Sustainability

Following the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol was meant to put a timescale on the project of reducing emissions all the while naming more specific greenhouse gases to be reduced and giving examples of the means to do so. This means that not only will action be required by the countries bound to the protocol, but now they would have a list of specific greenhouse gases to focus upon and also have a list of things that they could do to reduce their emissions. The Kyoto protocol regulates six different kinds of greenhouse gas. These six greenhouse gases are as follows: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) (Kyoto Protocol). The Kyoto Protocol regulates these emissions differently for each individual country. Some countries are required to lower their emissions by as much as eight percent below 1990 levels while others merely have to freeze their emissions at that level. Some countries that emit very little

The United Nations definition of sustainability is the reconciliation of environmental, social and economic demands - the “three pillars” of sustainability – for the immediate and future well being of individuals and communities.

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol is an agreement made through the United Nations within their climate change convention ("Kyoto 1st Commitment Period (2008–12)," 2016). Countries participating in the Kyoto Protocol pledged to cut 5 percent of their greenhouse

In 1997, The Kyoto Protocol was adopted to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (EPA, n.d.). In spite of the international treaty, half of participating nations, including Canada failed to reducing its Co2 emissions (Clark, D., 2012, November 26).

“The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits State Parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the premise that (a)

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty, which enforces the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The treaty does not account for ozone depleting substances since they are covered under the Montreal Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and took effect on 16 February 2005.

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This amounts to an average of five per cent over the five-year period 2008-2012.

Humans have been around for 200,000 years, and while this may seem like a long time, it is belittled by the fact the earth has been around for 4.5 billion years. In this time we have taken control of this planet and accomplished many other amazing feats but we still face one problem: long-term sustainability. There are a lot of potential situations that could cause humanity to cease in existence, three of which are climate change, loss of biodiversity, and loss of bees. People have been trying to solve these problems and though they have not been eliminated, some have been improved on. For example, there have been efforts made to stop climate change and they have worked, the hole in the ozone layer is getting smaller. Humans are amazing, but we are not immortal. We will need to find solutions to these problems if we are to survive much longer.

Deborah Sik’s insights on property rights, participatory governance and consumption practices offers the best explanation to the environmental crisis but Maggie Black gives better long lasting solutions for the environmental crisis.

Global sustainability is multi-faceted topic and is very complex. However, at its essence, global sustainability is defined as using your resources wisely today to give your children a better life tomorrow. It is the balance between using enough to develop right now but leaving enough for future generations. For example, if we were only looking at preserving the environment and not developing it, we might use none of the resources and leave them to be. But the problem with that is that then there is no resources for us to use. On the other hand, if we were just looking to develop the land, we would use all of our resources, but then there would be no more left for the future. Thus, I want our

Sustainable practices are new and have not been implemented in a lot of places but people are catching on. The basic sustainable practices of the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle, also with the practices of conserving, educating, and implementing these are important for future generations. With such fast development over the past hundred year, resources are becoming scarce. Despite the efforts through laws for minimizing the consequences of rapid industrialization, like for example the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, typically only higher socio-economic status communities have a better chance of implementing sustainable practices like installing solar panels and applying waste reduction

Not everyone gets sustainability, and I definitely do not have a handle on the wide range of topics related to sustainability, but in this class I have tried to connect things with my current wants and needs life. When looking for something to challenge me, I knew I was limited in my resources, so I wanted to keep this close to me while actually making it hard. The best way I can sum up what my challenge consists of is purifying my life. I attempted to analyze my consumption habits around materials, food, and luxuries I habitually indulge in. This was a broad reset on my concept of what I own and consume and has a tie to the idea of minimalism. Overall, I am consuming way beyond my means, and way beyond my morals.

In today’s global economy sustainability is very important; from the biological aspect to the industries they all play a role on the marine environment. As world population increases the demand of fish rises causing overfishing. Certain laws have been placed to limit the amount of wild fishing to reduce the risk of endangerment. To meet the demand of the population, fish farms are introduced. Pollution and health related issues are part of the challenges of fish farming. Sustainability also affects social areas such as beaches.

When I was five years old I began school. In Kindergarden we learned basic things like letters, numbers, and how not to be fully engulfed in flames. For some reason, 2004 was the height of anti-fire education in Missouri and before I knew how to tie my shoes I knew that if I ever was ablaze, to cover my face, fall to my knees, and roll back and fourth. This is what my institution placed serious value upon and because I was a student of that institution I also placed serious value upon it. The same idea must be applied to a university's teaching of environmental sustainability. This is discussed in David Orr's "What is Education For?" Through choosing a curriculum a university chooses what it places value onto, by making the environment a priority it showcases to the future generations that environmental wellness is an important responsibility for them to take ownership.

Sustainability is defined by The Brundtland Report as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” which is an ongoing issue that many strive to improve (lisd.org, 2015). Through the three pillars of sustainability, a balance is constantly worked towards through attempts to efficiently manage social equity, the environment and the economy (lisd.org, 2015) (EPA.Gov, n.d.).