Sustainable Development

The process of developing and implementing environmental conservation programs is most dependent on —

• The availability of the most advanced technology.

• Public awareness and cooperation.

• Earth’s ability to restore itself.

• Stricter environmental laws.

Roughly 25% of the land area of the Netherlands is below sea level. With this in mind, the Dutch government has committed to policies of sustainable development that seek to protect the environment while not preventing economic growth. Which of the following policies is least likely to be recommended by the Dutch government.

• Taxing carbon emissions and using the revenue to fund renewable energy projects

• Paying subsidies to businesses that switch to renewable energy sources

• Halting natural gas production and limiting the size of livestock farms

• Requiring greenhouse gas-capturing technology at all landfills

The Waste Hierarchy Policy of the United Kingdom

● Reuse and recycle programs

● Useful products are recovered

● Shared responsibility ideal

Based on the information in the list, which point of view MOST likely influenced this policy?

• The desire to encourage private investment in waste management.

• The demand for alternative sources of energy production

• The need to reduce government regulation of waste disposal

• The goal of public participation in limiting waste products

Based on your knowledge of geography, what likely motivated the government to begin the island-building program?

• A. Continuous volcanic activity has been threatening the stability of the islands and dropping the atoll into the sea.

• B. Rising sea levels have been reducing the country’s habitable land area and forcing people from their homes.

• C. Significant pollution of the country’s largest islands has been rendering much of the atoll uninhabitable.

• D. Rapid population growth has been causing the country to require additional territory to expand into.

Sustainable development can be achieved in which of the following ways?

• By balancing economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity

• By focusing only on economic growth

• By ignoring environmental concerns

• By prioritizing short-term profits over long-term benefits