Environmental Challenges, Solutions and Recommendations - Research Paper Example

Environmental Challenges, Solutions and Recommendations Environmental Challenges, Solutions and Recommendations Statement on the Main Objectives Australia is currently facing numerous challenges regarding the preservation and conservation of the environment. Environmental pollution in the areas of water, air, and land continues to cause problems in the country (WWF, 2015). The pollution has led to land degradation, an imbalance in the natural ecosystem and contributed to climate change. The forest cover around Australia has continued to decrease in area due to rampant deforestation activities. Various companies, organizations and individuals have contributed to environmental degradation in different ways. Environmental pollution has caused various problems that have affected all Australians directly or indirectly. Issues regarding environmental protection are critical because of the dangers of climate change and the impact on all people. It has become clear in The Ministry of Environment that there is a need for new and improved environmental policies and practices. In the next Council of Australian Governments, various states will discuss reforms in the environmental portfolio. The Ministry of Environment will examine the current challenges in regards in the environment; provide options for resolving the challenges and offer recommendations. Major Issues and Challenges in the Environmental Portfolio All around Australia, different states are experiencing problems regarding the management of the environment. This section will analyze the environmental challenges and their impact on the country. Water pollution The most common environmental problem in Australia is the issue of water pollution (Reisser & Pattiaratchi, 2013). There is widespread pollution in rivers, water bodies and in the oceanic waters surrounding the country. Water pollution is especially widespread in cities neighbouring the sea. The Australian coastline is polluted by wastes such as plastics and wastes from industries. It is estimated that every square kilometer of the country’s sea area contains over 4,000 pieces of plastic waste (Reisser & Pattiaratchi, 2013). The plastics drain into the sea from inland waters that flow through residential areas and flow into the sea. Industries have contributed to water pollution by dumping industrial waste into the sea or rivers. Stormwater contributes to pollution by draining harmful substances from the land and into the sea (OEH, 2015). Spillages from sewage drainage systems and waste treatment plants end up in water bodies resulting in further pollution. Oil spillages may be infrequent but they still contribute to water pollution. Water pollution has led to a deterioration of the marine ecosystem leading to the reduction in the population of aquatic organisms (Forstner & Wittmann, 2012, pp.91-93). The toxic plastics dumped in the sea are ingested by fish which are later consumed by people thereby posing a health risk (Reisser & Pattiaratchi, 2013). Pollution is also a problem because it leads to the contamination of water sources which could harm humans as well as other living organisms. Air Pollution The next environmental problem facing Australia is the issue of air pollution. The problem of air pollution in Australia has been a persistent problem. The chief cause of air pollution in the country is the emissions from industries and human activities. The major hotspots of air pollution are the metropolitan areas in the west of the country where many industries are located (White, 2014). The harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and hydrocarbons that are produced as by-products during industrial processes are released into the atmosphere (Hatchens, 2014). Most industries are yet to install gaseous waste management systems and currently installed systems are inadequate and inefficient. Vehicles that use fossil fuels are the next biggest contributor to air pollution. Energy sources such as coal, which is mainly used in industries, and petroleum, used in industries, motor vehicles and other appliances, release harmful fumes on combustion(Cox & OBrien, 2015). Agricultural chemicals such as insecticides and pesticides lead to the release of hazardous gases into the atmosphere. Mining activities lead to the release of dust and poisonous gases into the air. Domestically, people pollute the air through the use of aerosol sprays, cleaning products and paint. Air pollution has resulted in the deaths of many people. It was reported that every year, over 3,000 people die due to the effects of air pollution (White, 2014). Every year, the number of people who die from air pollution continues to increase which is a worrying trend (Hatchens, 2014). Air pollution leads to the spread of respiratory and heart diseases such as cancer, pneumonia, and asthma. Children are mostly affected because of the vulnerability of their immune systems (Barnett, et al., 2005, pp.1272-1278). Air pollution contributes to climate change that has led to global warming. Various areas around Australia have experienced acid rains because of the release of harmful sulfurous and nitrous gases from industries. Air pollution causes the depletion of the ozone layer which poses danger to all life on the planet (Kampa & Castanas, 2008, pp.362-367). Deforestation Another problem faced in the environment area is the problem of deforestation. Due to the increasing human population and the spread of urbanization, the vegetative cover in the country has been on a steady decline (Bradshaw, 2012, pp.109-110). The rise in population in Australia has created the need for people to move into previously uninhabited areas. The eastern region of Australia has experienced the highest prevalence of deforestation activities (Conroy, 2015). The creation of new housing structures leads to the chopping down of trees to create space. Trees are also cut down to provide building materials for houses. Forests and bush lands have been cleared to provide land for agriculture