Establishing Environmental Sustainability Thresholds and Indicators

GSTDTAP > 资源环境科学

	Establishing Environmental Sustainability Thresholds and Indicators
	Dr. Tanja Srebotnjak; Sophie Herbert
	2010
出版年	2010
页数	139
语种	英语
国家	德国
出版者	Ecologic Institute, Germany
领域	资源环境
英文摘要	Knowing the limits of the planet’s ability to provide resources and absorb pollutants is directly linked to debates on the limits to growth. Together with their partners from SERI, Ecologic Institute analysed environmental thresholds and associated indicators for monitoring unsustainable trends caused by human activity that could lead to the crossing of environmental thresholds in Europe. The areas covered are freshwater quality and quantity, soil erosion, and nonrenewable resource consumption. The report is available for download.Environmental tresholds ("tipping points") show at which point an ecologic system is likely to collapse due to external disruption. To avoid such an outcome it is necessary to indentify the factors that lead to such developments. Especially policy makers need to know those tipping points to be able to react the best way at the right time.Environmental tresholds have to be identified to provide a good definition. This is important because each tipping point needs to be adressed differently. They depend on the ecologic sytem that is involved as well as on the services it offers for the environment.Indicators help to monitor and create treatments for tipping points. Currently there are few indicators established dealing with these problems. Indicators are an important aspect regarding the environmental and sustainable development policy of the European Union because they are necessary to identify "danger zones" - regions that might reach tipping points in the future.The study tries to support EU policy by making progress on selected key tresholds. Furthermore it shows ways how thresholds can be identified, defined and monitored via indicators. It is focused on specific indicators and how they can be used.The aim of the study was to detect unsustainable trends in the EU that could lead to treshold- or collapse-phenomena. For four chosen tipping points (health, fisheries, water, soil) indicators were established to support European policy decision makers in their work. The study also provides an interpretation for each indicator regarding its usability and efficiency.
英文关键词	tresholds environment tipping point policy sustainability health fisheries water quality water quantity land use soil degradation non-renewable resources Europe study
URL	查看原文
来源平台	Ecologic Institute (EU)
文献类型	科技报告
条目标识符	http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/2542
专题	资源环境科学
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Dr. Tanja Srebotnjak,Sophie Herbert. Establishing Environmental Sustainability Thresholds and Indicators:Ecologic Institute, Germany,2010.