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37 Cards in this Set
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Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
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is a United Nations project designed to assess the consequences of ecosystem changes for human well-being
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Geoengineering
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refers to the intentional, large-scale technological manipulation of the Earth's systems, often discussed as a techno-fix for combating climate change
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Environmental Kuznets Curve
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is a hypothesis that economic inequality increases over time while a country is developing, and then after a certain average income is attained, inequality begins to decrease.
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Jevon's Paradox / Rebound Effect
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In economics, the Jevons paradox is the proposition that technological progress that increases the efficiency with which a resource is used tends to increase (rather than decrease) the rate of consumption of that resource. Jevon argued that, contrary to intuition, technological improvements could not be relied upon to reduce fuel consumption.
The rebound effect refers to the volume of consumption outweighing any gains made through the improved efficiency of the products. For example, despite improvements in the energy efficiency of the average new electronic appliance (for example a TV, DVD-player or personal computer), the total energy use from electronic appliances in the average home increases because the number of electronic appliances in each household increases. |
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United Nations World Commission On Environment And Development (WCED) 1987
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The UN General Assembly realized that there was a heavy deterioration of the human environment and natural resources. To rally countries to work and pursue sustainable development together, the UN decided to establish a Commission to unite countries to pursue sustainable development together. Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway, was chosen due to her strong background in the sciences and public health.
This report established the most widely used definition of sustainable development. |
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Unced United Nations Conference On Environment And Development Rio 1992
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The 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was attended by 180 States in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio focused on the notion that environmental protection is an essential element of social and economic development.
A fundamental principle resolved by this meeting was that a State is liable for its conduct or omission that is a “transboundary environmental interference”. Major differences of view arose at Rio, including a North-South divide on issues relating to sovereignty over natural resources, economic costs, equitable burden-sharing, funding, the role of multi-lateral institutions, the transfer of technology, climate change, biological diversity and deforestation. However, after long hours of difficult negotiations Rio managed to produce important concrete agreements that extend into international environmental law today. |
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Icpd International Conference On Population And Development (icpd), Cairo, 1994
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The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo was a milestone in the history of population and development, as well as in the history of women's rights. At the conference the world agreed that population is not just about counting people, but about making sure that every person counts.
ICPD delegates reached a consensus that the equality and empowerment of women is a global priority. It approached this not only from the perspective of universal human rights, but also as an essential step towards eradicating poverty and stabilizing population growth. A woman’s ability to access reproductive health and rights is cornerstone of her empowerment. It is also the key to sustainable development. |
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Kyoto Protocol United Nations Framework Convention On Climate Change (unfccc Or Fccc)
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The Kyoto Protocol (1997) is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Protocol sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.
Recognizing that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity, the Protocol places a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities.” Kyoto mechanisms tried to help stimulate green investment and help parties meet their emission targets in a cost-effective way. |
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Ipcc Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a scientific intergovernmental body, established in 1988 and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 43/53. Its mission is to provide comprehensive scientific assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences, and possible options for adapting to these consequences or mitigating the effects.
The IPCC provides an internationally accepted authority on climate change, producing reports which have the agreement of all the leading climate scientists and the consensus of every one of the participating governments. |
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Millennium Development Goals
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pecific targets that world leaders set in the following areas:
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Improve maternal health 4. Combat HIV / AIDS, malaria and other diseases 5. Promote gender equality and empower women 6. Ensure Environmental sustainability 7. Reduce child mortality 8. Develop a global partnership for developmen |
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Rio + 20, 2012
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Member States decided to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will build upon the Millennium Development Goals and converge with the post 2015 development agenda.
Governments agreed to strengthen the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on several fronts. Agreed to establish a high-level political forum for sustainable development. |
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Direct Material Consumption
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ccounts for all materials used up by a country and is defined as all materials entering directly the national economy (used domestic extraction plus imports), minus the materials that are exported. In economic terms, it is related to the consumption activities of the residents of a national economy.
