...the present while contributing to the future generations’ needs."[3] There is an additional focus on the present generations responsibility to improve the future generations life by restoring the previous ecosystem damage and resisting to contribute to further ecosystem damage. Sustainable development ties together concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems with the social challenges faced by humanity. As early as the 1970s, "sustainability" was employed to describe an economy "in equilibrium with basic ecological support systems."[4]Ecologists have pointed to The Limits to Growth,[5] and presented the alternative of a "steady state economy"[6] in order to address environmental concerns. The concept of sustainable development is often broken out into three constituent parts: environmental sustainability, economic Definition of sustainable development | | | | In 1987, the United Nations released the Brundtland Report, which included what is now one of the most widely recognised definitions: "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of...
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...PHILIPPINE BIODIVERSITY Deforestation Deforestation, clearance or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use.[1] Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. The term deforestation is often misused to describe any activity where all trees in an area are removed.[not in citation given][neutrality is disputed] However in temperate climates, the removal of all trees in an area[not in citation given]—in conformance with sustainable forestry practices—is correctly described as regeneration harvest.[2] In temperate mesic climates, natural regeneration of forest stands often will not occur in the absence of disturbance, whether natural or anthropogenic.[3] Furthermore, biodiversity after regeneration harvest often mimics that found after natural disturbance, including biodiversity loss after naturally occurring rainforest destruction.[4][5] Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold as fuel (sometimes in the form of charcoal) or timber, while cleared land is used as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities and settlements. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation has also been used in war to deprive the enemy of cover for its forces and...
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...Deforestation Deforest is defined as the cutting down and removal of all or most of the trees in a forested area. (Dictionary.com) The action of deforestation damages the quality of the land. The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. (Wikipedia) Deforestation affects the environment greatly and is one of the primary contributors to climate change. When deforestation occurs, carbon dioxide is released and remains in the atmosphere. As the carbon dioxide accumulates it catches radiation, which leads to heat. Oxygen doesn’t hold radiation like greenhouse gasses do. The heat that is produced is considered global warming. Trees store carbon and when it is cut down that carbon is released into the air. According to the World Carfree Network (WCN), cars and trucks account for about 14 percent of global carbon emissions, while most analysts attribute upwards of 15 percent to deforestation. (Scientificamerican.com) Another aspect of the environment that deforestation affects is the water cycle. Trees help perpetuate the water cycle by returning water vapor back into the atmosphere. Without trees to fill these roles, many former forest lands can quickly become barren deserts. (Society) Water vapor is a greenhouse gas. The flow of water vapor and carbon dioxide is disrupted directly by cutting down trees. The water that the trees draw from the ground is eventually emitted into the air. When the land is empty...
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...The UNDP Human Development Report (HDR) for 2011 focuses on the intertwined issues of sustainability and equity. While most countries have achieved substantial development gains since 1970, the 2011 HDR draws attention to evidence that raises questions about the sustainability and distribution of these benefits. Human Development Index: Encouraging Progress Most countries have made great strides in living standards over the past 30 to 40 years. The UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI) increased, on average, by 41 percent overall and 60 percent in low HDI countries since 1970. The HDI country ranking is divided into four quartiles. The first quartile, or top 47 countries with the highest HDIs, is labeled “very high human development.” The remaining three quartiles of country groupings are “high human development” countries, “medium human development” countries and “low human development” countries. From 1980 to 2011, average HDI scores increased by 16.1 percent, 20.7 percent, 50.0 percent and 44.3 percent for very high, high, medium and low human development countries, respectively. The table below presents HDI data from the 2011 HDR for a select group of countries from each development category. Green Revolution The Green Revolution in agricultural productivity is one of a number of important factors behind the dramatic rise in living standards. With only a 10 percent increase in cultivated land, agricultural output doubled over the past 50 years. In Asia, the Green...
