Environmental StudiesLecturers/ Damian Nesbeth

Tutors: Nikki Bramwell, Raymond Martin,

Debbie Devonish, Nadia Spence

Email: dnesbeth@utech.edu.jm nbramwell@utech.edu.jm rmartin@utech.edu.jm

ddevonish@utech.edu.jm

nspence@utech.edu.jm

Tel# : 927-1680 Ext. 2364-5

Room: 3C1 / Biology Staff Room

Environmental StudiesGeneral Objectives

1. Understand the way natural ecosystems function.

2. Appreciate the ways in which human populations disrupt the functioning of the natural ecosystem and thus cause environmental problems.

3. Propose and evaluate solutions to current environmental dilemmas.

What is the Environment?

• Environment

- all living & non-living external factors that affect an organism

What is Environmental Science?

• Environmental Science

- study of humanity’s relationship with other organisms and the non-living environment which integrates knowledge from many disciplines, e.g., :

• engineering • politics • technology

Environmental Scientists• Monitor the quality of the environment

• Interpret the impact of human activity on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

• Develop strategies for restoring ecosystems.

• Help planners develop and construct buildings, transportation corridors and utilities.

Studying Environmental Science Helps Us to Understand:

1. How Earth works

2. How we affect Earth’s life support systems

3. How we can help solve current environmental problems

Natural Capital/Natural Resources

Goods and services provided by the Earth through natural processes are known as natural capital or natural resources.

These support all economies and life.

Natural Resources

The 2 main types of natural resources are:

• Renewable – theoretically lasts forever

• Non-renewable – exhaustible, finite

Environmental Sustainability

- ability of the environment to function indefinitely

Why is environmental sustainability important?

• It means meeting the needs of humans at present without endangering the welfare of future generations of people

• Therefore it is relevant at the individual, community, national, regional & global levels

DO YOU THINK THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ENVIRONMENT WE

LIVE IN TODAY?

Current Unsustainable Human Behaviours Include:

• Unchecked use of non-renewable resources

• Renewable resources being used faster than nature can replenish them

• Pollution of the environment

• Human population growth

Pollution

- an undesirable change that can adversely affect humans or other living organisms

Persistence: how long a pollutant stays in air, water, soil or an

organism

Pollution cont’d

The 2 main types of pollutants are:

• Degradable

• Non-degradable

Environmental Issues

Global Warming

The following are some environmental issues facing Earth.

Acid Deposition

Species endangerment and extinction

Land Degradation

Urbanisation

Water Shortage and Pollution

Ozone Depletion

Improper Solid WasteDisposal

What is the issue here?

What is the issue here?

What is the issue here?

Environmental Ethics

- a discipline that studies moral conviction about or commitment to, one type of behaviour over another as it relates to the environment

Worldviews

There are two major environmental worldviews.

These are:•cornucopianism •environmentalism

Cornucopianism

• stems from a western tradition

• anthropocentric (people-centred) environmental philosophy

• man has dominion over the earth

• Earth’s supplies infinite

Environmentalism

• a response to the threat to the natural environment

• ecocentric (the environment has intrinsic value apart from its value to human ends)

• addresses environmental problems and methods that can be employed to solve them

Sustainable Development

• also called environmentally sustainable economic development

• encourages economic growth in a way that meets the needs of current and future generations

• discourages environmental harmful practices or encourages sustainable economic growth

Environmental Law

• enactments that ensure that the environment is protected

• provides legal basis for protecting endangered species, critical habitat, other natural resources and humans

National Environment & Planning Agency

- Established as a legal entity in 1991.

- Operates under the following acts:- NRCA Act 1991- Beach Control Act (1956)- Watersheds Protection Act (1963) - Wildlife Protection Act (1945)

- Provides policy framework for environmental management.

National Environment & Planning Agency cont’d

Some NEPA activities are:

- environmental education

- environmental monitoring

- project planning and monitoring

- issuing environmental permits and licences

http://www.nepa.gov.jm/

National Environment & Planning Agency cont’d

Management Tools Promoted by NEPA:

- Conservation

- Conservation Biology

- Environmental Management Systems

- Natural Resource Valuation

Conservation vs.Conservation Biology cont’d

• Conservation

- careful use of natural resources

- e.g., fuel wood, wild meat, wild plants

Conservation vs.Conservation Biology

• Conservation Biology- multidisciplinary science that

investigates human impacts on biological diversity

- attempts to prevent species extinction

- develops compromises between species protection and human needs

Natural Resource Valuation

• Process of placing monetary values on natural environmental resources, their services and effects.

• Allows for more accurate representation of the costs associated with development.

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

• Management tool that enables organisations, institutions and businesses to address the impact of their goods and services on the environment.

• An EMS may include:– ways to recycle office paper; – more efficient waste management systems– plans to phase out or replace certain chemicals or

materials (NEPA, 2005)

• Example – Environmental Audits for Sustainable Tourism (EAST) Project.

(1997; Funded by USAID)

• After instituting EMS five Jamaican hotels reduced:– Energy use by 12%– Water consumption by 50,000,000 gallons– Energy use by 1,665,000 kWh.(Dollar value USD 330,000 per annum)

• .

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)