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Introduction to sustainability Flashcards

(50 cards)

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1
Q

Who coined the idea of sustainable logging and in what year?

A

Hans Carl von Carowitz in 1713

This idea aimed to prevent overuse of wood resources.

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2
Q

What is the significance of sustainable development?

A

It is an instrument for achieving human prosperity and the reservation of productive capacities.

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3
Q

What historical example illustrates unsustainable resource use?

A

Easter Island

The island became largely deforested and uninhabitable due to soil erosion and declining agricultural productivity.

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4
Q

What does sustainable development encompass beyond resource use?

A

Social aspects

It includes considerations of societal impacts alongside environmental sustainability.

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5
Q

What is the Brundtland-Definition of sustainable development?

A

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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6
Q

What are the two pillars of sustainability?

A
  • Intragenerational Justice
  • Intergenerational Justice
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7
Q

What does Intragenerational Justice focus on?

A

Meeting the needs of the present

It emphasizes giving voice to unprivileged groups currently.

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8
Q

What does Intergenerational Justice emphasize?

A

Giving future generations a voice

It centers on continuous resource utilization to prevent limitations for future generations.

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9
Q

What report served as a starting point for a series of high-profile conferences by the UN on sustainability?

A

WCED ‘87 report

The World Commission on Environment and Development report from 1987 highlighted pressing sustainability issues.

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10
Q

What are the most pressing sustainability issues discussed in UN conferences?

A
  • Climate Change
  • Biodiversity
  • Food Security
  • Human Development

These issues are critical for achieving global sustainability.

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11
Q

What has increased in society regarding sustainability?

A

Awareness of Sustainability

Despite increased awareness, achieving collective action remains challenging.

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12
Q

Since when has climate change been a concern?

A

Late 19th century

Discussions on combating climate change have been limited over the past 120 years.

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13
Q

What goal did the global community agree on in 2015 regarding climate change?

A

Limiting global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius

This agreement was a significant step in international climate policy.

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14
Q

What criticisms have been raised regarding climate change commitments?

A
  • Value targets
  • Unclear distribution of responsibilities
  • Evasion of commitments by some countries

These factors have hindered effective action against climate change.

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15
Q

What indicator is used for assessing intragenerational justice?

A

Population living in poverty

This indicator helps evaluate fairness in resource distribution within the current generation.

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16
Q

How has poverty changed since the industrial revolution?

A

Decreased significantly

However, welfare should not be measured by wealth alone.

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17
Q

What does HDI stand for?

A

Human Development Index

HDI is a composite figure that includes life expectancy, education, and living standards.

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18
Q

What trend has been observed in HDI in most countries?

A

Increases in majority of countries, decreases in war-affected regions

This indicates a correlation between stability and human development.

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19
Q

What does Earth Overshoot Day (EOD) measure?

A

Resource consumption

EOD marks the point at which humanity’s demand exceeds the Earth’s capacity to regenerate resources.

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20
Q

What does EOD indicate about intergenerational justice?

A

Extent of present generation living at the expense of future

It highlights unsustainable resource consumption patterns.

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21
Q

How do consumption patterns differ between North America/Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa?

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A

North America and Europe grossly overconsume their renewable resources while Sub-Saharan Africa refrains from overconsumption

This disparity raises concerns about equity in resource use.

22
Q

What is the potential tradeoff discussed in the context of sustainability?

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A

Intra- and intergenerational justice

Intra-generational justice refers to fairness among current generations, while intergenerational justice pertains to fairness between current and future generations.

23
Q

How is human development correlated with natural resource consumption?

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A

Positively correlated

As human development improves, it often leads to increased consumption of natural resources.

24
Q

What is the impact of welfare improvement on the Earth’s regenerative capacity?

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A

Leads to increased pressure

Improvement in lifestyle often results in greater demands on the environment.

