SYSTEMS PLUS COLLEGE

College of ArtsFOUNDATION
and Social Sciences and Education

THE
Contemporary world

MODULE # 11

PREPARED BY: Brian duela

SUBJECT: CCW EMAIL ADDRESS: brian_duela@spcf.edu.ph

Introduction
The contemporary world is an ever-changing mix of social and political changes. While religious,
political, and ethnic conflicts continue, we are currently living in one of the most peaceful eras in
the history of the planet. Challenges of the 21st century include emerging technologies, health care,
overpopulation, climate change, poverty, illiteracy, disease, and migration. How we choose to deal
with these emerging frontiers will shape this unit for future generations. 1

Unit 3: Movement and Sustainability

This unit will discuss the various impacts of globalization on human populations and the
environment. At this core, it will go back to one of the basic questions of the social sciences: How
do people interact with their surroundings? These interactions, as you will see, are increasing being
molded by globalization processes discussed in the previous lessons.

Major learning outcome of this unit:

1. To explain the interconnections among population, migration and environmental
sustainability.

Lesson 11: Environmental Crisis and Sustainable Development

Learning outcomes:
1. Discuss the origin and manifestation of global environmental crisis;
2. Relate everyday encounters with pollution, global warming, desertification, ozone depletion
and many others with a larger picture of environmental degradation; and
3. Examine the policies and programs of governments around the world that address the
environmental crisis.

The Environmental Crisis is really a crisis of consciousness. Most people know the natural world is
facing great challenges and degradation, but few know the true extents of the changes and
deprivation the environment faces and its extended effects on human welfare and all other life on
Earth. There is a great gap between the multitude of problems the environment faces on all fronts
and the level of awareness most people have on these issues. During this critical period of human
history, our generation has been given the urgent task of reversing the damages of industrial
civilization and overcoming perhaps the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced - uniting as
one conscious, sustainable force to secure the stability of our future environmentally, economically,
and socially, for we cannot trash the planet, destroy its biodiversity, alter the climate, and continue
living off the wealth of future generations without condemning ourselves and the basis of our
civilization in the process. The environmental movement, with over one million environmental,
social justice, and indigenous organizations present, is the fastest growing movement on Earth.
Environmentalism has become a broader, unifying human issue where every living system in the
biosphere is in a constant, accelerated decline. Global warming, for example, is real, destructive
and its future impacts defy the imagination, but our collective will to make a difference is just as

1
https://www.freeman-pedia.com/today/
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real and equally defiant in the face of great challenges. It all begins with overcoming the idea that
you are too small to make a difference.

A. Main Features of the Environmental Crisis

It is important to emphasize that a wide range of views about the nature and severity of
the current environmental crisis exists, and some of the issues are highly controversial.
Nevertheless, there is broad agreement that the environmental crisis encompasses the
following main issues.

1. Climate change: anthropogenic climate change due to pollution of the atmosphere by

greenhouse gases (and other contaminants) is now regarded as one of the major global
environmental issues. It occurs largely as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels,
emissions from agriculture and pastoralism, and land-use changes that accompany the
destruction, clearance and burning of forests. Climate change already has observable
ecological and social effects, and its projected impacts could potentially result in
profound changes in global mean surface temperature, sea level, ocean circulation,
precipitation patterns, climatic zones, species distributions and ecosystem function.

2. Stratospheric ozone depletion: the depletion of stratospheric ozone due to the

pollution of the atmosphere by halocarbons (such as chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs) is
another serious environmental issue. It is a significant concern because the lack of
protective ozone at high altitudes results in increased levels of harmful solar ultraviolet
(UV-B) radiation reaching the earth's surface, causing a range of health-related and
ecological impacts.

