Environmental Degradation and Some Economic Consequences in the Philippines

Biodiversity crunch

Despite attempts by African governments to achieve Sustainable Development, there is a growing perception that Africa may fail in achieving the goals. This perception is fueled partly by the evidence that while the world is undergoing rapid change, which is driven prominently by technology and globalization, Africa remains unprotected and at risk of being exploited without due recognition of, and remuneration for, its resources. Additionally, there is the continued escalating trend in poverty and the diminishing strength of the environment to meet current and future needs of African countries. Given the fact that sustainable development appears to be contradicting in between the opposing imperatives of growth and development on one hand, and ecological sustainability on the other, the trend in sustainable development on the African continent has generated some skepticism about whether the goals are achievable in Africa. The lack of a logical literature that documents the challenges and prospects of Sustainable development in Africa underpins the uncertainty of achieving the goals in Africa. Hence, this paper assessed the challenges of sustainable development in Africa, and the way forward. Keywords: SDG, Africa, Agriculture, Poverty, Economy, Development

In a rural area, environmental degradation and poverty nexus focuses on the high-dependency of poor people to natural resources-based livelihood. Arguably, limited assets of poor people cause them to be unable to cope with natural resources degradation and to undertake sustainable practice in their livelihood activities. This study attempts to find the nexus between environmental degradation and poverty in the case of coral reef destruction in Indonesia by applying secondary research as a methodology. A sustainable livelihood framework is applied to analyze small-scale fisher people's vulnerability and capacity to destruct. This study finds that small-scale fisher-people have limited assets to cope with coral reef destruction; however, the same condition leads them to destruct coral reef by doing the destructive fishing practice. This condition causes them to be trapped in the downward spiral of environmental degradation and poverty. Moreover, small-scale fisher-people can overcome this problem by developing self-governance common pool resources to conserve coral reef and increase their livelihood sustainability.

Environmental degradation has become a major threat to fisheries worldwide, particularly in coastal and developing regions where communities are highly dependent on marine resources for food and livelihood. Fisheries contribute significantly to nutrition, employment, and economic growth; however, unsustainable human activities and global environmental changes are putting immense pressure on aquatic ecosystems. Among the major challenges, pollution, climate change, and habitat loss have been identified as the most critical factors impacting fish populations and fisherfolk communities.Pollution, caused by industrial waste, plastics, untreated sewage, and agricultural runoff,severely reduces water quality,depletes oxygen,andcontaminates aquatic life./0258 Climate change,through rising sea surface temperatures,irregular monsoon patterns,cyclones, and ocean acidification,disrupts fish breeding cycles and migration, thereby affecting catch stability and income levels. Similarly, the destruction of mangroves,coral reefs, and estuaries has led to the loss of natural breeding and nursery grounds, reducing fish stock and biodiversity.This study investigates the perceptions of fisherfolk regarding these environmental issues using data collected from 60 respondents in Kanyakumari District. ANOVA techniques were applied to analyze variations in perception across three major factors pollution, climate change, and habitat loss. Results indicate that pollution is perceived as the most severe environmental issue, followed by climate change and habitat loss.

The existence of an ecological crisis is increasingly recognised as one of the defining features of life in the late modern era. The precise parameters of the crisis are described in different ways, but most accounts include the following features: (1) Modern humans are witnessing the first major extinction of species originated by human action and the first such mass extinction to occur in a time frame of decades rather than millennia. Scientists estimate the number of lost species as a consequence of human activity at around 10,000 per annum. Biodiversity is reduced by deforestation in both tropical and boreal regions, by the conversion of forests, savannah and wetlands into land for agricultural monocrops or domestic animal grazing; by industrialised deep-sea fishing; by the destruction of coral reefs; and by the increased use of pesticides and herbicides in modern agricultural systems. (2) The earth is said to be undergoing radical changes in its climatic patterns caused by human activities, and in particular the burning of fossil fuels whose principal uses include space heating, transportation and electricity production. Growth in rice-paddy cultivation and beef-cattle ranching, major sources of methane, also contribute to the enhancement of the greenhouse effect. Evidence for global warming is said to include rising sea levels; rising global air temperatures; accelerating loss of ice in the Arctic Ocean, in Antarctica and Greenland, and on land-based glaciers most notably in the Alps, the Andes and the Himalayas; the increasing number and ferocity of tropical storms; disturbances in the pattern of tropical monsoon rains; and related changes in ocean currents, which enhance the warming and cooling cycle of the Pacific El Nino effect. (3)...

