Environmental Science - Unit 2 AoS 2

Sustainable Development

Can be described as development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet with their own needs.

Sustainability is different from ESD as sustainability is the ability/capacity for something to be maintained or something that is able to sustain itself.

How do we have sustainable development

1.We need to be able to produce enough materials so everyone is able to have access to the resources they need.

2.We will also need to improve the way we are processing these materials so we use less of the materials and produce less waste in the process.

3.Consider and weigh the benefits and impacts across 3 areas (environment, society and economy)

What are the Three Pillars to the zone of Sustainability?

1) Environmental Sustainability: Conserving natural resources, reducing waste and protecting ecosystems.

2) Social Sustainability: Ensuring fair access to resource, social equity, and community well-being.

3) Economic Sustainability: Creating Financial systems that promote economic growth without harming the environment.

Environmental Sustainability

Refers to the responsible management of natural resources to fulfill the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.

Key Aspects Of Environmental Sustainability

• Maintain and preserve ecosystems. As they provide humans with services such as climate regulation and natural resources.

• Ensures that future generations have access to resources we have.

• Reduce Health Risk as reduction in pollution.

• Provides economic stability long term as it reduces cost.

How is Environmental Sustainability achieved?

• Effectively and efficiently use resource and minimise waste.

• Ecosystem Protection

• Pollution Control

• Climate change mitigation.

Social Sustainability

Involves a focus on the well-being of people and communities. It is about promoting equity, human rights, access to education and health care, and decent work.

Key aspects of Social Sustainability

• Overcome poverty and socioeconomic inequality such as access to resources.

• Overcome the lack of access to education and heath care.

• Encourage participation in decision making empowering communities.

• Protect human rights, protect worker rights, fair wages and working conditions.

How is Social Sustainability achieved?

• Fair trade systems that empower farmers and ensure fair wage (fair prices, environmental protection, good working conditions).

• Quality education and health services.

• Affordable housing projects that provide safe living conditions for marginalized groups.

Economic Sustainability

Refers to the practice of supporting long-term economic growth without compromising environmental, social, or cultural well-being.

It involves creating systems that enable businesses, industries, and societies to thrive while preserving resources for future generations.

Key Aspects of Economic Sustainability

• Resource use – maximising the use of the resource, reduce waste and cost.

• Circular economy – recycle, reuse and repurpose.

• Innovation and technology – investing in more sustainable practices and innovations

• Responsible investments – funding projects that align with environmental and social goals.

How is Economic Sustainability achieved?

• Adapt a circular economy model or framework.

• Encourage waste minimisation and energy efficiency in the processing part of production.

• Adopting and investing in technology that can support more sustainable production.

What is Bearability

Refers to environmental protection not compromising peoples well being or people's wellbeing compromising the environment.

Achieving this means ensuring that environmental initiatives also support human well-being.

Composed of Environmental + Social

Viability

Refers to the balance between environmental and economic sustainability, ensuring that economic growth is achieved without depleting natural resources or causing long-term environmental harm.

Composed of Environmental + Economic

Equitability

Refers to the balance between social and economic sustainability, ensuring that economic growth benefits society fairly and inclusively.

Composed of Social + Economic

Barriers to Sustainable Development

Conflicts between environmental protection and economic development as sometimes this does not align.

Short term profits vs long term viability:

• Fast fashion which produces low-cost clothing to match the fashion trends with the trade of pollution, unsustainable practices or underpaying workers.

• It can be difficult for commercial organisations as they have to provide financial returns to shareholders and owners.

  
  Increase global population:

• Increasing global populations and affluence, which means there are more people who have more money. Since they have more money they want to have more.

• This means everyone use more of earths natural resources. These resources are unable to be replenished quickly enough before they are used up.
  
  Scientific understanding:

• Requires scientific knowledge and understanding which leads to careful decision making ensuring what is implemented is actually sustainable long term.

