An Enthusiastic Yes (Boundaries)
Only You Can Save Bambi (Growth and Energy)
People and Their Food (Agriculture and Population Dynamics)
Sustain-onomics
I Swear I Did the Reading
100
Why is Sustainable Development so simple?
It is in fact not so simple
100
What must we keep in mind as humanity grows in size and complexity as a species?
The problems that we face/create will grow as well, at an ever increasing rate
100
______ countries have the highest growth rate, ______ countries have the lowest growth rate.
least (lower) developed / developed
100
A cost or benefit that affects a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit.
Externality
100
What is eutrophication?
Over fertile run off from land to water causing an excess of algae, which reduces oxygen, and kills animal life in said body of water.
200
What was Thomas Robert Malthus hypothesis on the relation between the standard of living and population?
Population pressures would tend to undermine improvements in living standards? (as living standards go up, population goes up, but then food supply dwindles because of population, returning populations levels to pre-rise levels)
200
What is the main problem trying to be solved within the bounds of growth dynamics?
How do we reconcile the continued growth of the world economy and the sustainability of earth's ecosystem and biodiversity?
200
Those that are poor are likely to have many children to help work the land that is owned, in so doing the family ensures that their children remain poor for the next generation because of the lack of educational options and the need to be around all the time to gain some small profit from the land (rinse, wash, repeat ...)
The Poverty Trap
200
Less use of resources per unit measured of agriculture
More 'crop per drop'
200
What is the paradigm shift that must occur for policy makers and economists
We must move away from the idea that growth and the over-use of primary resources are intimately related.
300
Is everything related?
Yes
300
What are the three pillars of decarbonization?
1) Use less energy per unit of GDP 2) Low carbon electricity (wind, solar, nuclear ...) 3) Electrification (move away from fossil fuels)
300
An organic compound that contains only carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane, ethane, and propane
Chloraphoralcarbon (CFC)
300
Precursor ideas to solving the sustainable economics issue, which were not widely popular with economists.
1) Rich countries should reduce their consumption levels for the developing countries that are beginning to come on line 2) Rich countries should redistribute their wealth to those countries that are developing
300
What is the overall goal of a country focusing smart economically sustainable policies?
Continue growth of the economy while respecting the aforementioned planetary boundaries through smart decision making and the use of efficient technologies not reliant on primary resource consumption.
400
Current world GWP (gross world product) ____ , projected GWP (with conservative estimates) by 2050 ____, GWP of the 1800s ___.
$91 trillion / $346 trillion / $330 billion
400
What is pent up growth?
Growth that has yet to occur as developing/not developed countries catch up to the developed countries, even if they (the developed countries) do not develop at as high a rate as they have in the past.
400
Small changes in birth rate now will ... ?
See large changes in the population in the future
400
Why do global markets ensure economics growth is environmentally sustainable.
1) Most planetary damages are externalities 2) Those alive today will not be affected by these problems
400
What were the population scenarios and their outcomes put together by the UN for the year 2100 and which was the most plausible based on expert anthropological opinions?
http://www.viewsoftheworld.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/WorldPopulationScenarios1950to2100.jpg
500
5/9 Planetary Boundaries
1) Human Induced Climate Change 2) Ocean Acidification 3) Ozone Depletion 4) Pollution as a Result of Excessive N and P (fertilizers) 5) Overuse of Freshwater Resources 6) Land Use 7) Biological Diversity 8) Aerosol Loading 9) Chemical Pollution
500
Can we keep going like this?
No (duh)
500
5/8 Planetary Boundaries with agricultural focus
1) Climate Change 2) Ocean Acidification 3) Ozone Depletion 4) N and P fluxes 5) Freshwater Depletion 6) Biodiversity Loss 7) Aerosols 8) Chemical Pollution
500
What is used to power Al Gores private jet?
Fossil Fuel (lol)
500
What are the economic instruments used to facilitate sustainable development?
1) Corrective taxation that puts a price on pollution 2) Permit system to allow production of CO2 3) Liability rules allowing those affected by negative extrnalities to sue 'upstream' 4) Engagment of social conscious through inclusive institutions 5) Public sector financial support to find sustainable technologies
M
e
n
u