Deck 12: Preserving and Enhancing the Biosphere

Question 1

Earth Summit I (1992)and Earth Summit II (2002)featured prominent disagreements between

A) capitalist countries and former communist countries.
B) nongovernmental organizations and nation-states.
C) landlocked and non-landlocked countries.
D) economically developed countries and less developed countries.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Individuals who believe that humans are doing serious,irreversible damage to the environment are espousing environmental

A) pessimism.
B) optimism.
C) absolutism.
D) relativism.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Surveys have found that most Americans

A) would be willing to pay a "gas tax" to reduce pollution.
B) were willing to pay a "gas tax" when gas was cheap.
C) have mixed feelings about a "gas tax" to reduce pollution.
D) oppose a "gas tax."

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Environmental pessimists worry that,in the future,countries will increasingly clash over

A) oil
B) water
C) acid rain and other pollutants
D) all of the above

Question 5

The Three Gorges Dam and hydroelectric project illustrates the difficulty of sustainable development because China plans to

A) temporarily lower the level of the Yangtze River, disrupting agricultural projects.
B) raise the level of the Yangtze River, flooding many homes and archeological sites.
C) save the energy for national defense projects.
D) dump pollutants into the Yangtze River to cut costs.

Question 6

China generates most of its electrical power through

A) burning coal.
B) burning wood.
C) nuclear power.
D) hydroelectric power.

Question 7

Which of the following is not a part of the biosphere?

A) land water and air
B) all life forms
C) the upper atmosphere
D) Earth's core

Question 8

One negative side effect of industrialization is

A) greatly expanded global wealth.
B) increased amounts of pollution in the world.
C) decreased infant mortality rates.
D) extended life expectancy of individuals living in LDCs.

Question 9

Sustainable development refers to a process of

A) protecting the biosphere at the cost of human development.
B) protecting the biosphere while advancing human development.
C) sustaining economic development as natural resources run low.
D) wealth redistribution from the rich to the poor.

Question 10

One primary reason that environmental optimists are not concerned with natural resource depletion is they believe that

A) natural resource depletion is a positive indicator that there is a higher standard of living throughout the world.
B) natural resource depletion is necessary for LDCs to develop economically.
C) technological innovation will allow the development of synthetic materials to replace natural resources.
D) natural resource depletion will decrease once alter­native forms of energy become readily available.

Question 11

Options for sustainable development include all of the following except

A) setting strict regulations on natural resource con­sumption.
B) restricting economic development in LDCs.
C) EDCs making a financial commitment to LDCs to help them develop responsibly.
D) encouraging Northern industries to relocate their operations to LDCs.

Question 12

Reasons for the rapidly expanding global population include

A) increased birthrates and death rates.
B) increased access to abortion and declining religious fundamentalism.
C) massive increases in food supplies and agricultural technology.
D) lower mortality and increased longevity.

Question 13

In October 1999,the population of the world reached

A) 1 billion.
B) 3 billion.
C) 6 billion.
D) 10 billion.

Question 14

If LDCs were to develop their economies to the level of EDC,then the global emissions of CO₂ would

A) remain about the same because of cleaner technology.
B) increase moderately.
C) increase dramatically.
D) decrease moderately

Question 15

The largest number of humans that Earth can sustain indefinitely at current rates of per capita consumption of natural resources is known as Earth's

A) environmental capacity.
B) population limit.
C) sustainability index.
D) carrying capacity.

Question 16

Surveys show that a majority of citizens

A) favor tax hikes to promote environmental programs.
B) do not favor tax hikes to promote environmental programs.
C) are giving a substantial amount of money to NGOs to promote environmental programs.
D) are highly concerned with environmental development of the South.

Question 17

The idea that humankind will be able to meet environ­mental needs and hence be able to continue to prosper is a guiding principle of environmental

A) pessimism.
B) optimism.
C) absolutism.
D) relativism.

Question 18

A "green accounting" of a country includes what factors?

A) human capital; gross national product; Kyoto ratification
B) gross national product; human capital; natural capital
C) gross national product; aid organizations; natural capital
D) natural capital; environmental optimism; Kyoto ratification

Question 19

In order for the South to develop economically yet responsibly the North must

A) set strict regulations on natural resource consump­tion in the South.
B) provide a significant amount of financial aid to the South.
C) continue to promote growth in the South through natural resource consumption.
D) allow the South to develop economically before addressing environmental concerns.

Question 20

Environmental pessimists believe that each of the following will damage the environment and increase human suffering except

A) population control.
B) ozone depletion.
C) global warming.
D) warfare over scarce natural resources

Question 21

Economic approaches to reducing the birthrate place great emphasis on

A) offering financial incentives to couples to not have children.
B) making birth control devices more affordable.
C) improving the economic status of women.
D) slowing trends toward urbanization.

