Topic 2

• what is development ?

  it refers to the economic, social and political process which results in an improvement of standard of living for a population
• how can countries be classified according to their level of development ?

  gross domestic product (GDP)

  life expenctancy and adult literacy rate
• what is sustainable development ?

  it refers to the development that meets the needs of the present generation by achieving high standards of living for all, and ensure the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
• what are the 3 key aims of sustainable development ?

  economy, environment and society
• must all 3 key aims of sustainable developed be balanced ?

  • an overfocus on one may lead to others being overlooked
  • the approach should vary from place to place and across time
  • all 3 aims are not always balanced, at times, a greater emphasis might need to be placed on one dimension over others at different places
• how can urban neighbourhoods achieve economic sustainability ?

  • ensure that neighbouhood has a high enough population density, supporting local businesses and keeping transport and infrastructure costs low
  • local businesses are able to sustain themselves as there is sufficient demand for their goods and services
  • residents can also take up employment at these shops, earn income and increase their standard of living
• how can urban neighbourhoods achieve economic sustainability ? (with reference to location of services, events and objects within the neighbourhood)

  • buildings and objects are located close to each other, so residents don't need to travel far, keeping transportation costs low

  eg. when schools are near transport infrastructures, students may opt to walk to school, minimising their transportation costs
• how can urban neighbouhoods achieve social sustainability ?

  • ensure residents feel included and have a sense of shared identity
  • having community spaces can promote regular social interactions
  • if the population size in the neighbourhood is kept small, it can facilitate regular interactions between residents
  • residents can come together to discuss issues faced as a community and find solutions to overcome the challenges
  • builds resilience and positive relationships between residents, maintaining a culture of open communication, mutual respect and understanding, reducing misunderstandings
• how can neighbouhoods be sustained environmentally ?

  • ample protection for nature
  • having facilities that support waste minimisation and recycling
• how can ample protection for nature be environmentally sustainable in neighbourhoods ?

  
  

  • wildlife can thrive in our urban spaces and human- wildlife coexistence can be fostered
  • efforts should be made to protect existing native species, habitats and ecosystems, and to re-establish species that once existed

  eg. Nparks has developed many species conservation and recovery programmes
• how can ample protection for nature be environmentally sustainable in neighbourhoods ?

  • biodiversity can be maximised by having wide variety of habitats including street trees and roof gardens in neighbourhoods instead of having large uniform areas of grass
  • types of plants and tree should also be of different species and varieties
  • this provides adequate shelter and food for a wider variety of wildlife to thrive
• how can having facilities that support waste minimisation and recycling be environmentally sustainable in neighbourhoods ?

  • conveniently placed recycling facilities and infrastructure such as blue recycling bins around the estate can encourage residents to recycle
  • having a high enough population density in a neighbourhood ensures adequate waste can be collected and recycled in an economically viable manner
  • waste recycling can be encouraged by recycling activites organised by town council

  eg. town council may put up posters to educate and encourage their residents to recycle properly
• what is an ecosystem ?

  it is a geographical area where living communities and non- living environments interact with each other to form a bubble of life
• what are ecosystem services ?

  • it refers to the benefits brought about by nature to people
  • these services are produced by the living communities and non- living environement of ecosystem
  • they consists of: provisioning, regulating, cultural, supporting services
• what are provisioning ecosystem services ?

  • it refers to the tangible resources that people can get from ecosystems such as food, water and wood
  • food is one of the most important provisioning services provided by nature to people and it can be obtained through means such as agricultural activities and fisheries

  eg. food is grown in urban community gardens focused on planting edibles on rooftops at tampines' HDB blocks
• what are regulating ecosystem services ?

  • it refers to the benefits obtained from the regulation of various ecosystem processes
  • they include services such as climate regulation, disease outbreak regulation and flood regulation
  • these ecosystem processes work together to ensure that the ecosystems are functional, clean, sustainable and resilient to changes
  • in an urban neighbourhood, these include microclimate regulation, flood mitigation, and air and water quality control
• give examples on the regulating services found in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park

  regulating the local climate

  • trees lower air temperatures by providing shade

  regulating water flows

  • vegetation can reduce surface runoff by retaining water in the soil

  regulating local air quality

  • plants remove pollutants from the atmosphere
• what are cultural ecosystem services ?

  • they refer to the intangible benefits people obtain from ecosystems, including aesthetic experiences, educational opportunities and recreational activities
  • In urban neighbourhoods, presence of green spaces can provide aesthetic appreciation and opportunities for stress- relieving activities
  • these activities improve people's physical and mental health and foster social belonging and group identity, thus strengthening their sense of place
• what are some examples of cultural ecosystem services ?

  bukit timah nature reserve is a place for residents to participate in recreational activies like hiking, and also have educational opportunities where geography students and do their fieldwork
• what are supporting ecosystem services ?

  they refer to services that are necessary for the functioning of all other ecosystem services, including soil formation, pollination, and photosynthesis
• describe why soil formation is necessary

  
  

  • soil is formed when micro- organisms and physical processes decompose organic matter and break them down into smaller particles
  • soil is essential for the health of all terrestrial ecosystems as it provides a habitat for billions of organisms, contributes to biodiversity and acts as a water filter
• describe why pollination is necessary

  in urban neighbourhoods, pollinators like bees are vital as them pollinating crops ensures that crops are able to reproduce to provide food for animals and humans
• describe why photosynthesis is necessary

  during photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, and this maintains the oxygen content of the Earth's atmosphere
• what are hazards ?

