Study Unit 4

Learning outcomes
− investigate, formulate descriptive definitions, and provide your own opinion about the following
critical environmental issues and concepts: social-ecological systems thinking, resilience of the
earth system, biodiversity, climate change, water security, food systems and food security,
energy efficiency and waste minimisation, the commons, fair trade, and green economy;
− argue the impact of humans on the environment, as well as the environmental crisis in which
humans find themselves;
− discuss the relationships and interactions between different environmental issues; and
− critically reflect on the environmental problems associated with humankind’s misuse and
mismanagement of resources and provide innovative and theory-driven solutions for these
problems.

Introduction
− It is clear that the earth faces unprecedented critical environmental issues but some saliant
questions remain unanswered
− Currently, the situation of environment is very poor that could never be imagine by our ancestor
in previous time
− Is it proper to say these problems have been accentuated by evolving human population?
− Or natural causes have in part contributed this this circle we are trapped in?
− Some are of the opinion that, we have endlessly spoil our environment by using its resources in
very wrong way

So what is an environmental issue or problem

− An environmental problem occurs when there is a change in the quality or the quantity of the
environmental factor that directly or indirectly affect everything on earth
− “Environmental issues are defined as problems with the planet's system (air, water, soil etc.)
that have developed as a result of human interference or mistreatment of the planet.”
− As world population rises dramatically, it is becoming more inevitable that unless we find ways
of protecting our environment, we could be faced with a more serious environmental crisis…

What are some environmental issues we face nowadays?

− What we think of as environmental problems become more common and apparent with
industrialization and urbanization
− Irrefutably, our planet is slowly but surely dying, the ozone layer is depleting and global warming
has become more evident than ever, leading to drought, famine, floods, misery, and diseases
etc..
− Air pollution, poor management of its waste, growing water scarcity, falling ground water tables,
water pollution, waste disposal, desertification, endangered species, preservation and quality of
 forest, biodiversity loss, and land/soil degradation, Global Climate change, pollution,
environmental degradation, Global Warming, Greenhouse effect, Acidification, Ozone depletion

Environmental issues can occur at three levels

− The most fundamental cause above all is the unconscious of people about the vital role of
environment in our life.
− Humans are the most severe culprit which occurs via local, regional and global.
− A look into local environmental issues
− The major local environmental issues are
✓ Pollution
✓ Waste Disposal
✓ Desertification
✓ Water Scarcity
✓ Endangered Species

Air pollution as local environment issue

− Pollution can be defined as an undesirable addition of constituents to water, land, or air which
adversely affect human life, species, living conditions and will deteriorate our resources.
− Pollution can be classified mainly into four categories- air pollution, water pollution, soil
pollution, noise pollution.
− Air pollution is refers to any physical, chemical and biological change in the air. It is the
contamination of air by harmful gases, dust and smoke which affect the plant, animals, and
human drastically.
− There is a certain percentage of gases present in the atmosphere

Some cause of air pollution

− Carbon monoxide (CO): (where does it come from? Class discussion!!!)
− Lead (Pb): it releases from metal refineries and other metal industries
− Nitrogen oxide: it releases in environment due to fuel combustion, wood burning. It's mainly
impact our lung, lung diseases leading to respiratory symptoms increases susceptibility to
respiratory infection
− Sulphur dioxide (SO ): it releases due to fuel combustion as well as natural occurrences like
volcanoes. It causes asthma and breathing difficulty

Waste as local environment issue

− The term waste is typically applied to solid waste, sewage, hazardous waste, and electronic
waste.
− Waste disposal, the collection, processing, and recycling or deposition of waste material of
human society.
− Waste is classified by source and composition.
− Waste materials are either liquid or solid in form, and their components may be either
hazardous or inert in their effects on health and environment.
 − We used plastic bag, broken glass, obsolete cell phone, or used battery cells, they are all used
products that require appropriate disposal to limit their harm to the environment

Different types of waste in the environment

− Medical or clinical sources of wastes
− Agricultural sources of wastes
− Industrial sources of wastes
− Wastes from construction or demolition

Desertification as local environment issue

− Desertification is a type of land degradation in dry lands in which biological productivity is lost
due to natural processes or induced by human activities whereby fertile areas become
increasingly more arid.
− It is the spread of arid areas caused by a variety of factors, such as through climate change and
through the overexploitation of soil through human activity.

Causes of desertification?
− Climate change: climate change plays a huge role in desertification. As the days get warmer and
periods of drought become more frequent, desertification becomes more and more eminent.
Unless climate change is slowed down, huge areas of land will become desert.
− Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides: The use of excessive amount of fertilizer and
pesticides to maximize to their crop yields in the short term often lead to significant damages
for the soil. In the long run, this may turn from arable into arid land over time and not suitable
for the farming.
− Deforestation: Wood extraction, and infrastructure expansion such as road building and
urbanization, then it contributing to problems related to desertification. Without the tree rest of
the biome cannot thrive.
− Overgrazing: If there are too many animals that that are overgrazing in certain spots it makes it
difficult for the plant grow back, which hunts the biome and make it loses its former green glory.

Water scarcity as local environment issue

− Water scarcity involves water crisis, water shortage, water deficit or water stress.
− Water scarcity can be due to physical water scarcity and economic water scarcity.
− Physical water scarcity refers to a situation where natural water resources are unable to meet a
region's demand while economic water scarcity is a results of poor water management
resources.
− Water scarcity is the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water
usage within a region.

