Learning Unit 3: Sustainable Development

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Learning Outcomes Explain the term "sustainable development" and its importance Discuss how economic principles and environmental economics can influence sustainable development Compare the benefits and disadvantages of scientific and technological developments

Sustainable development Pages 50-52 in Middleton "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” - WCED

Carrying capacity Pages 61-62 in Middleton Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of a species that can be sustained in an area. If the carrying capacity is exceeded, degradation of the habitat will occur. It can also refer to the point at which human use of an ecosystem can reach a maximum without causing degradation (threshold point of stability).

Carrying capacity Application of carrying capacity to human population growth: Deforestation on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) lead to the collapse of the human population Malthusian ideas of overpopulation The tragedy of the commons; and The idea of maximum sustainable yield

Malthus’s theory Pages 61-62 in Middleton Population growth will outstrip food production and lead to famine, conflict and human misery. A rapid increase in the population of an area can result in overexploitation of resources. Human population grows at a geometric rate, while food production grows at an arithmetic (linear) rate. Thus, at some point, the size of the population would be too large for the amount of food available.

Malthus’s theory Two types of checks can keep the human population at a manageable size: Preventative checks – delaying the age of marriage, which would decrease fertility rates; and Positive checks – famine, disease and war, which would increase death rates. Neo-Malthusians suggest that there is a limit to the size of the human population on Earth This limit is imposed by the Earth’s finite resources.

Boserup’s theory Pages 61-62 in Middleton People use resources because of economic, environmental and cultural factors When the human population grows, human ingenuity will lead to the development of technology and innovations to increase food resources. Agricultural innovations provided more food per unit area and enabled more people to be supported Increases in food production since the 1950s – as a response to population growth – has been achieved by the increased use of pesticides and fertilizers, which increased crop yields.

Boserup’s theory Other forms of technology, introduced by the Green Revolution, which also increased food production include: Improved irrigation systems; Development of new varieties of crops which are resistant to pests (through biotechnology); and Increase production of farmed fish (aquaculture)