Chapter 12: Ecosystems and Human Well-being

This chapter was longer than most so it will take some time to review. It discusses the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and Millennium Development Goals called for by 2000's UN Security General Hofi Annan. In this reflection I will list various goals, scenarios and findings the presented in the chapter.

The key concept in this chapter is: The need for substantial, basic changes in government, economics, technology, social behavior, and knowledge to achieve a sustainable future.

Some statistics include:
- an estimated 60% (15 out of 24) of ecosystem services examined by the MA (fresh water,capture fisheries etc...) are being degraded or are unstable.
- Since 1750 carbon dioxide levels in the air have increased by 32% (280 parts per million to 376 parts per million in 2003) with 60% of that increase having taken place since 1959 due to fossil fuel use.
- 70% of world-wide water use us for agriculture.
- Some 10-30% of mammal, bird and amphibian species are currently threatened with extinction.

Four Findings by the MA are:
1) Over the past 50 years, humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any comparable period of time in human history, largely to meet rapidly growing demands for food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel. This has resulted in a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth.
2) The changes that have been made to ecosystems have contributed to substantial net gains in human well-being and economic development, but these gains have been achieved at growing costs in the form of degradation of many ecosystem services, increased risks of nonlinear changes, and the exacerbation of poverty for some groups of people. These problems, unless addressed, will substantially diminish the benefits that future generations obtain from ecosystems.
3) The degradation of ecosystem services could grow significantly worse during the first half of this century and is a barrier to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
4)The challenge of reversing the degradation of ecosystems while meeting the increased demands for their services can be partially met under some scenarios that the MA considered, but these involve significant changes in policies, institutions, and practices that are no currently underway. Many options exist to conserve or enhance specific ecosystem services in ways that reduce negative trade-offs or that provide positive synergies with other ecosystem services.

Essentially these four findings are saying that ma mankind has accelerated its rate of consumption of the Earth's resources and the alteration of its environments. We have to radically change how some things are down and how we manage our consumption if we want to have a sustainable future.

The scenarios mentioned above are a means of exploring plausible future for ecosystems and human well-being based on assumptions driving forces of change. The all take place in 2050 roughly. Briefly, they are:
Global Orchestration - This depicts a globally connected society that focuses on economic liberalization as well as a reactive approach and strong steps regarding ecosystem problems and reducing poverty and inequality along with investing in infrastructure and education. There is high economic growth but has lowest population.
Order from Strength - Here we have a fragmented world concerned with security, protection while taking little interest in public goods and a reactive approach to to ecosystem problems. Economic growth is lowest but population is growth is highest.
Adapting Mosaic - There is a lot of local institutional and economic management and strengthening.Societies have a strongly proactive approach to managing ecosystems. Growth rates start low but grow over time and population is almost as high as Order from Strength.
TechnoGarden - A globally connected world relying strongly on environmentally sound technology while using often engineered ecosystems to deliver ecosystem services. Economic growth is high and accelerates while population is mid-range.

These scenarios aren't predictions and were developed to explore unpredictable features of change in drivers and ecosystem services. Each case begin form the world as it currently stands and incorporate significant policy changes and which are aimed at addressing sustainable development challenges.

The chapter also explores examples that are suggested to be promising and effective responses for specific sectors. In other words, well thought out goals mankind should strive to reach in order to achieve a more sustainable future.

For Agriculture some goals include; 1) the removal of production subsidies that have adverse economic and social and environmental effects 2) Investing in and diffusion of agricultural science and technology to help sustain our current food demands without harming the ecosystem 3) Recognize the role of women and implementing policies to help empower women and ensuring access to control of resources necessary for food security.

Fisheries and Agriculture; 1) Reduction is marine fishing capacity (obviously, if the Grand Banks are any example) 2) Strict regulations of the establishment and implementation of quotas, steps to address unreported and unregulated harvest (help keep track of who's over stepping the boundaries and could be a potential threat to the ecosystem) 3) Establishing regulatory systems and marine protected areas (reduces the impact of of fishing on the environment and ensures marine life has "safe zones" to thrive in).

