PPT: Environment & Natural Resources

 Page 1


Environment 
and Natural 
Resources
Page 2


Environment 
and Natural 
Resources
Environmental Concerns 
Enter Global Politics
Environmental issues have shifted from natural 
concerns to political debates.
Key questions include: Who causes environmental 
damage? Who suffers from it? Who is responsible for 
fixing it?
These questions link the environment with power and 
global politics.
Since the 1960s, awareness of the environmental 
impact of economic growth has increased.
This global concern led to major initiatives like the 
1992 Earth Summit.
Page 3


Environment 
and Natural 
Resources
Environmental Concerns 
Enter Global Politics
Environmental issues have shifted from natural 
concerns to political debates.
Key questions include: Who causes environmental 
damage? Who suffers from it? Who is responsible for 
fixing it?
These questions link the environment with power and 
global politics.
Since the 1960s, awareness of the environmental 
impact of economic growth has increased.
This global concern led to major initiatives like the 
1992 Earth Summit.
The Aral Sea Crisis
1
Toxic Waters
Thousands displaced 
as fishing industry 
collapsed completely
2
Agricultural 
Collapse
Rising salt 
concentrations 
caused devastating 
crop yield losses
3
Bitter Irony
Locals joke: if 
researchers brought 
water buckets, the 
sea would be full
Page 4


Environment 
and Natural 
Resources
Environmental Concerns 
Enter Global Politics
Environmental issues have shifted from natural 
concerns to political debates.
Key questions include: Who causes environmental 
damage? Who suffers from it? Who is responsible for 
fixing it?
These questions link the environment with power and 
global politics.
Since the 1960s, awareness of the environmental 
impact of economic growth has increased.
This global concern led to major initiatives like the 
1992 Earth Summit.
The Aral Sea Crisis
1
Toxic Waters
Thousands displaced 
as fishing industry 
collapsed completely
2
Agricultural 
Collapse
Rising salt 
concentrations 
caused devastating 
crop yield losses
3
Bitter Irony
Locals joke: if 
researchers brought 
water buckets, the 
sea would be full
Global Environmental Challenges
Land & Food
Cultivable area barely expanding, existing 
agricultural land losing fertility. Grasslands 
overgrazed, fisheries overharvested.
Water Crisis
663 million lack safe water, 2.4 billion lack 
sanitation. Over 3 million children die annually.
Forest Loss
Natural forests being cut down, people displaced. 
Biodiversity declining due to habitat destruction.
Ozone Depletion
Steady decline in stratospheric ozone poses real 
danger to ecosystems and human health.
Page 5


Environment 
and Natural 
Resources
Environmental Concerns 
Enter Global Politics
Environmental issues have shifted from natural 
concerns to political debates.
Key questions include: Who causes environmental 
damage? Who suffers from it? Who is responsible for 
fixing it?
These questions link the environment with power and 
global politics.
Since the 1960s, awareness of the environmental 
impact of economic growth has increased.
This global concern led to major initiatives like the 
1992 Earth Summit.
The Aral Sea Crisis
1
Toxic Waters
Thousands displaced 
as fishing industry 
collapsed completely
2
Agricultural 
Collapse
Rising salt 
concentrations 
caused devastating 
crop yield losses
3
Bitter Irony
Locals joke: if 
researchers brought 
water buckets, the 
sea would be full
Global Environmental Challenges
Land & Food
Cultivable area barely expanding, existing 
agricultural land losing fertility. Grasslands 
overgrazed, fisheries overharvested.
Water Crisis
663 million lack safe water, 2.4 billion lack 
sanitation. Over 3 million children die annually.
Forest Loss
Natural forests being cut down, people displaced. 
Biodiversity declining due to habitat destruction.
Ozone Depletion
Steady decline in stratospheric ozone poses real 
danger to ecosystems and human health.
The 1972 Wake-Up Call
In 1972, the Club of Rome published Limits to 
Growth, warning about the depletion of Earth¾s 
resources due to rapid population growth.
The report highlighted the need for sustainable 
development and global cooperation.
International agencies such as the United 
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) were 
established to address environmental issues.
UNEP organized conferences and promoted 
coordinated international efforts to protect the 
environment.