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2400–1700 BC: Soil Salinization in Mesopotamia

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2400–1700 BC: Soil Salinization in Mesopotamia

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Over irrigation in the Fertile Crescent caused salt to build up in the soil. This reduced wheat yields and forced farmers to grow more salt tolerant crops. Over time, crop yields kept declining. This is one of the earliest examples of environmental degradation from unsustainable agriculture.

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1290: The Banning of Exported Timber in England

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1290: The Banning of Exported Timber in England

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Timber in England at this time was used for many things and significantly boosted the economy, but over-harvesting became an issue, so King Edward banned the exportation of timber and charcoal

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1760s - early 1800s industrial revolution 

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1760s - early 1800s industrial revolution 

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Technological revolutions in factory production reorganized English and European societies, pushing people into cities. Populations boomed, as did environmental degradation and public health impacts. Motivated thinkers like Thomas Malthus to blame overpopulation as the cause for environmental degradation, and argue that the environment could not sustain the resource (especially food and water) needs of large populations in England.

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Yellowstone National Park is established, marking the beginning of the worldwide national parks movement and a greater awareness of preserving natural resources.

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1905: The US Forest Service is Established

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1905: The US Forest Service is Established

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President Theodore Roosevelt and his appointed Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot established and created the first US Forest Service in an effort to manage national forests for the benefit of the public and to provide sustainable yield/methods for timber. It encouraged and encourages sustainability nationwide because it promoted conservation efforts and shifted the paradigm of silviculture away from unregulated exploitation of forests and forested environments.

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The Cuyahoga river flowing through Cleveland Ohio was heavily polluted from industrial waste and oil runoff which was never checked and managed properly ending with sparks from a close train reaching the oil in the water igniting the river on fire. Fire lasted around 30 minutes lighting multiple different times. This incident helped brung attention to the importance of managing waste and runoff which eventually led to the Clean Water Act of 1972.

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This event took place in London from December 5th to December 9th. A toxic Smog enveloped the London area caused by industrial pollution and high-pressure weather conditions. The smog would lead to many deaths throughout the city. In London this was not a new event because of the burning of coal which was a big problem to the civilians which tried to get it to stop but couldn't. Then when industrialization began the siltation became much worse. The Great Smog was the worst pollution-based fog in the city's history and when it ended it is likely that more than 10,000 people had died. This event helped contribute to the British Clean Air Act multiple years later in 1956 which helped create smoke free areas in the city and London moved to other heating sources which helped end pollution events in the city.

Bob Booth

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Heavy industrial pollution in cities along the lake's coast led to Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes, becoming inhospitable and unsafe. Dead fish littered shorelines and Lake Erie was also connected to the Cuyahoga River in Ohio, which caught on fire. The "Death of Lake Erie" caught attention nation-wide and led to policy implementation and cleanup efforts near the lake, helping it return to a far healthier state and alert people on the importance of environmental care.

Rin Simmons

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The American civil right movement was in the 1960 and it gained significant momentum and with the Greensbore and the FDA approval on the birth control pills. And how John F Kennedy when he became the president.

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Rachel Carson Wrote the book silent spring which documented the environmental harm of DDT a pesticide used by soldiers in World War 2

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Creation of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (1964)

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Creation of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (1964)

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The IUCN Red List is the world's most comprehensive inventory of conservation statuses on plants, animals, and fungi. It assesses the risk of extinction for species, creating a global standard for measuring biodiversity health. It allows us to highlight species that are most at risk and focus conservation efforts more heavily on those species.

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Paul and Anne Ehrlich’s book The Population Bomb published in 1968, took a closer look at the rising population. They raised the consciousness that the population growth could get so out of control that humanity would exceed the carrying capacity of the human population leading to a shortage of resources. This in turn would lead to the environment being destroyed in the attempt to support the population. But not only that but different governments would get involved with the “population problem” this would lead to different policies to control population growth. This can be seen in China's one child policy to help reduce strain on their resources as a country. This concern raised by the population bomb was a common concern that influenced the first earth day.

David Campbell

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On June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga River running through Cleveland, Ohio, caught on fire. This was not the first time the river had caught on fire, so it was not a shock to Cleveland residents, as the river was often viewed as being a part of the city's industrial infrastructure rather than a part of a natural system. The river fire helped lead to the implementation of the 1972 Clean Water Act and other environmental protection policies.

