1. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMSENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
ANDAND
THEIR CAUSESTHEIR CAUSES
Khalil Mokhless ElkhateebKhalil Mokhless Elkhateeb

2. INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
LLving in anving in an EExponentionlxponentionl AAgege
►►What does it mean?What does it mean?

3. •How want to pay for this o'clockHow want to pay for this o'clock
 1 st day 1$1 st day 1$
 2 ed day 2$2 ed day 2$
 3 ed day 4$3 ed day 4$
 4 th day 16$4 th day 16$
 …………………… ……………………
 10 th day 1024$10 th day 1024$
 The total money 2039$The total money 2039$

4. This is an example forThis is an example for
Exponentionl GrowthExponentionl Growth
Another ExampleAnother Example
 World population has more thanWorld population has more than
doubled in only 46 years , from 2.5doubled in only 46 years , from 2.5
billion in 1950 to 5.8 billion in 1996billion in 1950 to 5.8 billion in 1996
 It may reach 8.2 billion by 2025,It may reach 8.2 billion by 2025,
10-11billion in 2050, 14 billion in 210010-11billion in 2050, 14 billion in 2100

5. •Human population growth: J-shaped curveHuman population growth: J-shaped curve
Exponential growth – a quantity increases at a fixed percentage per
unit of time. Starts slow but……

6. Human activities cause major changesHuman activities cause major changes
to earth’s systems, and make all the datato earth’s systems, and make all the data
about the environmental problemabout the environmental problem
exponentiallyexponentially

7. • Climate change is also due toClimate change is also due to
exponential growth of human activitiesexponential growth of human activities
 Can negatively effect:Can negatively effect:
• Water supplyWater supply
• AgricultureAgriculture
• BiodiversityBiodiversity
• EconomiesEconomies
 The environmental damaging has increased moreThe environmental damaging has increased more
than fivefold since 1950than fivefold since 1950
 Mass extinctions (0.1-1% per year)Mass extinctions (0.1-1% per year) –– forests,forests,
grasslands, wetlands, coral reefs, and topsoil vanishgrasslands, wetlands, coral reefs, and topsoil vanish
or degrade.or degrade.
 Human ecological footprint spreadsHuman ecological footprint spreads
exponentially across the globe.exponentially across the globe.

8. Living SustainablyLiving Sustainably
 What is Environmental Science?What is Environmental Science?
►►The goals of environmental scienceThe goals of environmental science areare
to learn:to learn:
→→how nature works.how nature works.
→→how the environment effects us.how the environment effects us.
→→we can live more sustainablywe can live more sustainably
withoutwithout degrading ourdegrading our
life-support system.life-support system.

10. Environmental science isEnvironmental science is
interdisciplinary study of connections between theinterdisciplinary study of connections between the
earthearth’’s life, support system and human activitiess life, support system and human activities

11. •What Are Solar Capital, EarthWhat Are Solar Capital, Earth
Capital, and SustainabilityCapital, and Sustainability

13.  SOLAR CAPITAL - provides 99% of ourSOLAR CAPITAL - provides 99% of our
energy we use on earth.energy we use on earth.
 EARTH CAPITALEARTH CAPITAL –– airair’’ waterwater’’ soilsoil’’ wildlifewildlife’’
mineralsminerals’’ and natural purificationand natural purification ’’
recycling and best control process (Life-recycling and best control process (Life-
support and economic services)support and economic services)
 Solar capital + Earth capital =support systemSolar capital + Earth capital =support system

16.  Sustainability- is the ability of earthSustainability- is the ability of earth’’ss
various systems (including humanvarious systems (including human
cultural systems and economies) tocultural systems and economies) to
survive and adapt to environmentalsurvive and adapt to environmental
conditions indefinitelyconditions indefinitely

17.  Sustainable system-Sustainable system- is one thatis one that
survives and functions over somesurvives and functions over some
time and that attains its full expectedtime and that attains its full expected
life spanlife span
 Sustainable societySustainable society –– manages itsmanages its
economy and population size withouteconomy and population size without
exceeding all or part of the planetexceeding all or part of the planet’’ss
ability to absorb environmentalability to absorb environmental
insultinsult’’ss

