Human Dimensions Final

Why was the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement Significant?

- 190+ countries vowed to reduce GHG emissions - limit global temperature rise to <2ºC - countries must report on their progress and update their targets every 5 years - developed nations are expected to slash their emissions in absolute terms - developing nations are encouraged to do so as their capabilities evolve over time - developed nations pledged to provide $100 billion/year to poor countries in climate finance from 2020 on - cities throughout the US are stepping up for the Paris Agreement

Environmental Racism

disproportionate exposure for low-income communities/communities of color to toxic hazards/degraded lands

2. Direct interventions in the proximate causes

getting people to change their activities so they don't generate GHGs/produce lower emissions - using less electricity - taking mass transit - capturing/burning CH4 (not letting it escape to the atmosphere) - passing laws to eliminate CFC use

Climate Change: Mitigation

human intervention to reduce sources of GHGs or enhance the sinks to remove atmospheric CO2, which involves 3 actions: 1. Direct interventions in the natural environment 2. Direct interventions in the proximate causes 3. Indirect interventions through driving forces

Neo-Malthusian Perspective

humans are approaching/ have surpassed Earth's carrying capacity (overpopulation: we need to control the population)

Proximate causes of Climate Change: Industrial Processes

include energy production, transportation, manufacturing, waste disposal, and many other activities

The Theory of Community of Interests

reasonable and equitable utilization of the waters of an international drainage basin based on commonly agreed relevant factors (considers the entire river basin as one economic/geographic unit)

1. Direct interventions in the natural environment

sequestration of GHGs so they don't contribute to the greenhouse effect - terrestrial sequestration occurs in forests, crops, soils, (which store carbon) but the carbon is released when these areas are disturbed - refraining from deforestation - geo-engineering: carbon sequestration

Sustainable City

settlements designed to have as little environmental impact as possible, and will enhance the economic, social, cultural, and environmental well-being of current/future generations

Urban Sprawl

the uncontrolled expansion of urban areas

How can climate change be managed?

through mitigation and adaptation

Define: Proximate causes of Climate Change

two categories encompassing the human activities that DIRECTLY cause climate change

The Theory of Absolute Territorial Sovereignty

upstream states can freely utilize a river's flow within its boundaries without considering the effects on downstream states

What are the environmental impacts of human migration?

- compete with the local citizens for resources such as land, water, housing, food, medical services, and jobs - destroy ecosystems when clearing land for settlement, cultivation, harvesting wood for construction and fuel

What are the economic impacts of human migration?

- immigrants bring energy, innovation, & diversity - pension gap filled by new young workers - immigrants pay taxes - job vacancies and skill gaps can be filled - economic growth sustained - provide cheap labor - provide demographic bonus to an otherwise declining population in a developed host society - immigrants tend to be more upwardly mobile than the native population

What are the political impacts of human migration?

- integration difficulties/friction due to cultural differences - political instability due to scapegoating refugees for all host country problems

"Theory of Overpopulation" by Thomas Malthus

- power of population is greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man - hypothesized population is growing exponentially, and resources are growing linearly

What are the population theories?

1. "Theory of Overpopulation" by Thomas Malthus 2. Demographic Transition Theory 3. Neo-Malthusian Perspective 4. Social Justice Perspective

What are the methods of climate change adaptation?

1. Autonomous adaptation: triggered by ecological changes in natural systems and by market/welfare changes in human systems 2. Planned adaptation: result of a deliberative policy decision 3. Technical adaptation: technical means of infrastructure defenses, water use efficiency, etc. 4. Behavioral adaptation: includes altered food/consumption choices 5. Managerial adaptation: includes altered farm practices 6. Policy adaptation: includes planning regulations, building codes, renewable energy technologies

What did the Kyoto Protocol Establish?

1. International Emission Trading: selling the emissions you are allowed to produce to other countries 2. The Clean Development Mechanism: helps countries meet their emission targets, of which there are 3 objectives

What are the Proximate causes of Climate Change?

1. Land Transformation 2. Industrial Processes

What are the impacts of global climate change?