to cater for the increasing population. As urban areas expand, forested areas are cleared to provide land for new permanent structures (Bradshaw, 2012, pp.113-115). Trees are harvested to provide timber for paper industries and to build furniture. The wood is also used as fuel in homesteads. Various areas around Australia experience bushfires especially in the dry and hot periods of the year. The bushfires are hard to contain and raze down big portions of forests every year. Forests have been cleared to provide land for livestock to graze. The issue of deforestation is so prevalent in Australia that the country has been listed among the major contributors to deforestation worldwide (Conroy, 2015). Deforestation leads to climate change which leads to reduced rainfall and increased temperatures. Australia has experienced an increase in dry days and hot days annually mainly due to deforestation. Deforestation has resulted in the decline in the volumes of water resources available in the country (Bradshaw, 2012, pp.105-117). Deforestation leads to the disruption of the natural ecosystem by removing the food supply of most organisms (Lawrence & Vandecar, 2015, pp.27-35). Wild animals face the loss of their natural habitat. Changes to the ecosystem could lead to the extinction of various animal species. Lack of vegetative cover has facilitated soil erosion that has in turn led to dilapidation of agricultural soils (Bradshaw, 2012, pp.115-120). Further deforestation has led to the increased salinity of soil which affects water resources and leads to decreased agricultural productivity. Land Pollution The next problem facing the environment is the challenge of land pollution. The land surface in Australia has continued to experience continued deterioration. The main cause of land degradation is Australia is the increasing mining activities undertaken around the country. Mining activities open up the land and destruction of land structure (Cox & OBrien, 2015). The derelict land left after mining has been completed creates an imbalance in the ecosystem and exposes the land to erosion (Bai, Dent, & Olsson, 2008, pp.224-232). The soil erosion that has been largely left unchecked has contributed to soil pollution. In agriculture, the use of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides leads to the release of poisonous chemicals into the land. The use of fertilizers also contributes to land degradation. Industries have contributed to land pollution by dumping liquid industrial waste into the land. Deficient waste disposal methods such as heaping of rubbish in landfills have contributed to land pollution (Bai, Dent, & Olsson, 2008, pp.224-232). Leakages from sewage systems lead to the release of harmful substances into the soil. Land pollution leads to the reduction of the population of soil organism (Martin, 2012, pp.151-155). Land pollution leads to the reduction of the aesthetic appeal of land. Land degradation results in the increased salinity of soils which reduces agricultural productivity. The toxic chemicals in the soil are taken up by crops which are later consumed by human beings (Martin, 2012, pp.151-155). This poses a health risk to the Australian population. Land pollution is also a contributing factor to climate change and global warming. Reforms to Address Environmental Challenges As illustrated in the previous section, the problems of land, water, and air pollution along with deforestation have many adverse effects on the people, the climate and the ecosystem. This section will enumerate possible solutions to the environmental challenges. Water Pollution Local and state governments should implement laws and policies that will regulate the issue of waste disposal into water bodies. The policies should make it illegal for companies to dispose liquid waste into rivers or the sea without taking the waste through waste treatment procedures. The laws will impose hefty financial penalties on companies that dispose into the sea (Feenberg, 2012, pp.43-45). The laws will also introduce prison terms for managers of companies that repeatedly breach water pollution regulations. Companies that pollute water through wastes such as plastics will be required to clean up the polluted waters and to contribute to restoration projects (Woodford, 2015). Heavier fines and legal measures will be imposed on companies whose activities lead to oil spillage. State governments should establish monitoring procedures to evaluate the extent of water pollution. Individuals who will be culpable of polluting water will face heavy fines and legal action with repeated offense (Farmer, 2013, pp154-159). State governments can implement projects that aim to educate the management of companies about the effects of water pollution and the impact on the populace (Woodford, 2015). Such projects will create awareness and a sense of responsibility in companies. Companies will be encouraged to recycle and reuse liquid wastes where necessary. Cities that border the sea will set aside more funds to help in clean-up activities (Feenberg, 2012, pp.45-46). Local governments will be required to upgrade current sewage systems or to install new systems. Residents will be requested to be more concerned about the impact of their activities on water resources (Pittock, 2013, pp.77-79). However, the solutions have various shortcomings. Firstly, the water pollution laws and policies will require approval by the national and state legislatures. This will be a demanding task because of the nature of the legislature and the opposition to environmental control policies. The process of debating and finally assenting to the laws could take an extended period during which further environmental degradation would have occurred (Seinfeld & Pandis, 2012, pp.202-203). The governments may lack resources to prosecute big multinational companies. Air Pollution State governments are urged to encourage residents to use public means of transport or to carpool. Using public means of travel and carpooling will significantly reduce the amount of gases released into the