3. Degraded air quality: other forms of air pollution are also significant, particularly at
regional and local scales, as they may seriously degrade air quality; worldwide,
approximately one billion people inhabit areas - mainly industrial cities - where
unhealthy levels of air pollution occur. Many air pollutants are responsible for the
degradation of air quality, but some key pollutants include particulate matter (such as
soot), tropospheric ozone, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulphur, lead and various
aromatic compounds (such as benzene). Many air pollutants may cause or aggravate
respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses; some are known carcinogens; and some can
cause damage to vegetation and, in turn, produce a range of ecological effects.

4. Degraded water quality: similarly, water quality can be seriously degraded by

contamination with pollutants, giving rise to a range of health-related and ecological
effects (such as the degradation of coral reefs). A major source of water pollution is the
terrestrial run-off to inshore waters that occurs in many coastal locations; such run-off
may contain significantly elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural
land and from human settlements. Many other human activities lead to water pollution,
including mining and industrial processes, which may create toxic effluent. Oil spills,
accumulation of plastics and the bioaccumulation of persistent organic chemicals are
some of the other causes of serious degradation of the marine environment.

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 5. Scarcity of fresh water: besides the pollution of freshwater sources, there are a
variety of other reasons for the scarcity of fresh water for drinking in many parts of the
world - many of which are related to poor water resource management practices. For
instance, the over-abstraction of water from rivers results in water shortages and
problems of salinisation downstream. Irrigation practices may also be responsible for
the depletion of local water sources and the salinisation of irrigated land. Vast
differences in water security exist at the global scale, reflecting both demand for fresh
water and the scale of public and private investment in water supplies, treatment and
distribution.

6. Land contamination: land contamination occurs as a result of chemical or radioactive

pollution, especially by long-lived (persistent) chemical species that enter the soil. Land
contamination may cause profound ecological effects and it presents severe constraints
to development, since contaminated land must typically be rehabilitated before it is safe
to use for agriculture, construction or recreation.

7. Deforestation: it has been estimated that around half of the world's mature forests
have been cleared by humans. Deforestation occurs for a variety of reasons, but the
majority of deforestation now occurs when tropical forests are cleared for agriculture
and pastoralism; other reasons include the destruction of trees for charcoal production
and the selective logging of forests for timber. Whilst tropical forests cover only around
6% of the earth's surface, they are an essential part of the global ecosystem and of the
biosphere: they help to regulate climate; they protect soils from erosion; and they
provide habitats for a vast number of plant and animal species. One estimate suggests
that around 90% of the world's species are found in tropical forests (Park 2001).

8. Soil erosion and degradation: concerns about soil erosion, soil degradation and the
problem of desertification have become acute. In part, these concerns are based on the
historical experiences of dramatic soil erosion and transport in New World countries
including the USA (during the 'Dust Bowl' of the 1930s) and Australia. Whilst analyses
of the problems of soil erosion and degradation have become more sophisticated,
recently, it is clear that these problems continue to have important consequences for
agricultural and pastoral productivity as well as for the functioning of natural
ecosystems.

9. Land use change and habitat loss: these issues overlap with others, such as
deforestation, but they are broader and include the clearance of forest for agriculture
and pastoralism, the transformation of land during urban growth, the development of
new infrastructure (such as roads), the drainage of wetlands, and the destruction and
removal of coastal mangrove forests.

10. Biodiversity loss: many plant and animal species are threatened with extinction, due
to the spread of disease, the destruction and degradation of their habitats, and direct
exploitation. In 1999, UNEP (1999) estimated that one-quarter of the world's mammal
species and around one-tenth of the world's bird species faced a significant risk of total
extinction. Threats to biodiversity are not confined to terrestrial ecosystems; serious
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 concerns have been raised about the future of marine and coastal wildlife species as a
result of the pollution, over-exploitation and acidification of ocean and seas.

B. Other Related Issues

Some issues associated with the environmental crisis are not strictly 'environmental', but are
closely related to environmental issues. They encompass a range of economic, social, political
and technological issues.

