Egyptian Italian Year of Science & Technology

Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology

Library of Alexandria

Mostafa K.TolbaJanuary 10, 2009

Evolving Perceptions in Environmental Management

I – Evolving Environmental Perceptions

Protection of Nature

Pollution

Environment and Development - 1972

Eco development - 1973

Development without destruction – 1974

Alternative patterns of development and lifestyles 1977-1978

Sustainable Development 1982- 1992

water ( Quality and Quantity )

II- Deteriorating Environment :

Air (quality / climate change )

Land (soil, vegetation cover, minerals , Biological Resources )

Examples of Deterioration:

 Tripling water demand over the last half- century Underground water: withdrawals beyond the recharge

 Emerging water shortages

Food Production : A third or more of topsoil lost

 Annual rise in land productivity - averaging 2.1 percent 1950-1990 - dropped to 1 percent 1990 to 2002

Range Land and Oceanic Fisheries pushed to their limits –

Climate Change

Facing Environmental Deterioration:

Adopting Realistic Prices of Water

Water Shortages: South Africa – lifeline rates: each household fixed amount - for basic needs at low price - when water use exceeds this level- price escalates.

Metering Underground water use: Jordan: 285 cubic meters - water person year.

Harvesting limited rainfall

Increasing Water productivity.In India raised by average190 percent shifting to drip irrigation .

-Energy and Raw Material

-Cleaner Production:

- Tools to Asses and Avoid Environmental Deterioration

A- Environmental Economics

cost of action and cost of inaction – Stern Report

B- Environmental Accounting

Environmental Accounting

Natural Resources Accounting

Ecological Accounting

Strategic Environmental Assessment

Cumulative Environmental Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment

C- Environmental Assessment

D- Ecological Footprint :

Accounting tool measures a population's demand on nature.

Footprint of a country=

A- Total area required to produce food, fibre and

timber nation consumes

B- Absorb its waste

C- Space for infrastructure.

The Ecological Footprint is measured in global hectares.

Global hectare 1 hectare of biologically productive space.

Biologically Productive Area:

land and sea area with significant photosynthetic activity and production of biomass.

Earth's biocapacity:

nature's ability to produce resources from its biologically productive area.

Ecological Footprint

Ecological Foot Print

57 Countries in Debt 90 Debtor Country

147 Countries

Arab Countries among those :

1/2 United Arab Emirates 4 Kuwait21 Saudi Arabia38 Libya 45 Lebanon

Debtor Arab Countries

60- Syria 70- Jordan 77- Algeria 78- Tunis 84- Egypt 103- Sudan 107- Iraq 110- Morocco 131- Yemen 146- Somalia Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Mauritania, Cameron, Djibouti and Palestine not include.

Egypt Foot Print

United States of America Foot Print

Humanities Foot Print

- In 2005 ESIs, the Earth’s biocapacity gives 1.8 global hectares per person. Same year consumption 2.2 global hectares per person. Overshoot started 1980.

- In 2005 ESIs, humanity’s Ecological Footprint exceeded global biocapacity by 0.4 global hectare per person, twenty- three per cent.

Where are we today?

Global overshoot began mid 1980s.

Nature’s capital spent faster than it is being regenerated.

Equity and Intergenerational Rights

THANK YOU