Chapter 9: Global environmental flows. pptx

DESTRUCTION OF NATURAL HABITATS
DECLINE OF FISH
DECLINE IN FRESH WATER(the Paradox of bottled water)
TOXIC CHEMICALS
GREEN HOUSE GASES & GLOBAL WARMING (Rising seas, Global warming & health)
POPULATION AND GROWTH
THE GLOBAL FLOW OF DANGEROUS DEBRIS

1. CHAPTER 9: GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS Presented by: GROUP 5 (Gec103-Yy2)

2. Table of contents 01 02 The leading environmental problems Global Responses DESTRUCTION OF NATURAL HABITATS DECLINE OF FISH DECLINE IN FRESH WATER(the Paradox of bottled water) TOXIC CHEMICALS GREEN HOUSE GASES & GLOBAL WARMING (Rising seas, Global warming & health) POPULATION AND GROWTH THE GLOBAL FLOW OF DANGEROUS DEBRIS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE CARBON TAX CARBON NEUTRAL ALTERNATE FUELS & POWER SOURCES (Hybrid Technology, Ethanol, Solar power) A TECHNOLOGICAL FIX? ECONOMIC ISSUES OPPOSING ENVIRONMENTALISM

3. CONCEPT OF NEGATIVE GLOBALIZATION Zygmunt Bauman ’s idea of the "liquid society " describes how globalization enables flows but also negative outcomes, called negative globalization. Environmental harm is a major negative flow because it crosses borders and affects everyone. Early studies of globalization rarely focused on environmental concerns. Notable exceptions were concerns about nuclear fallout and acid rain , which showed how environmental impacts can spread internationally.

4. By the 1980s and 1990s, environmental awareness increased due to growing problems like ozone layer depletion and global climate change. The ozone layer, which protects Earth from harmful UV rays, began to thin due to chemicals like CFCs in aerosols, sparking global concern. The Environmental Movement (1980s-1990s)

5. Many environmental problems are caused by human activity worldwide, and everyone will eventually feel the impact. For example, climate change is primarily driven by industrial activities that release greenhouse gases, affecting the global climate system and causing extreme weather. Global Nature of Environmental Problems

6. Disproportionate Contribution, Wealthier, industrialized countries produce more carbon emissions and other pollutants due to high levels of manufacturing, energy use, and waste. For instance, the US alone contributes a significant portion of global carbon emissions, largely from car use and industry. Unequal Responsibility for Environmental Harm

7. Environmental problems affect regions differently: Coastal areas and islands are more vulnerable to sea-level rise due to global warming. Hurricanes and tornadoes are expected to become more frequent and intense in certain areas, impacting specific regions like the Caribbean and the American Midwest. Wealthier regions can better adapt to climate impacts, while poorer countries have fewer resources to respond, making them more vulnerable. Varied Regional Impact

8. Different Priorities and Views on Environmental Issues North vs. South Priorities Developed countries (the Global North view global warming as a critical issue due to its long-term effects. In contrast, many in the Global South prioritize immediate problems like health crises (e.g., malaria, HIV/AIDS), hunger, and malnutrition over climate change. Different regions have different environmental priorities. For example: The Global North focuses on climate change and carbon reduction. Other areas prioritize clean drinking water and deforestation due to local needs and challenges.

9. Free Trade and Environmental Challenges Free trade promotes the expansion of manufacturing, which increases pollution and resource depletion. As industries expand under free trade policies, they contribute to a range of environmental issues, like increased air and water pollution.

10. Environmentalists argue that we need stricter environmental protection even if it slows economic growth.   Neoliberal economists prioritize economic growth and often see environmental regulations as barriers to trade.   This tension shapes debates on issues like industrial pollution limits and sustainable manufacturing. Economic vs. Environmental Priorities

11. This theory suggests that economic growth and environmental protection don’t have to conflict. Technological advancements can reduce environmental harm. Examples include low-odor paints and eco-friendly pesticides that minimize harmful side effects. Ecological Modernization Theory

12. Role of Environmental NGOs Environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) work to influence policies toward sustainable practices, pressuring companies and governments to adopt greener approaches.   NGOs advocate for policies that support green energy, reduced emissions, and conservation efforts.

13. Environmental Rankings of Nations  Environmental Performance Index (EPI) Countries are ranked by their environmental performance, looking at indicators like air pollution, carbon emissions, and sanitation. In 2006, Switzerland ranked highly for its eco-friendly policies, especially its reliance on hydroelectric power and extensive public transportation, which reduce emissions. The US performs poorly on emissions, contributing a significant percentage of global greenhouse gases. Rising industrial powers, like China and India, also rank low, as they rely heavily on coal and other polluting energy sources.

14. Jared Diamond’s "Collapse" Diamond’s book explores how civilizations like Easter Island collapsed due to environmental overuse. He notes that societies that adopted sustainable practices (like forest management in Highland New Guinea) survived, while others perished. Today, environmental damage in one area can affect the whole world. For example, global warming driven by the US’s fossil fuel use impacts ecosystems worldwide. China’s rise as an industrial power adds to these risks, showing that as new economic superpowers emerge, they may also become major contributors to global environmental harm.  