  • they refer to a process, phenomenon, or human activity that cause a loss of life, other health impacts, property damage, and social and economic consequences
  • can be classified as natural or man-made
  • natural eg: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
  • man-made eg: traffic hazards
• what are fire hazards ?

  • in urban neighbourhoods, fire hazards occur in both residential and non- residential areas
  • common causes include include unattended cooking and faulty electrical appliances and wiring which can ignite nearby flammable materials, resulting in a fire

  eg. in 2021, there were a total of 358 cases of fires due to unattended cooking reported in sg

  • fire hazards can have health impacts and cause property damage
• what are some health impacts of fire hazards ?

  • during a fire, people may suffer from burn injuries if they are unable to evacuate in time, and severe burn injuries may lead to disabilities or deaths

  eg. there were a total of 3 fire fatalities and close to 200 fire injuries in sg in 2021

  • high levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide may be released during a fire, and may cause carbon monoxide poisoning, making it more difficult for people to escape a fire
  • other irritants from a fire like acid gases can permanently damage a person's respiratory system
• what can carbon monoxide poisoning cause ?

  it may cause headache, dizziness, weakness and confusion, and even leading to loss of consciousness and death
• how can fires cause property damage ?

  • fires can cause commercial or residential properties which leads to economic losses as goods, furniture and important documents may be destroyed
  • further costs may be incurred after the fire as money is required to repair and rebuild the properties that were damaged in the fire
• what are air pollution hazards ?

  • it occurs due to the presence of contaminant or pollutant substances in the air that do not disperse properly and hence interfere with human health, welfare or produce other harmful environmental effects
  • it can be caused by industrial and motor emissions where an increase in car ownership and usage led to an increase in air pollution hazards

  eg. vehicles produce significant amounts of exhaust emissions such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and other pollutants
• what are some health impacts of air pollution ?

  • respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer
  • nitrogen dioxide is emitted in areas of high vehicle traffic
  • PM 2.5 may be produced in urban neighbourhoods
  • these pollutants may lead to poor health as high levels of exposure to nitrogen dioxide may lead to higher risk of asthma in children
  • it may cause lung function to decline in older adults as PM 2.5 can enter the bloodstream and lodge deep in human lungs
• what are traffic hazards ?

  • they are caused by speeding, red- light running, drink- driving
  • often caused by irresponsible motorists who put other road users and themselves at risk

  eg. in 2021, there were a total of 969 speeding- related traffic accidents and 153 accidents that were caused by drink- driving
• what are the health impacts of traffic hazards ?

  • people may suffer serious injuries when involved in traffic accident, which may lead to disabilities or loss of life

  eg. in 2021, there were a total of 100 traffic accidents in singapore that resulted in fatalities, 8 of which were caused by drink- driving

  • elderly pedestrians and motorcyclists typically account for a high percentage of traffic accidents resulting in injuries or death
• what is environmental stewardship ?

  • it refers to the actions taken by individuals or groups to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment to pursue environmental and/ or social outcomes
  • the actions should seek to conserve natural resources, preserve the existing natural resources, repair the damages and reverse the negative impacts caused by humans to ensure its sustainability
  • it can help build sustainable urban neighbourhoods
• how can environmental stewardship be achieved ?

  • promoting volunteerism among neighbourhood residents
  • partnership of public and private sectors
• describe how promoting volunteerism among neighbourhood residents can achieve environmental stewardship ?

  • they are able to share knowledge with others about the importance of healthy ecosystems
  • this helps residents become more aware of what they can and should do to responsibly use and protect the natural environment

  eg. Nparks promotes volunteerism through ground- led initiatives like Friends of the Parks
• describe how partnership with private and public sectors can help achieve environmental stewardship ?

  • different stakeholders may have different perspectives, resources, and expertise to enhance the environmental stewardship

  eg.

  • urban neighbourhoods produce large amounts of waste so its important that waste materials are recycled
  • residents play a vital role in proper recycling of their waste, public agencies enhance awareness and education, while private stakeholders provide recycling facilities
• what is disaster risk ?

  • it refers to the likelihood of damage to properties, injuries and loss of lives from a disaster in a given period of time
  • they are the product of the interaction between: nature of hazard, vulnerability and exposure
• what is the nature of hazard ?

  it is the characteristics of the hazard
• what is vulnerability ?

  it is the conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors which increase the susceptibility of people and their belongings to the impacts of hazards
• what is exposure ?

  it is the situation of people and their belongings located in hazard- prone areas