste was generated Consumption explosion → It has been accompanied by environmental Rich countries in the North continue to rely on extract of degradation that is endangering the very systems on which our future resources, human labor and global south is a dumping ground development depends (43 billion metric tonnes in 1990 to 73 billion in 2010 for waste and 86 billion in 2017) Cannot use linear system on finite planet Economic factors, income is most important driving force that determines a person power to consume Social factors, live around people who influence our buying behavior, imitating other humans, we wished to be socially accepted → buying behaviour influenced by other people Demographic factors, larger family spends more than smaller ones Cultural factors include fundamental values, needs, wants, preferences, perceptions and behaviours observed and learned by consumers from family and people around them e.g. consume more during holidays Psychological consumer attitude towards a product and its brand image, influenced by marketing strategies The curse of “faster, newer, cheaper” Imitation intensifies and accelerates the cycle of manufacture, purchase, use and discard, and compounds its environmental and social effects across the global logistic chains, from production site to store Once the basic needs have been satisfied, the eventual effect of additional income on happiness becomes negligible → Consumption paradox – cannot buy happiness  UN SDG 12: Ensure responsible consumption and production patterns Refers to the use of resources which responds to basic needs while minimising the use of natural resources and toxic materials and emission of waste and pollutants over the life cycle to not jeopardise the needs of future generations Circular economy – builds upon value retention loops Reduce by design – using fewer materials per unit of production during their use, influences all life stages of product or a service Refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle → should apply sustainable economy models, products design to be reused, recycled Singapore’s zero waste masterplan Mandatory packaging reporting in 2020 → implement a framework in managing packaging waste, more packaging free grocery stores, household recycling NTU’s waste management efforts 15 year sustainability plan to half campus carbon emissions, half waste and energy and water use by 2026 compared to 2011 Waste to energy research facility to turn domestic waste into electricity Plastic bags not given out for free Environmental benefits Social benefits Reduce air, water and land pollution Improve awareness about environmental issues Better and safe management of hazardous materials Enhance social welfare and well-being Reduce use of natural resources Eliminate waste-making and social competition Optimal use of water and energy consumerism Economic benefits Reduce or eliminate risk by replacing hazardous or toxic substances with environmentally friendly products Reduce the cost of waste management by avoiding waste, reusing and recycling waste Reduce the unit cost of energy, water and raw materials through better process efficiency Week 9: Sustainable Cities Proportion of the urban population globally from 55% in 2018 to 68% Urban populations tend to have higher living standards in 2050 Electricity access Urban land space increasing, 1.2 million kmsq by 2030 Access to improved sanitation anddrinking water Access to clean fuels for cooking andheatin Population of cities with at least half a mil inhabitants: In 2018: >1 in 5 people In 2030: 1 in 3 people Megacities (population >10 million) 43 megacities by 2030 (majority in Asia and Africa) A compass for human prosperity in the 21st century surely applicable Cities interaction with natural ecosystems to cities Urban growth impacts natural ecosystems (cities may grow The doughnut consists of by 1.2M km² by 2030, mainly on forestand agricultural land), social foundation: To ensure that no one is left falling short and urban life leads to directimpacts on the environment: Air on life’s essentials pollution, waterpollution, waste management, etc ecological ceiling: To ensure that humanity does not Urban life depends on healthy ecosystems and their benefits collectively overshoot planetary boundaries (or “ecosystem services”): Between these two boundaries lies a doughnut-shaped space that is ○ Water, food, energy provision both ecologically safe and socially just—a space in which humanity ○ Less visible benefits, e.g., carbon sequestration, can thrive pollination, cultural heritage Cities contribute to climate change Examples of environmental hazards Cities account for between 60 and 80% of energy Urban heat island: Phenomenon by which a city consumption and generate as much as 70% of experiences warmer temperatures than surrounding rural human-induced greenhouse gas emissions areas  Cities are particularly vulnerable to climate change and Temperature difference due tohow well the surfaces in each natural hazards due to the concentration of people and environment absorb and retain heat infrastructure Urban flooding: Flooding experienced in urbanareas due to the lack of drainage (lots of built-up areas means rainwater Urban challenges cannot infiltrate or bestored) Providing infrastructure for access to basic needs: Housing, Increase in rainfall intensity, which is expected inmany education,health,... regions, may increase flooding Inequality is rising in cities, both in developed and developing countries 1 billion people live in slums Migration adds to the challenge, with most migrants being found in urban areas Sustainable city: A city that manages all resources it is dependent on in ways that guarantee the well-being of current and future generations, ensuring distributional equity e.g. International Standard Organisation Sustainability dimensions: Attractiveness, Environment, Resilience, Resource use, Social cohesion & Well-being e.g. Singapore Sustainability Blueprint SDG 11 has 10 targets, have quantitative metrics to access the progress towards target Protecting Cities With Blue and Green Infrastructure Consider global, local, social and ecological Blue and green infrastructure is an area or system made of Everything is connected: Housing policy relates to many naturally occurring or engineered ecosystems (e.g., urban dimensions through the local, global, social, forests, green roofs, road trees) and managed to provide ecological lenses benefits for people and theenvironment Technology is part of it (e.g., rooftop solar panels) … but not e.g. reducing the urban heat island effect the only part! e.g. reducing urban flooding It takes time, collaboration and engagement with different stakeholders and communities to identify the most relevant strategy