The document discusses several topics related to population and the environment:
1. Global population has grown exponentially in recent centuries due to declining mortality rates, reaching 7 billion currently. Most population growth is occurring in developing regions of Asia and Africa.
2. Rapid urbanization has accompanied population growth, with over half the world's population now living in cities. Urbanization has environmental and infrastructure impacts but is linked to economic development.
3. Environmental problems have arisen from both population growth and industrialization, including issues around food and water security, resource depletion, pollution, and climate change. However, optimists believe problems can be addressed through innovation, regulation, and international cooperation.
The document discusses several topics related to population and the environment:
1. Global population has grown exponentially in recent centuries due to declining mortality rates, reaching 7 billion currently. Most population growth is occurring in developing regions of Asia and Africa.
2. Rapid urbanization has accompanied population growth, with over half the world's population now living in cities. Urbanization has environmental and infrastructure impacts but is linked to economic development.
3. Environmental problems have arisen from both population growth and industrialization, including issues around food and water security, resource depletion, pollution, and climate change. However, optimists believe problems can be addressed through innovation, regulation, and international cooperation.
The document discusses several topics related to population and the environment:
1. Global population has grown exponentially in recent centuries due to declining mortality rates, reaching 7 billion currently. Most population growth is occurring in developing regions of Asia and Africa.
2. Rapid urbanization has accompanied population growth, with over half the world's population now living in cities. Urbanization has environmental and infrastructure impacts but is linked to economic development.
3. Environmental problems have arisen from both population growth and industrialization, including issues around food and water security, resource depletion, pollution, and climate change. However, optimists believe problems can be addressed through innovation, regulation, and international cooperation.
International Studies Chapter 2: Population and Environment
Population 1 billion 10 000 BC -1825 AD o 6 billion morelast 200 years Fewer people dying off, reduction in mortality rate They say 10 billion10 years Decrease in birth rate in Global South as they become more wealthy o As y Pro-Natalist (birth) Anti-Natalist Population Control Japan Canada Child tax credits, baby bonus (/child) Scandinavian Countries Eastern Europe
#1 China1.3-1.4 Billion One child policy since 1979 Been successfulcontrolling growth Problems: abandonment/abortions Male children selectedaffecting gender ratio Not perfectly enforced (bribes)/unfairness #2 India1.2-1.3 Billion Democracy; violates peoples rights Educationyoung girls (6-10) Distribution of BC pill Distribution of Worlds Pop = 7 billion 60% Asia 15% Africa 10% Europe 8% North America 5% C&S America Remainder : Oceania Note: Concentration/Density (same except Europe & Africa switched)
Fast-Growing/Young Populations Many young people o Good: future growth, work-force, energy o Bad: ton of infrastructure, suburbs, housing, roads, food grown & transported, jobs Most of Global South are like this o Need lots of economic growth o Many turn to agriculture but its not economically efficient
Slow-Growing Populations Older o Wisdom Bad: dont work anymore, need lots of healthcare o (50% of Ontarios budget taken by healthcare) o Not enough future tax-payers
Emigration
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Leaving Decreases it Global South (doesnt affect it b/c of its rapid growth) o Brain drain: smartest people always leave and usually never come back o E.g. more Ethiopian-born doctors in Chicago than in all of Ethiopia
Immigration Entering Increases pop. Canada Prevents population decline diversity: cuisine, language, culture tax base economy growth Europe Coherent national identity Immigration challenging it E.g. France banned all young girls from wearing hijabs Controversy USA FL, TX, CA, AZ ( Spanish speaking) Illegal immigrants, especially in AZ o Breaking law is bad o BUT: also make up a large and important part of industries o Helps US economies o E.g. agriculture in CA, house-care (yard, maids, nannies)
Forced out; persecuted o Usually b/c of political, ethnic, religious Stateless person Insecure position SyriaJordan and Iraq Caused mostly by war + disease Past 10 years10 million refugees a year o Refugee campshumanitarian emergency relief o Usually wait or run away 30 million people of concern
Urbanization
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Majority of worlds pop live in cities o (100,000 inhabitants or more) Rate has been astounding 1850 only 3% lived in cities o Only 3 cities (over 100k ppl) Now51% o Over 600 Caused mainly by Industrial Revolution Started in UK around 1750: Manchester o New inventions: steam engine o Mass production of goods & stuff Factories created o Promoted factory-work Majority of pop is ruralfarm-hands Many started to leave farms and occupy cities o 20-25 year spanx 5/10/25/100 growth Pros Cons Linked historically w/ modernization, industrialization, diversification Bigger economy; more opportunity; better social services Doesnt have to be bad for the enviro (build up, not out) Takes over natural space Comes at expense of rural way of life o More faith, conservative Concentration of human problems o Crime, garbage, noise, smells, violence, social tensions Huge management problems o Transportation/transit, infrastructure, garbage collection, cops, electricity
CSR (City-State Region) Inter-connected + globalization o *Economically*, culturally, communication, politically(?) Trend 50 years+ o Thoughts of world being dominated more by cities rather than countries o E.g. Venice in Medieval Times CSRs and Non-State Actors o E.g. GTA50% of Ontarios pop, economy, 25% of all of Canadas economy
