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Population Growth
Increase: 1.6 billion (1900) to 6.12 billion (2000).
Impact: More croplands needed, leading to deforestation, soil erosion, and habitat loss.
Water Resources: Overfishing and increased consumption of fresh water.
Urbanization
City Growth: By 2025, 5.1 billion people expected to live in cities.
Impact: Intensive farming, soil depletion, erosion, increased waste, and water pollution.
Globalization and Industrialization
Resource Demand: Spread of industry increases demand for energy and natural resources.
Pollution: Increased market for cars and other goods contributes to pollution.
Effects of Environmental Changes
Resource Depletion
Petroleum: Half of Earth's finite resources used since mid-1800s.
Prediction: Remaining petroleum could be depleted in 30-40 years.
Coal: Could be depleted in 60 years if used to replace petroleum.
Inequality and Scarce Resources
Water Scarcity: 31 countries facing water scarcity; over 1 billion people lack clean drinking water.
Impact: Women and children bear primary responsibility for water collection, affecting education and income opportunities.
Changes in the Atmosphere
Pollutants: Factories, cars, and planes emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Deforestation: Reduction in natural carbon-trapping resources.
Development of Renewable Energy Sources
Concern: Unsustainable fossil fuel demands.
Investment: Increased in wind, solar, tidal, and geothermal power.
Future: Predicted that by 2050, half of the world's electricity will come from renewable sources.
Increasing Environmental Awareness
Club of Rome: Formed in 1968 to address global challenges.
Green Parties: Focused on environmental issues.
Green Belt Movement: Planted over 51 million trees in Kenya to preserve ecosystems and combat greenhouse gases.
Debates About Global Warming
Rising Temperatures
Causes: Emissions of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases.
Effects: More powerful hurricanes, severe droughts, rising sea levels.
Terminology: Activists argue for terms like "climate emergency" to stress urgency.
Climate-Change Skeptics
Questions: Whether global warming is happening and human activities' role.
Arguments: Market forces versus government intervention.
Global Response
Kyoto Protocol: 1997 agreement to reduce carbon emissions; not ratified by the U.S.
Paris Agreement: 2015 deal signed by 195 countries; U.S. withdrew in 2017.
Climate Activism: Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion advocate for urgent action.
Anthropocene Epoch
Proposal: Name change to reflect human impact on the planet.
Approval: In 2019, scientists voted to approve the term "Anthropocene."
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