Question 22

The majority of the world's energy is supplied by

A) fossil fuels.
B) nuclear power.
C) geothermal power.
D) hydroelectric power.

Question 23

Researchers project that population growth over the next 50 years will be greatest in

A) North America.
B) South America.
C) Europe.
D) Africa.

Question 24

The contraceptive prevalence rate in LDCs is

A) increasing on average due to increased education and access to birth control.
B) decreasing on average due to governmental bans on birth control.
C) decreasing on average due to religious and cultural norms limiting the use of contraception.
D) approximately the same as it was in 1960 due to continued limited access to contraception.

Question 25

Globally the issue of abortion as a method of population control is

A) highly contested.
B) widely supported.
C) widely opposed.
D) rarely discussed.

Question 26

The replacement rate refers to the

A) rate of economic growth that will provide jobs for a growing population.
B) fertility rate at which a population is replaced without growth.
C) rate of new forest growth needed to offset the growth in carbon emissions.
D) rate of CFCs that the earth can process without damage to the ozone layer.

Question 27

Alternative sources of power such as solar or geother­mal are limited by all of the following factors except

A) limited availability of resources.
B) cost.
C) production capacity.
D) consumer reliance on traditional energy sources.

Question 28

The largest percentage of deforestation is in the

A) northern European woodlands.
B) North American forests.
C) tropical forests.
D) woodlands.

Question 29

The illegal trade in feathers,pelts,ivory,and other wildlife products annually totals about

A) $100 million.
B) $1 billion.
C) $10 billion.
D) $20 billion

Question 30

The Obama administration has made alternative fuels a high priority,but should except resistance from what groups?

A) NGOs.
B) EDCs.
C) Businesses involved in traditional fuels.
D) Members of the European Union.

Question 31

One of the primary causes of the leveling of Brazilian rain forests is

A) acid rain.
B) climate changes, partly due to pollution from the burning of fossil fuels.
C) Amazon Basin flooding.
D) native reliance on deforestation to meet economic needs.

Question 32

Between 1960 and 2005,global energy production has increased

A) 50%.
B) 80%.
C) 95%.
D) energy production has decreased.

Question 33

One of the main voices of opposition to restraining population growth as outlined at the 1994 UN Conference on Population and Development (especially concerning abortion)was from

A) LDCs.
B) CITs.
C) the United States.
D) the Roman Catholic Church.

Question 34

About what percentage of energy is produced by environmentally friendly sources (hydroelectric,solar,geothermal,and wind power)?

A) 3%
B) 15%
C) 40%
D) 85%

Question 35

The population base multiplier effect is a problem because

A) the rate of growth is increasing because with a larger population base there are more potential parents.
B) the rate of growth is impossible to predict.
C) there may not be enough new children to fill the ranks of an aging workforce.
D) the rate of growth from new births is not fast enough to overcome the effect of longer lifespans.

Question 36

Which of the following statements is true regarding the relationship between energy and geographic location?

A) While energy consumption is greater in the North, the demand for energy is greater in the South.
B) While energy consumption is greater in the South, the demand for energy is greater in the North.
C) Energy consumption in the North approximates consumption in the South.
D) Energy consumption in both the North and South has decreased as the result of increased conservation efforts.

Question 37

The attempts to control the population problem is primarily headed up by what UN subsidiary organ?

A) UNICEF
B) UNSC
C) UNGA
D) UNFPA

Question 38

Which type of approach to the population problem advocates the use of contraceptives?

A) economic
B) political
C) religious
D) social

Question 39

The notion that international organizations are at­tempting to control LDCs' environmental resources is called

A) eco-feminism.
B) eco-determinism.
C) eco-colonialism.
D) eco-fatalism.

Question 40

What is the primary mission of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)?

A) to educate women about birth control methods
B) to advocate the use of safe and legal abortions as a means to curb population growth
C) to increase financial aid to women who agree not to have children
D) to provide women opportunities to enter historically male-dominated fields such as science and business

Question 41

Deforestation contributes to increasing carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere because

A) trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.
B) trees contribute to higher ozone levels.
C) trees increase the level of farming.
D) deforestation converts carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Question 42

Which of the following does not contribute to fresh­water contamination?

A) fertilizer leaching
B) industrial pollution
C) diversity of marine life
D) human and animal waste

Question 43

It is predicted that if current water consumption patterns continue,by 2050

A) nearly 100 percent of people will lack freshwater.
B) nearly all people will have gained access to fresh­ water.
C) 7 billion people in 60 countries will be facing a water shortage.
D) most countries will have to depend on water sources that originate outside their borders.

Question 44

Which country continues to kill whales under the guise of scientific research despite the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling?

A) China
B) Sweden
C) United States
D) Japan

Question 45

What is the primary goal of the Law of the Sea Treaty signed in 1994?