Allison Riley

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The Love Canal toxic waste crisis occurred in the late 1970s in Niagara Falls, New York. Residents discovered their neighborhood had been built atop a buried chemical waste site. Over 21,000 tons of hazardous materials had been dumped there decades earlier by a chemical company, and over time, these toxins began seeping into homes, yards, and the local school. Families reported alarming health problems, including birth defects and high rates of illness. The situation gained national attention, prompting evacuations and intense public outcry. In response, the U.S. government passed the Superfund Act (CERCLA) in 1980, which gave federal authorities the power to clean up toxic sites and hold polluters accountable. Love Canal became a defining moment in environmental history, highlighting the urgent need for stronger regulations and corporate responsibility.

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On April 22nd of 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated across the United States. It was one of the first major events that emphasized environmental protection, intended to bring public awareness to environmental issues. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created not long after the first Earth Day, thanks to increased awareness about global environmental issues.

Caroline Cannell

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EPA founded by the president Nixon- December 2nd ,1970.

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EPA founded by the president Nixon- December 2nd ,1970.

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On December 2, 1970, an initiative by US President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency. Its primary goal is to protect human health and the environment by implementing regulations for clean air, water, and land.

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Stockholm, Sweden, June 5-16, 1972: United Nations Conference on the Human Environment

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Stockholm, Sweden, June 5-16, 1972: United Nations Conference on the Human Environment

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This event marked the first global environmental conference by the UN. A focal point of this conference was the split of priorities between raising countries out of poverty and focusing on environmental protections. Poor and developing countries needed to focus on getting themselves out of poverty, while rich countries viewed these countries with disapproval over a lack of environmental progress. A major result of this conference was the creation of the United Nations Environment Program, which aims to address the multiple environmental issues the world still faces to this day.

Henry Kordon

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June 5-16, 1872.

The Stockholm Conference was the first meeting on an international scale about environmental issues and recognizing the global challenges that need international help. One of the major results of this conference was the creation of UNEP and producing the action plan to help environmental issues. As well as, helping establish global resources and alliances with developing nations.

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UN World Population Conference (August 19th-30th, 1974)

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UN World Population Conference (August 19th-30th, 1974)

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Legislators for 135 countries met at a United Nations Conference in August of 1974, in Bucharest, Romania. There was debate on the effects and solutions of the world population in regard to sustainability efforts. As Hazen & Sutton explain, there was a lot of discourse "between the incrementalist position of many Western states, who saw population growth as impeding economic development, and the redistribution perspective advocated by poorer countries... who argued that rapid population growth was a result of economic underdevelopment and not a cause." This conference highlighted the beginning stages of debate between overconsumption or overpopulation being a primary source of environmental harm.

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On March 28, 1979 a partial meltdown on the Unit 2 reactor occurred on the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. This is located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The incident was caused by a combination of mechanical and human errors. This led to the release of radioactive gases into the atmosphere, which led to changes in regulations and safety protocols.

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In 1985, researchers discovered a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. That hole spanned roughly 7.3 million square miles. More than 100 countries, including the United States, then pledged to decrease and eventually stop the use of compounds that deplete the ozone layer.

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Montreal Protocol 1987

The Montreal Protocol was one of the first and only times the entire world stepped up toward fixing environmental issues on Earth. Ozone depleting substances such as CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) that were used in the production of household items such as refrigerators were phased out and banned in many countries due to their adverse effects on the environment. The ozone layer blocks ultraviolet radiation from reaching Earth in turn preventing skin cancer and cataracts in humans and also helping with agricultural productivity. Nearly 200 nations of the world stepped up to ban/phase out the use of ozone depleting substances as these chemicals put a hole in the ozone layer. It is predicted that the hole in the ozone layer will be completely recovered by the middle of this century.

Ben Evers

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An explosion of a nuclear powerplant releases radioactive material into the atmosphere. The explosion 50 immediately and effected thousands of people from radioactive exposure.

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Titled "Our Common Future" and commissioned by the United Nations, the Brundtland Report emphasized the importance of sustainable development and contributed ideas of togetherness in order to address global issues involving the environment and the balance of the 3 pillars. It highlighted social groups and the justice needed because of our unbalanced, discriminatory ways. The report also highlighted the significance of the future and how we have to work together to have human needs met all while suppressing the degradation of the environment.

Isabelle Barth

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The Earth Summit 1992 adopting agenda 21

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The Earth Summit 1992 adopting agenda 21

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Agenda 21 was a plan of action for sustainable development. It has provided a blueprint for pressing environmental and development problems by outlining global strategies for restoring the environment and encouraging environmentally sound development across various sectors. Agenda 21 aims to balance human needs with environmental protection and economic development. While it is a non-legally binding document it was the first international agreement to recognize the interconnecttiveness of environmental, social, and economic development.

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1994- International Conference on Population and Development

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1994- International Conference on Population and Development

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In 1968, emphasis was placed on limiting the rapid population growth in hopes of preserving highly demanded resources. However, in 1990s, people began to realize that it is their right to decide on the number and spacing of their children. So, in 1994, in when the International Conference on Population and Development concluded, the focus shifted away from population control and instead, to reproductive empowerment. This allowed people to control their own reproductive futures through family planning and further education. This shift redefined the relationship between population and the environmental impact.

Cameron Olsen

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A picture of the very first COP meeting in Berlin, Germany.

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Conference of Parties meetings 1995-1997

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Conference of Parties meetings 1995-1997

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After the very first meeting in 1995 for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or the UNFCCC, a treaty was signed for all countries to agree to limit their Green House Gases. This treaty was known as the Kyoto Protocol.

Giovanni Panozzo

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Newspaper released in 1997 sharing information regarding the Kyoto Protocol.  

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It was the first international treaty that legally bound countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, marking a major step in global climate policy and sustainability efforts.

Maci Gade

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From 2000 to 2015 The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) focused on the following 8 key principles eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and global partnership for development then were succeeded by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

References

United Nations. (2015). Research Guides: UN Documentation: Development: 2000-2015, Millennium Development Goals. Un.org. https://research.un.org/en/docs/dev/2000-2015

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196 countries agreed to keep global warming below 2 degrees C

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2018 - China bans foreign plastic imports. 

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2018 - China bans foreign plastic imports. 

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In China, they started to stop all imports of plastic waste and eventually banned all solid waste imports by 2021. This was driven by widespread pollution in the country and aimed to improve environmental quality, as well as promote the development of their own waste management programs. It also compelled developed and developing countries to look inward and devise their own solutions to their waste problems.

-Dylan Ostendorf

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Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. A global framework with 17 goals aimed at addressing key Challenges. These challenges include poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, and peace. SDGs aim to ensure prosperity for all while protecting the planet for the coming generation. It also provides a blueprint for governments, MNCs, NGOs, and individuals to work together to create a more sustainable and equitable world.

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The IRA is signed by the Biden administration as one of the most ambitious climate regulations thus far. The major focuses are on the reductions of GHG emissions and the promotion of adaption strategies to climate change.

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2015: China Emerges as world's largest economy

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2015: China Emerges as world's largest economy

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It mostly highlights how the growth economy of China significantly rise over the period, even though their GDP is smaller than US. China Intentionally decided to no longer depend on US products and increase their GDP and PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) independently.

Rikart Yeimo

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2015: China Emerges as the World's Largest Economy

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2015: China Emerges as the World's Largest Economy

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It emphasizes that how the economic growth of China significantly increased over the past period. Even though China had small Purchasing Power Parity (PPT) and GDP growth, but they were successfully pushing down US to second place, and it has been slightly rising over the time.

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1970 – First Earth Day

In April 1970, millions of people across the United States participated in the first Earth Day, marking one of the earliest large scale public demonstrations for environmental protection. Hudson Peterson

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1980 – Formation of the World Conservation Strategy

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1980 – Formation of the World Conservation Strategy

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The World Conservation Strategy was created by the IUCN, UNEP, and WWF as one of the first global efforts to connect conservation with sustainable development. It introduced the idea that protecting ecosystems is essential not only for wildlife but also for human well-being. This strategy helped shape future international environmental policies and emphasized the importance of balancing human needs with environmental protection.