Sustainability and Environmental
Change
Session 1 - Introduction to the course
Video : Let the environment guide our development l Johan rockstrom
Humans put unprecedented (unheard/abnormal) pressure on the planet. Planetary risks are
so large that business as usual is not an option (we need innovation etc)
“the quadruple squeeze” pressures:
1. Human growth
2. Climate agenda (sea level rise etc)
3. Ecosystem decline 60%
4. Surprise (tipover, irreversible)
New era: antropocene
Evidence (parameters): CO2/CH4 acceleration, deforestation, loss of species, overfishing,
degradation. ⇒ simultaneously increase ⇒ The “great”acceleration starts at 1850
Conclusion: were coming to a tipping point/threshold, time to bend the curve (decrease the
parameter).
Planetary boundaries allow for a safe operating space to prevent exceeding a
threshold/tipping point.
3 big systems with large scale thresholds:
- climate change
- ozone depletion
- ocean acidification
Slower variables, regulate the big systems buffer the capacity of resilience of the planet:
- biochemical flows : Global N&P cycles
- Rate of biodiversity loss
- Global fresh water use
- Land system change
- chemical pollution/novel entities (parameter unable to quantify)
- Atmospheric aerosol loading (air pollution sulphates and nitrates et) (parameter
unable to quantify)
⇒ 9 planetary boundaries (interlinkage, 3 musketeers, one for all, all for 1, they affect each
other)
Safe operating space = de zwarte cirkel
Gele punt in het midden → starting point → pre industrial point → very safely in the safe
operating space.
First transcend the boundaries in the early 90s!!
Right now w estimate that we transcend 3 boundaries : biodiversity loss, nitrogen
flow and climate change.
,Paradigm
change in mindset : Persistence, Transformability, Adaptability.
Quiz session 1
The figure below (DeVries et al., 2012) visualizes the importance of research to
identify effective modes of engagement between scientists and decision makers
working at different scales of governance and analysis. Fill in the right words under
2, 5, 9.
a) National policies; Global models & Trends; Scales of scientific observation and
analysis.
b) Scales of scientific observations & Analysis; International treaties; Individual decisions.
c) Community Actions; Regions, landscapes & watersheds, International treaties.
Which planetary boundaries have a two-tier approach to account for regional
heterogeneity (the boundaries can be local, regional, but also global)?
a) Change in biosphere integrity; Biogeochemical flows; Freshwater use.
b) Biogeochemical flows; Land-system change; Freshwater use; Atmospheric
aerosol loading.
c) Land-system change; Ocean acidification; Introduction of novel entities.
Lecture 1 slides - introduction
Definition sustainability:
Meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their needs.
Environmental change is driven by interplay between society and biophysical system
,The “great”acceleration : steep growth rates for all socio-economic and earth system trends
→ Socio-economic trends (e.g. world population, real GDP, water use, paper production,
transportation, fertilizer consumption etc)
→ Earth system trends (e.g. CO2/CH4, ocean acidification, tropical forest loss, overfishing etc)
The great acceleration has consequences
Consequences of current actions often fall onto future generations (e.g. climate change
effects) and other societies (mostly the global poor, e.g. plastic waste). These spatial and/or
temporal lags between cause and effect create trade-offs between winners and losers and are
one reason why solving certain environmental issues is challenging.
human development index very high = 0.8 + and low ecological footprint = 2-
Human-environment interaction
Triple bottom line : rode pijl is ‘ weak sustainability’ (small intersection where exchange between
PPP possible, but most of the PPP past is out) and ‘ strong sustainability’ (operate within the
boundaries of environment, economy is limited in what is possible in the society and society is
limited in what is possible within the environment)
How does the environment contribute to our well-being? The ecosystem services link to
constituents of well-being and have the potential to mediate socioeconomic factors:
1. Security (personal safety, secure resource access),
2. basic material for good life (shelter, adequate livelihood),
3. health (access to clean water and air, feeling well),
4. good social relations (mutual respect)
( = constituents of well-being).
4 ecosystem services:
1. Supporting (nutrient cycling, soil formation)
2. provisioning (food, fresh water)
3. regulating (climate / disease/ flood regulation)
4. Cultural (educational, spiritual, recreation)
Well-being is achieved through the consumption of goods and services that are produced as part
of the dynamics of social-environmental systems.
How wellbeing is pursued has consequences for the environment and society : Plastic waste,
energy systems (GHG emissions) land use change (biodiversity loss)
First state of environment.
Which 4 main spheres does Earth consists of?
, 1. Atmosphere (layer of gasses surrounding earth)
2. Lithosphere (Earths crust, rocks/soil)
3. hydrosphere (water on surface, oceans/lakes)
4. Biosphere (living matter on earth, animal/plants) does not serve without the other 3
spheres
~pedosphere (soil, an intermixed sphere, net onder het boompje)
In this course, 3 themes:
1. Atmosphere and climate related trends
and challenges
2. Water related trends and challenges
3. Land and ecosystem related trends and
challenges
Which percentage of Earth’s surface is water?
70.8% water (most in ocean, unequally
distributed) and 29.2% land (terrestrial surface)
Which percentage of land on Earth is converted to agriculture?
~40%
What is the current increase global mean temperature compared to pre-industrial
conditions?
1.1-1.3 degrees warmer (terrestrial surface 1.8 degrees) depends on earth where u are
State of environment changes in major biomes of the world (forest area → cropland).
