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Inland waters (rivers and lakes)=world's most degraded environments

Human activities reduced quality + quantity of clean, fresh water

Extracting water (for homes, farming, factories) have affected the health of water supplies

Pollution from farms=damage

Large amounts of freshwater is extracted from natural resources

Highest demand for fresh water=irrigating farms

Australia=70% of the water extracted from river + aquifers→used for farming

↑ in population + the demand for food + water=many of the world's water sources being degraded

To much being extracted=shrinking lakes + increased salinity

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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=the world's worst environmental risk

Results in:

Increases rates of asthma, lung + heart disease

3.5 mil people die each year from outdoor air pollution

Outdoor: breathing in air with high concentrations of fine particles from: traffic factory + power plant emissions + fires

4.3 mil people die from indoor air pollution

Indoor: fuels, such as coal + dried animal waste (after its burnt)

Tougher laws + restrictions=outdoor air quality improving IN SOME COUNTRIES

Asia + Africa=air pollution increasing due to rapid growth + expansion in cities→demand for cheap + reliable source of energy

Typically fossil fuels such as coal

98% of the developing world have rates of air pollution that exceeds safe guidelines

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Atmosphere=layer of gases that surrounds the Earth

Pollutants such as carbon, nitrogen + sulphur=released from factories

Change in atmosphere composition + rainforest reduction is responsible for increased temperatures (globally) + changes in our climate

Global warming=Health risks

Ozone layer: layer of the atmosphere that protects us from the sun's UV radiation

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Ecosystem Decline:
=natural ecosystems becoming degraded

loss of vegetation

invasion of alien plants/animals

decline in stream/river quality

WITH decline in soil quality & degradation=DESERTIFICATION

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Soil Erosion:
=when soil is gradually worn away by nature

human actives (particularly clearing trees) accelerates erosion in many places

cleared land=vulnerable to wind erosion, gully erosion & sheet erosion

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Soil Degradation
=the loss of fertility throughout the soil

caused by:

chemical change within the soil

compacted by large machinery and animals

acid levels increased due to fertiliser build up

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Land Degradation=the loss of productivity, quality and decline in fertility of ecosystems as a result of human activities and severe weather