ch 11,6, 7, 8 broad overview

IUCN Red List

updated list of species facing high risks of extinction. amphibian species at high risk

single greatest cause of biodiversity loss

habitat loss

4 primary causes of extinction + pop decline

habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, overharvesting

biome experiencing greatest habitat loss

tropical rainforest

The Endangered Species Act

1973, prime peice of legislation protecting US biodiversity. forbids actions that destroy endangered species or their habitats

The Convention on Biological Diversity

1992, 193 nations promoting the conservation of species, using biodiversity in a sustainable manner, and fairly distrubuting biodiversity’s benefits

umbrella species

large species that roam great distances

parks and protected areas

meant to conserve species and habitats

13% of earth’s land is protected

anthropocentric

human-centered, nonhuman entities have no intrinsic value, evaluates costs and benefits solely on human impact

biocentric

intrinsic value to all living things, tree hugger, values nature above industry

ecocentric

assesses actions in terms of their costs and benefits to all ecological systems, living and nonliving, middle ground

preservation ethic

JOHN MUIR, preserving natural systems for their own intrinsic value

conservation ethic

GIFFORD PINCHOT, wise use of natural resources-- utilitarian standard

land ethic

ALDO LEOPOLD, include environemtn in ethical framework pls

classical economics

adam smith, self-interested economic behavior will benefit society as a whole if monitored by laws and private property rights, and operating within competitive marketplace

neoclassical economics

includes psychcological factors underlying consumer choices and considers supply, demand, costs, benefits. largely describes today’s market systems

cost-benefit analysis

neoclassical approach, assesses the costs paid to gain benefits, used to evaluate public projects, do not proceed if costs exceed benefits

external costs

costs borne by members of soceity uninvolved in the economical exchange

steady-state economy

does not grow or shrink, mirrors natural ecological systems

GDP (gross domestic product)

all economic activity, good or bad, does not account for nonmarket values, increased by pollution

GPI (geniune progress indicator)

differentiates between good and bad economic activity, has been flat in recent years, more accurate depiction of society’s well-being

ecolabeling

provides buisnesses with incentive to move towards more sustainable processes

Millennium Development Goals for 2015

eight broad goals for sustainable development


1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Global partnership for development

tragedy of the commons

everyone takes freely, nothing left

National Environmental Policy Act

established EPA and required that an environmental impact statement (EIS) be prepared for federal action like logging, or building a highway or dam

Clean Water Act

1972, established goal of creating fishable, swimmable waterways by setting a maximum amount of pollution that can be discharged into waterways and requiring permits to do so. recent amendments focused on stormwater drainage and municipal sewage discharge facilities

Clean Air Act

1970, established air quality standards for primary and secondary pollutants and required states to develop specific plans for cleaner air like emissions testing of cars

Endangered Species Act

1973, identifies threatened and endangered species in the US, puts their protection ahead of economic consideration, protects their habitats, and helps the FIsh & Wildlife Service prepare recovery plans

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

1980, established the Superfund for emergency response and remediation of toxic and hazardous waste sites

Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

1976, the primary law pertaining to the disposal of solid and hazardous wastes, setting standards and requiring permits for “cradle to grave” management

Safe Drinking Water Act

1974, authorizes the EPA to set quality standards for tap water provided by public water systems and to protect drinking water from sources of contamination

Green taxes

polluter-pays-principle, taxes buisnesses that are environmentally harmful, provides a market-based incentive to invest in “cleaner” processes

cap-and-trade system

acceptable level of pollution is determined by the govt, which then issues permits. companies can trade and benefit off of selling their permits

Montreal Protocal

1989, treaty aimed at reducing the emission of airborne chemicals that deplete stratospheric ozone. is considered the **most successful effort to date** in addressing the global environmental problem

Kyoto Protocol

2005, an agreement drafted in 1997 that calls for reducing emissions of 6 greenhouse gases to levels lower than their 1990 levels by 2012. US refuses to ratify this b/c economics

current world population

7\.8b (as of 2021)

age structure diagrams, left to right

increasing rapidly, increasing slowly, stable, decreasing

total fertility rate

average number of children born per woman during her lifetime

improved medical care results in ____

a lower TFR

replacement fertility

the TFR that keeps the size of a population stable (2.1)

demographic transition stages (pg 90 prep book)

pre-industrial, death and birth rates high

transitional, declining death rates

industrial, birth rates decline

post-industrial, low birth and death rates, stable pop