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...The extensive Impact of Illicit Plant and drug production on Colombian Deforestation Introduction Illegal substances hurt and destroy not only the lives of the users; they devastate the environment they are grown and manufactured in as well. Since the 1970’s the illegal drug industry in Colombia encompassing everything from growing coca plants to the perceived government solutions have been destroying the lush Colombian ecosystem. Colombia is geographically superior to every other country in South America for three reasons. The first reason being that that it is the only country in the continent that shares a border with Latin America. Next reason is they have both pacific and Atlantic coastlines. The third reason is they have huge amount of biodiversity and unbeaten growing conditions. For these reasons along with a global high demand for illegal substances and certain indigenous plants have made illicit plant/drug production flourished in Colombia for over 40 years. The boom in demand for cocaine came in the 1970’s and has continued to today. In the year 2000 it was estimated Colombia is responsible for 75% of the worlds coca. (Energy & Ecology business editors, 2011) Not to mention the large-scale opium poppy and marijuana production occurring in Colombia. This illegal drug industry wreaks havoc on the Colombia’s Environment more specifically their forests. Deforestation has gradually been getting worse and worse in Colombia since the introduction of the illicit crop...
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...The 11th hour Story of the film film is preceded by the introduction of the environmental problems that plagued the world today. This introduction is intended to give an overview to the viewers about the negative impacts caused by human activities that are less responsible for the stability of the environment in general. Then proceed with the analytical discussion about things that appear in and around the environmental issue, and ended with optimistic statements proposed to raise the confidence of the audience to carry out concrete actions for the earth. In parts of the we can see about 50 leading scientists, thinkers, leaders, oceanographer, author, etc, asking questions or presenting facts relating to the environmental issues facing the planet and the prospects for maintaining the stability of the Earth's environment the first hour documentary presents a frightening picture, especially the degradation of environmental conditions that hit the planet, telling many sins conducted on the environment (such as pollution, deforestation, excessive mining), indicate the reasons or factors behind the spread of environmental damage (such as corporate greed, the failure of public policy, the lack of leadership and ignorance), and the meaning and impact of all of the existence of mankind. In the final third of the documentary, after a series of bleak picture of the condition of the planet. Improved mood viewers try again with the appearance of a wide selection of solutions describing...
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...UNIT I DEFORESTATION CHAPTER 1 What is deforestation? Deforestation is the removal or damage of vegetation in a forest to the extent that it no longer supports its natural flora and fauna. In other words, deforestation can be defined as the transformation of forest land to non-forest uses where forest land includes lands under agro-forestry and shifting cultivation, and not simply closed canopy primary forests (FAO/UNEP, 1982). However, this definition does not include “logging”. More inclusive was Myers’s 1980 definition, where deforestation refers, “generally to the complete destruction of forest cover through clearing for agriculture … [so] … that not a tree remains, and the land is given over to non-forest purposes … [and where] very heavy and unduly negligent logging … [result in a] … decline of biomass and depletion of ecosystem services … . So severe that the residual forest can no longer qualify as forest in any practical sense of the world.” Alan Graigner (1980, AS quoted in Saxena and Nautiyal, 1997) asserts that selective logging does not “lead to forest clearance and does not constitute deforestation”, whereas Norman Myers (1980, 1993) thinks that logging is crucial because, although it may only affect a small proportion of trees per hectare, it damages wide areas and is the precursor of penetration by the forest farmers. For the purpose of this study, the FAO’s latest definitions (1993) will be used. The FAO defines forests as “ecosystems with a minimum...
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...ASSIGNMENT DEFORESTATION: A THREAT AGAINST OUR PLANET Student: Khuc Van Mai Student number: 20135988 Class: TA1.01 – K58 School of Foreign Languages Hanoi University of Science and Technology December 2014 Contents Introduction 1. Impacts of deforestation 2.1. Deforestation contributes to global warming 2.2. Deforestation loses biodiversity 2.3. Deforestation impacts soil negatively 2. Causes of deforestation 1.1. Population growth is an indirect reason of deforestation 1.2. Deforestation is rooted by urbanization and industrialization 1.3. Agriculture leads to deforestation 3. Solutions Conclusion References | 111233345567 | Deforestation: A threat against our planet Introduction Forests play an important role in our lives. Not only do they maintain biodiversity, for example providing food and shelters for animals and plants, but they also provide important sources such as food, woods, and herb medicines for human beings. They, moreover, help control climate and prevent soil from erosion. Forests, however, are under threat by deforestation – an act of clearing trees to exploit resources like woods, minerals, medicines and to create land for agricultural activities or space for building facilities, for instance houses, roads, etc. Deforestation is a pressing problem, and it is killing our planet because of many reasons. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of deforestation on our...