1. Population growth: the total human population has expanded since the introduction
of agriculture, around 12 000 years ago, and its rate of growth has generally increased
over time, largely as a result of increased food production and improved sanitation and
health care. Achieving the first one billion of human population took most of human
history, whilst the most recent increase of one billion was achieved in little more than a
decade. However, recent declines in the rate of growth of population have occurred in
many parts of the world, and in some countries populations are now declining. The total
human population was around 5.9 billion in 1998; it currently far exceeds 6 billion
people and is expected to have reached 9.4 billion people by 2050. The increasing
human population inevitably places greater demands on the natural environment - for
habitat, resources and waste assimilation - although the extent to which the human
'population explosion' is driving environmental degradation is a complex and
controversial question. Significant differences exist in cultural attitudes to the issues of
human population size and the rate of population growth.

2. Urbanization: the issue of urbanization is indirectly related to that of population

growth, since urbanization is occurring in response to increasing population pressures in
rural areas and to the increasing concentration of economic opportunities in cities -
often in so-called 'megacities' (cities with populations exceeding 10 million people).
Urbanization is often associated with a range of social and environmental problems
including overcrowding, congestion, pollution, public health issues, shortages of water
for drinking, and inadequate sanitation. Urbanization is also related to another issue:
the decline of rural communities.

3. Poverty: whilst poverty is complex and problematic to define, the persistence of

poverty at all levels (from intra-household to global) represents an ongoing challenge,
as acknowledged in most current development policies, initiatives and targets (such as
the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNDP undated)). Vast differences in
patterns of income, production and consumption are evident at all spatial scales, and
those patterns are reflected in distinctive patterns of environmental impact (although in
some cases environmental impacts are 'exported', as in the case of radioactive waste
that is generated in one country before being transported to another for processing or
disposal).

4. Food insecurity: in general, the rate of increase in total food production has exceeded
that of total population growth over recent decades, mainly due to improvements in
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 agricultural practices and in water management techniques. However, the average
values conceal enormous differences in the distribution and quality of food, and the lack
of food security remains a profound challenge in many parts of the world. Debates
about food production raise important environmental issues such as the use of
genetically modified (GM) and genetically engineered (GE) seeds and produce.

5. Disease: closely related to issues of poverty and food insecurity are problems of
disease due to malnutrition, scarcity of water for drinking, poor sanitation, pollution,
and inadequate shelter; those are often compounded by the spread of infectious
diseases such as malaria, cholera, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Large differences occur
in the responses of human societies to diseases, reflecting vast inequalities in health
care spending and in funding for pharmaceutical and medical research.

6. Peak oil and energy security: peak oil refers to the time at which maximum crude oil
extraction occurs, after which the economically viable reserves become depleted and
the rate of oil extraction declines. Some estimates suggest that peak oil will occur - or
has already occurred - early in the 21st century, with the implication that alternative
energy sources will need to be developed in sufficient time to serve as a substitute for
oil. Regardless of the accuracy of predictions about peak oil, the issues of climate
change and conflict respectively, are now driving debates about ‘green’ (decarbonized
or renewable) energy sources and energy security.

7. Conflict and displacement: conflict between human societies continues to create

severe environmental degradation in addition to human misery and a wide range of
social impacts. For instance, the use of depleted uranium munitions causes significant
land contamination, whilst the effects of the displacement of large numbers of people
from zones of conflict can exert pressures on adjacent ecosystems. Displacement of
people does not occur only in response to violence; globally, the effects of climate
change are projected to result in the displacement of as many as 500 million
environmental refugees.

C. Natural disasters

Whilst not necessarily part of the environmental crisis, human populations are also faced with
ongoing threats due to the occurrence of natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides,
floods, tsunamis and wildfires. Yet whilst these hazards may be natural in origin, it is important
to acknowledge that human vulnerability to natural disasters is generally increasing, not least
because human populations and settlements are growing in many marginal and dangerous
areas, such as floodplains. Hence unsustainable practices - such as the construction of
settlements on floodplains, or the intensive cultivation of marginal hill slope lands - may
greatly increase the impacts of natural disasters on human societies and economies.

