Environmental Resource Management
Environment Resource Management
Introduction
Environmental issues have fast become a major global issue. Following decades of consumption of her natural resources Mother Nature may well have decided to hit back. The climate is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific evidence that not only this is happening, it is mainly human-induced.
With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing. Is global warning the greatest ever threat to face the planet?
We can look at the key factors causing the environment critical stress:
The Atmosphere
Stratospheric ozone depletion threatens us with enhanced ultra-violet radiation at the earth's surface, which can be damaging or lethal to many life forms. Air pollution near ground level, and acid precipitation, are already causing widespread injury to humans, forests and crops.
Water Resources
Heedless exploitation of depletable ground water supplies endangers food production and other essential human systems. Heavy demands on the world's surface waters have resulted in serious shortages in some 80 countries, containing 40% of the world's population. Pollution of rivers, lakes and ground water further limits the supply.
Living Species
The irreversible loss of species, which by 2100 may reach one third of all species now living, is especially serious much of this damage is irreversible, whereas other processes appear to pose additional threats. Increasing levels of gases in the atmosphere from human activities, including carbon dioxide released from fossil fuel burning and from deforestation may alter climate on a global scale.
Massive tampering with the world's interdependent web of life, coupled with the environmental damage inflicted by deforestation, species loss, and climate change, could trigger widespread adverse effects, including unpredictable collapses of critical
Introduction
Environmental issues have fast become a major global issue. Following decades of consumption of her natural resources Mother Nature may well have decided to hit back. The climate is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific evidence that not only this is happening, it is mainly human-induced.
With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing. Is global warning the greatest ever threat to face the planet?
We can look at the key factors causing the environment critical stress:
The Atmosphere
Stratospheric ozone depletion threatens us with enhanced ultra-violet radiation at the earth's surface, which can be damaging or lethal to many life forms. Air pollution near ground level, and acid precipitation, are already causing widespread injury to humans, forests and crops.
Water Resources
Heedless exploitation of depletable ground water supplies endangers food production and other essential human systems. Heavy demands on the world's surface waters have resulted in serious shortages in some 80 countries, containing 40% of the world's population. Pollution of rivers, lakes and ground water further limits the supply.
Living Species
The irreversible loss of species, which by 2100 may reach one third of all species now living, is especially serious much of this damage is irreversible, whereas other processes appear to pose additional threats. Increasing levels of gases in the atmosphere from human activities, including carbon dioxide released from fossil fuel burning and from deforestation may alter climate on a global scale.
Massive tampering with the world's interdependent web of life, coupled with the environmental damage inflicted by deforestation, species loss, and climate change, could trigger widespread adverse effects, including unpredictable collapses of critical