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...“tropical, temperate, boreal forests” (The forest biome p. 1, 2006). Recently forests occupy about “one-third of Earth’s land area, and account for over two-thirds of the leaf area of land plants, and contain about 70% of carbon present in living things” (The forest biome p. 1, 2006). Forests produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change. A forest have several management practices for sustainability and conservation. There are several risks and benefits of extracting and using one type of nonrenewable and one type of renewable energy. The growth of human population has affected forest resources in several ways. The affected forests have caused harm to the population of wild species and have majorly impacted agriculture. Impacts associated with agriculture Between 2000 and 2010 about 13 million hectares of forests were lost per year to agriculture and other uses (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013). Agroecosystems are very different from the ecosystems seen in nature. Unlike natural ecosystems, agroecosystems are large areas that have been planted with a single species or single strain or subspecies. This often makes them more susceptible to disease. Also, the agroecosystems are often planted in simple geometric shapes making it easier for pests to destroy crops. In the natural world, many different plants grow together making it more difficult for pests to destroy plant life. Agriculture...
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...University Population and Environment Theodore Panayotou Abstract The past fifty years have witnessed two simultaneous and accelerating trends: an explosive growth in population and a steep increase in resource depletion and environmental degradation. These trends have fueled the debate on the link between population and environment that began 150 years earlier, when Malthus voiced his concern about the ability of the earth and its finite resources to feed an exponentially growing population. The purpose of this study is to review the literature on population and environment and to identify the main strands of thought and the assumptions that lie behind them. The author begins with a review of the historical perspective. He then reviews and assesses the evidence on the relationship between population and environment, focusing on selected natural and environmental resources: land use, water use, local pollution, deforestation and climate change. The author also reviews selected recent macro and micro perspectives. The new macro perspective introduces the environment-income relationship and examines the role of population growth and density in mediating this relationship. The new micro perspective introduces the close relationship between poverty and environmental degradation, also examining the roles of gender in decision-making and the role of children as economic assets in fertility decisions. Finally, the author carries out a comparative assessment of the approaches and methods...
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...University Population and Environment Theodore Panayotou Abstract The past fifty years have witnessed two simultaneous and accelerating trends: an explosive growth in population and a steep increase in resource depletion and environmental degradation. These trends have fueled the debate on the link between population and environment that began 150 years earlier, when Malthus voiced his concern about the ability of the earth and its finite resources to feed an exponentially growing population. The purpose of this study is to review the literature on population and environment and to identify the main strands of thought and the assumptions that lie behind them. The author begins with a review of the historical perspective. He then reviews and assesses the evidence on the relationship between population and environment, focusing on selected natural and environmental resources: land use, water use, local pollution, deforestation and climate change. The author also reviews selected recent macro and micro perspectives. The new macro perspective introduces the environment-income relationship and examines the role of population growth and density in mediating this relationship. The new micro perspective introduces the close relationship between poverty and environmental degradation, also examining the roles of gender in decision-making and the role of children as economic assets in fertility decisions. Finally, the author carries out a comparative assessment of the approaches and methods...
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...| GLOBAL WARMING AXIA AT UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX What exactly are the causes of global warming? Is there anything that can be done about it? These are the questions that have become the main focus of arguments and lectures around the world regarding global warming. Global warming is a major Atmospheric issue that has been damaging our precious environment for many years. In recent years the issue of global warming has become an increasingly popular matter among society. Both the causes and effects of global warming have been the topic of heated debate not only among scientists, but among politicians, businesses, and general members of society as well. Global warming is defined as a measurable increase in temperature of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and landmasses. Greenhouse gases have been pinpointed as the main cause of this increase in temperature. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas have caused a thirty-five percent increase in carbon dioxide (a highly potent greenhouse gas) since the 1750’s (MSN Encarta, 2008). Since the Industrial revolution in the mid 1700’s there has been a significant increase in the production of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases such as water vapor and methane occur naturally in the environment. Other greenhouse gases, like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride are created as a result of the industrial process which is used by humans (West, 2009). Greenhouse gases are the...
