Global Environmental Crises An Australian Perspective

by Aplin, Graeme; Beggs, Paul; Brierley, Gary; Cleugh, Helen; Curson, Peter; Mitchell, Peter; Pitman, Andrew; Rich, David

• ISBN13: 9780195508277
• ISBN10: 0195508270
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-07-22
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This book explores the full range of current environmental problems, with an emphasis on issues in Australia. This new edition includes substantial new data, extensive coverage of global environmental problems, and new material on population, water, and international cooperation.

Table of Contents

Acronyms and Abbreviations	xiv
Units of Measurement	xvi
Global Crises --- An Introduction	1	(39)
Earth Systems	1	(5)
An Australian Perspective	6	(4)
Is Australia Different	6	(1)
Environmental myths in Australia	7	(3)
Planet Earth	10	(2)
A geological perspective	10	(1)
A geographical perspective	11	(1)
Biogeochemical Cycles and Biophysical Systems	12	(9)
Systems and natural constraints	13	(2)
Natural cycles	15	(4)
Understanding the biosphere	19	(2)
People and the biosphere	21	(1)
Human Activities and Societies	21	(12)
Cultural milieux	22	(1)
Population growth, poverty and environmental change	22	(3)
Economic factors	25	(6)
Science and technology	31	(1)
Politics	32	(1)
Sustainable Development	33	(1)
Conclusion	34	(6)
Population and Environment	40	(44)
Problems of Studying Population-Environment Linkages	40	(2)
World Population Growth and Environmental Change	42	(6)
The components of population growth	42	(1)
World population patterns	42	(5)
Exploding cities	47	(1)
Three Conflicting Views on Population Growth and the Environment	48	(14)
The neo-Malthusian approach (the `pessimists')	49	(6)
Three demographic criticisms of the neo-Malthusian argument	55	(4)
The anti-neo-Malthusian case (the `optimists')	59	(1)
The socio-political view	60	(2)
Population and World Food Supply	62	(5)
Food production trends, 1950-93	63	(4)
Population Impacts on the Environment	67	(2)
The Re-emergence of Infectious Disease --- An Example of Population-Environment Interactions	69	(10)
Population factors in disease re-emergence	75	(1)
Human modification of the environment and intrusion on natural disease systems	76	(2)
Other examples of human behaviour and the re-emergence of infectious disease	78	(1)
The Need for a Balanced View	79	(5)
Food, Fibre and Land	84	(33)
Introduction	84	(2)
Agriculture as environmental exploitation	84	(1)
Scale and geography of food supply problems	85	(1)
Origins and Impacts of Agriculture	86	(8)
Hunter-gatherer communities	87	(1)
Grazing systems	88	(3)
The development of agriculture	91	(2)
Modern systems of agriculture	93	(1)
Land Degradation	94	(8)
Soil erosion	96	(1)
Loss of soil fertility	97	(1)
Soil structural change	98	(1)
Salinisation	99	(1)
Soil pollution	100	(1)
Desertification	101	(1)
Future Directions	102	(12)
Doubling production	102	(1)
Advances in weed and pest control	103	(2)
Reducing post-harvest losses	105	(1)
Making the most of biotechnology	106	(1)
Balancing the budgets	107	(2)
Reducing soil loss and restoring land condition	109	(1)
The wildcard of climatic change	109	(1)
The human dimension	110	(4)
Conclusion	114	(3)
Water Resource Management: An Inevitable Global Crisis?	117	(48)
Introduction	117	(1)
Water and Development	118	(6)
The development of capitalism	119	(2)
Twentieth-century advances in water management in high-income nations	121	(1)
Is technology transfer to low-income nations appropriate?	122	(2)
Global Water Resources	124	(5)
Global water availability	124	(1)
The continental distribution of water	125	(2)
Per capita water availability	127	(2)
Global Water Use	129	(7)
Global water use (1940-90)	129	(2)
Water availability and human water needs	131	(2)
Water use variation between continents	133	(1)
Types of water use: the dominance of irrigation	134	(1)
Supply and demand	135	(1)
Water Quality Problems	136	(4)
Water quality for human use	136	(1)
Microbial contamination of water	137	(2)
Industrial, agricultural and urban pollution of water	139	(1)
