CBA 300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Environmental Performance Index, Ecological Footprint, Overgrazing
11 Jan 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Global Business and Environmental Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability
• Environmental Sustainability is economic growth that maintains the environment for
future generations.
• Humans are consuming more than our planet can replace
Basic Threats to Sustainability
• Rich Nation (especially U.S.) consumerism.
• Rapid economic & population growth in developing nations.
Specific Threats to Sustainability
1. Local pollution of air, water, & land
2. Depletion of renewable resources
o Declining fisheries
o Overgrazing & soil loss
3. Ecosystem destruction, loss of biodiversity
4. Depletion of non-renewable resources
5. Global warming
Ecological Footprint Concept
• The EF is the amount of biologically productive land & sea area needed to:
o Regenerate resources humans consume
o Absorb & render harmless corresponding waste
• By the 1980s, human were consuming more than earth could handle. Today, it would
take 1.4 earths to regenerate resources consumed yearly.
Environmental performance Index
• The 2016 EPI ranks 180 countries on 20 indicators over 9 categories:
o Environmental Health
1. Health Impacts
2. Air Quality
3. Water & Sanitation
Is Development in China & India Environmentally Sustainable?
• China & India may be create an environmental catastrophe
• Waste water from chemical plant flows into Feng Chan River. 70% of china’s rivers &
lakes are severely polluted. Nearby oceans are being stressed.
Global Business & Sustainability: Critical Views
• Global companies exploit weak laws & despoil local environments in developing
countries
• Long distance trade is itself polluting
o Ships & seaports
o Cargo aircraft
o Diesel Trucks
• Western consumerism should be discouraged in the less affluent world.
o Runaway consumption in developing nations may lead to an environmental
diaster
Food Miles
• Food Miles- distance food is transported from time of production until reaching
consumers.
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Global business and environmental sustainability: environmental sustainability is economic growth that maintains the environment for. Environmental sustainability future generations: humans are consuming more than our planet can replace. Basic threats to sustainability: rich nation (especially u. s. ) consumerism, rapid economic & population growth in developing nations. Ecological footprint concept: regenerate resources humans consume, absorb & render harmless corresponding waste, by the 1980s, human were consuming more than earth could handle. Today, it would take 1. 4 earths to regenerate resources consumed yearly. Environmental performance index: the 2016 epi ranks 180 countries on 20 indicators over 9 categories, environmental health, health impacts, air quality, water & sanitation. Is development in china & india environmentally sustainable: china & india may be create an environmental catastrophe, waste water from chemical plant flows into feng chan river. 70% of china"s rivers & lakes are severely polluted. Nearby oceans are being stressed: global companies exploit weak laws & despoil local environments in developing.
