* Degradation through raw material production
Identify the effects of agro-industrialization and changes in international production and consumption on the physical environment.
As food products have become commodities that are traded at the global scale there is greater pressure placed on farmers to run more industrial scale farming and increase farm productivity.
High Yielding Varieties (HYVs), mechanisation, fertilisers and pesticides have all raised the input of resources into farm systems
Production rates from agriculture have also risen dramatically. However, this has come as a result of land clearing to produce larger area under cultivation. Additional crops and livestock numbers also produce higher greenhouse gases from livestock methane emissions and simplified ecosystems and the loss of carbon soil storage.
High Yielding Varieties (HYVs), mechanisation, fertilisers and pesticides have all raised the input of resources into farm systems
Production rates from agriculture have also risen dramatically. However, this has come as a result of land clearing to produce larger area under cultivation. Additional crops and livestock numbers also produce higher greenhouse gases from livestock methane emissions and simplified ecosystems and the loss of carbon soil storage.
Further Reading:
Hickle, J. (2016) Clean energy won't save us, only a new economic system can do that, The Guardian, accessed on 17/07/2016 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/jul/15/clean-energy-wont-save-us-economic-system-can
Steinmetz, G. (2016) Super sized - The dizzying Size of Agriculture in the 21st Century, accessed on 12/10/2016 http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/10/09/magazine/big-food-photo-essay.html
ABC (2016) Vandana Shiva on feeding the world's population and saving the planet, Radio National - Big Ideas, accessed on 20/09/2016, http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/vandana-shiva-on-feeding-the-world-and-saving-the-planet/7496766
Hickle, J. (2016) Clean energy won't save us, only a new economic system can do that, The Guardian, accessed on 17/07/2016 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/jul/15/clean-energy-wont-save-us-economic-system-can
Steinmetz, G. (2016) Super sized - The dizzying Size of Agriculture in the 21st Century, accessed on 12/10/2016 http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/10/09/magazine/big-food-photo-essay.html
ABC (2016) Vandana Shiva on feeding the world's population and saving the planet, Radio National - Big Ideas, accessed on 20/09/2016, http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/vandana-shiva-on-feeding-the-world-and-saving-the-planet/7496766
Discuss the environmental consequences of increasing international demand for one raw material. Examine the concept of food miles and the environmental consequences of increasing volumes of air freight.
Raw Materials
Raw materials can be divided into renewable and non-renewable resources. However, the rate of use can be more informative as non-renewable resources that are extensive in reserve are not problematic and conversely renewable resources that are used in excess of their rate of replenishment can be critically depleted.
The type of mining used to extract resources often depends on the material. The different types of materials include:
Lithium mining
As technology and human behaviour changes, different resources are required. Greater demand for batteries to store renewable energy technology and power personal electronic devices has created a strong demand for Lithium. Deposits of Lithium are very geographically limited. Bolivia, Argentina and Chile hold large reserves.
However, lithium mining is not necessarily environmentally friendly, This could negate the benefits of green energy sources.
Raw materials can be divided into renewable and non-renewable resources. However, the rate of use can be more informative as non-renewable resources that are extensive in reserve are not problematic and conversely renewable resources that are used in excess of their rate of replenishment can be critically depleted.
The type of mining used to extract resources often depends on the material. The different types of materials include:
- Metals, such as gold, copper or zinc
- Industrial minerals, such as lime, salt or soda ash
- Construction materials, such as sand or gravel
- Energy minerals, such as coal, oil or gas
Lithium mining
As technology and human behaviour changes, different resources are required. Greater demand for batteries to store renewable energy technology and power personal electronic devices has created a strong demand for Lithium. Deposits of Lithium are very geographically limited. Bolivia, Argentina and Chile hold large reserves.
However, lithium mining is not necessarily environmentally friendly, This could negate the benefits of green energy sources.
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Food Miles
The distance traveled by food has increased significantly in a globalised world.
canned and bottled goods are shipped readily. However, refrigerated transport also means meat and fresh produce can be traded.
Unfortunetly, there are environmental, social and economic consequences from increased food miles.
Measuring food miles allows them to be decreased which benefits the environment. However, greater food miles might be environmentally beneficial if food is more sustainably produced in a place. This is exemplified by rice farming, which can be far more readily produced in tropical Asia rather than Australia.
The distance traveled by food has increased significantly in a globalised world.
canned and bottled goods are shipped readily. However, refrigerated transport also means meat and fresh produce can be traded.
