GEOG 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Resource Consumption, Sustainable Development, Fundamental Interaction

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GEOG 203- Canadian Environmental Issues
Chapter 1: Introduction: Change and Challenge
Two concepts relating to a vision for the future: sustainable development and
resilience.
Introduction to environmental change and challenge with reference to the global, national,
and regional levels
Introduction
- 9/10 of the hottest years have occurred since 2000: implicitly implies the urgency of the need
for a change in behavior/attitudes
- Strong evidence suggests it is the result of human activity
- Not just population growth but mostly an increase in consumption
- This brings up the question:
How do we continue to meet basic human needs while protecting the integrity of biophysical
systems? These questions:
- Force us to think about conditions both today and in the future.
- Remind us that an understanding of environmental and resource systems requires both
natural and social sciences
- Pose fundamental challenges as to whether we can realistically expect to manage or control
natural systems or whether we should focus on trying to manage human interactions with
natural systems
Human population growth is putting a strain on the planet, but so are consumption patterns of
the more affluent sectors of society
- These factors are leading to unprecedented changes in global systems
A particular challenge is global climate change
- Important to regard the role that Canada plays in global environmental change (both as
the second-largest country on Earth and as a source of major carbon resources [forests and
oil reserves]
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- The decisions made by Canada regarding these resources have global implications: it is
therefore important to understand the governance aspects of environmental management
in Canada to appreciate how decisions are made and how stakeholders [such as me] can
become more involved
-
How are environment, resources, and society defined?
- We use indicators (ecological footprints) to measure environmental change and response
and discuss how these indicators are used.
-
Defining Environment Resources
- Environment: the habitat or home on which humans and others depend to survive
o Atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere and biosphere
- Resources: more specific
o Forests, wildlife, oceans, rivers, lakes, minerals and petroleum
o Intrinsic and Extrinsic values, what they mean to humans
- [Natural] resources
o Quality [value]: extrinsic (value that it has for human)/intrinsic
o Type: renewable [flow] and non-renewable [stock]
Certain people consider that resources are the only components of the environment that are of
use to the human species
Anthropocentric view [human-centered view]
o Value is defined relative to human interests, wants, and needs.
Technocentric view
o Value system that is centered on technology and its ability to control and
protect the environment. Technocentrics have absolute faith in technology and
industry and firmly believe that humans have control over nature.
o Shallow ecology [alternative definition]
o Pollyanna
Ecocentric or biocentric view [nature-centered view]
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o Defined as an aspect of the environment that is valued simply because of its
existence and its right to exist.
o Deep ecology [alternative definition]
o Cassandra
Three waves regarding Approaches to Environmental Management
These waves allow us to appreciate what dominant views influence outlooks at any given time
and to consider what might be done to cause a shift.
First wave (late nineteenth century)
o Inventory, protect and extend (conserve) wilderness areas
o Identify and highlight environmental degradation and urge governments and the
private sector to reduce the damage
o Questioned prevailing ideals of growth and progress with little regard to
environmental constraints or limits
Second wave (early twentieth century)
o Key difference from first wave: second wave argued for significant shifts in basic
values
o Establishment of statutes, policies, and environmental protection agencies or
ministries to protect endangered places and species
o Identify environmental degradationurge governments to reduce the damage
(environmental activism)
Third wave (late twentieth century)
o Remediate environmental degradation (sustainable development)
o Global climate change= fundamental force that drives many environmental changes
o Activists sought to create international coalitions to create pressure on national
governments and also to work to resolve localized environmental problems.
o Building positive solutions > critiquing/believing that the current generation has
responsibilities and obligations to future generations.
o Values: deep ecology, ecofeminism, social ecology, environmental justice and
indigenous peoples.
o Overall commitment to repair environmental damage and create a path
toward sustainability
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Document Summary

Chapter 1: introduction: change and challenge: two concepts relating to a vision for the future: sustainable development and resilience. Introduction to environmental change and challenge with reference to the global, national, and regional levels. 9/10 of the hottest years have occurred since 2000: implicitly implies the urgency of the need for a change in behavior/attitudes. Strong evidence suggests it is the result of human activity. Not just population growth but mostly an increase in consumption. Force us to think about conditions both today and in the future. Remind us that an understanding of environmental and resource systems requires both natural and social sciences. Pose fundamental challenges as to whether we can realistically expect to manage or control natural systems or whether we should focus on trying to manage human interactions with natural systems. Human population growth is putting a strain on the planet, but so are consumption patterns of the more affluent sectors of society.

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