Theory of Creative City We are moving towards 2-track economy Goods-manufacturing economy moving to developing world o Especially in China (cheaper) Servicescreative city Why: developing worlds will start to depend on creativity 1. Creativity class30% of the workforce o Get paid to think o Education institutions
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2. Creative economyprofessional services 3. Pleasing city conditionsJane Jacobs o Urban density rather than sprawl o Diversity o Tolerance, Talent, & Technology
Carrying capacity: Earth only has a finite amount of resources o Only so many people, and pollution that Earth can sustain o Earth become garbage dump Pessimists Example of Easter Island Easter Island populated by 2 tribeswar o Stripped island of everything to use for war Total barren husk (only thing left are stone heads) Pessimists feel this will happen to entire world LovelockGaia o Says Earth is a living organismhumans are selfish tumours
Problems 1. Gold Rushes vs. Resource Management Gold rush happens very frequentlyunsustainable, exhaust resource until nothings left Resource management: sustainable, some left; program of replacement, regulation; oversight; enforcement; scientifically informed; takes time; long-term natl govt Sustainable Development (92)economy as a whole Long-term focus (leaves it there); short-term cash-out (exhausts resource) 2. Tragedy of Commons When goods and resources are commonly owned, they deteriorate Enclosure movement: enclosing place by fenceseverything is owned Important common resources (high seas, Antarctica, space) 1959 Treaty of Antarctica o Protected Public Park National Enclosure vs. International Protected Park (for Antarctica) Weird comparison b/n North Pole (enclosure) and South Pole (protected)
Food 1 billion ppl lack access to sufficient food and water
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Would be even worse if werent for Green Revolution Green Revolution 1940-1980 Massive improvements in growing food around world Technological revolution (how to grow, inventions) o E.g. GM crops, irrigation, irradiation (bugs, crops) Technology transferred NorthSouth Tripling of production of worlds most important crops o Wheat, corn, rice Water 70% of Earth o Majority of it: salt-water o Desalination of watervery expensive Canada uses 335 L/day per capita o US 350 Water poor o 1-2 billion o If you have access to < 5 L/day (one flush of a toilet)
Peak Oil Theory Energy: food and water (calories) o Electricity Oil40% of worlds energy o Most valuable commodity 1973OPEC o Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries o Its a cartel (group controls major supply of a goodset price) o Consists of mostly Middle East (e.g. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, etc) ***Oil crisis of 1979** o Large impact on Western world o Triggers massive inflationprice o Thus people buy less of everything else Usually: Inflationrecessiondeflation o Called the 70s malaise What happens when theres both inflation and recession Easy oil o Easy to extract o can stick a straw in the oil field and suck it out o Arabic countries/PG (Persian gulf) Difficult oil o E.g. Albertas oil mixed with sand (must be purified) o Expensive, forbidding Oil is at peak production right now o But the price will only go UP from now o Easy oil will be used up; well be turning to hard oil Peak Oil Theory: Price of oil is only going to go up
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o Oil pessimists: b/c peak oil theory is true, things only going to get worse in future Stagflation created to face scarcity o However, were only going back to recession
Global Climate Change Dispute: 1. Temp universal agreement o 12 of last 15 2. This is because of man-made activity o (Burning of fossil fuels + industrialization) Vs 1. Short term o Looked at monk records o Global temperature is in a cycle of hot and cold temp 2. Not man-made o Due to the sunimpact on oceans o When solar activity increases=warming trend, decreases=cooling trend (e.g. ice age) Precautionary Principle Whether its true or not, measures should be taken to prevent it o By cutting down emissions, etc. Kyoto protocol fell apart o Global south refuses to follow this: reduces industrial activity that it needs for developmentcuts econ. growthcertain harm o China out, US out, no one really following
Case for Environmental Optimism 1. Problems can and have been solved o E.g. acid rain b/c of laws and technology (alkaline) o Ozone depletion CFCs chlorofluorocarbons caused it (fridges) Banning of CFCs, technology (refrigeration w/o CFC) 2. Lomborg o Fan of technology o Wrote The Sceptical Environmentalist o Says pessimists underestimate: Brilliance at innovation Natures resilience & hugeness 3. Everyone has reason to care
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o Consumers Good living condition Care 4 children Rise in demand for green products o Corporation Pay fines for polluting Bad reputation/lose market share if bad polluter Hamper recruiting o Govts Want to please the people Dont want to pay cleanup costs 4. Good environmental agencies, NGOs and protection o E.g. United States (EPA), Environment Canada and ONT, UNEPKenya o NGOs (Greenpeace, Siera Legal Defense) 5. Earth is not Easter Island o Those civilians were uneducated
Case for Environmental Pessimism 1. Successes are few & far between o Failure the norm (e.g. KYOTO) 2. Faith in technology may be misplaced o Present problems cast doubt on that 3. Everyone doesnt always follow good reasons o Consumers: people drive SUVs, groom their lawns, live in disposable society We will always choose economy over environment o Corporations: They are the ones that give the govt data about how much they pollute Usually fines no more than $50,000 4. Agencies arent very effective: o Under-resourced o Rely on data from polluters o Years behind if make their own data 5. Earth might be Easter Island o Gaia