Water; 1) Payments for ecosystem services provided by water sheds (in other words if you want to use the water you've got to pay for it) 2) Increased transparency of water related information and improved representation of stakeholders and emphasis on the natural environment rather than measurements for dams and such. 3) Investing in science and technology to increase efficiency of water use in agriculture.

Forestry; 1) Integrate agreed sustainable management practices on areas such as finance, trade etc to help manage interaction with the environment 2) Empower local communities that depend heavily on the local environment that are in support for sustainable practices.

The ideas, scenarios and facts this chapter covers are all a means to a sustainable end. I agree with many of them especially a more global effort where all countries manage the use of the Earth's resources. This would mean a louder voice for those who want to help protect ecosystems and better the flow of information. The Earth is home to all people and should be managed as a whole, not just at the convenience of, or in the hands of a few countries.

Blog Reflection: - What future would you like to see for the Alberta Tar Sands project?

I understand that the world is going to need more oil for a long time before it weens itself of the stuff. We will have to fins and develop more oil wells to keep ourselves going regardless of how quickly we implement sustainable energy practices. However we should be going about handling our oil addiction in the best way possible. We should be above merely taking whatever we can get our hands on. The dirty oil from the sands is looked upon by even oil companies as a poor source of the much needed fuel. There are numerous other wells in the world where we have free flowing oil that is far less harmful (still not good though) to the environment to obtain and process. I think we should cease oil sands production immediately and concentrate on replacing the sands with a "friendlier" source for oil. Since we are going to need oil for a long time yet we should at least try to restrain ourselves by only going after what we can get easily and with the least possible threat to the environment.

Class Review: Tar Sands Protest Video

Today we view a video from MTV where a camera crew followed a young female activist (I am terrible at remembering names) on a trip to Edmonton and the Alberta Oil Sands. One thing I noticed in the interviews with various oil companies and ministers was that they all felt that there was no possibility for environmental threat from the oil sands project and were quick to mention they had not seen any solid proof of chemical and toxins leaching into the Mackenzie river or other water systems. However the young activist had spoken with a few scientists who stated that there was a threat, and local people who told of how they saw rare cancers popping up in co-workers at refining plants and how fish in local streams were growing tumors and had sores on their bodies. The activist asked Albertan minister - who was involved with the provinces technological development ans such - that should a it be found that a tailing pond or facility was leaking, would it be shut down and dealt with? His answer was "Isn't that a silly question?" What on earth was silly about it? Was he meaning to say "No duh, we'll deal with it!" or "Why? Its a waste of money?". Either way many local people and Edmonton ciizens had mixed feelings about the oil sands project.

Chapter 11: Will Hurricane Katrina Impact Shoreline Management?

Erosion is the main issue in this chapter as well as Hurricane Katrina's impact upon shoreline management (as stated in the title of this post). A Professor Orrin H. Pilkey is referred to in the the opening paragraph and states that it may be time to stop federal funding for post-storm rebuilding in vulnerable areas. The idea behind this - which the chapter covers in more depth - is that people living in high risk areas such as right on the shore (Miami for example) should not receive federal or outside funding to rebuild as inevitably another storm or flood etc will come along and they will be homeless once more. One obstacle that is mentioned is the argument that as coastal development is an major economic powerhouse for the U.S. and in turn it is essential that the government help rebuild areas after they are ruined. The author brings up the valid point that if coastal development is so financially successful then they have no need for federal aid. The author goes on to says once again that the U.S. should cease subsidizing those who want to live and work on the immediate coast and that the free market should decide their fate.Local areas should manage their own self-insurance and if it is too costly, then building in the are is impractical. People in North Dakota should not be providing coastal welfare for developers in Florida (quoted directly from the chapter).

One idea proposed in the chapter is to form a commission to determine what areas should have federal funding, should they be planning to retreat from their high risk area, and how to manage the money saved by not subsidizing coastal development.

