🚣🏼‍♀️International Development and Sustainability Unit 7 – Environmental Challenges & Solutions

Key Environmental Challenges

• Climate change causes rising global temperatures, sea level rise, and more frequent extreme weather events (hurricanes, droughts, floods)
• Deforestation leads to habitat loss, soil erosion, and reduced carbon sequestration, particularly in tropical rainforests (Amazon, Congo Basin)
  • Driven by agricultural expansion, logging, and urbanization
• Air pollution from industrial emissions, transportation, and household fuel use contributes to respiratory diseases and premature deaths
• Water scarcity and pollution threaten access to clean drinking water and sanitation, especially in arid regions (Middle East, North Africa)
  • Exacerbated by population growth, irrigation, and industrial use
• Biodiversity loss and species extinction due to habitat destruction, overexploitation, and invasive species
  • Coral reefs, wetlands, and old-growth forests are particularly vulnerable
• Ocean acidification from increased atmospheric CO2 absorption harms marine ecosystems and shellfish populations
• Soil degradation from overgrazing, monoculture farming, and deforestation reduces agricultural productivity and food security
• Plastic pollution accumulates in marine environments, harming wildlife and entering the food chain (microplastics)

Root Causes and Drivers

• Population growth increases demand for resources, energy, and land, putting pressure on ecosystems
• Economic development and rising consumption levels lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions and resource extraction
• Fossil fuel dependence for energy production and transportation contributes to climate change and air pollution
• Unsustainable agricultural practices (pesticide use, monoculture farming) degrade soil health and biodiversity
  • Driven by global food demand and market pressures
• Globalization and international trade can accelerate environmental degradation through increased transportation and outsourcing of polluting industries
• Poverty and inequality limit access to clean technologies and sustainable livelihoods, leading to overexploitation of natural resources
• Lack of environmental regulations and enforcement allows for unchecked pollution and resource extraction
• Short-term economic incentives often prioritize growth over long-term sustainability

Global vs. Local Impacts

• Climate change has global impacts, but vulnerable communities (low-lying islands, coastal areas) face disproportionate risks
  • Uneven distribution of adaptation resources and capabilities
• Deforestation has localized impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services, but contributes to global carbon emissions
• Air pollution has direct health impacts on local populations, but also affects regional air quality and global climate
• Water scarcity has severe local consequences for agriculture, sanitation, and human well-being, but can also lead to regional conflicts over shared resources
• Biodiversity loss has localized impacts on ecosystem functioning and traditional livelihoods, but also global implications for medicine, agriculture, and resilience
• Ocean acidification has global impacts on marine food webs, but disproportionately affects coastal communities reliant on fishing and aquaculture
• Soil degradation has local impacts on food production and rural livelihoods, but can also contribute to global food insecurity and migration
• Plastic pollution has localized impacts on marine habitats and tourism, but also global implications for human health and food safety

Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) aims to ensure universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency, and access to modern energy services
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) focuses on making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable through improved housing, transportation, and green spaces
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) encourages sustainable management of natural resources, waste reduction, and adoption of clean technologies
• SDG 13 (Climate Action) urges countries to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts through mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building
  • Includes implementing the Paris Agreement and mobilizing climate finance
• SDG 14 (Life Below Water) aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources through reducing pollution, protecting ecosystems, and regulating fishing
• SDG 15 (Life on Land) seeks to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, forests, and biodiversity
  • Includes combating desertification, land degradation, and poaching

Policy Frameworks and Agreements

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provides a global platform for addressing climate change through mitigation and adaptation
  • Kyoto Protocol (1997) set binding emissions reduction targets for developed countries
  • Paris Agreement (2015) aims to keep global temperature rise well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) aims to conserve biodiversity, sustainably use its components, and ensure fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources
  • Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2010-2020) set global goals for reducing biodiversity loss
• United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) addresses land degradation and desertification through sustainable land management and restoration
• Basel Convention regulates the transboundary movement and disposal of hazardous wastes to protect human health and the environment
• Montreal Protocol successfully phased out ozone-depleting substances (CFCs) to protect the stratospheric ozone layer
• Ramsar Convention provides a framework for conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources
• International Maritime Organization (IMO) sets global standards for reducing pollution from ships, including greenhouse gas emissions and ballast water management

Innovative Solutions and Technologies

• Renewable energy technologies (solar, wind, hydro) reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels
  • Energy storage solutions (batteries, pumped hydro) help integrate variable renewables into the grid
• Electric vehicles and public transportation systems reduce air pollution and carbon emissions from the transportation sector
• Green building design and retrofitting improve energy efficiency and reduce the environmental footprint of buildings
  • Includes passive solar design, green roofs, and low-carbon materials
• Precision agriculture uses data and technology (drones, sensors) to optimize input use and minimize environmental impacts
• Agroforestry integrates trees into agricultural systems to improve soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration
• Circular economy approaches minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency through reuse, recycling, and recovery
  • Includes industrial symbiosis, where waste from one process becomes input for another
• Nature-based solutions (mangrove restoration, urban green spaces) provide ecosystem services and enhance resilience to climate impacts
• Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies capture CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial processes for underground storage

Case Studies and Best Practices

• Costa Rica has achieved near-universal access to clean electricity through investments in hydropower, wind, and geothermal energy
  • Also known for its successful reforestation and biodiversity conservation efforts
• Curitiba, Brazil has implemented an efficient bus rapid transit (BRT) system and integrated urban planning to reduce car dependence and improve quality of life
• Germany's Energiewende (energy transition) has driven rapid growth in renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, while phasing out nuclear power
• China's Grain for Green program has restored over 28 million hectares of degraded land through afforestation and grassland restoration, improving soil health and rural livelihoods
• Singapore's integrated water management system (NEWater) recycles wastewater for industrial and potable use, reducing dependence on imported water
• The Great Green Wall initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land across the Sahel region of Africa through agroforestry and sustainable land management
• The Maldives has committed to becoming a carbon-neutral country by 2030 through investments in solar energy, waste management, and coastal protection
• The Montreal Protocol's successful phase-out of ozone-depleting substances demonstrates the effectiveness of global cooperation and technology transfer in addressing environmental challenges

Future Outlook and Emerging Trends

• Increasing adoption of circular economy principles and practices across industries to decouple economic growth from resource use and waste generation
• Growing role of nature-based solutions in climate change mitigation and adaptation, such as ecosystem-based adaptation and natural climate solutions
• Expansion of green finance and sustainable investing to mobilize capital for environmentally sustainable projects and technologies
  • Includes green bonds, impact investing, and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) criteria
• Mainstreaming of climate risk assessment and disclosure in financial decision-making, as recommended by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
• Increased focus on just transitions to ensure that the benefits and costs of the low-carbon transition are equitably distributed across society
• Growing recognition of the links between environmental sustainability, public health, and social justice, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Rapid advancements in digital technologies (AI, IoT, blockchain) to enable more efficient and transparent environmental monitoring, resource management, and supply chain sustainability
• Shifting consumer preferences towards sustainable products and services, driving corporate sustainability initiatives and eco-innovation