CSET 108 Module 1 Lecture 2 PDF

CSET 108 – ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY Dr. Barun Kanoo [email protected] MCUB - 357 Module 1 11 Environmental Sustainability Environmental Sustainability 2 Ecosystem...

CSET 108 – ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY Dr. Barun Kanoo [email protected] MCUB - 357 Module 1 11 Environmental Sustainability Environmental Sustainability 2 Ecosystem 3 Climate Change  Human well being Well-being is understood as a state of health, happiness and/or prosperity In a broad understanding, well-being is living a good life with which one is satisfied What factors determine human well-being? Physical Social Psychological Economic Environment 4 Environmental Conditions and Processes Air Natural and anthropogenic Water processes that affect them Climate Soil Mineral Biota resources 5  Environmental Management (EM) The process of allocating natural and artificial resources so as to make optimum use of the environment in satisfying basic human needs at the minimum, and more if possible, on a sustainable basis  Sustainable Development (SD) Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. SD ensures that the maximum rate of resource consumption and waste discharge for a selected development portfolio would be sustained indefinitely, in a defined planning region, without progressively impairing its bio-productivity and ecological integrity. The primary objective of SD is to reduce the absolute poverty of the world’s poor through providing lasting and secure livelihoods that minimize resource depletion, environmental degradation, cultural disruption, and social instability. Sustainable Development…… Sustainability is made up of three closely connected precepts: ✓ Environment is not a free resource ✓ Equity between the developing and developed world is essential. ✓ Every entity should have long-term futuristic goals  Sustainable Development Sustainable development requires strategy that satisfy social, economic and environmental goals simultaneously.  Hurdles to Sustainability Level of consumption Lack of public awareness Lack of knowledge Magnitude and number of uncertainties Developing nations  Indicators of Sustainability Economic category Income; Business; Training; Human development/ quality of life Environment category Air; Drinking water; Land use Resource use category Energy; Hazardous materials; Water Society and culture Abuse; Diversity; Volunteerism Barriers to Sustainability in The Third World Increased agricultural and economic development activities Resource exploitation Excessive tourism Corruption Population growth Lack of knowledge  What is an Ecosystem? An ecosystem is a “dynamic Ecosystems include natural complex of plant, animal and resources like pollinating microorganism communities insects, forests, wetlands, and the nonliving coral reefs, mangroves, and environment acting as a the global atmosphere that functional unit” provide “services” to people United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Synthesis v (2005) 13  Human well being depends on Ecosystem Goods and Services Functions Regulation of water flows provided by the ecosystem Nutrient cycling Pollination of flowers and crops Ecosystem Minerals Goods Regulation of climate (through, e.g., evapotranspiration and carbon sequestration) Fossil fuels Detoxification and purification of soil, water, and air Water Soil formation and maintenance Soil Controls on the populations and distribution of Air (oxygen) pests and pathogens Maintenance of biodiversity 14 Ecosystems and Some Services They Provide 15 Components of Ecosystem Atmosphere Biosphere Hydrosphere Lithosphere 16  Biochemical cycles The rocks forming the solid surface comprise the lithosphere The oceans, lakes, rivers, and icecaps form the hydrosphere The air constitutes the atmosphere The biosphere contains the entire community of living organisms 17 Ecosystem Services: The Challenges Ecosystem services are “public goods” Non-excludable Free-rider problem Collective action problem Other than provisioning services like fish and timber, most ecosystem services are not traded in markets, making them hard to value Why Focus on Climate Change 19 Why Focus on Climate Change 20  Why Focus on Climate Change “3,500 experts from over 60 countries and 20,000 respondents from the general public contributed to the survey. This report is produced in partnership with the IPSOS research institute and the geopolitical analysis consultancy Eurasia Group.” 21  Climate Change 2℃ rise in climate temperature 4℃ rise in climate temperature 22  Climate Change Current global average temperature: 16.1℃ What was the average global temperature during ice age ?? 23  Climate Resilience The “ability of a social, ecological, or socio-ecological system and its component to anticipate, reduce, accommodate, or recover from the effects of a hazardous event or trend in a timely and efficient manner” 24