Environmental problems: Ecosystems meet economy? Janne Salminen, PhD Director, sustainable development and environmental responsibili Lahti Region Educational Consortium
Dec 18, 2015
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
Janne Salminen, PhDDirector, sustainable development and environmental responsibilityLahti Region Educational Consortium
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
Lahti Region Educational Consortium is owned by 14 municipalities in the region, including the City of Lahti.
Lahti Region Educational Consortium consist of three business units: Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Salpaus Further Education and Tuoterengas (vocational rehabilitation).
Consortium level service units are Property Services, Library and Information Services, Catering Services, Administrative Services and IT Services.
We have more than12000 students and1600 staff members (totally > 20 000 students per year).
Environmental issues and responsibility are strategic focus areas in the Lahti region (municipal organizations and private enterprises).
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
1. Life supporting natural RESOURCES or ECOSYTEM SERVICES are decreasing (clean water, air and soil, fossil fuels…).
2. DEMAND for resouces is increasing (human population growth, higher living standards, increasing resource consumption…).
Standard of living
Resources ‘Global crossroads’
The challenge is
Ecosystem service = fertile soil, recreation value of a lake…
?Balance Problems
Climate change
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
Hansen et al. 2006. PNAS 103: 14288-
Days with cover of snow in Finland
1961-19902010-2039
2070-2099
Finnish Environmetal Agency 2009
Hansen et al. 2006, PNAS 103, 14288-
Temperature increase was stopped in last decade 2000-10(Science 2009). 2010 warmest in 130 years (NASA 2010).(?)
• ’Scandals’ on IPCC report (?)• UEA e-mails (?)• Scientific fact vs. Political reason (?)
Problems
?
Reducing biodiversity
Heath and social problems
Vasala et al. 2008. Sitra workshop
Reducing resources
WHO-Unicef
First: peak oil
Max. rate of petroleum extraction 2007 (or later ?)
Harvesting
Growth
Forests
Water vs. diseases
’Virtual water’(e.g. fruits)
Then: gas, coal…
Irrigation vs. drinking
More problems
Trend 1950-2009
Boundaries for planetary systems: A safe operating space for humanity The safety zone
Current position
J. Rockström et al. 2009. Nature 461, 472-.
?
?
The inner green shading represents the proposed safe operating space for nine planetary systems. The red wedges represent an estimate of the current position for each variable. The boundaries in three systems (rate of biodiversity loss, climate change and human interference with the nitrogen cycle), have already been exceeded.
Ecological debt
Yearly surpassing occured in late September 2009 ( i.e. 3 months over consuption) and in late August 2010 (i.e. 1 month more in debt). (Finnish Environmental Agency)
Consumption of natural resources proportion to their renewal rate (1 = one planet Earth).
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
2011
?
Balance
Problems
How to beat the challenge (the Global crossroads)?
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
growth
effects
Disconnection of ecomomic growth and envirommental effects
’Dilemma of eco-efficiency’Eco-efficiency = environmental effects / economic profits (or visa versa)
Ecosystems do not count relativity – absolute stress affects?
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
Traditional approachs for the grossroads challenge are:
1. Regulations and bans (laws, taxes, punishments…)
2. Technology (filters on pipes, waste and water treatments…)
A successful case: acidificationChallenge: Industrial emmissions and acid rains (sulphur and nitrogen deposition)
Effects: Forest damageFish mortalityGroudwater contaminationCorrosion/erosion
In 80’s and 90’s:• Emission regulation• Process technology • Clean fuel (coal vs. gas)• Cleaning systems 1980s
1990s
Time
SO4/NO3
Trend on the acidification level of surface waters is decreasing:
Stoddard et al. 1999. Nature 401, 575 –.
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
Solutions
Is the slope of the trend deep enough?(in more complex problems)
Pollution prevention hierachyEsty & Winston 2009. Green to Gold.
Trad
ition
al p
riorit
ies
New
prio
ritie
s
Recycle
Reuse
Reduce
Redesign
Reimagime
?
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
New approachs?
Original figure: Finkbeiner 2008
Environmental problems:Ecosystems meet economy?
2. Environmental friently production and services with reasonable profit.
Market
Development
3. High Tech
2. Emerging technologies Clean technology
4. Sustainable technology
1. Tradition environmental technology
Time2000 2010 20201990
Original figure: Helmut Kaiser Consultancy. Redrew by JS.
1. Less energy, materials, toxins, emmissions and wastes but not only because of regulations.
CleanTech
New approach and solution
Nano, Bio, V
irtual, H
ybrid…
Recycle
Re use
Re duce
Re design
Re imagime!
growth
effects
Kg
CO2
profit
Innovations
Water, Solar, T
ermal, Wind, N
uce….H 2
, burning cell, Fusion...
Energy: