Environmental Challenges Facing Canada and the

WorldSocial Studies 11

I Can… Explain the Environmental Challenges

Facing Canada and the World

Nearly 80 million people each year are added to the world’s population

About 80% of the goods and services produced from the world’s resources are consumed by 20% of the worlds population

Massive amounts of land and water are required to feed all these people

A Needy World

In Your groups you will have 5mins to spend at a Cartoon, during those 5mins you will:

You will Answer the QuestionAnalyze the CartoonCreate a New Question for the Next Group

First Question, What issue is being presented?

Blog

Deforestation Agricultural Practices Climate Change Water Quality Urbanization

Challenges Facing Canada

Deforestation

Around the World, approx. 1.6 Billion people depend on forests for food, shelter, and employment

Forests protects biodiversity and removes Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere

Hectares upon hectares of forest around the world is being cut down

Deforestation

12% of British Columbia’s forests are protected

In BC, forests are used for recreation, industry, research and as a means of revenue

Historically, it has been argued whether or not forests should be used for economic or heritage purposes

Ex. Great Bear Rainforest

Deforestation

What do Standards of Living measure? What is the purpose of the UN Human

Development Index?

Practice Questions

Genetically Modified Organisms

The globalization of agriculture has led to unsustainable practices such as offshore farms and large-scale farming operations

Approaches keep costs down by using large scale, assembly line methods to produce products

GMOs

Herbicides and Pesticides are sprayed on crops

Such chemicals are dangerous to the environment; seep into ground water or streams

Plants are genetically modified to produce large yields of food

GMOs

How is poverty measured? Explain what the absolute poverty line. What

is the criticism of the absolute poverty line?

Practice Questions

Water Quality

2.5% of the world’s water is fresh water

70% of that is in the form of ice caps and glaciers

Only 0.3% of the world’s fresh water is in lakes and rivers

Canada’s contains 20% of the world’s water resources

Water Quality

The majority of settlements and cities around Canada are located near a water source

Surface water can be polluted from municipal, agricultural and industrial sources

Industries such as oil refineries, pulp mills, and chemical factories release wastes into rivers and oceans

90% of the municipal waste is found in either the Fraser River or surrounding waters of Vancouver

Water Quality

Why are women and children more likely to face hardships than men in developing countries?

Describe ways in which organizations such as the World Bank and IMF provide financial aid to developing countries.

Practice Questions

Climate Change

Climate Change refers to the long-term change of weather patterns throughout the world

Global Warming refers to the warming of the earth's atmosphere

Science Behind Climate ChangeThe atmosphere is the invisible layer of gases

which surrounds the earthGreen House Gases are the gases in the earths

atmosphere that absorb and emit radiationCarbon Dioxide, Water Vapor, Methane, Nitrous

Oxide

Climate Change

The release of Carbon Dioxide has been increased by human activity

Cars IndustryEnergy Source

(electricity)

Green House Effect

You Can… Explain the Environmental Challenges

Facing Canada and the World