Conservation of Biodiversity

Refers to the actions that protect and restore ecosystems to protect species, genetics and ecosystems and the services they provide.

Ecological Integrity

Refers to the health and resilience of an ecosystem in terms of its ability to maintain natural processes and support a diverse community of organisms.

Why is conservation of Biodiversity and Ecological Integrity important?

• Ecosystems regulate climate, purify water and maintain soil fertility. Developments should minimize environmental degradation.

• Many industries rely on ecosystems such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Protection means enhanced productivity, reduce resource depletion and lowers costs from environmental damage.

• Provide heath and wellbeing through medicine, clean air, cultural benefits and reduces risk of disease outbreak.

• Long term economic growth as it reduces long term costs by avoiding resource depletion and environmental damage.

Maintaining Ecological Integrity

Ecological integrity assessments provide a standard “biophysical examination” that assesses the health of an ecosystem.

The assessment includes data about the size, vegetation, soil and hydrology (movement of water, distribution and quality) and how it interacts with surrounding areas.

1. Three approaches to assessing ecological integrity
   Remote sensing – using drones, satellites or other technologies to assess the landscape conditions

2. Rapid field assessment – onsite evaluations that rely on observations

3. Quantitative assessment – detailed analyze of the area include soil testing, water testing and biodiversity surveys.

Ecological integrity assessments provide land managers, conservations and agencies with critical information about the factors that may be degrading, maintaining or help to restore an ecosystem.

Resource Efficiency

• Is about using the Earth's limited resources in a sustainable manner, minimizing environmental impacts.

• We want to maximise the benefits from the resource while minimising the consumption and waste. This helps to promote sustainability and saves money.

Why is Resource Efficiency Important?

• Reducing energy and fuel consumption will reduce the cost of a project as well as reduce its environmental impacts.

• Many of earths resources (ores, metals and oils) are non renewable.

• The cost of the production will be reduced if resources are used more efficiently.

Clean Production

Means using smart, preventive methods in processes, products, and services to improve the economy, health, safety, and the environment.

Intrageneration Equality

Refers to equal distribution of and access to resources between people of the same generation and a cross different nations.

Example: Ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all communities within a country, regardless of income or location.

Intergenerational equality

Refers to the ability for future generations to have access to the same resources as the current generation.

Considers the impact of a development on future generation taking into account future environmental, social and economic factors.

Example: The development of technology that could provide clean water for many years to come.

The precautionary principle

Is the idea that when we are unsure about the potential harm of an action, especially to the environment or public health, we should take steps to prevent damage, even if we don't have all the facts.

User pays principle

In sustainable development means that those who use natural resources or cause environmental damage should bear the costs of managing and repairing the damage they create.

This principle helps ensure that the true cost of resource use or pollution is reflected in the price, encouraging more responsible behaviour.

Example: Carbon tax.

Challenges to the sustainability principles

• Population Change: Earth has 8 Billion people and grows by 74 million per year. This increases demand for stuff such as:

  • Food

  • Energy

  • Water

  • Shelter

Why is food important to populations?

The supply of food is vital for the growth of populations. This requires major use of land for crops and live stock.

Why is water important to populations?

Animals and humans use water for important cellular processes. Plants require water for the process of photosynthesis.

Clean fresh water is key for health human populations, unsafe water is responsible for 1.2 million deaths per year.

A constant supply of water in the environment is important to maintain the integrity of certain ecosystems such as wetlands, rivers and lakes.

Why is energy important to populations?

Access to energy supply is important for economic, social and cultural development.

• Energy provides access to basic resources such as education, health services, food, housing and employment.

Circular Economy Thinking

Aspires to create a closed-loop system where the waste outputs from one activity become the inputs for a different activity, with the ultimate aim of no waste.

Benefits of a Circular Economy

A circular economy keeps these materials within the economic system meaning no new material is taken from the environment.

Benefits of the circular economy: Reduce environmental footprint , generate increased income, minimise waste and reduce resource dependency.

Three principles of circular economy

• Keeping products and materials in use (At their highest value)

• Eliminating waste and pollution

• Regenerating natural systems

1) Keep Materials in Use

This means keeping materials in use either as a product by extending the life of the product through repair, refurbishment and reuse.

How can this be achieved?
Repair & Maintenance – Encouraging repair services and designing products that can be easily fixed.

Reuse & Refurbishment – Extending the lifespan of products by refurbishing or repurposing them.

Examples:

Closed-Loop Recycling – Companies collecting and remanufacturing their own products.

Second-Hand Markets – Platforms like eBay, Depop, and refurbished phone stores.

2) Designing out Waste and Pollution

Instead of dealing with waste after it’s created, this principle focuses on designing waste out of the system from the start. The goal is to prevent pollution and inefficiency at the source.

How can this be achieved?

• Eco-friendly Product Design – Creating products that last longer, use fewer materials, and can be fully recycled or composted.

• Sustainable Manufacturing – Reducing emissions via renewable energy sources, reduce chemical waste, and harmful byproducts in industrial processes.

• Circular Business Models – Encouraging sharing, leasing, repairing, and reusing rather producing products that are used once or trendy to be thrown away.

• Innovations in technology – better and more efficient energy production, use resources more effectively and efficiently.

Examples:

• Plastic-Free Packaging – Companies replacing single-use plastic with compostable or reusable materials.

• Zero-Waste Supply Chains – Businesses designing processes that minimize excess materials.

• Emission-Free Production – Industries using clean energy to cut down on air and water pollution.

3) Regenerating Natural Systems

Regenerating natural systems means actively restoring and improving the environment instead of just reducing harm. This involves practices that restores natural resources, enhance biodiversity, and ensure ecosystems can sustain themselves over time.

How It How can it be achieved?

• Using Renewable Resources – Relying on sustainable materials and energy sources.

• Returning Nutrients to Nature – Composting and regenerative farming to rebuild soil health.

• Enhancing Biodiversity – Protecting wildlife and promoting healthy ecosystems.

Examples:

• Regenerative Agriculture – Farming in a way that improves soil, captures carbon, and increases biodiversity.

• Reforestation & Conservation – Planting trees and restoring degraded lands.

• Circular Water Systems – Purifying and reusing water instead of wasting it.

Integrated sustainability analysis

Are a way to assess the long-term sustainability impacts of both international and national government policies against sustainability targets and criteria.

Methods for conducting an integrated sustainability analysis

• Qualitative risk analysis

• Life cycle analysis

• Cost benefit analysis

Hazard

Is a thing (substance or situation) that can cause harm or impact people, property or the environment.

Risk

Is the probability that a hazard will cause harm or create negative impact.

Elements of risk management

1. Risk assessment: identify the potential risks

2. Risk analysis: analyzing the risk in terms of likelihood and severity

3. Risk management: how will the risk be managed/mitigated

4. Monitoring: monitoring the risks and impacts of the project as it progresses

Risk Assessment

Gives an understanding of the degree of hazard, how likely it is to cause harm and then from that how it can be managed.

Steps to creating a risk assessment

1. Hazard identification – what are the risks?

2. Hazard accounting and exposure assessment – identify, track and quantify hazards and what how people can be exposed to the hazard

3. Quantification of event probabilities – what are the chances of the risk occurring?

4. Quantification of consequences – what are the consequences? How bad are the consequences?

5. Overall impact and risk assessment – collect information and assess risk is it worth it?

Purpose of a Risk Assessment

• Provide a formalised process for assessing risk the impact of a chemical or activity have on an environment.

• This assessment gives decision makers a better understanding of the environmental processes involved and the potential impacts of their decisions.

• The limitations of a risk assessments is that most risk assessments use modelling and our limited understanding of how certain risks can impact the environment.

Risk Management

Provide strategies and actions that either stop or minimize an event that is deemed harmful.

