State of the Environment
Encyclopedia
The term State of the Environment normally relates to an analysis of trends in the environment
of a particular place. This analysis can encompass aspects such as water quality
, air quality, land use
, ecosystem
health and function, along with social and cultural matters.
, and, when undertaken on a large scale, adversely affects air quality and carbon dioxide sequestration
.
Examples of pressures under the Pressure-State-Response ("PSR") framework include: pollutants discharged from factories, or draining into a river from the land; it could be the removal of forest from the land or over-harvesting by fishermen or hunters.
In this framework, only pressures introduced by human interaction with the environment are considered. Natural pressures such as extreme weather are only considered in the context of human-induced climate change
(i.e. global warming
).
A "state" is the condition of the environment at a particular time. This is assessed by measuring various aspects of the atmosphere, air, water, land and organisms.
The European Environment Agency
has extended the pressure-state-response framework to include driving forces and impacts (see DPSIR
).
and Australia
. State of the Environment reporting is also undertaken fairly extensively throughout New Zealand by territorial and regional authorities.
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
of a particular place. This analysis can encompass aspects such as water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
, air quality, land use
Land use
Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. It has also been defined as "the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover...
, ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
health and function, along with social and cultural matters.
The Pressure-State-Response Framework
Human activity places pressure on many aspects of the environment. For instance, deforestation results in the invasion of weed species, habitat displacementHabitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
, and, when undertaken on a large scale, adversely affects air quality and carbon dioxide sequestration
CO2 sequestration
Carbon sequestration is the capture of carbon dioxide and may refer specifically to:* "The process of removing carbon from the atmosphere and depositing it in a reservoir." When carried out deliberately, this may also be referred to as carbon dioxide removal, which is a form of geoengineering.*...
.
Examples of pressures under the Pressure-State-Response ("PSR") framework include: pollutants discharged from factories, or draining into a river from the land; it could be the removal of forest from the land or over-harvesting by fishermen or hunters.
In this framework, only pressures introduced by human interaction with the environment are considered. Natural pressures such as extreme weather are only considered in the context of human-induced climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
(i.e. global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
).
A "state" is the condition of the environment at a particular time. This is assessed by measuring various aspects of the atmosphere, air, water, land and organisms.
The European Environment Agency
European Environment Agency
European Environment Agency is an agency of the European Union. Its task is to provide sound, independent information on the environment. It is a major information source for those involved in developing, adopting, implementing and evaluating environmental policy, and also the general public...
has extended the pressure-state-response framework to include driving forces and impacts (see DPSIR
DPSIR
DPSIR is a causal framework for describing the interactions between society and the environment.This framework has been adopted by the European Environment Agency...
).
State of the Environment reporting
State of Environment reports have been prepared by countries such as New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. State of the Environment reporting is also undertaken fairly extensively throughout New Zealand by territorial and regional authorities.
See also
- State of the World , a series of books published by the World Watch Institute
- Environmental issueEnvironmental issueEnvironmental issues are negative aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. Environmentalism, a social and environmental movement that started in the 1960s, addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism.-Types:...
External links
- The State of the Environment Gateway, GRID-Arendal/United Nations Environment Programme, Arendel, Norway, retrieved 2 February 2008.