UNIT 4 – Biological Resources and Sustainability
3.4.1 Human Populations
• The impact of individuals on the environment
• A comparison of population numbers and per capita
consumption on overall resource use.
Candidates should consider the per capita consumption
rates for different resources in a range of different
countries and compare these with their population growth
rates.
World Population
Totals
Population
Growth Rate
How is population
growth measured?
What differences do you
notice?
What affects the impact that a country
has on the environment?
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Population totals
Population growth rate
Wealth (affluence)
Rate of resource consumption
For each of the above explain why and how it
might affect environmental impact.
What is an Ecological
Footprint?
• Estimates the area of the Earth’s
surface that is needed to provide the
resources that are used by the human
population and to deal with the
wastes produced.
• If the total footprint of the entire
population is less than the area of the
planet then the population can be
supported.
What does this mean?
August 19th 2014 is the day when humanity has
exhausted natures budget for the year.
So every 8 months we demand more than the
planet can provide1
Ecological Footprint
Comparing population growth rates and
environmental impact.
Use the following websites to complete your comparison grid
www.cia.gov/worldfact book
Population growth rates
Population totals
www.worldbank.org
GNI per capita
Electric power consumption
CO2 emissions
www.footprintnetwork.org/
1.
Ecological footprint
Is there a relationship between GNI and resource use? Why is
this?
2. Is there a link between population growth and resource use?
Explain this?
3. Is there a link between GNI and ecological footprint? Explain the
link.
4. How might high affluence reduce environmental damage?
CO2 emissions since 1820
Which countries create
the most emissions?
Make your predictions
now!
UNIT 4 – Biological Resources and Sustainability
3.4.1 Human Populations
The population / resource balance – the concept of sustainability
Candidates should be aware that the environmental impact of individual lifestyles varies greatly
and is influenced by many factors:
• Affluence eg the ability to buy more goods and the energy needed to manufacture and
operate them.
• Personal choices eg whether to buy recycled goods, low-energy appliances, organic foods,
how to travel.
• Products and services available eg the availability of products and services that have a lower
environmental impact: public transport, recycling facilities, energy supplies
Agenda 21
Education for responsible global citizenship – Agenda 21 This is the UN initiative to
encourage the inclusion of sustainable objectives in the plans and actions of governments,
governmental organizations, NGOs and other groups. It was developed following the Rio
Summit of 1992
education
Pollution control
Strengthening the role of
women
Protect forests
Fight poverty
Protection of freshwater and
oceans
Tackling desertification
and drought
Sustainable agriculture
Protection of atmosphere
Changing consumption
patterns
Protecting biodiversity
Raising Awareness with Campaigns
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Wastebusters
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Keep Britain Tidy
Bag for Life
Switch it Off
Fair Trade
For a campaign of your
choice:
• Find a logo
• Describe which aspects of
Agenda 21 it satisfies.
• Who runs it
(charity/government)
• Explain how it reduces
environmental damage