GEOG122 Module 1 Tutorial 12 BLUE 4 by Meg Tattam

Planetary Boundaries

klw996_1 — 2020-08-18 03:43:57 UTC

a) brainstorm some of the specific environmental ‘problems’:

- Climate change;
- Loss of biosphere integrity (biodiversity loss and extinctions); and
- Land system change.

klw996_1 — 2020-08-18 03:47:50 UTC

b) Select one ‘problem’ to focus on. Describe the problem, explain how it connects to one or more Planetary Boundaries. Try to find an image that visualises the problem.

Deforestation:
Permanent removal of trees to make room for something else other than "forest". Deforestation is connected to the 'Land System Change' planetary boundaries in many ways:
- vegetation types such as wetlands and grasslands have been converted primarily to agricultural land;
- It directly links to the planetary boundary of 'loss of biosphere integrity'. This is due to the fact that biosphere integrity is associated with the condition of an environment, and the impact that humans have had on an ecosystem. Deforestation causes habitat loss as many organisms inhabit these areas that have been subject to deforestation, therefore posing a risk to many organisms living within these ecosystems.

Deforestation

egh9991 — 2020-08-18 03:53:55 UTC

Emily References

egh9991 — 2020-08-18 04:02:22 UTC

Derouin, S 2019, ‘Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects’, Live Science, viewed 18 August 2020, <https://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html>

Vegan Australia. 2020. Animal Agriculture Causes Biodiversity Loss: UN Report. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 August 2020].

Sciencing. 2020. Four Consequences Of Deforestation. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 August 2020].

Stockholmresilience.org. 2020. The Nine Planetary Boundaries - Stockholm Resilience Centre. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 August 2020].

klw996_1 — 2020-08-18 04:04:29 UTC

c) what has led to the problem or caused its escalation over time and how they have contributed to the problem

- Agricultural expansion due to an increasing population there is an increased demand for food;
- Logging due to the high demand for fuel resources;
- Infrastructure expansion due to the need for more highways and roads etc.

'Leaders must make brave choices to save world's forests'

klw996_1 — 2020-08-18 04:08:32 UTC

The Amazon, Borneo-Mekong and Congo forest blocks account for one third of the planet's forests.

klw996_1 — 2020-08-18 04:10:29 UTC

d) potential environmental impacts of deforestation. Outline the potential implications. How does deforestation push the planetary boundaries? Why? Visualise the implications of overshooting the planetary boundaries.

- Soil Erosion: the trees provide anchors for the soil so when there is no trees this can result in disastrous mudslides, soil washing into streams and rivers, loss of reliable electric power and farming problems.
- Water Cycle Disruption: groundwater is extracted by trees and that water is then released into the atmosphere during photosynthesis. When deforestation occurs this water is no longer extracted and the cleared forest then become barren and dry. This increases the risk of fire.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Whilst trees are still living they absorb carbon dioxide, therefore when they are cutdown the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere contributing to the build up of greenhouse gasses. This build up of greenhouse gasses can contribute to global climate change.

The relationship between deforestation and climate change

sakh8651 — 2020-08-18 04:13:19 UTC

Trees capture carbon dioxide and prevent them from accumulating in the atmosphere and causing global warming. However, when deforestation occurs, the process of climate change is intensified. The process of deforestation, which involves the burning of fossil fuels, emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. When the trees are felled, the carbon dioxide that they have been storing is released into the atmosphere. These trees are often left to rot on the forest floor, leading to further emissions. Deforestation is responsible for approximately 10% of worldwide emissions.
Union of Concerned Scientists. 2020. Global Warming Solutions: Stop Deforestation. [Accessed 18 August 2020].

Mechanisms to minimise deforestation

sakh8651 — 2020-08-18 04:41:03 UTC

Despite the rapid expansion of deforestation, there have been a number of notable successes that have adopted mechanisms to channel growth without relying on deforestation. REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) aim to conserve and sustain management of forests. They have developed a program to offer rewards to developing countries for reducing their deforestation rates. Voluntary agreements between businesses, policymakers and NGOs (e.g. Soy Moratorium) have also proved to be an effective approach to minimising deforestation.
Union of Concerned Scientists. 2020. Global Warming Solutions: Stop Deforestation [Accessed 18 August 2020].

klw996_1 — 2020-08-18 04:42:52 UTC

e) brainstorm ways deforestation could be mitigated, or actions that could be taken to prevent its further escalation.

- Education; make smarter choices
- Mindful of carbon footprint; reduce paper usage
- Recycling; reuse and recycle products
- Participate in community events; plant more trees

Greenhouse gases potential to push climate change

egh9991 — 2020-08-18 04:50:44 UTC

Global climate change is brought on by a build up of greenhouse gases.

REDD+: A possible solution to deforestation?

sakh8651 — 2020-08-18 04:51:33 UTC

Jye referencing

jb538 — 2020-08-18 05:15:19 UTC

https://greentumble.com/15-strategies-to-reduce-deforestation/#eco-forestry

https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/How-Can-We-Stop-Deforestation

Cornell Note Taking:

sakh8651 — 2020-08-18 05:18:51 UTC

'The Anthropoceneans'
Part 1

Cornell

egh9991 — 2020-08-18 05:19:11 UTC

'The Anthropocene: Are Humans Now Overwhelming the Great Forces of Nature?'

Cornell Note Taking

sakh8651 — 2020-08-18 05:22:33 UTC

'The Anthropoceneans'
Part 2

Protect Nature: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

klw996_1 — 2020-08-18 05:23:18 UTC

The Nature Conservancy. 2020. Carbon Footprint Calculator. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 August 2020].

Tuesday, 18 August

klw996_1 — 2020-08-18 05:26:56 UTC

Kaycee, Sophie, Emily & Jye - Bega campus
Uow.edu.au. 2020. Our Campus - University Of Wollongong – UOW. [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 August 2020].

The Challenges of Applying Planetary Boundaries as a Basis for Strategic Decision-Making in Companies with Global Supply Chains

mt010_1 — 2020-08-18 06:39:05 UTC

https://res.mdpi.com/d_attachment/sustainability/sustainability-09-00279/article_deploy/sustainability-09-00279.pdf