Causes of water scarcity

− Overuse of water
− Pollution of water
− Global warming
 − Illegal dumping

Endangered species as local environment issue

− An endangered species can be define as species that is very likely to be extinct in near future.
− The number of endangered species has dramatically risen over time.
− As of 2020, there are 6,811 species that are considered to be critically endangered.
− If the number of endangered species is continuously increased we will loss many species in the
future.
− To prevent this, governments and other institutions all over the world try to save the
endangered species by measures by creating protected areas or forbidding hunting

Causes of endangered species

− Destruction of habitats
− Hunting
− Pollution
− Insufficient reproduction rate
− Disease

Regional and Global environmental issues

− Global Warming
− Ocean acidification
− Acid rain
− Ozone depletion

Global warming and climate change as environmental issue

− It is no doubt that the earth atmospheric temperature has increased drastically over the past
decades
− Many scientist have proven this by observing global atmospheric temperature and evidence
from melting glacier ice-caps, increase in sea level etc.
− The main cause is an increase in consumption of fossil fuel (but not limited to it alone) which in
turn causes a blanket of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere thereby trapping the out-going
solar radiation from escaping back into the atmosphere.

Why is climate change not widely accepted as a problem that affect humanity?
− Despite the progression and accumulation of empirical evidence, some people still remain
divided over the scientific consensus of climate change
− Cross a spectrum of concern and engagement and demonstrate the relationships that exist
among different political ideologies, cultural values, and policy preferences.
− The public tends to dismiss the presence or urgency of climate change in the absence of its
immediate and visible impacts.
− Individuals do not tend to be concerned about extreme weather events, in part because natural
disasters have always happened.
 − As an array of socio-economic issues remain at the forefront of public policy, the absence of
immediate and visible climate change impacts may cause individuals to believe that the issue
lacks salience and relevance

Climate change
− It can be defined as any systematic shift in the long-term statistics of weather elements (such as
temperature, rainfall, or winds) sustained over several decades or longer.
− These changes can be caused by natural processes such as changes in solar emission or slow
changes in the earth’s orbital elements by natural internal processes of the climate system, such
as glaciations or by human activities (anthropogenic activities can also cause this changes)
− Therefore climate change is the outcome of global warming
− It should be noted that the distribution of land and water play a major role in determining
climatic conditions and weather patterns.

Do you believe climate change is real

− Scientists most often only consider the theoretical aspects like greenhouse gas (GHG) effects for
global warming which is only a secondary cause.
− The primary cause is the disposal of waste from different industrial and domestic process thus
the primary and secondary causes are combinedly responsible for climate changes, indeed we
want to bring about a meaningful change.

Ocean acidification as environmental crisis

− Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by mthe
uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2)
− Carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels dissolves in seawater and produces
carbonic acid, and this lower the pH of the ocean water finally lead to ocean acidification.

Causes of ocean acidification

− Lack of eco-friendly laws and regulations
− Waste disposal
− The burning of fossil fuels

Acid rain as environmental crisis

− Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with acidic
components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or
dry forms.
− This can include rain, snow, fog, hail or even dust that is acidic.
− It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure

Causes of acid rain

− Although all bodies of water have acid in it, but the problem with acid rain is that too much
acidic chemical compounds such as sulfuric and nitric acid, formed when Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
and Nitrogen Oxide(NOx) come into contact with water and oxygen in the atmosphere, lower
the normal PH of water
 − Human based sources such as factories, power
generations facilities, oil refineries and automobiles
are the primary contributors to chemical gases.
− Electricity generating power plants burn coal and
other fossil fuels which are the biggest contributors to
gaseous emissions.

Ozone Depletion as environmental crisis

− Ozone layer depletion is the thinning of the ozone layer present in the upper
atmosphere.
− This happens when the chlorine and bromine atoms in the
atmosphere come in contact with ozone and destroy the
ozone molecules
− According to the World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) says data from the US National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) shows the hole in the
atmospheric layer that guards the world against
dangerous ultraviolet
− Ozone depletion is the main cause which leads to climate change or also
called global warming.

Causes of ozone layer depletion

− Chlorofluorocarbons
− Natural Causes

Measure to address environmental problems

− Kyoto protocol and policies adopted to address environmental problem each

year.
− The1970 Earth Day in United States and then the 1972 United Nation
Conference on the Human
Environment in Stockholm helped turn “Environmental Quality” into a major
international issue.
− The United Nation Conference on Environment and Development in Rio De
Janeiro in 1992,
significant “Green Parties” had been formed in Europe and
environmental problems were the subject of citizen and
governmental attention worldwide.
Must do task!

− As a teacher you must perform an audit on

GLOBAL WATER QUALITY and its possible
implications for South Africa.
− These fluctuations are associated with climatic changes
driven by anthropogenic activities at a regional and global
scale.
− You must learn how to teach and support future
learners to understand this far reaching problem as a
learning topic, hence, to integrate Environmental
Education for sustainable development into teaching
practice.
− Identify and explain some contributions of human activities
to global and local water pollution and scarcity and the
implications for the natural environment.
− Identify a subject and topic in your phase where you
can teach your learners about the deteriorating
water quality as a result of climate change and
anthropogenic activities.
− In this way you will be integrating environmental
education into the teaching and learning activity