Part I. Vietnam and Environmental Change 1. Environment, Society and Precipitous Change W. Neil Adger, P. Mick Kelly and Nguyen Huu Ninh 2. Social Vulnerability and Resilience W. Neil Adger and P. Mick Kelly 3. Managing Environmental Change in Vietnam P. Mick Kelly, Tran Viet Lien, Hoang Minh Hien, Nguyen Huu Ninh and W. Neil Adger 4. Historical Perspectives on Environment and Development Cecilia Luttrell Part II. The Natural Resource Base 5. Property Rights, Institutions and Resource Management - Coastal Resources Under doi moi W. Neil Adger, P. Mick Kelly, Nguyen Huu Ninh and Ngo Cam Thanh 6. Forest Land Allocation and Deforestation Processes in the Uplands Davide Pettenella 7. Sustainable Agriculture in the Uplands of Northern Vietnam - Attitudes, Constraints and Priorities of Ethnic Minorities Andreas Neef 8. Environmental Change, Ecosystem Degradation and the Value of Wetland Rehabilitation in the Mekong Delta Duong Van Ni, Roger Safford and Edward Maltby 9. Mangrove Conservation and Restoration for Enhanced Resilience Nguyen Hoang Tri, Phan Nguyen Hong, W. Neil Adger and P. Mick Kelly 10. Responding to El Nino and La Nina - Averting Tropical Cyclone Impacts P. Mick Kelly, Hoang Minh Hien and Tran Viet Lien Part III. Development Pathways 11. Trade, Investment and Industrial Pollution - Lessons from Southeast Asia Rhys Jenkins 12. Sustainable Urbanisation and Environmental Issues in Vietnam David Drakakis-Smith and Andrea Kilgour 13. Politics, Ecology and Water - the Mekong Delta and Development of the Lower Mekong Basin Chris Sneddon and Nguyen Thanh Binh 14. Prospects for Sustainable Development W, Neil Adger, P. Mick Kelly and Nguyen Huu Ninh

Developmental states are criticized for rapid “industrialization without enlightenment.” In the last 30 years, China’s breathtaking growth has been achieved at a high environmental and food safety cost. This article, utilizing a recent survey of China’s livestock industry, illustrates the initiating role of China’s developmental state in the exponential expansion of the country’s livestock production. The enthusiastic response of the livestock industry to the many state policy incentives has made China the world’s biggest animal farming nation. Shortage of meat and dairy supply is history. Yet, the Chinese government is facing new challenges of no less a threat to political stability. Production intensification has created a welfare crisis impacting the world’s biggest number of farm animals. The resulting food safety incidents are affecting consumer confidence and health. Untreated waste contributes to the nation’s environmental degradation. Developmental states may have a proud record of growth in the initial stage of industrialization. Their prospects for sustained development have long been questioned. China has come to an important juncture to march towards a sustained development.

Environmental cost of soil erosion in Sri Lanka: tax/subsidy policy options

Rapid urbanisation is resulting in environmental degradation, including soil erosion, species extinction, and air pollution. Street‐trees as part of a city’s green infrastructure have the potential to ameliorate some of these problems in urban environments. They can provide an array of services such as providing shade and habitat. Unfortunately, they can render disservices too, such as by damaging road surfaces, footpaths and underground infrastructure. The extent and type of street‐tree services and disservices vary among species. Hence, choosing the wrong tree for the wrong place can have significant social, economic, and environmental consequences. In 1997, Miller established a model that included parameters such as site factors, social factors, and economic factors to facilitate the process of selecting appropriate urban street‐tree species. However, globally and in Australia, there is limited research into how tree managers choose street‐trees. Surprisingly, the process of street‐tree selection, including how tree managers perceive tree costs and benefits is poorly understood. How tree managers weigh the different aspects of street‐trees when making planting decisions and developing tree lists for urban areas requires closer scholarly attention. This thesis examines the decision‐making principles of local government tree managers across Australia’s city councils. Consideration is given as to whether street‐tree selection criteria differ according to geographical location and climate. A mixed methods approach is used, including interviews, a questionnaire survey, and species analysis to understand the factors determining street‐tree species selection in Australian city councils.

This Emerging Issue Report (EIR) explores research and evidence on the relationship between education, girls’ education and climate change. There is scientific consensus that climate change is real, manifested through increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including drought, flooding and cyclones. Climate change, environmental degradation and climate vulnerability are closely linked. Climate change exacerbates environmental and land degradation, especially in areas with drylands and permafrost, river deltas and low-lying coastal areas. There is high confidence that people living in areas affected by environmental degradation are experiencing an increase in the negative effects of climate change. Gender, alongside other drivers of vulnerability and exclusion, is a key determinant of an individual’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation and influences how climate change is experienced. It is estimated that at least 200 million adolescent girls living in the poorest communities face a heightened risk from the effects of climate change. Evidence and commentary on the role of education, and girls’ education, to address climate change through adaptation, resilience and mitigation is limited, albeit growing. This EIR identifies and summarises the evidence and key commentary around the following themes: links between education, particularly girls’ education, and climate change; how climate and environment matter for achieving gender equality; and why securing girls’ education is an important strategy in addressing climate change. The EIR draws on academic research and literature from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as policy frameworks and grey literature, media articles and blogs from the climate, education and gender fields.

