Managing Human Population and Ecosystems

Uganda - Youthful Population

75% under 30; high birth rates.

Challenges in Uganda (4)

Overcrowded schools, youth unemployment, natural resources under pressure (deforestation, water), hospitals short on supplies

Strategies in Uganda (3)

Free education, vocational training (Skilling Uganda), family planning.

Remaining challenges in Uganda (4)

Birth rates still high, not enough jobs for the young, girls have less opportunities, programs lack funding or are poorly managed.

Successes of Uganda strategies (3)

More children attend school, better access to to family planning in cities, more youn people start small businesses.

China - One-Child Policy (include years)

Goal: Reduce population growth (1979-2015).

Successes of One-Child Policy

Lower birth rates, economic growth and living standards increased

Problems of One-Child Policy

Ageing population, gender imbalance.

Japan- Aging population context

Japan faces one the the words most rapidly aging populations and low birth rates

Japan - Aging Population Strategies (4)

delayed retirement, robotics and automation for reduced labor shortage, encourage women in workforce, relax immigration policies

Challenges/impacts in Japan (3)

Population continues declining, Social resistance to immigration, Economic pressure (work force shrinkage, pension and healthcare costs)

France - Pro-Natalist context (2)

To counter low birth rates and support economic growth, France introduced pronatalist incentives

France - Pro-Natalist Policy strategies (4)

Incentives: Paid maternity leave, subsided childcare, tax benefits for larger families, free education and healthcare

Success of France Pro-Natalist Policy (stats)

Higher fertility (1.8 vs. EU 1.5) but still below replacement (2.1).

Challenges of France Pro-Natalist policy (2)

Still below replacement (2.1). meaning population decline continues, expensive to support large-scale family support programs

U.S. - Habitat Conservation (2)

Policies: Endangered Species Act (1973) and habitat creation

Example of habitat restoration (2)

Wetland restoration projects in Florida’s Everglades to restore degraded ecosystems and California converts former agricultural land into wildlife corridors and riparian habitats to support spices like salmon and mountain lions

Example of Habitat Conservation: Endangered species act (1973)

Yellowstone national park re-introduce wolves, elk, and other native species through large scale habitat conservation

Costa Rica - Rainforest Protection- habitat conservation (2 points, statistics)

25% of land protected through national parks and biological reserves.

Forest protection is enforced by law, and deforestation rates have drastically decreased since the 1990s

Costa Rica- Rainforest protection- Habitat Creation

The payment for Environmental Services (PES) program pays landowners to reforest or preserve land, creating new forest corridors that reconnect fragmented habitats

Success of Rainforest Protection (2)

Recovery of tropical rainforest cover, increase in biodiversity and ecotourism which supports economy

Challenges of Rainforest Protection (2)

Pressure from agricultural development Remains in some regions, funding for long-term payments to landowners can be inconsistent

Indonesia context

Hone to the third largest tropical rainforest. Forests are rich in biodiversity and support endangered animals like rhino and people who depend on the rainforest for resources.

Indonesia - Rainforest Threats (4)

Deforestation, illegal logging, palm oil plantations, mining

Solutions for Rainforest Threats (5)

Protected areas and national parks, REDD+ programs, moratorium on logging and forest clearing, community forest management, promoting sustainable palm oil (RSPO-certified palm oil)

Amazon - Human Impacts (6)

Deforestation for agriculture and cattle ranching, illegal logging and mining, infrastructure development, climate change and fires

REDD + program

(Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest degradation) Indonesia participates in UN- backed programs to receive international funding and reduce carbon emissions to preserve forests

Moratorium on Logging and Forest cleaning

In 2011, the government issued a moratorium on new permits for forest clearing in primary forests and peat lands

Community forest management

Involving local and indigenous communities in forest protection, giving them legal rights to Marianne land sustainability

Promoting sustainable plam oil

Encouraging oaks oil companies to become RSPO- certified (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), avoiding deforestation and protecting wildlife.

Management of Amazon Impacts (4)

protected areas and indigenous reserves, satellite monitoring to track illegal logging, REDD+ programs pay countries to conserve forests, reforestation and sustainable and use initiatives

Success of Indonesia’s Rainforests (4)

Slowed the rate of deforestation in some area, orangutan populations protected in specific reserves, REDD + brought some international funding and awareness Pam some companies commit to deforestation- free supply chain

Challenges of Indonesia’s Rainforest protection (4)

Illegal logging continues, weak enforcement of laws and corruption, high remain for lil and timber drives ongoing pressure, climate change and forest fires still a threat.

India - Public Distribution System (PDS)

addresses food security through public distribution systems, which provide food grains to pour houses via ration shops.

National food security act (2013)to ensure the right to food

Problems with PDS (3)

Issuers with Corruptio and food waste in supply chain, Focus on grains creates lack of nutrition diversity, Rising cost of subsidies for the government.

Brazil - Zero Hunger Program strategies

Strategies: Cash transfers (Bolsa Família), school meals. launched in early 2000s to eliminate hunger

Success of Zero Hunger Program (3)

reduce under nourishment and poverty rates, connected local farmers to school, boosting, agriculture local and improving nutrition, Recognized by the FAO as a model for other developing countries

Germany - Energiewende (Energy transition)

long-term plan to shift from fossil fuels and nuclear power to renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and biomass

Challenges of Energiewende (3)

Intermittency of wind and solar requires energy storage solutions, high costs, still reliant on some coal and gas imports

Kenya - Geothermal/Solar Expansion Context

Focuses on expanding renewable energy access, using a mix of geothermal, hydropower, and offgrade solar solutions.

Risks of Renewable Energy in Kenya

Drought affects hydropower, financing barriers and remote areas, need for ongoing investments and good expansion and maintenance

Norway - Hydropower & EVs

Norway relies entirely on renewable energy and leads the world in electric vehicle adoption

challenges of Norway's Energy (3)

dependency on Hydro power makes Norway vulnerable, still earns major revenue from oil and gas exports, creating contradiction, limited capability of Norway’s model to larger or dryer nations

Sweden - Waste-to-Energy (3)

<1% of household waste goes to landfills,

Over 99% of waste is recycled or converted to energy, public campaigns and strict regulations promote household, sorting and recycling.

Criticism of Waste-to-Energy

Critics are you incineration can discourage for their waste reduction, requires ongoing investment and public cooperation.

Japan - Strict Waste Sorting

10+ categories; Kami-katsu town recycles 80%.

Challenge of Waste Sorting in Japan

Complex system.

Aral Sea - Ecological Disaster

Cause: Soviet cotton irrigation → 90% water loss.

Recovery of Aral Sea

North Aral dam (Kazakhstan); South remains dry.

Saudi Arabia - Desalination

50% drinking water from desalination.

Issues with Desalination

Energy-intensive, aquifer depletion.

India-Pakistan - Indus Water Treaty

1960 Agreement: Pakistan gets western rivers, India eastern.

Conflict over Indus Water Treaty

Indian dams, climate change tensions.

Ganges River Pollution Causes

Sewage, industrial waste, religious offerings.

Cleanup of Ganges River

Namami Gange Mission (2014).

Club of Rome - Limits to Growth

Warnings: Overpopulation, resource depletion.

Legacy of Limits to Growth

Inspired sustainability debates.

Agenda 21 focus

Education, family planning, local action.

Criticism of Agenda 21

Non-binding, conspiracy theories (U. S).