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...culturally (Dreher,2008). Nowadays, the world is becoming more and more globalized. There is no country that can escape from globalisation. With globalisation, many countries get benefits from it. However, it also caused many negative effects from globalisation in many countries. As the ancient Chinese Philosopher Laozi said: “Good fortune follows upon disaster; Disaster lurks within good fortune; Who can say how things will end? Perhaps there is no end.” So it is natural to oppose globalisation. There are many arguments from different views. Some political scientists argue that globalization is making nation-states weaken and that the functions and power of nation-states will gradually take over by global (Dreher et al.,2008). Economists argue that businesses is becoming more competitive and more and more workers may be laid off due to greater competition. For environment, globalization is using up finite resources more quickly and globalization increases world greenhouse gas with carbon dioxide emissions which makes the air pollution worse. For cultural, the uniqueness of cultural is lost in favour of homogenization and a "universal culture" that draws heavily from American culture. In this essay, I will focus on economics and environment aspect to discuss why people and some groups oppose to globalisation. In the global world, there are both positive and negative effects of globalisation for economics of developed and developing countries. McMichael (2001) stated that globalization...
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...LIES BENEATH THE BEAUTY 1 CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND: UNILEVER 2 1.1 Company Background: Unilever 2 1.2 Overview of Unilever Indonesia 3 1.3 Unilever Indonesia Foundation 3 1.4 Overview of Dove Products 4 1.5 Environmental Record 5 CHAPTER 2 CASE STUDY: UNILEVER VS GREENPEACE 7 2.1 Indonesia Palm Oil Plantation 7 2.2 Unilever Palm Oil Suppliers 11 2.3 Environment Destruction Caused by Palm Oil Plantations 14 2.3.1 Deforestation 15 2.3.2 Destruction of Orang Utan Habitat 17 2.4 The Impact to Unilever 18 CHAPTER 3 CASE ANALYSIS 19 3.1 Ethical Theory 19 3.1.1 The Stockholder Theory 19 3.1.2 The Stakeholder Theory 20 3.1.3 The Social Contract Theory 20 3.2 Triple Bottom Line 21 3.2.1 People 21 3.2.2 Planet 22 3.2.3 Profit 22 3.3 Environmental Issues of Business Ethics 22 3.3.1 Business and Ecology 23 3.3.2 The Ethics of Environmental Protection 24 3.3.3 Who Should Pay the Cost of Environmental Damage 24 3.3.4 Regulation 24 3.3.5 The Value of Nature 24 3.4 Ethical Issues 25 3.4.1 Environment Destruction 26 3.4.2 Violating the RSPOs Principles 28 3.4.3 Unilever Failure of Screening its Suppliers’ Code of Conduct 30 3.4.4 Government Neglect of the Environment Issue 30 CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 32 APPENDIX 1 Climate and Biodiversity Impacts of Unilever Palm Oil Suppliers in Kalimantan 35 APPENDIX 2 Dove Onslaugt(er) Video Capture 36 APPENDIX 3 Picture of People Support on the Greenpeace Campaign 37 Bibliography 38 WHAT LIES BENEATH THE BEAUTY ...
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...Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation. Since the early 20th century, Earth's mean surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), with about two-thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. scientists are more than 90% certain that it is primarily caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gasses produced by human activities. A greenhouse gas (sometimes abbreviated GHG) is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect.The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. The causes of increasing greenhouse gases are: Burning fossil fuels, thus releasing into the atmosphere carbon that has been safely stored for millions of years by burning coal, oil and natural gas for transport and electricity. An enormous demand for electricity. The growing population of the earth all want cars, refrigerators, air-conditioning and a double garage. Most electricity is generated by burning coal. A constant and growing demand for red meat. Cattle belch out methane, a toxic greenhouse gas, much more dangerous than carbon dioxide. More and more forests and bushland, which absorb carbon dioxide from the air, are being cut down so more cattle can graze. A reduction in the planet's ability to remove...
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