Global Environmental Issues

Importance
The environment encompasses the whole of life on earth and
the complex interactions that link the living world with the
physical world. In a general sense, this covers everything
contained within the air, land and water. Sudden and dramatic
natural changes to the environment have occurred, and
continue to occur, which have the potential to upset the whole
balance of the Earth's ecosystem. Significant environmental
issues cause impacts throughout the world. This presentation
aims to inform people on the global, regional and local
environmental issues that relate directly to Vietnam.

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 What is the Environment?
• The environment encompasses the
whole of life on earth and the complex
interactions that link the living world with
the physical world
• In a general sense, this covers
everything contained within the air, land
and water
• Time also is a key factor as historic
issues have an influence on the status
of the environment - locally and globally,
both now and in the future.

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 Environmental Change
• Sudden and dramatic natural changes to the
environment have occurred in the distant past, but
only relatively recently has one species had the
potential to upset the whole balance of the Earth's
ecosystem
• The global population has risen
dramatically during the last century
• The rise of industry and its rapid
expansion has been a major
source of pollution. This has
caused changes in the balance
of our environment
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 Global Environmental Issues
• Global Warming
• Ozone Layer Depletion
• Acid Rain
• Deforestation
• Loss of Biodiversity
• Water Pollution
• Desertification
• Waste disposal

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 Global Warming
• Greenhouse gases help to maintain the earth’s
temperature at a level suitable to support life
• Human activities are increasing the
amount of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere, which cause more heat to
be trapped
• Predicted effects of global warming
include:
– Higher sea levels
– Higher temperatures
– Variable climatic conditions
– These changes are expected to cause a
significant impact on agriculture and
ecosystems.
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 Ozone Layer Depletion
• The ozone layer protects the earth from harmful
ultraviolet (UV) light
• The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other
ozone depleating substances as refrigerants, solvents
and insulation is destroying the ozone layer
• A ‘hole’ is observed over Antarctica every autumn
• Depleated ozone levels cause the following impacts:
– Increased penetration of UV light to earth
– Increased risks of skin cancer and eye diseases
– Damage to agricultural crops
– Disruption to marine food chains

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 Acid Rain
• The burning of fossil fuels leads to atmospheric emissions of
NOx and SO2
• These gases react with water and oxygen to make sulfuric and
nitric acids. Sunlight increases the rate of these reactions
• Rain, snow and fog can be polluted with these acidic
compounds, which is then deposited at the earths surface
• The deposition of acids can:
– Damage forests and soils
– Causesacidification of lakes and other waterbodies
– Disturb wildlife
– Cause the decay of building and other structures
– Impact on human health

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 Deforestation
• The deforestation of tropical rainforests is a major
global problem-each year millions of hectares are lost
• Deforestation rates in some countries continue to
increase despite worldwide pressures
• Rainforests are destroyed for wood products, and to
make way for agricultural activities, mining and dams
• The impacts of deforestation include:
– Loss of livelihood for local inhabitants
– Variable environmental conditions (susceptability to flood,
aggravated droughts, soil erosion etc)
– Loss of biodiversity and disturbance to ecosystems
– Loss of carbon sink
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 Loss of Biodiversity
• Biodiversity has three key components:
– Genetic diversity
– Species diversity
– Ecological diversity
• Approximately 2.1 million species are known to exist, but up to
50 million still to be discovered
• Biodiversity is important for food, drugs, maintaining ecological
stability, aesthetic and cultural benefits
• Natural causes and human activity can threaten biodiversity
• The loss of biodiversity means ecosystems are destabilised,
vital resources are lost and genetic variation is reduced

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• Biodiversity
– Protect and conserve natural habitats and related
biodiversity.
– Competition for scarce land resources and the rising
demand for food production represent important constraints.
– Habitat loss caused by development pressure and the
overexploitation of fisheries, ground-water depletion, and
hunting are threatening biodiversity.
– Fish stocks in parts of North America and Europe have
been seriously depleted.
– Effects world-wide of deforestation is fragmentation of
habitats and the negative effect this has on biodiversity.

11
 Water Pollution
• A change in water quality that impacts on
living organisms
• Types and effects of water pollution include:
– Infectious agents, such as typhoid, cholera
– Nutrients and eutrophication
– Toxic materials, through mining
– Organic chemicals
– Sediments can disrupt
aquatic ecosystems
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• Water
– The problem of water is more a case of distribution and quality
than one of quantity.
– All regions have some problems related to either ground-water or
surface water resources.
– Transboundary problems associated with water resources.
– Access to adequate quantity and quality of water will soon
become problematic.
– Overexploitation of ground water lowers water tables.
• Damage wetlands, cause ground subsidence, and induce salt-
water intrusion in coastal aquifers.
– Many cities depend on ground water as the primary water supply.
– Problems caused by the deterioration of water reserves.

