Cpgp day01-session 2 - global action for mitigation of environment damages

Editor's Notes

• #6: Smog describes fog that has soot in it. On 5th December 1952 thousands of tonnes of black soot, sticky particles of tar and gaseous sulphur dioxide, from coal burning gave rise to “London Smog”. People with respiratory conditions such as asthma wheezed to their deaths in their beds. Most deaths were a result of respiratory and cardiac distress. Many victims died in their beds from asphyxiation because of the smog.
• #7: Neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. First discovered in Minamata bay in Japan in 1956. It was caused by the release of methyl mercury in the industrial wastewater from nearby chemical factory (from 1932 to 1968).
• #8: The book brings together research on toxicology, ecology and epidemology and suggested that agricultural pesticides were building to catastrophic levels. Exposed the hazards of the pesticide DDT And linked it to damage to animal species and to human health. The book helped to shatter the assumption that the environment had an infinite capacity to absorb pollutants.
• #12: “We only have one earth, so we need to take care of her” Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. He was disturbed that an issue as important as our environment was not addressed in politics or by the media, so he created the first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970. An estimated 20 million people nationwide attended festivities that day. It was a truly astonishing grassroots explosion, leading eventually to national legislation such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act
• #13: Founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1971. Started off with campaigns against whaling. In later years, the focus turned to other environmental issues mostly regarding conservation
• #14: The natural resources of the earth, air, water, land, flora and fauna must be safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations The capacity of the earth to produce vital renewable resources must be maintained, restored or improved. The non-renewable resources of the earth must be used in a manner to avoid future exhaustion and to ensure that benefits from such employment are shared by all mankind The discharge of toxic substances and other substances like heat, should be in a manner as to avoid irreversible damage on the ecosystem. Man has a special responsibility to safeguard and wisely manage Environment
• #18: International best seller, sounding the alarm on humanity’s devastating effects on climate, water quality, fisheries, forests, and other endangered resources. Using a World3 Computer Model, the authors looked towards the future, for the first time showing the consequences of unchecked growth on a finite planet. Commissioned by the Club of Rome.
• #21: It placed environmental issues firmly on the political agenda; bringing the environment and development as one single issue. The commission was created to address growing concern "about the accelerating deterioration of the human environment and natural resources and the consequences of that deterioration for economic and social development." Defined Sustainable Development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
• #24: IPCC was established to provide the decision-makers and others interested in climate change with an objective source of information about climate change. It assess the latest scientific, technical and socio-economic literature produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of the risk of human-induced climate change,
• #28: Reaffirmed the Stockholm Declaration, and worked to improve on it. Recognize the integral and interdependent nature of the Earth, our home
• #29: Programme run by the UN) related to sustainable development. Comprehensive action plan to be undertaken globally, nationally and locally covering every area in which humans impact on the environment. Consists of 40 chapters and The number 21 refers to the 21st century.
• #32: The original treaty did not set any mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions for individual nations. It contained no enforcement provisions and is not considered as legally binding. It allowed updates (called "protocols") that would set mandatory emission limits. The most important update is the Kyoto Protocol
• #33: Identified 12 worst offenders known as the “Dirty Dozen”, Eight organo-chlorine pesticides: aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex and toxaphene Two industrial chemicals: hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) group Two groups of industrial by-products: dioxins and furans
• #34: Assigns mandatory emission limitations to reduce emissions 5.2% below their 1990 baseline over the 2008 to 2012 period. Recognizes Carbon Trading and CDM as mechanisms to reduce Carbon Emissions
• #36: In September 2000, at the United Nations Millennium Summit, world leaders agreed to a set of time-bound and measurable goals and targets for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women. Now called the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
• #45: In September 2000, at the United Nations Millennium Summit, world leaders agreed to a set of time-bound and measurable goals and targets for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women. Now called the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).