Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Most international conservation efforts are overseen by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
which promotes biodiversity and natural resource conservation on a global level. For example, the UNEP cre-
ated the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to regulate interna-
tional wildlife trade, helping to protect endangered and threatened species. The United Nations Convention on
Biological Diversity was established to conserve biodiversity and to promote sustainability. The Convention on
the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (also known as the Bonn Convention) regulates mi-
gratory species, including avian, marine, and terrestrial organisms that cross national boundaries, conserving
them throughout their migratory range.
Under the supervision of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Commission on Pro-
tected Areas works toward the selection, establishment, and management of national parks and protected areas
internationally, for the protection of plant and animal species. The organization works with governments and
other key parties to plan and finance protected areas, including marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
Another approach to international preservation of terrestrial and coastal marine ecosystems is through the use
of
biosphere reserves.
Operating under the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, these reserves combine the
protection of biodiversity with sustainable land use, education, and scientific research. Each reserve is split into
three, standardized zones: a central core area where there is almost no human activity, a buffer zone where
there is limited human activity, and the transition zone in which a wide variety of sustainable human activities
are allowed. Currently there are over 530 biosphere reserves globally.
Nongovernmental Programs
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) also play a large role in land conservation efforts. The Nature Con-
servancy is one of the world's largest NGOs working toward ecosystem conservation. The Sierra Club was
founded in 1892 by John Muir to protect communities and wild places; it is the oldest and largest such organiz-
ation in the United States.
Sustainable Land-Use Strategies
Advancements in sustainable building techniques help balance the needs of human society with environmental
impact. Much of the policy governing sustainable building is designed at the city and regional levels. Effective
city planning takes into account the location and types of parks and green areas, transportation infrastructure,
recreation, commerce areas, housing options, hospitals, schools, energy usage, waste removal, and many other
components. One way cities manage these diverse needs is through zoning (meaning that only certain types of
building are allowed in certain areas). Zoning helps to control how a city grows and includes restrictions on
what can be done with land, separating commercial, industrial, and residential areas.
Partly in response to congestion and high population density in cities, some people now choose to move out of
large urban areas to surrounding suburban and rural areas, broadening the continued environmental issues asso-
ciated with urbanization.
Mining
Humans use many minerals—such as copper, silver, cobalt, aluminum, nickel, tungsten, magnesium, lead,
uranium, manganese, potassium, and many others—to manufacture the products necessary for everyday life. In
order to obtain these minerals, the raw materials are mined from the layer of the Earth's crust called the litho-
sphere. People also extract resources such as limestone, gypsum, gravel, salt, and gemstones. Extraction pro-
cesses can be very destructive to the environment and can have far-reaching impacts, especially due to the
