ISSP - SA Chapter 1 Questions with Accurate Answers 2024

ISSP - SA Chapter 1 Questions with Accurate Answers 2024 Sustainable Development The most widely accepted definition of this development approach comes from the 1987 Brundtland Commission report, which describes it as: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" Carrying Capacity The maximum population that can survive indefinitely on the available resources and services. Brainpower Read More Previous Play Next Rewind 10 seconds Move forward 10 seconds Unmute 0:00 / 0:15 Full screen Brundtland Commission Publisher of "Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future" in 1987, the UN's World Commission on Environment and Development got its moniker from its Chairwoman, Gro Harlem Brundtland, the ex-Prime Minister of Norway. Two Key Concepts of Brundtland Definition -the concept of 'needs', in particular t​he essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given -the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs. Natural Capital The natural resources of Earth, such as air, water, and minerals. Financial Capital Cash, investments, and monetary instruments Manufactured Capital All goods and services humans produce: infrastructure, machines, tools, and factories Human Capital The knowledge and skills a worker gains through education and experience: labor and intelligence, culture, and organization Community Capital All the "natural, human, social, and built capital from which a community receives benefits and on which the community relies for continued existence". Natural Capitalism This is an economic model that highlights the critical relationship between society and the ecosystem expressed in economic terms. It allows decision-makers to consider Earth's carrying capacity and the risks associated with the limits to growth. Four central strategies of this concept can help countries, companies, and communities to thrive: Radical resource productivity; Biomimicry; Service and flow economy; Invest in natural capital. Weak Sustainability A view of sustainable development that assumes natural capital and manufactured capital generate the same level of wellbeing to society. Proponents of this view believe that sustainability can be achieved for future generations by maintaining or increasing the aggregate value of all capital stocks. Strong Sustainability A view of sustainable development that sees nature as having "critical" elements—conceptualized as ecosystem services—that uniquely contribute to human wellbeing. As "critical natural capital," maintaining nature's ecological functioning is required if society will continue to provide for the needs of future generations. Limits to Growth Published by the Club of Rome in 1972, this was a controversial paper, authored by a team at MIT, working under Jay W. Forrester. Controversial at the time, the team used computer modeling to simulate the impact on the biosphere of continued economic and population growth. Their findings showed that the carrying capacity of the Earth could not withstand the then-current rates beyond 2100, without experiencing irreversible collapse. System Archetypes This term refers to the various combinations of reinforcing and balancing feedback loops that commonly occur in systems. They include: Fixes that backfire or fail, Shifting the burden, Limits to growth or success, Tragedy of the commons, Accidental adversaries, Escalation, Drifting or eroding goals, Success to the successful, and Growth and underinvestment. Reinforcing Loop These are also known as positive feedback loops, and generate exponential growth or collapse at an increasing rate. This runaway behavior strengthens with each iteration. Feedback Loops As one part of a system changes, other parts of the system react and respond, regulating system behavior as a whole. This term is the mechanism by which the system regulates and manipulates this change. This closed chain of causal connections forms when changes in a stock affect the flows in and out of that stock. These exhibit two kinds of behavior: positive (reinforcing) and negative (balancing). IPAT Equation This "equation" expresses a causal relationship between total population (P), affluence (A), technology (T), and environmental impact (I). While overly simplified the construct of a multiplicative relationship between these elements has led to a broader understanding of environmental challenges such as climate change. Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology Sustainable Energy This describes energy that is available to all people—both today and in the future. Having the capacity to provide this requires a strong infrastructure, deriving fuel from renewable sources, and practicing energy efficiency. The Tragedy of the Commons A parable that illustrates why common resources get used more than is socially desirable Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs The necessity of reducing poverty has been recognized by most sustainability frameworks and government sustainability programs. Need to address basic human needs. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) A mechanism established by the Kyoto Protocol designed to encourage project-based emission reduction activities in developing countries. Purchasing the CERs produced by these projects allows Annex 1 countries to meet their reduction commitments. Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR) Adopted in the wake of World War II (1948), this declaration, represented the first global expression of the belief that all people have certain inherent and fundamental rights that should be universally protected. Social Justice This refers to fairness and equality among all people in society and encompasses issues of human rights and the distribution of resources. Environmental Justice Environmental justice addresses the interaction between environmental quality and social justice. It is governed by the principle that everyone has the right to equal protection from damage, risk, and discrimination due to pollution. Aarhus Convention Entering into effect in 2001 among EU countries, and drafted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), this agreement guarantees the rights of individuals—independently and collectively—to live in "an environment adequate to his or her health and wellbeing." This includes the "rights of access to information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters."