Question 1

Environmental protection is almost exclusively a domestic concern; there are few effects of domestic environmental pollution that can impact other countries in the world.

Accepted Answer

Environmental pollution can have global effects, such as greenhouse gas emissions leading to climate change, air pollution dispersing across borders, and water pollution affecting shared waterways. International cooperation and action are necessary for effective environmental protection.

Question 2

The earth's temperature began to rise with the invention of power-driven machinery in the late eighteenth century.

Accepted Answer

The burning of fossil fuels to power machinery releases greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

Question 3

The volatility of oil prices may be even more threatening than high oil prices due to the instability and inability to plan future energy investments.

Accepted Answer

Volatile oil prices make it difficult for energy companies and governments to plan future investments and projects, which can lead to instability and uncertainty in the energy sector. In contrast, high oil prices may be more predictable and allow for more stable planning.

Question 4

The maximum number of humans and living species that can be supported by a given territory is called carrying capacity.

Accepted Answer

Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of organisms that can be supported by a given environment, including humans and other living species.

Question 5

Deforestation is problematic because it contributes to climate change through global warming and threatens the earth's biodiversity.

Accepted Answer

Deforestation leads to a decrease in the amount of trees that can absorb carbon dioxide, resulting in an increase in greenhouse gases that can contribute to global warming. It also destroys ecosystems and habitats for countless species, threatening the earth's biodiversity.

Question 6

The production of greenhouse gases has been rising in all areas of the world, including the Global South.

Accepted Answer

The production of greenhouse gases has indeed been rising in all areas of the world, including the Global South.

Question 7

Many scientists are in agreement that the threat of climate change is overstated and that global warming is not a clear environmental threat.

Accepted Answer

The overwhelming majority of scientists agree that climate change is a clear and pressing environmental threat caused by human activity, and that urgent action is needed to mitigate its effects.

Question 8

Environmentalists view using trade to promote environmental standards as one way to combat the negative impact that trade can have on the environment.

Accepted Answer

Environmentalists believe that by making environmental standards part of trade agreements, countries will be compelled to adopt policies that reduce the negative impact of trade on the environment.

Question 9

Cornucopians generally believe that free markets effectively address environmental concerns and maximize social welfare.

Accepted Answer

Cornucopians hold the view that technological innovation, free markets, and the pursuit of profit will result in an efficient use of resources and environmental protection. They argue that as resource prices rise and become scarcer, people and companies will seek alternatives, leading to a decrease in overall resource usage and an increase in efficiency.

Question 10

The number of international environmental treaties has decreased over the past 130 years as countries abandon environmental policy.

Accepted Answer

The number of international environmental treaties has generally increased over the past 130 years as global awareness and cooperation on environmental issues have grown.

Question 11

Reforestation efforts in the Global North have helped to alleviate some of the water shortage problems faced in those regions.

Accepted Answer

Reforestation helps to increase water retention and filtration in the soil, which can help to alleviate water shortages in some regions.

Question 12

Biodiversity includes genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Accepted Answer

Biodiversity encompasses the variety of life at all levels, including genetic differences within species, the variety of species themselves, and the range of ecosystems they form.

Question 13

Among known technologies, solar energy has often been championed as the leading alternative to fossil fuel dependence.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Among known technologies, solar energy has often...

Question 14

The metaphor of the tragedy of the commons demonstrates that individual self-interest can have a destructive effect on the interest of the community.

Accepted Answer

The tragedy of the commons is a well-known concept in economics that illustrates how individual self-interest can lead to the depletion or degradation of a shared resource. This happens when individuals act in their own best interest, ignoring the negative impact their actions have on the community or the resource itself. Thus, the metaphor demonstrates that individual self-interest can have a destructive effect on the interest of the community.

Question 15

The concept of environmental security broadens the traditional definition of security, which focused primarily on national security.

Accepted Answer

The concept of environmental security incorporates not just traditional national security concerns, but also the protection of natural resources, ecosystems, and the well-being of communities affected by environmental issues.

Question 16

The 1987 Montreal Protocol limits the production of CFCs in an attempt to stop depletion of the ozone layer.

Accepted Answer

The 1987 Montreal Protocol is an international treaty that limits the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Its goal is to protect the ozone layer from further depletion.

Question 17

Global warming will likely cause deserts to disappear due to increased rainfall.

Accepted Answer

Global warming is expected to increase temperatures and alter precipitation patterns, which may expand deserts rather than cause them to disappear.

Question 18

The United Nations has been actively involved in studying the phenomenon of climate change and in organizing diverse countries to attempt to find a global solution.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. The United Nations has established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to study climate change and has organized international conferences such as the Paris Climate Agreement to address the issue on a global level.

Question 19

OPEC has used its control over oil production as an instrument of coercive diplomacy to influence politics in the Middle East.

Accepted Answer

OPEC has historically used its control over oil production to influence politics in the Middle East, including embargoes and price manipulation aimed at achieving political objectives.

Question 20

Neo-Malthusians are optimistic about the capacity of the world to supply enough food for its growing population through market forces and advances in technology.

Accepted Answer

Neo-Malthusians are actually pessimistic about the capacity of the world to supply enough food for its growing population, believing that population growth will outstrip advances in technology and lead to a food shortage.

Quiz 14: Global Responsibility for the Preservation of the Environment