ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS and SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. discuss the causes and manifestations of global environmental degradations;
2. explain how economic development affect environmental health; and
3. discuss the 17 development goals.

ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
Environmental degradation is the disintegration of the earth or deterioration of the
environment through consumption of assets like air, water and soil. It refers to the destruction
of environments and the eradication of wildlife. It is characterized as any change or aggravation
to nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or undesirable. It occurs when earth’s natural resources
are depleted and environment is compromised in the form of extinction of species, pollution in
air, water and soil, and rapid growth in population.

Causes of Environmental Degradation

1. Land Disturbance:
A more basic cause of environmental degradation is land damage. Numerous weedy plant
species, for example, garlic mustard, are both foreign and obtrusive. A rupture in the
environmental surroundings provides for them a chance to start growing and spreading.
2. Pollution:
Pollution, in whatever form, whether it is air, water, land or noise is harmful for the
environment.
3. Overpopulation:
Rapid population growth puts strain on natural resources which results in degradation of our
environment. Mortality rate has gone down due to better medical facilities which have resulted
in increased lifespan. More population simple means more demand for food, clothes and
shelter. You need more space to grow food and provide homes to millions of people. This
results in deforestation which is another factor of environmental degradation.
4. Landfills:
Landfills pollute the environment and destroy the beauty of the city. Landfills come within
the city due the large amount of waste that gets generated by households, industries, factories
and hospitals. Landfills pose a great risk to the health of the environment and the people who
live there. Landfills produce foul smell when burned and cause huge environmental
degradation.
5. Deforestation:
 Deforestation is the cutting down of trees to make way for more homes and industries.
Rapid growth in population and urban sprawl are two of the major causes of deforestation..
6: Natural Causes:
Things like avalanches, quakes, tidal waves, storms, and wildfires can totally crush nearby
animal and plant groups to the point where they can no longer survive in those areas.
Effects of Environmental Degradation
1. Impact on Human Health: Human health might be at the receiving end as a result of the
environmental degradation. Areas exposed to toxic air pollutants can cause respiratory
problems like pneumonia and asthma. Millions of people are known to have died of due to
indirect effects of air pollution.
2. Loss of Biodiversity: Biodiversity is important for maintaining balance of the ecosystem in the
form of combating pollution, restoring nutrients, protecting water sources and stabilizing
climate. Deforestation, global warming, overpopulation and pollution are few of the major
causes for loss of biodiversity.
3. Ozone Layer Depletion: Ozone layer is responsible for protecting earth from harmful
ultraviolet rays. The presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the
atmosphere is causing the ozone layer to deplete. As it will deplete, it will emit harmful
radiations back to the earth.
4. Loss for Tourism Industry: The deterioration of environment can be a huge setback for
tourism industry that relies on tourists for their daily livelihood. Environmental damage in the
form of loss of green cover, loss of biodiversity, huge landfills, increased air and water pollution
can be a big turn off for most of the tourists.
5. Economic Impact: The huge cost that a country may have to borne due to environmental
degradation can have big economic impact in terms of restoration of green cover, cleaning up
of landfills and protection of endangered species. The economic impact can also be in terms of
loss of tourism industry.

Environmental concerns in Manila

The biggest problem in Manila is not traffic because it is a just point in time issue and can be
solved with an infrastructure solution like a subway system. The biggest problem is the apathy
of Filipinos in preserving our environment and letting big businesses destroy the natural beauty
of the Philippine archipelago.

8 things every Filipino can do to battle Environmental Destruction and Climate

Change effects:
1. Talk Clean Energy
2. Reduce Air Pollution in Manila
3. Patronize Electric Tricycles and Vehicles
4. Support Sustainable Tourism Practices
5. Don’t use commercial sunblock or other harmful chemicals in the water
6. Reduce dependency on Plastic Bags
7. Don’t eat Endangered Species

A healthy population is essential for economic development. The poorest people on the planet
tend to suffer most from the health effects from exposures to environmental hazards like air
pollution and impure water. In turn, disease and disability related to polluted environments
slows and blocks economic development. In addition to its toll on human suffering, illness
carries a significant financial burden in the form of healthcare expenditures and lost
productivity. For example, unhealthy children often cannot attend or perform well in school,
and unhealthy adults cannot work or care for their families.

How does economic development affect environmental health?

Economic development has led to tremendous improvements in people’s well-being, but
often at the expense of the environment. Industrialization has contributed to pollution of air
and water, changing dietary patterns, and shifting patterns of transportation and land use.
Exposures to air and water pollutants directly increase disease. Similarly, dietary changes and
decreased levels of physical activity, resulting from transportation and other work and lifestyle
changes, are contributing to global epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and associated diseases.
Globalization and the large geographic scale over which rapid industrialization is occurring
make these environmental health problems global health problems.

What is sustainable development?

Sustainable development is frequently defined as development that meets the needs of present
generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
How can environmental health be integrated into sustainable development?
Protecting and creating healthy environments is a critical component of sustainable
development. Environmental health can be integrated into sustainable development by:
Improving environmental quality for the poorest populations with the greatest burden of
environmental diseases, by reducing exposures to air pollution in homes and villages from
biomass burning, and providing clean water and sanitation Identifying efforts to address
environmental problems that can also provide health benefits. For example, creating
environments that encourage biking and walking for transportation reduces greenhouse gas
and toxic air pollution emissions (environmental benefit) and increases physical activity (health
benefit). Recognizing that some policies, practices, and technologies designed to promote
sustainability and economic development may have unintended adverse environmental health
effects, and attempting to prevent or mitigate these before they are implemented.
The main reason for the current problems has been the inability of modern societies to produce
enough stability and sustainability.

STABILITY
Stability is avoiding large swings in economic activity, high inflation, and excessive volatility
in exchange rates and financial markets (IMF, 2012)

SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment
and Development, 1987)

Towards a Sustainable (and More Stable) Economic Model

Areas of Economic Models that should be Re-thought and Redesigned for the transformation of
the world:

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ARE:

A set of 17 goals for the world’s future, through 2030
Backed up by a set of 169 detailed Targets
Negotiated over a two-year period at the United Nations
Agreed to by nearly all the world’s nations, on 25 Sept 2015
Thus, with respect to the SDGs, all countries can be considered as developing and all countries
need to take urgent action.

Characteristics:
1. Universality
First, and most important, these Goals apply to every nation … and every sector. Cities,
businesses, schools, organizations, all are challenged to act.
2. Integration
Second, it is recognized that the Goals are all inter-connected, in a system. We cannot aim to
achieve just one Goal. We must achieve them all.
3. Transformation
And finally, it is widely recognized that achieving these Goals involves making very big,
fundamental changes in how we live on Earth.
THE 17 GOALS
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable
agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning

5. 5: Achieve gender equality and empower women and girls

6. Ensure access to water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

11. Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

15. Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation,
halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies

17. Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable

References:
https://e2c4a8m6.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Environmental-
degradation.jpg

https://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2017/04/lets-talk-cleaner-energy.html

Source: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainabledevelopment-goals

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-environmental-
degradation.php
https://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2017/04/lets-talk-cleaner-energy.html