18.  Environmentally Sustainable Societies:Environmentally Sustainable Societies:
protecting natural capital and living offprotecting natural capital and living off
its income.its income.
►► Meets current and future needs of itsMeets current and future needs of its
people for basic resources in a just andpeople for basic resources in a just and
equitable manner compromising theequitable manner compromising the
ability of future generations to meetability of future generations to meet
their needstheir needs

19.  Living SustainablyLiving Sustainably –– living offliving off
natural income replenished by soils,natural income replenished by soils,
plants, air and water andplants, air and water and notnot
depleting or degrading the earthdepleting or degrading the earth’’ss
natural capital that supplies thisnatural capital that supplies this
income.income.

20.  Economic CapitalEconomic Capital

If you won 1000000If you won 1000000 $$
• Invest 10 % annualInvest 10 % annual –– sustainablesustainable
• Spend $200 000 a yearSpend $200 000 a year –– gone in5 th yeargone in5 th year
• Spend $110 000 a yearSpend $110 000 a year –– gone in 10 th yeargone in 10 th year
• Lesson, protect capital and live on incomeLesson, protect capital and live on income
 Same lesson should be applied to earthSame lesson should be applied to earth’’ss
natural capital.natural capital.
 DonDon’’t eat the goose that lays golden eggt eat the goose that lays golden egg
 Protect your capital and live from youProtect your capital and live from you
incomeincome

21. Population Growth, Economic Growth,Population Growth, Economic Growth,
and Economic Developmentand Economic Development
 Human Population Growth: Slowing butHuman Population Growth: Slowing but
Still RapidStill Rapid
• Population increasing exponentially, faster inPopulation increasing exponentially, faster in
poor countries.poor countries.
• As of 2006, increasing by 1.23 %As of 2006, increasing by 1.23 %
 81 million in 200681 million in 2006
 or, 222 000 day-1or, 222 000 day-1
 9250 h-19250 h-1
 2.6 sec-12.6 sec-1
• Exponential increase in population isExponential increase in population is
accompanied by an exponential increase in useaccompanied by an exponential increase in use
of natural resources.of natural resources.
 Less time to find solutions to environmentalLess time to find solutions to environmental
problems.problems.

22.  Economic Growth and EconomicEconomic Growth and Economic
DevelopmentDevelopment
• Economic growthEconomic growth –– increase in goods andincrease in goods and
services.services.
 Requires more producers and consumers populationRequires more producers and consumers population
growthgrowth
 more production and consumption per person.more production and consumption per person.
• Gross domestic product (GDP)Gross domestic product (GDP) –– annual marketannual market
value of all goods and services produced by allvalue of all goods and services produced by all
firms and organizations, foreign and domestic,firms and organizations, foreign and domestic,
operating in a country.operating in a country.
 Growth, measured by percent change in GDP.Growth, measured by percent change in GDP.
• per capita GDPper capita GDP –– GDP divided by the totalGDP divided by the total
population at midyear.population at midyear.
 Six largest economies in 2006Six largest economies in 2006 –– US, Japan, Germany,US, Japan, Germany,
UK, France, and China.UK, France, and China.

23. • Economic developmentEconomic development –– improvement ofimprovement of
human living standards by economichuman living standards by economic
growth.growth.
 Classification depends on degree ofClassification depends on degree of
industrialization and per capita GDP-PPP.industrialization and per capita GDP-PPP.
 Developed countriesDeveloped countries –– 1.2 billion. US,1.2 billion. US,
Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, andCanada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
most of Europe.most of Europe.
 Developing countriesDeveloping countries –– 5.4 billion. African,5.4 billion. African,
Asian, and Latin AmericanAsian, and Latin American
• Moderately developed countriesModerately developed countries –– China, India,China, India,
Brazil, and Mex.Brazil, and Mex.
• About 97% of projected population increase will beAbout 97% of projected population increase will be
from developing countriesfrom developing countries
• Environmentally sustainable economicEnvironmentally sustainable economic
developmentdevelopment