Mt. Kilauea – according to US Geological Survey Mt. Kilauea has been releasing more
than twice the amount of noxious sulfur dioxide gas (SO 2) as the single dirtiest power plant
on the United States mainland.

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 Mt. Pinatubo – 15 million tons of sulfur dioxide released when it was erupted, created a
hazy layer aerosol particles composed primarily of sulfuric acid droplets that brought down
the average global temperature by 0.6 degrees Celsius for the next 15 months.

D. Man-made Pollution

Humans exacerbate other natural environment problems. It is human contributions has

become immediate cause to worry. Man-made pollution is generally a byproduct of
human actions such as consumption, waste disposal, industrial production, transportation
and energy generation. Pollutants can enter the surrounding environment in various ways,
either through the atmosphere, water systems or soil, and can persist for generations if left
untreated.

Types of man-made pollution

1. Air Pollution - Air pollution occurs when harmful chemicals or particulate matter are
introduced into the atmosphere.

In Saudi Arabia, sandstorms combined combustion exhaust from traffic and industrial
waste has lead the WHO Riyadh as one of the most polluted cities in the world.

In 2015 Greenpeace India, the air pollution in the country was at it worst, aggravated
by the Indian government’s inadequate monitoring systems. 94 percent of Nigeria’s
population is exposed to air pollution that the WHO warned as reaching dangerous
levels.

In Gabon, the capital of Botswana is the 7 th most polluted city in the world. The
emission of aerosol and other gases form car exhaust, burning of wooed and garbage,
indoor-cooking and diesel fueled electric generators and petrochemical plants are
projected to quadruple by 2030.

Pollution in West Africa has affected the atmospheric circulation systems that control
everything from wind and atmospheric circulation systems that controls everything
from wind and temperature to rainfall across the swathes of the region.

Aerosol is tagged the culprit in changing rainfall patterns in Asia and the Atlantic

2. Water Pollution - Water pollution occurs as bodies of water (oceans, lakes, rivers,
streams, aquifers and atmospheric water) become contaminated by man-made waste
substances.
Waste coming out of coal, copper and gold mines flowing out into the rivers and
oceans is destroying sea life or permeating bodies of those which survived with poison
(mercury in tuna, prominently).

The biggest copper mine in Malanjkhand in India discharge high levels of toxic heavy
metals into water streams.
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 In China the “tailings” form the operations of Shanxi Manqiao Ecological Mining Ltd.,
producing 12,000 tons of gold per year, have caused pollution and safety problems.
The conditions in China have become very critical as the toxic by-products of
production processes are being produced much more rapidly than the earth can
absorb.

In West Virginia have pumped “chemical-laden wastewater directly into the ground it
can leech into the water table and turn what had been drinkable water into a
poisonous cocktail of chemical.

3. Soils Pollution - Soil pollution occurs as harmful man-made substances leach into
the soil.

In China, Coal fumes coming out of industries and settling down in surrounding areas
contaminated 20 percent of China’s soil with the rice lands in Hunan and Zhuzhou
found to have heavy metals from the mines threatening the food supply.

E. Climate Change

Earth's climate has changed throughout history. Just in the last 650,000 years there have
been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age
about 11,700 years ago marking the beginning of the modern climate era — and of human
civilization. Most of these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s
orbit that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives.

The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is extremely likely
(greater than 95% probability) to be the result of human activity since the mid-20 th century
and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented over decades to millennia. Scientists
attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-20th century to the human
expansion of the greenhouse effect.

Greenhouse effect warming those results when the atmosphere traps heat
radiating from Earth toward space.

Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases that remain
semi-permanently in the atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically to
changes in temperature are described as "forcing" climate change. Gases, such as water
vapor, which respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature, are seen as
"feedbacks."

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 Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers
have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have
shifted and trees are flowering sooner.
Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are
now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat
waves.

F. Combating Climate Change

Climate change is a proven fact. Global warming has caused serious changes to the planet,
such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, deforestation, and disappearance
of species. But, as individuals we can slow down global warming by implementing small
more sustainable actions within our community.