A) It gives fishers the freedom to fish in international waters without regulation.
B) It encourages conservation by giving countries full sovereignty to control fishing in the seas near their shores.
C) It encourages conservation by giving IGOs complete authority over oceans to regulate fishing.
D) It regulates the whaling industry to limit whale killing.

Question 46

Each of the following is a significant factor in marine pollution except

A) offshore mining.
B) industrial waste.
C) ocean waste dumping.
D) nuclear waste seepage.

Question 47

Despite having 27 CFC plants running,China has pledged to end CFC production by what year?

A) 2010
B) 2015
C) 2020
D) 2025

Question 48

The Kyoto Protocol requires EDCs to reduce GHG emissions by what percentage below 1990 levels?

A) 7%
B) 10%
C) 20%
D) 22%

Question 49

Approximately what percentage of the world's water is readily available for human consumption?

A) 1 percent
B) 10 percent
C) 50 percent
D) more than 95 percent

Question 50

Which of the following statements regarding ground pollution is true?

A) Ground pollution is only a domestic concern since it is concentrated within geographic boundaries.
B) EDCs are responsible for ground pollution in LDCs because they annually ship millions of tons of hazardous waste to LDCs.
C) LDCs are responsible for ground pollution around the globe because they lack the appropriate treatment facilities to handle the waste.
D) Ground pollution has been greatly reduced globally as the result of strict international regulations that prohibit the transportation of hazardous waste.

Question 51

Which of the following regions' food supply would be most severely affected by a decline in the marine catch?

A) North America and northern Europe
B) Asia and Africa
C) Asia and South America
D) Africa and southern Europe

Question 52

The majority of freshwater is used for

A) industry.
B) human consumption.
C) hydroelectric power.
D) agriculture.

Question 53

Which two countries are among those that failed to ratify the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants?

A) Canada and United Kingdom
B) China and Japan
C) Russia and United States
D) India and Pakistan

Question 54

The thinning of the ozone layer causes

A) asthma.
B) desertification.
C) acid rain.
D) cancer.

Question 55

Many scientists believe that carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels creates

A) acid rain.
B) the greenhouse effect.
C) a buildup of ozone.
D) the lowering of the levels of the oceans and the major seas.

Question 56

The primary focus of the 1989 Basel Convention was to address

A) global warming.
B) ozone depletion.
C) pollution caused by burning coal.
D) the dumping of hazardous wastes.

Question 57

MNCs often set up waste dumping operations in LDCs because

A) LDCs can dispose of waste more efficiently than EDCs.
B) EDCs do not dispose of the waste properly.
C) LDCs have fewer environmental regulations.
D) LDCs have tougher environmental regulations.

Question 58

Over the past 20 years the average marine catch in the oceans

A) has increased to meet the needs of the growing human population.
B) decreased as humans have turned to other food sources such as buffalo and duck to meet their protein needs.
C) remained the same.
D) declined because of strict regulations set forth by IGOs to limit catches.

Question 59

Approximately what percentage of Earth's surface is covered by water?

A) less than 20 percent
B) 40 percent
C) 60 percent
D) more than 70 percent

Question 60

The recent decline in air pollution in EDCs is offset by

A) increased levels of air pollution in LDCs.
B) the advent of highly polluting vehicles such as sports utility vehicles in EDCs.
C) decreased international aid to fight air pollution.
D) IGO deregulation of industrial standards on air pollution.

Question 61

Although people living in the North favor environmen­tal protection,most are unwilling to make sacrifices in living standards to achieve this.

Question 62

Environmental optimists attribute global warming to natural cycles,as opposed to human activity.

Question 63

List some of the ways to control population growth.

Question 64

The United States has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

Question 65

In general countries in the South are willing to put off economic development and greater consumption if it means the protection of the ecosystem.

Question 66

Global warming was first introduced as a topic before the UN Security Council in 2007.

Question 67

The Earth Summits brought many countries into agreement concerning environmental protection.

Question 68

No country has yet become reliant on nuclear energy.

Question 69

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)questions whether humans have contributed to global warming.

Question 70

Describe the two options for achieving sustainable development.

Question 71

EDCs and LDCs contribute equally to the exponential population growth.

Question 72

Global warming is caused in part by carbon dioxide emissions.

Question 73

In talks surrounding the extension or replacement of the Kyoto Protocol,concerns on limiting emissions of industrializing nations remains an issue.

Question 74

What is carrying capacity?

Question 75

List several causes underlying global population growth.

Question 76

Environmental pessimists focus on the problems of environmental scarcities.

Question 77

Some analysts have suggested that water shortages may one day become a cause of international conflict.

Question 78

Projections of future population trends show a marked increase in population growth.

Question 79

Industrial and scientific advances have caused many of the world's human and environmental problems.

Question 80

Describe the positions taken by environmental pes­simists and optimists.