Conservation+strategies

As world resource consumption continues to increase and natural resource reserves dwindle, there is the need for nations to reduce their resource consumption. This is made possible either by adopting the three Rs – reuse, reduce, recycle.
 * Reducing** **resource consumption by conservation, waste reduction recycling & substitution.**

//Waste reduction(Reuse//): This involves finding alternative uses for a product that is not necessarily waste, but not needed. E.g donating clothings not needed to the poor or needy, giving out your old iPhone to a friend in order to get the latest version. In the case of these examples, the products are not considered waste, but they may be of no use to the owner. In this case, finding an alternative use for them becomes ‘reuse’.

//Conservation (Reduce):// It refers to the process of protecting and managing a resource in such a way that it will not be degraded or damaged. This can be done through a sustainable use of the resource E.g forest resources can be conserved by protecting it against irresponsible lumbering activities or by encouraging afforestation. In terms of energy conservation, it is important that we use the existing energy resources in such a way that future generations can benefit from it or that there will be little or no environmental damage. Reducing the consumption of the resource is therefore a sure way of conversing the resource.

//Recycling:// It is the process of putting back to use resources that are no longer needed. Rather than generate waste with the unwanted resource or by-product, these products can be put to good use to serve another purpose. E.g turning plastic waste into rubber products such as bins, water tanks, etc or reusing scrap metal by smelting it into iron bars.

//Substitution:// is replacing the existing resource with a much lower grade resource that helps in conserving the old resource. For example, the need to use renewable energy resources such as solar energy or hydrogen to power cars rather than depending of non-renewable sources of energy such as oil and gas is a form of substitution.


 * Evaluate a strategy at a local or national scale aimed at reducing the consumption of one resource**.

**Case Study: Fishing Quotas in The European Union** Fishing Quotas is conservation strategy adopted by the European Union to limit the number of fish stock that member countries are allowed to catch. This conservation strategy was implemented to minimize excessive fishing of endangered fish species. Each European country therefore has a responsibility to make sure that they meet the quota, which is also known as Total Allowable Catches (TACs). //How It Is Measured?// If the European Union left the implementation of the quota system to the member countries not all of them would adhere to and be truthful with the policy. Therefore, the EU Council of Fisheries introduced the quota system based on the estimated stock by calculating these quotas at the end of the year. This way each country could be monitored. //Advantages Of The Policy//
 * It prevents extinction: With a limit on the number of fishes that can be caught, endangered species like the North Sea are save form extinction. This will enable them multiply for future generations to benefit.
 * It hinders disruption of the food web: When all the fishes do not become extinct, the food chains and webs that are dependent on endangered fish species are not disrupted and all other fishes and animals in the web remain intact.
 * Long term protection of fishing industry- If there were no quotas and the fish became scarce and extinct, fishing industries will run at a loss and close down. The quotas prevent this from happening by ensuring that fish, especially the endangered species, will always be available.
 * It indirectly prevents unemployment for the communities whose livelihood depend on the fishing industry.
 * Compensation: the EU provided grants and compensation to the local fishermen to serve as seed capital to invest in other business ventures.

//Disadvantages// For more information, visithttp://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/fishing_rules/tacs/index_en.htm
 * Due to the policy most of the fishermen lost their jobs. Consequently, other workers indirectly associated with the fishing industry (eg. Boat technicians/mechanics) also lost their jobs.
 * Inflation: The price of fish increased regularly resulting from the limited quantity of fish in the European market.
 * The government of the various EU member countries spent a lot of money trying to monitor the quotas so as to ensure that they do not exceed the limit.
 * Fish, whether dead or alive, were put back into the sea just so that the country can meet their Quota.

Case study of Chicago
 * Evaluate a strategy at a local or national scale aimed at reducing the consumption of one resource.**
 * E.G Reducing the consumption of fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas)**


 * Alternative policies to reduce resource consumption**

//The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)// In 1988, the United Nations set up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which brings together thousands of scientists from around the world. Their task is to assess existing research and knowledge about climate change and its effects and to provide comprehensive reports at regular intervals. Several years of work go into preparing each report. The most recent report, known as the Fourth Assessment Report, was published in 2007.

//The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change// In 1992, governments agreed to form the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This international agreement has been formally accepted by 191 countries plus the European Union – almost all the countries in the world. The objective of the Convention is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous, man-made interference with the climate system. Under the Convention, governments monitor and report the greenhouse gases they produce, develop climate change strategies, and help the poorer among them address climate change. They meet once a year to review progress and decide what to do next. The Convention was designed as an umbrella under which more action would be agreed in the future.

//The Kyoto Protocol// In 1997, in the Japanese city of Kyoto, gov’ts took the next step and agreed the important Kyoto Protocol. This treaty commits industrialised countries to reduce or limit their greenhouse gas emissions and reach certain emission targets by 2012. The Kyoto Protocol focuses on industrialised countries because they are responsible for most of the past and current greenhouse gas emissions and have the knowledge and money to reduce them. For example, the amount of greenhouse gases produced in the EU is around 11 tonnes per citizen every year, while developing countries produce only around 1 tonne per citizen each year.