Unfortunetly, there are environmental, social and economic consequences from increased food miles.
Measuring food miles allows them to be decreased which benefits the environment. However, greater food miles might be environmentally beneficial if food is more sustainably produced in a place. This is exemplified by rice farming, which can be far more readily produced in tropical Asia rather than Australia.
Increased Air Freight
In the early 1920s, air cargo developed rapidly because numerous entrepreneurs realized aircraft could move high value and low volume consignments much faster than the railroads and shipping companies.
Although rising, demand has remained low as so much air Frieght can be carried as "belly cargo" on passenger jets. Global air Frieght differs highly by region.http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2016-04-06-01.aspx
In the early 1920s, air cargo developed rapidly because numerous entrepreneurs realized aircraft could move high value and low volume consignments much faster than the railroads and shipping companies.
Although rising, demand has remained low as so much air Frieght can be carried as "belly cargo" on passenger jets. Global air Frieght differs highly by region.http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2016-04-06-01.aspx
* The effects of transnational manufacturing and services
Discuss the reasons for and consequences of the relocation of polluting industries (such as some TNCs) and waste disposal (such as ICT, chemical and nuclear waste) to countries with weaker environmental controls and safety regulations.
Transnational activity has resulted in the relocation of manufacturing to developing countries, particularly by Trans National Corporations. Unfortunately, this has lead to poorer environmental standards for centers of manufacturing in the developing world.
e-Waste (unwanted electronic consumer goods) is a good example of a product that is commonly shipped from MEDC to LEDCs for recycling and disposal.
e-Waste (unwanted electronic consumer goods) is a good example of a product that is commonly shipped from MEDC to LEDCs for recycling and disposal.
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* Transboundary pollution
Describe one major pollution event affecting more than one country and examine the consequences of and responses to this event.
Consider ONE of the following events:
- Chernobyl nuclear disaster
- Plastic pollution in ocean gyres (eg Pacific Ocean Gyre)
- Transnational air pollution
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The Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred in 1986 and remains the worst nuclear disaster to date. Although the nuclear reactor exploded in Ukrainian territory, the prevailing wind conditions transported nuclear material across many European nations, most notably Belarus.
The nature of the cold war and soviet attitudes to secrecy and information resulted in the transboundary pollution being worse than it need be and the response to the crisis being slower and misguided.
The International Atomic Energy agency maintains that the release of radionuclides from the reactor core is the worst nuclear accident in history.
Efforts with the European Union have allowed Ukraine to clean and decontaminate the site to some extent, however, the radioactivity of the site has made an exclusion zone necessary. The Ukrainian government has also installed a shelter over the reactor.
The nature of the cold war and soviet attitudes to secrecy and information resulted in the transboundary pollution being worse than it need be and the response to the crisis being slower and misguided.
The International Atomic Energy agency maintains that the release of radionuclides from the reactor core is the worst nuclear accident in history.
Efforts with the European Union have allowed Ukraine to clean and decontaminate the site to some extent, however, the radioactivity of the site has made an exclusion zone necessary. The Ukrainian government has also installed a shelter over the reactor.
Examine the growth of environmental awareness as a consequence of these global interactions.
The Montreal agreement successfully tackled the growing problem of ChloroFluroCarbon (CFC) compounds affecting the atmosphere's ozone layer.
However, issues of pollution across national borders are not easily solved.
Civil society has become more global in its outlook.
However, issues of pollution across national borders are not easily solved.
Civil society has become more global in its outlook.
Examine the role of one international civil society organization in fostering improved environmental management.
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Greenpeace has a long history of environmental and social activism. After being founded in the 1970s to stop atomic testing Greenpeace has diversified its operations into many area of environmental protection.
Greenpeace advocates, lobbies, researches and fund raises to work towards its common goal of improved environmental sustainability. However, Greenpeace has never been without controversy or detractors. |
* Homogenization of landscapes
Explain the evolution of uniform urban landscapes; the effects of common commercial activity, structures, styles of construction and infrastructure.
A short use of the Geogussr website demonstrates how landscapes can be identified based on their location.
However, global commercial activities (that of Trans National Corporations) and converging tastes in architectural style are shaping similar landscapes around the world. This can be seen in Asian urban areas that have more recently entered into the global economy, such as Yangon.
However, global commercial activities (that of Trans National Corporations) and converging tastes in architectural style are shaping similar landscapes around the world. This can be seen in Asian urban areas that have more recently entered into the global economy, such as Yangon.