24. Comparison of developed andComparison of developed and
developing countriesdeveloping countries..

25. Increasing level of povertyIncreasing level of poverty

26. Doubling Time and Exponential GrowthDoubling Time and Exponential Growth
:: The Rule of 70The Rule of 70
 DoublingDoubling timetime cancan bebe calculatedcalculated withwith thethe
followingfollowing::
 In 1996 the worldIn 1996 the world’’s population grow by 1.55%s population grow by 1.55%
Determent the doubling timeDeterment the doubling time
GR
tdouble
%
70
=

27.  What is a resource?What is a resource?
• Anything obtained from the environment toAnything obtained from the environment to
meet our needs (and wants).meet our needs (and wants).
 Food, water, shelter, and metalsFood, water, shelter, and metals
• Some directly available, others indirectlySome directly available, others indirectly
 DirectlyDirectly –– sun, fresh air, wind, fresh surface water,sun, fresh air, wind, fresh surface water,
fertile soil, and wild edible plants.fertile soil, and wild edible plants.
 IndirectlyIndirectly –– petroleum, ground water, iron, andpetroleum, ground water, iron, and
modern crops.modern crops.
• Such resources require human capital (and ingenuity)Such resources require human capital (and ingenuity)
and natural capital.and natural capital.
ResourcesResources

28. •Perpetual and Renewable ResourcesPerpetual and Renewable Resources
• Perpetual resourcesPerpetual resources –– continuouslycontinuously
renewable on a human timescalerenewable on a human timescale
• Renewable resourceRenewable resource –– can be replenishedcan be replenished
fairly rapidly as long as it is not used fasterfairly rapidly as long as it is not used faster
than it can be replaced.than it can be replaced.
 Forests, grasslands, wildlife, fresh air and water,Forests, grasslands, wildlife, fresh air and water,
and fertile soiland fertile soil

29. • Sustainable yieldSustainable yield –– highest rate ahighest rate a
renewable resource can be used withoutrenewable resource can be used without
degrading or depleting.degrading or depleting.
• Environmental degradationEnvironmental degradation –– when naturalwhen natural
replacement rate is exceeded.replacement rate is exceeded.
 Urban sprawl, topsoil erosion, pollution, clearingUrban sprawl, topsoil erosion, pollution, clearing
forests, depleting groundwater, reduction offorests, depleting groundwater, reduction of
biodiversity because of habitat loss.biodiversity because of habitat loss.

30. potentially

31. Tragedy of the CommonsTragedy of the Commons
• Overuse of common-property (or free accessOveruse of common-property (or free access
resources).resources).
 Clean air, open ocean, migratory birds, freshwaterClean air, open ocean, migratory birds, freshwater
• Degradation of renewable free accessDegradation of renewable free access
resources, calledresources, called tragedy of the commonstragedy of the commons byby
biologist Garrett Hardin.biologist Garrett Hardin.
 Example: collapse of fisheries.Example: collapse of fisheries.
• Solutions to preventing such degradation.Solutions to preventing such degradation.
 Use free access renewable resources at rates belowUse free access renewable resources at rates below
sustainable yields.sustainable yields.
 Convert free-access resources to private ownership.Convert free-access resources to private ownership.
Privatization

32. •Nonrenewable ResourcesNonrenewable Resources
• Includes energy resources, metallicIncludes energy resources, metallic
mineral resources, and nonmetallicmineral resources, and nonmetallic
mineral resources.mineral resources.
• Fossil fuels would be exhausted as thereFossil fuels would be exhausted as there
is exponential growth in their use.is exponential growth in their use.
• Recycling and reusing metals and non-Recycling and reusing metals and non-
metallic mineralsmetallic minerals

33. Thank youThank you
forfor
youryour
attentionattention