Change
Session 1 - Introduction to the course
Video : Let the environment guide our development l Johan rockstrom
Humans put unprecedented (unheard/abnormal) pressure on the planet. Planetary risks are
so large that business as usual is not an option (we need innovation etc)
“the quadruple squeeze” pressures:
1. Human growth
2. Climate agenda (sea level rise etc)
3. Ecosystem decline 60%
4. Surprise (tipover, irreversible)
New era: antropocene
Evidence (parameters): CO2/CH4 acceleration, deforestation, loss of species, overfishing,
degradation. ⇒ simultaneously increase ⇒ The “great”acceleration starts at 1850
Conclusion: were coming to a tipping point/threshold, time to bend the curve (decrease the
parameter).
Planetary boundaries allow for a safe operating space to prevent exceeding a
threshold/tipping point.
3 big systems with large scale thresholds:
- climate change
- ozone depletion
- ocean acidification
Slower variables, regulate the big systems buffer the capacity of resilience of the planet:
- biochemical flows : Global N&P cycles
- Rate of biodiversity loss
- Global fresh water use
- Land system change
- chemical pollution/novel entities (parameter unable to quantify)
- Atmospheric aerosol loading (air pollution sulphates and nitrates et) (parameter
unable to quantify)
⇒ 9 planetary boundaries (interlinkage, 3 musketeers, one for all, all for 1, they affect each
other)
Safe operating space = de zwarte cirkel
Gele punt in het midden → starting point → pre industrial point → very safely in the safe
operating space.
First transcend the boundaries in the early 90s!!
Right now w estimate that we transcend 3 boundaries : biodiversity loss, nitrogen
flow and climate change.
,Paradigm
change in mindset : Persistence, Transformability, Adaptability.
Quiz session 1
The figure below (DeVries et al., 2012) visualizes the importance of research to
identify effective modes of engagement between scientists and decision makers
working at different scales of governance and analysis. Fill in the right words under
2, 5, 9.
a) National policies; Global models & Trends; Scales of scientific observation and
analysis.
b) Scales of scientific observations & Analysis; International treaties; Individual decisions.
c) Community Actions; Regions, landscapes & watersheds, International treaties.
Which planetary boundaries have a two-tier approach to account for regional
heterogeneity (the boundaries can be local, regional, but also global)?
a) Change in biosphere integrity; Biogeochemical flows; Freshwater use.
b) Biogeochemical flows; Land-system change; Freshwater use; Atmospheric
aerosol loading.
c) Land-system change; Ocean acidification; Introduction of novel entities.
Lecture 1 slides - introduction
Definition sustainability:
Meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their needs.
Environmental change is driven by interplay between society and biophysical system
,The “great”acceleration : steep growth rates for all socio-economic and earth system trends
→ Socio-economic trends (e.g. world population, real GDP, water use, paper production,
transportation, fertilizer consumption etc)
→ Earth system trends (e.g. CO2/CH4, ocean acidification, tropical forest loss, overfishing etc)
The great acceleration has consequences
Consequences of current actions often fall onto future generations (e.g. climate change
effects) and other societies (mostly the global poor, e.g. plastic waste). These spatial and/or
temporal lags between cause and effect create trade-offs between winners and losers and are
one reason why solving certain environmental issues is challenging.
human development index very high = 0.8 + and low ecological footprint = 2-
Human-environment interaction
Triple bottom line : rode pijl is ‘ weak sustainability’ (small intersection where exchange between
PPP possible, but most of the PPP past is out) and ‘ strong sustainability’ (operate within the
boundaries of environment, economy is limited in what is possible in the society and society is
limited in what is possible within the environment)
How does the environment contribute to our well-being? The ecosystem services link to
constituents of well-being and have the potential to mediate socioeconomic factors:
1. Security (personal safety, secure resource access),
2. basic material for good life (shelter, adequate livelihood),
3. health (access to clean water and air, feeling well),
4. good social relations (mutual respect)
( = constituents of well-being).
4 ecosystem services:
1. Supporting (nutrient cycling, soil formation)
2. provisioning (food, fresh water)
3. regulating (climate / disease/ flood regulation)
4. Cultural (educational, spiritual, recreation)
Well-being is achieved through the consumption of goods and services that are produced as part
of the dynamics of social-environmental systems.
How wellbeing is pursued has consequences for the environment and society : Plastic waste,
energy systems (GHG emissions) land use change (biodiversity loss)
First state of environment.
Which 4 main spheres does Earth consists of?
, 1. Atmosphere (layer of gasses surrounding earth)
2. Lithosphere (Earths crust, rocks/soil)
3. hydrosphere (water on surface, oceans/lakes)
4. Biosphere (living matter on earth, animal/plants) does not serve without the other 3
spheres
~pedosphere (soil, an intermixed sphere, net onder het boompje)
In this course, 3 themes:
1. Atmosphere and climate related trends
and challenges
2. Water related trends and challenges
3. Land and ecosystem related trends and
challenges
Which percentage of Earth’s surface is water?
70.8% water (most in ocean, unequally
distributed) and 29.2% land (terrestrial surface)
Which percentage of land on Earth is converted to agriculture?
~40%
What is the current increase global mean temperature compared to pre-industrial
conditions?
1.1-1.3 degrees warmer (terrestrial surface 1.8 degrees) depends on earth where u are
State of environment changes in major biomes of the world (forest area → cropland).