Cost Benefit Analysis

Is a decision-making tool used to evaluate whether an investment, project, or policy is worth completing.

And compares the total expected cost and benefits. If the benefits outweigh the cost, the project goes ahead.

Why is a Cost Benefit Analysis useful for businesses?

• How much time it will take for development

• How much money it will cost for the development to occur or production of the product

• If the development is profitable

• Ethical companies consider the impacts on the ecosystem and society. Other companies only focus on the profits.

Environmental Management System

Is a framework which helps organizations identify, manage and improve their environmental impact caused by their products, service or activities.

Why are EMS important?

• Creating and documenting environmental policies including who will manage these environmental policies

• Auditing

• Identify how the organization interacts with the environment including the potential and actual impacts to the environment

• Identify and comply with all legal requirements

• Train employees and increase awareness

• Set goals and targets for protecting the environment

• Improve efficiencies within the company to reduce environmental impact

• Procedures for dealing with emergencies

• Reviewing their goals and targets and improving their environmental management plan so it better protects the environment

Advantages of an EMS

Industrial efficiency

• Efficiency can be understood as using inputs (raw materials) more effectively so you get the maximum amount of output (product) for the least amount of input.

• Environmental management systems increase operational efficiencies for a company.

• Reduces raw material input, energy use and waste which reduce the companies costs overall.

• When companies operate more efficiently the employees are more productive, fewer incidents and accidents and senior managers waste less time on crisis management. Legal action and recovery costs are also reduced.

Community confidence

• Leads to greater community confidence that the environment will be protected as EMS requires for companies to respond to interested parties on environmental effects and environmental management.

Advantage for regulators

• Reduces the workload for environmental regulators as companies with an EMS are less likely to have breaches to the laws/regulations. This means resources focused on regulation can be reduced and redirected to other environmental issues.

• There will also be reduction in friction between regulators and companies so they are able to work together to make the company more efficient which cut costs down.

Companies with EMS

Companies with an environmental management system will produce better environmental outcomes.

• EMS allows for companies to increase their environmental awareness

• Help them reduce or avoid damage to the environment

• Recognize where they can reduce waste.

To improve the effectiveness of an EMS a company who use EMS need to compare historical data with current data to measure the change (whether it has improved or not). If the data is not looking good or improving then they will update their processes and observe trends in their data to

Companies without an EMS

• Companies will only consider what they can do to reduce inputs, increase products and reduce waste.

• This does not allow them to think critically about how to improve or make them aware of how their activities impact the environment.

Environmental Effects Statement

In Victoria, it is an environmental impact assessment. And contains:
A description of the proposed development or project

• An outline of public and stakeholder consultation which can include any issues stakeholders may have raised

• A description of the existing environment that may be affected by the construction or project.

• Predictions of significant environmental effects of the proposal and relevant alternatives

• Proposed measures to avoid, minimize or manage adverse environmental effects.

• A proposed program for monitoring and managing environmental effects during project implementation.

Stakeholder

Is an individual, group or organisation (governments, environmental groups, companies, shareholders) involved in decision-making related to an environmental case study, project or issue.

Stakeholder Knowledge

The scientific, technical and experiential knowledge held by a stakeholder. Stakeholder knowledge is important because it allows us to understand whether the project is effective or not.

Values of a stakeholder

Anthropocentrism
Biocentrism
Ecocentrism
Technocentric
Or Sustainability Principles

What are the Earths spheres?

• Biosphere

• Hydrosphere

• Lithosphere

• Atmosphere

All of these spheres are interconnected.

Biosphere

Made up of all of the living organisms on the planet (plants, animals, bacteria and fungi) and all the ecosystems in which they live.

Hydrosphere

All water found on Earth including oceans and lakes.

Lithosphere

The outermost solid layer on earth, including soil and ground.

Atmosphere

The gaseous envelope that surrounds earth. (air)