The Louisiana wetlands and barrier islands potential $14-15 billion dollar restoration project comes under fire as they are seen by the people consulted in the writing of this chapter simply as little speed bumps that did little to counteract Katrina. The author states that the people behind this chapter are all for wetland protection, but for this ind of money they want to see all U.S. wetlands on the table.

The chapter ends with the comment that Coastal Scientists should be doing more to get involved directly with public hearings document published for public comment by the Army Corps of Engineers etc so as to help educate the voice of coastal science heard in local affairs of the beach.

Chapter 7:The Tragedy of the Commons

The Tragedy of the Commons is a scenario created by William Forster Lloyd (1794-18520 in which all farmers equally share a grazing field and limit the number of cattle they each raise due to poaching, tribal wars and disease. However, after social stability is reached one farmer begins to consider raising more cattle to make more profit. This is reflected by the other farmers until the fields resources are consumed and the farmers now cannot raise any cattle. Another issue brought about by the Tragedy is pollution. The idea is that every person who dumps waste finds it cheaper to forgo purifying the waste beforehand. The concept of Freedom to Breed and how it is intolerable as it leads to over population. The author then states that we should openly deny the validity of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights statement where all decisions of family size rests with the family itself, never outside. The chapter then goes on with may examples supporting the idea that people should be free to have all the children and resources they want, but that it should be made very expensive so as to discourage "overuse". There are other political suggestion such as trying to ensure the most able bodied and intelligent in the family inherits the most of their parents estates and resources. Essentially this chapter supports the "dog eat dog world" to an extent coupled with the idea that the world should not section off and divide the land and resources up but have everyone share it so as to show the world how one person can impact many others. A "rise together fall together" world.

Class Review: Alberta Tar Sands

The tar sands of Alberta are a mixture of bituminous sands, sand clay water and are viscous (generally not free flowing). Only recently have they come to be considered part of the world’s oil reserves since production of the sands is fairly recent. Canada and Venezuela each have oil sand reserves approximately equal to the world's total reserves of conventional crude oil. However, oil sands are often referred to as unconventional oil or crude bitumen as it is not free flowing and is mixed with sand a clay. To get to the oil reserves they must be strip mined 40-60m down. Hardly a nature friendly process. Processing is intensive requiring either hot water / caustic soda (NaOH) added, slurry piped, agitated, oil skimmed off top to remove residual water and sand or mixed with lighter petroleum or chemically split for transport by pipeline. A lot of work considering 2 tons oil sands produce only 1 barrel oil (8:1). Taling ponds help boost production but are extremely harmful as they are simply lakes and ponds filled with sludge. There are many issues with the tar sands such as the amount of land harmed (420 km2 disturbed and 65 km2 under reclamation) as well as H2S in water sources. Canada is now the largest exporter of oil to the U.S. surpassing Saudi Arabia.

Class Review: Exxon, Oil & Corporate Social Responsibility

In class we covered Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (Straight line of Carbon with Hydrogen branches. Ex: Ethane, Isobutene. Acetylene), Aromatic Hydrocarbon which are hexagonal rings of Carbon with Hydrogen attached. Ex: Benzene, Benzo-a-pyrene (looks like a honeycomb) and PAH's or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. We watched some video and discussed the Exxon Valdez spill. Many people know about what is known as one of (if not the) worst man made environmental disaster. In Prince William Sound Alaska the tanker ship Exxon Valdez spilt its oil after crashing onto a reef and spilt 10.9 million of its 54.1 million U.S. gallons (about 200 million litres) of oil. It is estimated that 250,000 to as many as 500,000 seabirds, at least 1,000 sea otters, approximately 12 river otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, and 22 orcas, as well as billions of salmon and herring eggs were killed due to the oil. We talked about some o the controversy such as how the left the bridge to get drunk and the people left in charge were fatigued. After 16 years PAH's still remain and there are numerous section of shoreline where clean up crews never bothered deal with.-Triple Bottom Line Reporting (Economic, environmental, social) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which includes Interests of society (customers, suppliers, shareholders, communities...), environment and beyond legal obligation, are one of the products of disatsers such as Exxon Valdez.