15. THE LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

16. DESTRUCTION OF NATURAL HABITATS

17. Environmental consequences: The burning of all of those felled trees releases large amounts of carbon dioxide that flow around the globe, contributing to global warming. The loss of the forest leads to other problems for humans including the loss of timber and other raw materials.

18. Ecosystem Services Provided by Forests: Water Shed Protection Contributes to Water cycle Habitat Biodiversity Soil erosion Prevention

19. A large fraction of the protein consumed by humans comes from fish and, to a lesser extent, shellfish sh. Without seafood, more people would need to rely on meat for protein and livestock can only be reared at great cost, and with great damage to the environment. Aquaculture is not an adequate replacement for the loss of natural fishing areas because it causes a series of ecological and other problems. Impact of Over-Fishing on Marine life According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, 69% of the world ’ s most important fisheries can be considered either “ fully exploited ” or “ overexploited ” An early twenty - first - century study concluded that industrial fishing had led to a 90 percent decline in large predatory fish such as swordfish, tuna, and marlin. In 2007, over one hundred scientists signed a letter to the WTO saying that unless subsidies to the fishing sector were scaled back: “ There are only decades before the damage we have inflicted on the oceans becomes permanent ” DECLINE OF FISH

20. Industrial Fishing Techniques and their Impact

21. DRIFT NETS They were “ free - floating veils of monofilament webbing that can be as long as twenty - five miles Previously used until 1992 when they were banned on the high seas by the UN .

22. BOTTOM TRAWLING “ Involves raking the ocean floor for food on a large scale.” Not only does this contribute to over - fishing, but it destroys complex ecosystems . Bottom Trawling for shrimp in the gulf of Mexico leads to over 80% bycatch and destroys countless plants and corals uprooted by the trawling process

23. LONG LINES Equipped with thousands of hooks, targeting a variety of fish Catches significant amount of unwanted fish, which are then discarded In the U.S., over 20% of fish from American waters (over a million tons) is discarded as bycatch.

24. Water is becoming an increasingly important global issue, or rather it raises a number of different issues Key concerns : Water Pollution (leading to water-borne diseases) Flooding (especially due to global warming) Increasing scarcity of water Competition between drinking water and crop production Desertification  Global Access to Clean Water About 1.3 billion people currently lack reliable access to safe drinking water. staggering 2.6 billion lack adequate sanitation systems, putting whatever local water supplies they do have at great risk. Fresh water ecosystems (rivers, lakes, wetlands, etc.) are under increasing stress (from dams, pollution, etc.) These ecosystems provide invaluable services such as controlling floods, filtering water supplies, diluting pollutants, cycling sediments and critical nutrients, and providing rich storehouses of biodiversity DECLINE IN FRESH WATER

25. Virtual water When Japan buys crops (which are water - intensive) produced in the US, pressure is put on American water supplies. In other words, Japanese consumers (to use just one example) contribute to the “ mining of aquifers and emptying of rivers in North America ” Impact of Climate Change on Water Availability Global climate change will make some parts of the world wetter, but other parts will grow drier Regions likely to grow drier: ( Southern Europe, Middle East, South Australia, Patagonia, and the Southwestern US) Mass Migration: American Southwest: “dust-bowl like situation” Mexico Climate Refugees DECLINE IN FRESH WATER

26. Glacier Melt and Water Shortage Another water - related problem is the melting, due to global warming, of mountain - top glaciers which are an important source of the flow of drinking water to many people in the world Consequences As those glaciers melt and fail to re - form fully, they will produce less and less water for those below them who need the water to survive The affected populations are likely to come into conflict with residents of still water-rich areas. DECLINE IN FRESH WATER

27. The paradox of bottled water   Water is becoming an increasingly important global commodity as many places run low on, and in some cases begin to run out of, drinkable water. It is too expensive for the poorest people in the world who may be most in need as a result of the decline in available water supplies. All sorts of environmental problems are related to, for example, the great use of fuel by airplanes and ships that transport the bottled water. Fiji Water: The water is produced and bottled in Fiji in the South Pacific and transported thousands of miles to places like New York and London. Fiji Water has announced plans to use renewable energy, preserve forests, and cut its carbon footprint. The executive director of the Rainforest Action Network said: “Bottled water is a business that is fundamentally, inherently and inalterably unconscionable. … No side deals to protect forests or combat global warming can offset that reality ”

28. Various industries, especially the chemical industry, “ manufacture or release into the air, soil, oceans, lakes, and rivers many toxic chemicals ” Types of Toxic Chemicals Released: Insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides Mercury and other Metals Fire-retardant chemicals Refrigerator coolants Detergents Components of plastics TOXIC CHEMICALS

29. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Highly toxic, human - made chemicals Examples include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and Pesticides (especially DDT) Four key Characteristics of POPs : Highly toxic Persistent Can travel great distances Bioaccumulation and Biomagnificaton TOXIC CHEMICALS

30. AZI’S Part

31. GLOBAL RESPONSES

32. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Sustainable development is a strategy aimed at meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own. This concept was first introduced in 1987 in a report by the World Commission on Environment and Development titled “Our Common Future.”

33. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Sustainable development has two main goals: Physical sustainability: Protecting natural resources and ecosystems. Equity: Ensuring fairness within the current generation and for future generations. A major event advancing this idea was the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro , formally called the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development . This summit was a turning point in global environmentalism and helped to legitimize and popularize the concept of sustainable development.

34. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Expanded Usage: Although initially focused on environmental preservation, sustainable development now covers a broad range of practices, such as: Using renewable energy (e.g., solar and wind power) Promoting organic farming Encouraging local self-sufficiency Supporting political decentralization. The goal is to encourage practices that not only benefit the economy but also minimize environmental impact.

35. As a Boon : Globalization can also aid sustainable development by: Spreading green technology : Allowing technologies like solar panels and efficient energy systems to reach more countries. Creating global standards : Encouraging practices that promote efficient resource use and cleaner environments. Increasing awareness : Through global media coverage, awareness of environmental problems and their causes has grown,. As a Threat : Globalization can harm sustainability by: Weakening the regulatory powers of nation-states, which struggle to control environmental damage. Encouraging overconsumption and promoting a homogenized lifestyle that often disregards local cultures and environmental needs.   Globalization and Sustainability Globalization plays a complex role in sustainability, acting as both a threat and an opportunity.

36. KEY CHALLENGES Future Projections : It’s difficult to reliably predict how current practices will affect the environment in the future. Ecosystem Preservation vs. Technological Solutions : Debates arise over whether we should strictly protect ecosystems (like rainforests) or rely on technological advances to offset losses. Causes of Unsustainability : Opinions are divided between blaming high production and consumption in developed countries versus rapid population growth in developing nations as the main driver of unsustainability.

37. DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty introduced in 1997 that aimed to reduce carbon emissions by 5% below 1990 levels by 2012. The protocol imposed stricter limits on developed countries, with fewer restrictions for developing nations, such as China and India. The United States, one of the largest carbon emitters, ultimately refused to sign , with President George W. Bush officially rejecting it in 2001. Reasons included: Economic Impact : Concerns that emission restrictions could hurt the U.S. economy. Scientific Doubts : Claims that the science behind climate change was uncertain. Unequal Restrictions : Developed countries had emissions caps, while rapidly growing economies like China did not. Corporate Awareness : In 2007, some large U.S. corporations joined environmental groups in advocating for laws to control emissions, though critics argued that these companies might be more interested in public relations benefits or profits from green technologies rather than genuine environmental care.  

38. The carbon tax is a proposed solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by taxing businesses based on their carbon output from fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Goal : By imposing a financial cost on carbon emissions, the carbon tax would encourage companies to modify their production processes to minimize emissions and, consequently, their tax obligations. Global Carbon Tax : The ideal implementation would be a universal carbon tax so that all nations, especially major polluters like the U.S. and China, would participate, ensuring maximum impact. Even partial adoption could lead to significant reductions in global emissions.

39. Carbon neutrality refers to achieving a balance between the amount of carbon emitted and the amount offset, effectively reaching “net-zero” emissions. Example: Norway set an ambitious target to become carbon neutral by 2050, which was later moved up to 2030. Norway planned to offset its emissions by funding environmental projects abroad, such as planting trees and cleaning up factories in developing nations. Criticism of Carbon Neutrality : Critics argue that offsetting emissions rather than reducing them at the source is a temporary fix that doesn’t address the root issue. Additionally, such practices are expensive and unsustainable as there are limited global resources (e.g., trees and factories) to offset carbon emissions worldwide.

40. ALTERNATE FUELS AND POWER SOURCES

41. Technological Fix Increased use of solar power is related to the growing interest these days in a “technology fix” for at least some global environmental problems such as global warming . Geoengineering new proposals for dealing with global ecological problems include “injecting chemicals into the upper atmosphere to cool the poles or blocking sunlight by making clouds more reflective or stationing mirrors in space” (Dean 2007: A11). Efforts to respond to the adverse effects of global warming on agriculture and crops involves new aspects of “ green revolution ” as the creation of crops, through selective breeding and genetic engineering. In Norwegian mountainside, “ doomsday vault ” stores global seeds to ensure crop survival in extreme climate events.

42. ECONOMIC ISSUES Long-term solutions, and even short-term solutions, to environmental problems in general, and the problems of climate change in particular, are likely to be hugely, if not monumentally, expensive ( Mufson , 2007). Europe leads in renewable energy efforts, but the U.S. is lagging, partly due to economic constraints. The ongoing recession makes it even less likely that such massive, and hugely expensive, programs will be undertaken.

43. Opposing Environmentalism Involves efforts by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) , beginning in 2003, to create parks and reserves in Brazil in a program known as Amazon Region Protected Areas ( Rohter , 2007). The goal of the WWF is to protect not only the trees in Brazil but also its biodiversity. However, some businessmen have reacted negatively to this for two basic reasons; (1) it is seen as impeding their ability to develop region and its natural resources and thereby to increase their business and profits. (2) it is seen as a form of “environmental colonialism”.