Limit to Growth
Some of the key learnings from the article which is accredited to Hall, C.A. (2009), in terms of limit to growth include;
There are serious problems that are relate to the competition for scares resources by ever increasing human population. This can be seen on the interdependence on oil for production despite the fact that the fossil fuel is declining. It is also important to note that various ecological researchers have raised concerns before over the increasing human population and the diminishing resources. However, their ideas were not taken seriously as in the case of Donella H. Meadows (1972).
The economic status of most countries like that of the US and those of European countries has always been controlled with the availability of petroleum products like oil. The increase in oil prices has always led to the increase of prices of various products like food which essential for human survival. The production of food through mechanized agricultural also depend greatly on the availability of oil, where the production has always remained high.
However, the main concern is that how the human population will survive when the production of oil comes to peak or maximum given that there is no alternative for it equal that has been identified and most human development needs like energy and transportation and also the basic needs like food and cloth production, including medicine production depends on the petroleum products. This therefore means that the growth of human beings in terms of population is likely to decline when the production of eventually comes to its peak.
Some of the measures taken by the measures that Australia has taken to solve these issues include her increased investments in the renewable sources of energy like the hydro power and wind .According to Stephanie Chalmers (2018), in her report with figures obtained from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) show that there was a 150 per cent increase in Australia’s investment in renewable in 2017 sources with a record of $US9 billion.
The Australian Government has also embarked on various plans on the promotion of use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol, (Parliament of Australia 2010).This has been promoted by the increasing prices of oil imports and the need for healthy environments, free from emissions. This therefore means that Australia will be able to have adequate energy for food production and the maintenance of human growth even as the production of oil tents to get to the peak.
Measures Taken by Australia to Solve Environmental Issues
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is includes the assessment of various environmental impacts of a proposed development project and various ways of mitigating the negative impacts if any. My chosen state is the Queensland State which is majorly concerned with the reduction in carbon emissions by investment in renewable clean energy. There are various steps that need to be followed for the approval of projects that need EIA .According to Chris McGrath (2016),there are various statutes that have been provided by the state laws for the process of EIA and its approval ,including:
- Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (Qld) (SPA)
- Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld) (EPA)
- State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld)
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act)
Generally ,the there are six major EIA procedures that need to be undertaken by individuals for assessing the impacts resulting from controlled actions for the approval of the project (Chris McGrath 2016).They include:
- Charring out of assessment process that has been accredited by the state
- Carrying out of referral information assessment.
- The preliminary documentation assessment by state officials
- The submission of public environment report.
- The submission of environmental impact statement to the authorities.
- Carrying out of public inquiry.
There are a lot of problems or pitfalls that are always involved in the process of EIA and even in its results .According to the article by (Lawteacher.net 2018), some of the issue involved include lack of experienced experts, examination procedure unavailability, training procedure unavailability for various stakeholders involved, restricted public hearing, ineffective auditing system and control and public decision making limitations.
Looking at two pitfalls, that is, training procedure unavailability and ineffective auditing system and control, there are a number of solutions that can be provided for the problems. The problem of unavailable training procedure for the available experts can be solved through provision of facilities for potential developments. Resources such as funds need to be channeled towards the creation or development of training centers which can offer high level of training to the available experts. Also, clear policies and guidelines should developed in such centers for the maintenance of standards.
The problem of ineffective auditing system and control can be solved through the establishment of an effective communication system. The main problem involved in auditing is the lack of flow of information among the officials who are always involved in decision making stage. A smooth coordination of ideas among the officials can greatly improve the performance of the EIA process if a good communication is established for sharing of ideas.
According to the Australian Government (2018),there are procedures developed for the carrying out of Environmental Impact Assessment in National Parks inAustalia.as provided in the below EIAR.
Environmental Impact Assessment Report
Construction of Expansion of Roadways in Murujuga National Park
Purpose
The purpose of this Environmental impacts Assessment is to make sure that various impacts resulting from this proposed development project are identified and evaluated on potential impacts on the values of the Park before making decisions and approval.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures
Location
The location of Murujuga National Park is about 5 kilometers north-east of Dampier town and 35 kilometers away from Karratha. This park can be accessed through the Burrup Road, off the Dampier Highway. This Park was established by Murujuga with the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) which also consists of the various traditional custodians such as the Woon-goo-tt-oo and the Yaburara-Mardudhunera. This Park is composed of rock arts which is mainly associated with the archeological activities in the Park. Also this park has a diverse ecological and biological life forms (Western Australia Government 2018).
Proponent’s details
Organisation: Green Solutions
Contact person: James Clays
Postal Address: P.O. Box 78, Australia.
Telephone and email: [email protected]
Date: 21/05/2019
Environmental record and experience of proponent
Green Solutions have been involved in various EIA throughout the country. However most of studies or assessments have always been done by Poyry Energy Oy on its behalf.
Description of proposed action
The proposed action will involve the expansion and upgrade of the various lanes of roadways in the Park. Materials such as crushed stone gravels will be used during the construction process. Petroleum products such as bitumen will also be used in laying out of pavement with heavy equipment such as bulldozers and asphalt spreaders put into use in the Park.
Proposed action objective(s) and justification
The main objective of the expansion and upgrading of the roadways in the park is improve movement of vehicles and tourists. There has been a challenge on the transportation especially during the peak tourist periods hindering the faster movement of both tourists and the wildlife officials throughout the Park. This will therefore improve performance and faster response to emergencies that may arise.