1. Sea level rise 2. Global temperature rise 3. Warming oceans/ocean acidification (harmful to marine life) 4. Shrinking ice sheets/declining Arctic Sea ice 5. Glacial retreat 6. Decreased snow cover 7. Extreme weather events

What are the Theories of Water Rights?

1. The Theory of Absolute Territorial Sovereignty (aka the Harmon Doctrine) 2. The Theory of Absolute Integrity of the River 3. The Theory of Limited Territorial Sovereignty 4. The Theory of Community of Interests

What are the driving factors of urban sprawl?

1. ample land in the outskirts of cities for expansion 2. government loan guarantees homes for WWII veterans 3. government and state funding for highways makes outlying land accessible 4. low-cost gasoline encourages automobile use 5. greater availability of mortgages in newer cities 6. state and local zoning laws require large residential lots

What are the ecological advantages of dams?

1. capture/store runoff 2. prevent uncontrolled flooding 3. generate electricity (reduction in fossil fuels) 4. reduces GHG production 5. provides water for irrigation 6. promotes fishing economy

How can we reduce Water Waste from Irrigation?

1. drip irrigation systems 2. lining canals bring water to irrigated ditches 3. irrigating at night reduces evapotranspiration 4. using soil/satellite sensors/computer systems to monitor soil moisture 5. polyculture farming 6. organic farming 7. growing water-efficient crops using drought-resistant and salt-tolerant crop varieties 8. irrigate with treated urban waste water 9. stop subsidizing farmers for irrigation water usage

What are the driving factors of rural-to-urban migration in developing economies?

1. economic factors: pull of higher wages 2. social factors: desire to break away from traditional constraints 3. physical factors: climate and meteorological disasters 4. demographic factors: reduction in mortality rates and the concomitant high rates of rural population growth 5. cultural factors: security of urban extended-family relationships and the allure of city amenities 6. communication factors: improved transportation and information 7. political factors: political instability

3 objectives of the CDM

1. encouraging investments in developing countries that achieve additional emission reductions 2. transfer environmentally safe/sound technologies 3. address GHG mitigation by checking in with industrialized countries about their reduction commitments

What are the impacts of urban sprawl on urban ecologies?

1. exacerbates spread of invasive species/diseases (invasive plants), which reduces number of native species 2. introduction of new parasites and diseases 3. increases pollution: water, air, and noise 4. facilitates overexploitation of natural resources 5. facilitates overconsumption of things not vital for survival 6. contributes to ecosystem response to global climate change

Describe the ecological and Economic Importance of Wetlands.

1. fish and wildlife habitats 2. pollution/sediment control 3. water supply 4. carbon sink 5. aquifer recharge 6. recreation

What are the human impacts on urban ecologies?

1. habitat loss: conversion of one habitat type to another such that the new type no longer supports a given species 2. habitat fragmentation: happens when natural/human processes break large, contiguous areas into smaller, isolated patches 3. habitat degradation: alteration of species' habitats that reduces the habitat's ability to meet the species' needs - affects all levels of biodiversity, from species to ecosystems - interferes with species movement, ecosystem processes, and removes critical habitats

How can sustainable cities be achieved?

1. higher urban density, set urban growth boundaries, renovation of older structures 2. walkability/non-polluting transportation; less automobiles 3. integrate land uses 4. preservation of open space/green space 5. healthy environmental elements (healthy air, water, land)

What are the major threats to Wetlands?

1. hydrological alteration and water diversion 2. development disturbances (infrastructure) 3. industrial development 4. agriculture 5. grazing livestock 6. timber harvest 7. peat mining 8. atmospheric deposition of chemicals released into the atmosphere by industrial and agricultural activities 9. introduction of weeds and pest animals 10. climate change

What are the factors affecting population growth (birth rates)?

1. importance of children as part of the labor force 2. urbanization (urban families don't rely on having children for labor) 3. cost of raising/education children 4. educational and employment opportunities for women 5. infant mortality rate 6. average age that women have their first child 7. availability of private and public pension systems 8. availability of legal abortions/birth control methods 9. religious beliefs, traditions, and cultural norms

What are some ways which we can work towards achieving sustainable development?

1. minimize use of non-renewable resources 2. sustainable use of finite renewable resources 3. waste needs to be contained/controlled 4. education initiatives regarding sustainability

What are the factors influencing the conflict over water?

