CLIMATE VARIABILITY, AGRICULTURE AND REMOTE SENSING - Food Security, Food Prices and Climate Variability - page 52

TABLE 3.1 Proximate and underlying drivers of global environmental change

Environmental change Proximate driver Underlying driver

Land Forest clearing (cutting and burning)

Agricultural conversion (tillage, for row crops, terracing, tree, crops)
Land abandonment
Urban/suburban expansion
Mining

Demand for food
Dietary preferences
Recreation
Demand for goods and services (technology, cars, etc.)
Cultural change
Urbanization

Atmosphere Fossil fuel burning

Agricultural practices (nitrogen,, methane)
Biomass burning
Industrial technology

Demand for mobility
Demand for consumer products
Demand for food
Technology change

Water Dams, impoundments

Municipal water systems and leakage/evaporative loss
Transportation systems
Waste disposal techniques
Industrial water use/technology, change (i.e. natural gas fracking)
Agricultural irrigation

Demand for water (direct human use)
Demand for food (irrigation)
Demand for consumer products (industrial processes)
Lack of investment in systems (waste)
Demand for mobility

Coastal/marine Sediment and nutrient pollution, from land cover conversion

Groundwater removal
Fishing intensity and techniques
Sewage treatment technology
Urbanization/coastal development
Pollution from industry, consumers, chemical spills

Demand for recreation
Demand for food/dietary preferences
Landscape amenity
Lifestyle/cultural preferences

Biodiversity Clearing of natural/forest ecosystems

Invasive species
Expansion of urban areas/suburbs

Demand for food
Landscape amenity
Lifestyle

Source : derived from Table 1, Executive Summary of Steffen et al ., 2012.
Note
Proximate drivers are the immediate human activities that drive a particular environment change. Underlying drivers are related to the fundamental needs and economic desires of
individuals or groups.