Loss of amenity of water bodies	140	(1)
Water Management on the International Stage	140	(4)
International water treaties	140	(3)
A vision of water management in the future	143	(1)
Water Resource Management in Australia	144	(21)
Water resources in Australia	144	(3)
Water storage in Australia	147	(1)
Water use in Australia	148	(5)
Water quality in Australia	153	(1)
Loss of water resource amenity in Australia	154	(2)
Water management in Australia	156	(9)
Forests	165	(47)
The World's Forests	165	(7)
Forest types and characteristics	166	(3)
How much forest is there?	169	(3)
Dimensions of Deforestation	172	(9)
Forest losses in history and prehistory	172	(5)
Forest change in the modern world	177	(4)
Reafforestation	181	(1)
Consequences of Deforestation	181	(8)
Biophysical consequences of deforestation	182	(5)
Consequences for peoples and cultures	187	(2)
Causes of Deforestation	189	(16)
Population	190	(3)
Economy	193	(7)
Technology	200	(2)
Politics and political systems	202	(3)
Forests and the Future	205	(7)
The Global Atmosphere	212	(48)
Introduction	212	(1)
Ozone Depletion	213	(3)
Atmospheric chemistry and the ozone `hole'	213	(3)
Effects of UV radiation	216	(1)
The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect	216	(15)
What happens in the atmosphere?	218	(4)
Sources and sinks of greenhouse gases	222	(9)
Consequences of the Greenhouse Effect	231	(3)
Predicting Greenhouse Changes	234	(10)
Global climate model predictions for an effective doubling of CO2	234	(2)
Predictions for Australia	236	(3)
Other effects of greenhouse change	239	(5)
Responses	244	(6)
Do nothing	245	(1)
Take preventative action	245	(3)
Preparing for the consequences	248	(2)
Planning for the Greenhouse Effect	250	(4)
International agreements	250	(1)
The Australian response	250	(4)
Planning and more local responses	254	(1)
Summary	254	(6)
Urban Environments	260	(55)
Urban Growth and Urbanisation	264	(2)
Global Trends	264	(2)
Framework for Analysing Impacts	266	(4)
The urban system	266	(2)
Inheritance of location	268	(1)
City structure	268	(2)
The Urban System: Inputs and Outputs	270	(7)
Energy	270	(1)
Food	271	(1)
Clean air and water	271	(1)
Construction materials	272	(1)
Land	272	(3)
Waste products	275	(2)
Cities and the Biophysical Environment	277	(10)
Energy flows and climate	277	(7)
The impact of cities on water: urban hydrology	284	(3)
Air and Water Quality	287	(13)
A breath of fresh air	287	(10)
Fresh water	297	(3)
Challenges and Solutions	300	(11)
Low-income countries	301	(3)
High-income countries	304	(7)
Conclusion	311	(4)
International Cooperation	315	(33)
Global commons and the need for cooperation	315	(4)
Open-access resource use	315	(4)
International Cooperation and the Earth Summit (UNCED)	319	(13)
Events leading to the Earth Summit	321	(2)
UN Conference on the Environment and Development	323	(5)
Achievements and failures of UNCED	328	(2)
Australia's role in the UNCED process	330	(2)
International Agreements on Population	332	(2)
International Agreements on Desertification	334	(2)
Plan of Action to Combat Desertification	334	(1)
Convention to Combat Desertification	334	(2)
Water Resources	336	(1)
Biodiversity and Forests	337	(4)
Biodiversity	337	(1)
Forests	338	(3)
The Atmosphere	341	(3)
Ozone depletion	341	(1)
Global warming	341	(3)
Urban Environments	344	(1)
Conclusion	344	(4)
The Way Ahead	348	(25)
Some Key Themes Revisited	348	(3)
Integration	348	(1)
Scale	349	(1)
Inequalities	350	(1)
International Trade and Finance	351	(8)
Trade	352	(2)
International financial issues	354	(3)
Post-UNCED institutional arrangements	357	(2)
Resource Use and Management	359	(2)
Resource and environmental management	359	(1)
Consumption, waste, and recycling	360	(1)
Science and Technology	361	(2)
Understanding and knowledge	361	(1)
Technology	361	(1)
Transfer of information and technology	362	(1)
Sustainable Development	363	(6)
The concept revisited	363	(3)
Australian implementation	366	(3)
Environmental Integrity and Development for All?	369	(4)
Glossary	373	(10)
Index	383