Detailed description of proposed action
The proposed upgrading will be done in various stages which will involve planning, construction or implementation and handing over. The project will be done by Smart Contractors Limited Company, who will develop plans and various design drawings for use. The construction process will start by clearing the areas in which the road is to expand up to after which excavations will be carried out and laying and compaction out of subgrade materials done before finally laying the bitumen pavements.
The complete roads will be subjected to inspections before finally getting opened for use. It is also important to note that a portion of existing road will remain in use during the construction period and therefore there will be no any road diversions created.
Pitfalls and Solutions of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Timeframes
The time frame for the completion this project has be is estimated to be about 8 months.
The scheduled time periods for the completion of each stage is as shown below
Planning ———————–21/10/2018
Resource mobilization——–21/11/2018
Construction ——————-21/04/2019
Handover ———————–21/05/2019
Legislative and planning requirements
This Park is classified as a Commonwealth reserve and is therefore considered to be falling under Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) 1999. The Park is managed by the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) which prepares management plans prepared under the EPBC Act, providing the policies for managing the park, which may also include what kind of activities that can be considered and approved in the park. Proposed activities in the park should be assessed for their potential environmental impacts based on Section 8.1.
Alternative to taking the proposed action
The various alternatives for undertaking the proposed construction is only on the materials that will be used. The process will employ the use of materials such as bitumen, gravels, cement and water. This therefore means that a flexible pavement made of bitumen will be developed. However, a rigid pavement which is made of cement and steel reinforcement can be constructed as an alternative.
Personnel
The various personnel that will be involved include, the officials in the park, engineers, scientists and other works who will be hired from the community around the park
Community and stakeholder consultation
There has been to wide consultation of the general public on the proposed activity because it will take place inside the park and only affect the inside activities. However, various stakeholders like the government has been adequately consulted and the views of visiting tourists also taken by se of questionnaires.
Description of the environment and proposals likely impacts
The natural environment is made of tall grass and trees. The roads run through the grasses and trees with appropriate distances of trees provided away from roadways.
The only impacts on the environment is that grasses will be cleared with some trees fell down.
Fauna and fauna habitat values
The animals in the park include lions, cheetahs, birds, elephants, rhinos etc. The animals are likely to get scared from their habitat which include trees by the sound from moving engines and equipment.
Human Health and Safety
The health and safety of workers is likely to get compromised by the wild animals I the park who may attack them in protest of disruption their peaceful living in their habitat. The safety of workers may also be affected due to injuries from equipment being used during the construction process.
Environmental Impact Assessment Report of the Construction of Roadway Expansion in Murujuga National Park
Monitoring activities to assess and measure likely impacts.
The various identified impacts will be measured or assessed through various means like observation of the movement of the animals as they respond to the activities being undertaken in the park.
- There will be an erection of fence along the roadway in which the project will be taking place to prevent animals from getting to the workers.
- The movement of machines and equipment need to be minimised as possible to avoid the disruption of animals from their habitat.
- The clearance of trees and grass will only be limited to small portions where the roadway is to pass so as to avoid impacts on the vegetation.
The disruption of movement of animals with the erected fences in the park may affect their migration patterns and their well-being affairs. This will further affect the number of visiting tourists and consequently reducing the quantity of revenues over the period of construction in the park.
Cutting of some trees and grasses also gets against the environmental laws which have been established to guide and provide procedures when undertaking proposed activities in parks as seen in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) 1999.
Based on ID ending 0, design strategy based on soft tools for reducing congestion on a specific section of the road would be to persuade persons to use formal bus services while ensuring that bus services are made accessible, cost-effective, of much convenience and significant comforts, with utmost safety provisions while regulating informal paratransit services to ensure low instances of noise pollution, reduced congestion and traffic incidents through measures or strategies such as outright prohibitions and acceptance. Also, other modifications would include differentiation and/ or creation of bus lanes on planned, developed and developing roads thus ensuring suitable and efficient formal bus services. As a measure to improve the quality of bus services, systems and ease congestion, creation of bus lanes been recommended given its implementation requires low-cost strategy in achieving efficiency in road networks in cities. At intersections, vehicles at bus lanes are given priority as related to vehicles from other lanes. This is regulated by installation of traffic lights specifically designed to automatically indicate green for buses and high occupancy vehicles and red for car at pints where the intersections are common.
ABC News. (2018). Record renewable energy investment ‘likely to fall off a cliff’ under NEG. [online] Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-18/renewable-energy-investment-hits-new-high/9339482 [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].
Aph.gov.au. (2018). Alternative fuels – Parliament of Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Browse_by_Topic/ClimateChangeold/responses/mitigation/emissions/alternative [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].
Harvey, N. and Clarke, B. (2012). Environmental impact assessment in practice. 1st ed. South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press.
KOMIYAMA, H. (2016). BEYOND THE LIMITS TO GROWTH. 1st ed. [Place of publication not identified]: SPRINGER.
Lawteacher.net. (2018). The main problems of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). [online] Available at: https://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/international-law/the-main-problems-of-environmental-impact-assessment-international-law-essay.php?vref=1 [Accessed 24 Sep. 2018].
McGrath, C. (2018). ’Major environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes in Queensland. 1st ed. Salisbury: ’Major environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes in Queensland.
Trovato, F. (2012). Population and society. 2nd ed. Don Mills, Ont.: Oxford University Press.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