1. poor distribution of water 2. the degree of water scarcity 3. the extent to which a water supply is shared by one or more states/regions 4. the relative power relationships that exist between water-sharing states 5. the availability of alternative water sources 6. the degree to which a particular country's international boundaries are aligned with/located along shared river systems

What are the Driving Forces Pressuring Water Resources?

1. population growth (especially in urban areas) 2. higher food security demands 3. pollution from industrial, municipal, and agricultural resources 4. climate change impact 5. landscape change (deforestation)

Name the trends in Global Urbanization.

1. proportion of global population living in urban areas is increasing 2. number and size of urban areas is growing 3. urban growth is slower in developed countries 4. poverty is becoming increasingly urbanized, especially in developing countries

What are the ecological impacts of irrigation?

1. reduced river flow/affected downstream water 2. depletes local water (aquifer) supply 3. often very wasteful methods used 4. water logging 5. soil salinity

What are the human impacts on Lake Ecosystems?

1. sedimentation (logging, roadbuilding, erosion) 2. oxygen-demanding wastes (human waste, storm sewers, runoff from agriculture, grazing, logging) 3. nutrient enrichment: eutrophication - nitrogen and phosphorous from fertilizers/detergents - leads to increased growth in aquatic systems, ultimately leading to more nonliving organic matter

What are the ecological disadvantages of dams?

1. sediments can build up, decreasing their effectiveness 2. large-scale wildlife habitat destruction due to river valley flooding 3. interferes with wildlife migration patterns (i.e. salmon) 4. forces people to leave their homes 5. impairs ecological services of rivers

What are some examples of environmental racism?

1. uneven negative impacts of environmental policies and procedures 2. zoning of toxic facilities in minority communities 3. segregation of minority workers in hazardous jobs 4. disproportionate access to environmental services (i.e. waste removal)

What are the ecological impacts of groundwater depletion?

1. water table lowering due to over-pumping 2. water depletion due to groundwater being withdrawn faster than its replacement rate 3. pumping near coastal areas results in saltwater intrusion 4. chemical contamination from industries and farmlands 5. results in land subsidence

Why do cities have such large Ecological Footprints?

They depend on: 1. imported food 2. raw materials 3. external energy sources (fossil fuels) 4. disposing waste elsewhere 5. access to environmental goods and services from an area vastly larger than a city itself

Describe the Environmental Justice Movement in the US.

arose in 1980s, highlights socioeconomic and political processes creating the unequal distribution of environmental harms (environmental racism)

The Theory of Absolute Integrity of the River

downstream states have the right to have the uninterrupted flow of the river from the territory of the upper states

The Theory of Limited Territorial Sovereignty

every state can use its water how it wants to, provided that it no way harms the water usage of other riparian states

Proximate causes of Climate Change: Land Transformation

involve deforestation, agriculture, urbanization, and transportation network building

3. Indirect interventions through driving forces

making fundamental shifts in the way society operates - population: reaching zero population growth - technology: investing in energy-smart technologies - economy: charging consumers for GHG emissions - institutions: adopting laws promoting dense development and mass transit - culture and behavior: changing our high energy-consuming lifestyles

Ecological Footprint

maximum rates of resource harvesting and waste generation that can be sustained indefinitely without impairing the productivity/function of ecosystems

Sustainable Development

meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

What are the challenges facing poor economies?

poor economies are less-equipped to deal with the following problems: 1. inadequate representation on a global platform 2. affects climate/water availability for agriculture in vulnerable areas 3. food & water security 4. rising sea levels/flooding 5. ecosystem degradation 6. illnesses/human health

Social Justice Perspective

population growth is a false issue created by dominant, rich country agencies and institutions to keep developing countries in dependent condition - growth is a symptom rather than a cause of poverty - the real causes of these problems are exploitation and oppression - the world has enough natural resources, but they must be distributed more equitably

Demographic Transition Theory

predicts falling death/birth rates with improved living conditions accompanying economic development (based on Western industrialized world)

Climate Change: Adaptation

process through which people reduce the effects of climate change on their health/well-being, and take advantage of the opportunities that their climatic environment provides