As of 2010, nearly 82% of the nations of the world are considered developing countries. Most of the increase in population occurs in developing nations, in which the majority of the 6.8 billion world population live. Developing nations are generally characterized by lower standards of living, lower economic productivity, political instability, high IMR, overdependence on agriculture, and high population growths that result to stress in the environment. From the latter two, a relationship between human development and the environment is manifested.
There are several limitations to the overall development of these nations, with regards to the environment and the economy. Geographically, the majority of developing nations are situated in hot, tropical or arid climates, with exception to the developing nations in Southeastern Europe. In sub- Saharan Africa, desertification threatens the water supply and hydropower operations of developing countries. In South America, overexploitation of trees and industrialization threaten Amazonia. Even China, a newly industrialized developing nation, struggles to feed its large population due to the lack of arable land demanded by agriculture.
Geographic location has also been advantageous in the development of other countries, notably the transformation of “Big Three” nation Brazil, into a high GDP developing country, with its large market share in the production of ethanol biomass. Given the abundance of sunlight, hydro reserves, and other natural resources in developing nations, there is a huge alternative energy potential that remains untapped due to the lack of capital to produce new technologies that could harness it. In a microeconomic scale, sustainability is not a priority for impoverished individuals in developing nations that are burdened with immediate concerns of subsistence.
2. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX (HDI)
2010
Very High = 0.788+
Source: Human Development Report 2010, UNDP
3. ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
INDEX (EPI) 2010
Ranks 163 countries based on policies regarding :
Climate Change 25%
Environmental Burden of Disease 25%
Air Pollution 16.667%
Water 16.667%
Biodiversity & Habitat 4.167%
Forestry 4.167%
Fisheries 4.167%
Agriculture 4.167%
Source: Yale University 2010
4. Developing nations account for a combined 21.1%* of
CO2 emissions. Advanced economies account for 79.9%.
Sources: Chart: World Bank. Data: Gore, Al. An Inconvenient Truth (2006).
6. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Construction of the Falovici, Luke, and Godijeno
Hydroelectric dams on the Cehotina River proposed
in 2010 by Reservoir Capital.
In 2007, nearly half of the BiH’s total hydroelectric
potential amounted to 396k GWh -- nearly half of its
849k GWh capacity.
Source: Chart: Enerdata.com
7. In March 2011, the National Electricity
Regulatory Commission (NERC) licensed
Ukraine’s first wind farm to generate
electricity.
Source: The National Radio Company of Ukraine
8. This is the border between Haiti and the Dominican
Republic. In 2008, the Dominican Republic proposed to
donate trees to aid in the reforestation of its
impoverished neighbor, Haiti.
HAITI DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
9. Brazil has tapped its renewable energy potential
as the second largest ethanol producer and by
widespread use of hydropower.
Ethanol Hydropower
10. Future effects of Amazonian deforestation
on the spread of poverty in South
America, particularly in Brazil.
11. Retreat of Himalayan Glaciers
Himalayan glaciers are the main sources of drinking water for
more than one billion people in the developing world.
Sources: Chart: World Bank, 2010.
12. By 2020, 79% of fish consumption will
occur in developing nations.
In the Philippines, 1 million people are
dependent on fisheries for livelihood,
50% of the protein diet of Filipinos
consists of fish.
Source: Southeast AsianFisheries Development Center.
BBC News, 2011.
13. “The sun is free.”
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 80% of the population rely on biomass for
energy.
<30% of sub-Saharan Africans have access to electricity. In rural
areas, the amount is tripled to <90% .
The Rural Energy Foundation (REF) has provided more >443,000
people PV systems at a low cost within the past three years.
14. April 2011:
Ethiopia launched the construction of the Grand
Millennium Dam along the Nile River. The expected
generating capacity of the dam is 5,250 MW.
In 2008, only an estimated 7% of Africa’s
total hydropower potential had been
harnessed.
Sources: Infrastructure Journal, 2008.
World Bank, 2010. BBC News, 2010.
15. KEY CONCEPTS
• World-wide sustainable development is a
means to eradicate poverty.
• There is a relationship between economy,
ecology, and culture.
• Global trends in sustainable investing have
increased.
• Varying sustainability indexes attributed to
different levels of human development.
16. What is the causal relationship between
the environment, economy, and human
development?
Editor's Notes
Source: Human Development Report 2010, UNDP
The 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 163 countries on 25 performance indicators tracked across ten policy categories covering both environmental public health and ecosystem vitality. These indicators provide a gauge at a national government scale of how close countries are to established environmental policy goals. The EPI’s proximity-to-target methodology facilitates cross-country comparisons as well as analysis of how the global community is doing collectively on each particular policy issue.
Sources: Chart: World Bank. Data: Gore, Al. An Inconvenient Truth (2006).
* Excluding Southeastern Europe
Global market volume for environmental products and services currently runs to about $1,370 billion.
Biological diversity: Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks among the territories with the highest
level of biological diversity in Europe. Based on the existing inventories, it is clear that Bosnia and
Herzegovina is extremely rich in animal world, and that in
comparison with the richness in similar species of other
countries in the Balkans peninsula or in Europe, Bosnia
and Herzegovina’s richness in animal species represents
not only national wealth but an extraordinary potential for
development as well. Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of
the richest countries in terms of diversity of wild animals and plants that became domesticated in the
long history of the development of civilizations in these territories. Some of these species grew so
much adapted that, together with the wild forms, they represent a valuable part of the natural
heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Geological diversity: From the point of view of geological diversity, Bosnia and
Herzegovina is one of the most unique regions in Europe. Relative to the small surface area, it is
one of the most diverse countries in Europe, with a number of geological rare phenomena
established to date. The dynamic relief, directions in which its mountain massifs stretch, the
hydrographic network, the vicinity of the Adriatic Sea, have all created conditions for wide spectrum
of types of climate. The geological composition of various areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina is very
complex and must be preserved for future generations through implementation of systemic
sustainable development measures
According to company director Oleksandr Pryhornytsky, so far the first phase of the wind farm with a total capacity of 25 MW has been put into operation. By the end of 2012, the park is going to increase the number of wind turbines to 43, thus bringing the total plant capacity to 107.5 MW.
Today, 60 % of energy source of Ukraine is natural gas. They hope to increase hydroelectric power usage to 20% of energy source.
Both countries share the island of Hispaniola, but the Dominican Republic claims 33 percent of forest coverage compared with Haiti's 3 percent. Residents in Haiti continue to chop trees for wood and charcoal
Sources: EAO, 2010. Enerdata.com, 2010.
Second largest of ethanol from sugar cane biomass in the world: next to the USA.