As intense hurricanes pounded the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and record-breaking wildfires raged in California this year, scientists rang loud alarms about global warming. Soon, they warned, it will be too late to prevent some of the worst effects of climate change, including wildfires, flooding, sea level rise, famine, and destruction of coral reefs. In October, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report that suggested that to prevent these calamities and limit warming to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels—the figure chosen in the Paris Agreement—drastic changes are needed. By 2030, net carbon dioxide emissions must fall by 45% relative to 2010 levels, and net emissions must taper to zero by 2050. Yet countries, including the US, are already failing to meet the reduction pledges made in the Paris Agreement only two years ago. In November, the US Global Change Research Program released the second volume of its

ان صيانة البيئة هي الشغل الشاغل للإنسان في العصر الحديث، بعد أن تعرضت لانتهاکات کثيرة من جراء أفعاله التي تمثلت وما تزال تتمثل في التلوث وتجفيف الأراضي الرطبة وتدمير الشعب المرجانية وإقامة الطرق والسدود وبناء المدن والمناطق السکنية. فلم يمنح التنوع البيولوجي الاهتمام الذي يستحق، وزاد تهميشه مع تزايد النشاط البشري فارتفعت معدلات الانقراض لدرجة وصفت بأنها الأعلى من نوعها منذ السنين الماضية، بسبب النشاطات البشرية غير المحسوبة بيئيا. ومع أن قضية التنوع البيولوجي تعد من أهم القضايا البيئة ذات التأثير المباشر على الإنسان، ألا أنها لازالت غير واضحة المعالم عند الکثيرين وفوائد هذا التنوع کثيرة جدا. ولقد اعتمد البحث على منهج علمي يعتمد على دراسة المحميات الطبيعية والتعرف على الأدوار المختلفة للمحميات الطبيعية وأهميتها التي تؤثر بشکل مباشر على إمکانية الاستفادة من المعطيات البيئية والطبيعية لها. وتم التعرف من خلال الدراسة النظرية على المعايير المختلفة العالمية لتصنيف وتحديد مناطق المحميات الطبيعية ومن ثم التصنيف المحلي للمعايير المصرية بمصر وذلک من خلال منهج نظري وتحليلي لرصد وتحليل الوضع الراهن لتلک المحميات وبناء عليه يتم اقتراح هيکل يتماشى مع الاشتراطات العالمية يمکن من خلاله تحديد وتصنيف واعتماد المحميات الطبيعية. Conservation of the environment is the main concern in the modern era, especially after being subjected to many violations such as pollution, drying of wetlands, destruction of coral reefs, construction of roads and dams, and building of cities and residential areas. Although the issue of biodiversity is one of the most important environmental issues with a direct impact on human beings, it’s effects and benefits are still unclear to many. Extinction rates have risen to the highest levels since the last 60 million years, due to unsustainable human activities. The paper aims, based on a number of theoretical and analytical studies, to introduce and to prove the efficiency of the ‘natural reserves’ as an approach, to provide the required economic revenues from sensitive natural areas while being able to save its biodiversity and environmental sensitivity at the same time. Furthermore, the paper aims to provide a practical tool for locating, identifying and setting the boundaries of natural reserve areas. Based on theoretical studies and analysis for a number of international and national case studies, the paper aims to identify, report and interpret the international standards for natural reserve areas. Finally, a framework for identifying natural reserve areas is proposed. The proposed framework was further refined based on a field survey with experts in the field. The final framework was practically applied and tested on a number of case studies proving its efficiency as a tool for locating, identifying and certifying natural reserve areas.

Chapter 6 - Climatic controls on water resources and its management: challenges and prospects of sustainable development in Indian perspective

This issue of Commonwealth Trade Hot Topics highlights the consequences of climate change on agriculture, its subsequent impact on the trading capacity of developing countries, and a number of adaptation and mitigation measures to ensure their prospects for sustainable development.

Tropical fisheries substantially contribute to the well-being of societies in both the tropics and the extratropics, the latter through ‘telecoupling’ — linkages between distant human–natural systems. Tropical marine habitats and fish stocks, however, are vulnerable to the physical and biogeochemical oceanic changes associated with rising greenhouse gases. These changes to fish stocks, and subsequent impacts on fish production, have substantial implications for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In this Review, we synthesize the effects of climate change on tropical marine fisheries, highlighting the socio-economic impacts to both tropical and extratropical nations, and discuss potential adaptation measures. Driven by ocean warming, acidification, deoxygenation and sea-level rise, the maximum catch potential of tropical fish stocks in some tropical exclusive economic zones is projected to decline by up to 40% by the 2050s under the RCP8.5 emissions scenario, relative to the 2000s. Climate-driven reductions in fisheries production and alterations in fish-species composition will subsequently increase the vulnerability of tropical countries with limited adaptive capacity. Thus, given the billions of people dependent on tropical marine fisheries in some capacity, there is a clear need to account for the effects of climate change on these resources and identify practical adaptations when building climate-resilient sustainable-development pathways. Stressors arising from anthropogenic climate change threaten tropical fisheries and, in turn, those extratropical nations reliant on them. This Review discusses the impact of climate change on tropical fish stocks and catch potential, the corresponding telecoupling and subsequent adaptation measures.