25
How do the consumption patterns of low-income individuals compare to those of high-income individuals?
Low-income individuals have significantly smaller environmental impacts ## Footnote Higher consumption levels among affluent individuals lead to greater environmental degradation.
26
What significant change occurred in China's poverty rate due to economic growth?
Reduced from 90% to 10% ## Footnote This economic growth, however, was accompanied by a tripling of CO2 emissions per capita.
27
What is a consequence of increased economic activity in terms of resource demand?
Increased demand for food, water, energy, and other resources ## Footnote This demand can lead to environmental degradation and limit opportunities for future generations.
28
What does the Covid-19 pandemic represent in the context of sustainability?
A Wicked Problem of Sustainability ## Footnote While emissions decreased during the pandemic, it also led to economic trade-offs and crises.
29
What complexities arise in achieving sustainability in society?
Balancing intra- and intergenerational justice ## Footnote There are conflicting interests among various societal actors that must be addressed.
30
Who are the key actors in society that influence sustainability?
* Politicians * Consumers * Civil society organizations * Companies ## Footnote Each actor has a role in defining regulations, reflecting consumption, influencing sustainability, and reducing environmental impacts.
31
How has the concept of sustainable development evolved?
Into a holistic concept covering intra- and intergenerational justice ## Footnote This evolution emphasizes the need for cooperation among various actors.
32
What does intragenerational justice focus on?
Fairness between current generations ## Footnote It addresses equity among people living today.
33
What does intergenerational justice focus on?
Fairness towards future generations ## Footnote It emphasizes the rights and opportunities of those who will live in the future.
34
What do current societal patterns reveal about justice?
Gaps in the status quo of intra- and intergenerational justice ## Footnote These gaps highlight the challenges in achieving true sustainability.
35
What is necessary for sustainable development to be realized?
Engagement from various actors with the idea of sustainability ## Footnote Collaboration is crucial to address the conflicting issues that arise.
36
True or False: The concept of 'Wicked Problem' refers to the conflicting issues between intra- and intergenerational justice.
True ## Footnote 'Wicked Problems' are complex issues that often have no clear solution.
37
What are the Three P’s in sustainability?
People, Planet, Profit ## Footnote The Three P's represent the triple bottom line framework for sustainability.
38
Who introduced the idea of the Three P’s?
John Elkington ## Footnote John Elkington is a key figure in the discourse on sustainability and corporate responsibility.
39
What are the three pillars of sustainable development?
Economic, Ecological, Social Responsibility ## Footnote These pillars help make sustainable development comprehensible and manageable at the company level.
40
What is the economic pillar of sustainability focused on?
Generating profits to be sustainable in an economic sense ## Footnote This pillar emphasizes the necessity of profitability for long-term sustainability.
41
What does the ecological pillar of sustainability emphasize?
Achieving resource efficiency ## Footnote This pillar focuses on minimizing resource use and environmental impact.
42
What topics does the social pillar of sustainability cover?
Social justice and equal opportunities ## Footnote This pillar addresses the need for fairness and equity in social systems.
43
When were the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) developed?
2015 ## Footnote The UN SDGs were created to provide a detailed and actionable pathway for sustainability.
44
How many aspirational goals are included in the UN SDGs?
17 ## Footnote These goals guide efforts towards achieving sustainability on a global scale.
45
What is the total number of sub-targets under the UN SDGs?
169 ## Footnote Each goal is broken down into various sub-targets to enhance specificity and actionability.
46
What is Goal 13 of the UN SDGs focused on?
Urgent action to combat climate change ## Footnote This goal emphasizes resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.
47
What is one of the targets of Goal 13?
Mobilize jointly 100 billion annually by 2020 to address developing countries' needs ## Footnote This target aims to support meaningful mitigation actions in developing countries.
48
What are some benefits of the SDG framework?
Holistic aims, guidance for activities, and review of approaches ## Footnote The SDGs provide a comprehensive framework for assessing sustainability efforts.
49
What difficulties are associated with the SDG framework?
SDG Rankings may favor wealthy OECD countries ## Footnote These countries may score high in areas like poverty reduction while being environmentally unsustainable.
50
True or False: Companies often refer to the SDGs that best fit their business model.
True ## Footnote Companies tend to align their sustainability commitments with the goals that are most relevant to them.

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