Actions to fight climate change

1. Reduce emissions. Use your car less, whenever possible, instead use sustainable

transportation, such as bicycling, or use public transportation more often. In the
case of long-distance travel, trains are more sustainable than airplanes, which cause
a great deal of the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. If you're into cars, remember
that every kilometer that you increase your speed will considerably increase
CO2 emissions and expenses. According to the CE, each liter of fuel that your car
uses equals 2.5 kilos of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere.

2. Save energy. Take a look at the labels on your appliances, and never leave them
on standby. Always adjust the thermostat for heating and air conditioning. By being
careful how we use home appliances, we can save energy and, of course, money at
the end of the month.

3. Put the 3 R's of sustainability into practice

 Reduce: consume less, more efficiently.
 Reuse: take advantage of second-hand markets, to give new life to items
that you don't use anymore or find something that someone else has gotten
rid of that you need. You'll be saving money and reducing your consumption.
Bartering is also a practical solution.
 Recycle: packaging, waste from electronics, etc. Did you know that you can
save over 730 kilos of CO2 each year just by recycling half of the garbage
produced at home?

4. What about your diet? Eat low-carbon

A low-carbon diet results in smarter consumption:

 Reduce your meat consumption (livestock is one of the biggest contaminators

of the atmosphere) and increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables.

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  Eat food that is local and in season: read the label and eat food that is
produced in the area, avoid imports which create more emissions due to
transportation. Also, eat seasonal items, to avoid less sustainable production
methods.
 Avoid excessive packaging and processed foods as much as possible.

5. Act against forest loss

 As far as possible, avoid anything that may be a fire hazard.
 If you want to buy wood, choose wood with a certification or seal showing its
sustainable origin.
 Plant a tree! Throughout its life, it can absorb up to a ton of CO2.

6. Make demands from the government

Demand that they take measures toward a more sustainable life, any way that you
can:
 Promote renewable energy, regulatory measures such as properly labeling
products (fishing method used labels that specify product origins, whether or
not they are transgenic, etc.); or
 Promote more sustainable public transportation, promote the use of bicycles
and other non-polluting transportation methods in the city, and correctly
manage waste through recycling/reuse.

Summary

Perhaps no issue forces people to think about their role as citizens of the world than environmental
degradation. Every person, regardless of race, nation or creed, belongs to the same world. When
one looks at an image of the earth, he or she will realize that, he or she belongs to one world –
world that is increasingly vulnerable. In the fight against climate change, one cannot afford to
simply care about his or her own backyard. The CO2 emitted in one country may have severe
effects on the climate of another. There is no choice but to find global solutions to this global
problem.

GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. What exactly is climate change and what causing this to happen?
2. Why climate change is considered problem?
3. Is there anything you can do to stop climate change?

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 Learning Activity 11.1
Guide Questions

1. What exactly is climate change and what causing this to happen?

2. Why climate change is considered problem?

3. Is there anything you can do to stop climate change?

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 Learning Activity 11.2
Finding Everyday Pollution

Go around you neighborhood and list the different kinds of pollutants that you see. Widen your
observation by looking at the areas surrounding your neighborhood.
Make a list of these pollutants and check which one can be recycled and which ones need to be out
together for the garbage men to collect. With the recycled ones, list the possible things that you
can do to make them usable and explain. Do not simply limit yourself to what you can do with the
recyclables. Your activity must include suggestions to the your neighborhood, barangay and city or
municipality.

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 REFERENCES

Claudio, Lisandro and Abinales, Patricio.2018.The Contemporary World. C&E Publishing, Inc.

https://www.freeman-pedia.com/today/

https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/migration/index.html

https://www.everythingconnects.org/the-environmental-crisis.html

https://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep-demos/000_P500_ESM_K3736-Demo/unit1/page_11.htm

https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

https://www.activesustainability.com/climate-change/6-actions-to-fight-climate-change/

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