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Sustainability
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the longterm maintenance of conditions that allow life systems to thrive, which has environmental, economic and social dimensions.
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Culture
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The set of basic values, perceptions, wants, and behaviors learned by a member of society from family and other important institutions.
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Production
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is the act of creating a good or service which has social value and contributes to the utility of individuals. The act may include factors including human labor, natural resources, energy, technology and/or others.
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Consumption
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serves people’s needs, tastes and values and is usually defined in one of two ways; consumption of material resources or the consumption of goods and services (also known as economic consumption) that are the direct inputs to human wellbeing.
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Transportation Strategy
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Allows the basic access needs of individuals and societies to be met safely and in a manner consistent with human and ecosystem health and with equity within and between generations; Is affordable, operates efficiently, offers choice of transport mode, and supports a vibrant economy; and limits emissions.
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Urban Sprawl
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Uncontrolled, low-density growth of urban communities in undeveloped areas near cities, usually bringing more environmental and health issues.
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Green Industry / Green Economy
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improved human wellbeing and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Both organisations think of a Green Economy as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially-inclusive.
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Environmental Conflicts
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manifest themselves as political, social, economic, ethnic, religious, or territorial conflicts, or conflicts over resources or national interests, or any other type of conflict. They are traditional conflicts induced by an environmental degradation.
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Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
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is the monetary value of all final goods and services produced in a country over a certain time period, usually on an annual basis. GDP per capita is often used to indicate a country's standard of living. However, according to Schor, it is a poor indicator of well-being.
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Demographic Transition
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s a model that represents how many countries change through history from a situation of high birth and death rates to one of low birth and death rates. As birth and death rates fall, the total population of the country rises due to advancements in technology and a general increase in the standard of living.
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Status
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the relative social, professional, or other standing of someone or something.
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Urbanization
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is the physical movement of people to large, dense, central metropolitan areas.
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Empowerment
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a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power in people for use in their own lives, their communities and in their society, by acting on issues they define as important.
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Autonomy
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is an abstract concept that deals with an individual's or group's ability to make his or her own decisions.
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Natural Capital
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the natural environmental productions such as wind, soils, oils, natural gas etc. from which assets can be drawn to supply a beneficial means to the economy in the form of usable resources
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Manufactured Capital
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Manufactured or reproducible capital: includes infrastructure including roads, buildings, ports, machinery, equipment, housing, personal and commercial transport etc.
Built assets that are required to produce a product. The plant (building) and machines are examples of manufactured capital. |
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Human Capital
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includes education, skills, tacit knowledge, health (People and the planet). One of the main things involving this type of capital is that it can continue to be enriched. Education for example, is a perfect way to enrich this type of capitol through increases in knowledge and through additional schooling.
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Institutional / Social Capital
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is the range of formal and informal arrangements between people, including rule of law, social norms of behavior, habitual social practices, economic markets, traditions, governments at all levels.
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Relative Decoupling
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n a growing economy, the ratio of resource use (consumption) or environmental impact (emissions) to GDP decreases.
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Absolute Decoupling
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In a growing economy, the resource use or environmental impact falls in absolute terms.
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Ecosystems
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An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things that work together.
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Ecosystem Services
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are activities or functions of an ecosystem that provide benefit (or occasionally disbenefit) to humans.
Fresh water, oxygen, climate regulation. |
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Drivers of Environment Change
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refers to factors that work like motors pushing changes the environment. These drivers are usually embedded in the way humans live their lives, and may include economic systems, social behavior and politics and governance.
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Direct Causes of Environmental Change
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are human created and natural factors that cause change in the planet's ecosystem directly.
Examples: temperature, precipitation, land cover, per capita water demand, crop prices or gross margins |
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Ecological Footprint
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An index that measures the amount of renewable and non-renewable ecologically productive land area required to support the resource demands and absorb the wastes of a given population or specific activities.
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