13
 Available Water, Selected Countries, 1990-2025
(cubic meters per capita)

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 Desertification
• Removing ground cover and degrading fertile
land initiates desertification
• Water washes away nutrients, the land
becomes inhospitable
• The process is accelerated by expanding
populations and the need to overuse fragile
areas of land

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 Areas of Desertification

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 Waste Disposal
• Waste disposal methods include:
– Open dumping and landfill
– Ocean dumping
– Exporting waste
– Waste to energy plants
• Minimising the waste stream:
– 3R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle
– Composting
– Waste to energy
• Hazardous waste disposal
– Needs to be safely handled and disposed of to minimise threats to
the environment and human health

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 Environmental Management
• Environmental pollution is a serious burden on our
ecosystems and finances world-wide
• Administrations, commercial organisations and
individuals are affected by environmental change and
its associated dangers, long-term effects and
liabilities
• Both legislative obligations and voluntary
mechanisms can address the environment and to
integrate it into the mainstream of business activity
• Consequently, environmental management is a crutial
part of all organisations’ operations

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Ozone Layer Depletion

Ozone layer thickness measured in Dobson Units

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Regional Environmental
Issues
 Regional Environmental
Issues
• From UNEP Global Environmental Yearbook 2003
• Major Environmental Issues in the
Asia/Pacific Region include:
– Land Degradation
– Loss of Biodiversity
– Air Pollution

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 Land Degradation
• Many Asian nations, particularly India, China,
Afghanistan and Mongolia are facing the
challenges of desertification
• Desertification in these areas is caused by:
– Overgrazing
– Overploughing
– Vegetation removal
• These problems continue to intensify as
human and livestock numbers continue to
increase
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 Loss of Biodiversity
• The region has a great diversity of birds, with
over 27% of all globally known species found
in the area
• However, one in eight species in the region is
globally threatened
• The major threats include habitat destruction
and over exploitation
• It is believed that 323 bird species are at risk
of extinction over the next 100 years

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 Air Pollution
• Air pollution is a major
environmental concern in
Asian cities
• Diseases related to air pollution kill more than
half a million people in the region each year
• Many nations have implimented new
emission standards aimed at reducing
atmospheric suspended matter, primarily in
the motor vehicle sector
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Local Environmental Issues
 Local Environmental Issues
• From State of the Environment, India 2001
• Land Degradation
• Forest Degradation
• Loss of Biodiversity
• Water Pollution
• Air Pollution
• Solid Waste Management
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 Land Degradation
• Soils have been badly affected by:
– Leaching
– Erosion
– Deforestation
– Acidification
– Drought
– Desertification etc
• Degraded land accounts for nearly 50% of the total land area of
the country
– 3.2 million ha lies in the plain and coastal land
– 13 million ha in mountainous areas
• A significant proportion of land degradation results from natural
and socio-economic conditions and deforestation.

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 Forest Degradation
• Reasons for forest degradation include:
– Over-clearing of forests
– Fires
– War damage
– Shifting cultivation practices
– Firewood collection
– Livestock grazing

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 Loss of Biodiversity
• India is considered as one of the top centers of high or mega
biodiversity in the world
• There is a rich diversity of flora and fauna, including
– Over 13,000 species of plants
– Over 2,000 invertebrates
– 5,000 insects
– Many endemic species
• Major factors threatening
biodiversity include:
– Habitat destruction
– Over exploitation of resources
• The number of wild animals decreases each year, more species
become threatened

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 Water Pollution
• Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation has resulted in the
growing demand for water use
• Water supply is insufficient, creating intense competition among
consumers and increasing exploitation.
• Pollution of water also contributes to a decline in available water
• Most of the monitored rivers are found to be polluted with
substances like N and P, from 4 to nearly 200 times the
standard
• Generally, offshore marine environments have good water
quality, however coastal areas are more polluted

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 Air Pollution
• Most urban areas in world are polluted by dust. In
some locations the pollution is to an alarming degree
• Lead concentrations at large cross roads are close to
the maximum acceptable limit
• In general, the emission of greenhouse gases in India
and other developing countries is lower than many
other countries, however the rates of emission
continue to rise

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 Waste Management
• The collection efficiency of solid waste is very
low, as collection services are not fully
established in most locations. The average
collection efficiency ranges from 40% - 70%
• Existing dumping sites are not properly
designed and do not meet the sanitary
requirement
• Most urban centers in world do not have
adequate and appropriate facilities to treat
hazardous wastes
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