atmosphere by motor vehicles (Stern, 2014, pp.61-62). State governments will pass and implement policies that regulate air pollution. The laws will regulate the release of gases such as smoke, carbon monoxide, and nitrous oxides into the air. The companies will face severe financial penalties and in extreme cases have their silences revoked (Lave & Seskin, 2013, pp.135-136). Factories will be required to install treatment facilities for gaseous waste. State governments will encourage the exploitation of more friendly energy sources such as wind and solar to reduce the overreliance on fossil fuels. State governments can also ensure that industries are located away from residential areas. Governments will encourage residents to embrace the use of electric cars. State governments will also pass appropriate policies to facilitate this shift such as providing incentives to electric motor companies or giving tax cuts (Jacobson, 2009, pp.150-161). Through environmental awareness campaigns, citizens will be encouraged to stop the use of aerosol sprays with harmful chemicals and instead shift towards more ecofriendly products (Stern, 2014, pp.62-63). State governments will have problems implementing these solutions because of the lack of skilled personnel to monitor air pollution by industries (Lave & Seskin, 2013, pp.135-136). The process of shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is expensive for industries and people. Electric vehicles are expensive, challenging to use, and their availability in Australia is limited. Deforestation State governments should adopt policies that aim at preserving the forest cover. States should pass laws that regulate the percentage of forest cover that should be minimal in any area. The areas will be required to plant more trees to reach the required threshold in cases of extensive deforestation (Bradshaw, 2012, pp.115-120). Policies should be implemented that prohibit lumbering in areas with low forest cover. Municipal governments should regulate the construction of building in such a way that new structures are constructed in areas where vegetation is minimally affected (Chazdon, 2008, pp. 1458-1460). Local governments should control the land clearing for purposes of cultivation. Governments should instead increase irrigation efforts in areas with low rainfall to encourage cultivation away from forested land. Governments should promote the implementation of sustainable forest management practices that encourage forest conservation (Conroy, 2015). The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Energy should partner to encourage people to shift away from the use of charcoal and wood as energy sources and embrace renewable sources. Land use policies may face opposition because of the rights of individuals to use private property as they prefer (Chazdon, 2008, pp. 1458-1460). State governments may lack adequate funds to initiate and maintain irrigation projects. Land Pollution Mining companies will be required to reclaim any derelict land that results from mining activities to curb land pollution. Mining companies that cause land degradation will be taxed higher than those that manage the impact of their activities (Farmer, 2013, pp154-159). Industries will be required to implement waste management activities to reduce the disposal of toxic waste into the soil. Farmers should be encouraged to use organic manure and natural compost to lessen the use of fertilizers. Farmers should also be educated on innovative weed and pest control practices to reduce the use of harmful herbicides and pesticides (Pittock, 2013, pp.76). State governments should undertake rejuvenation and reclamation activities on degraded land. Sewerage systems and waste management systems should be installed especially in cities with many industries. People will be encouraged to undertake recycling and reuse practices. The main challenge of implementing these options is the autonomy that mining companies have over their activities (Seinfeld & Pandis, 2012, pp.202-203). Natural fertilizers and organic manure are minimally available in Australia. Taxation policies will require the approval of the legislature and the process may take a long time. Recommendations State governments should introduce laws in their legislatures aimed at curbing environmental pollution. Local governments should pass by-laws that are aimed at environmental conservation. The by-laws will penalize companies that have ineffective waste management processes. State governments should initiate campaigns on news outlets and social media to sensitize people on the importance of conserving the environment. People will be encouraged to change their consumption and waste disposal practices. The ministry will encourage the shift from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. The Ministry of Environment will fund waste treatment projects in partnership with state governments. The ministry will introduce bills in the legislature to facilitate the importation of electric vehicles. State governments will establish departments that monitor the extent of environmental pollution and provide innovative solutions. References Bai, Z. G., Dent, D. L., & Olsson, L., 2008. Proxy global assessment of land degradation. Soil Use and Management, 24(3), pp.224-232. Barnett, A., Williams, G., Schwartz, J., Neller, A., Best, T., & Anna, L., 2005. Air pollution and child respiratory health: a case-crossover study in Australia and New Zealand. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 171(11), pp.1272-1278. Bradshaw, C., 2012. Little left to lose: deforestation and forest degradation in Australia since European colonization. Journal of Plant Ecology, 5(1), pp.109-120. Chazdon, R., 2008. Beyond deforestation: restoring forests and ecosystem services on degraded lands. Science, 320(5882), pp.1458-1460. Conroy, J., 2015. Australia could be a global front for deforestation. The Australian Business Review. [Online] Available at [Accessed September 15 2015] Cox, L., & OBrien, N., 2015. Coal the biggest contributor to toxic air pollution: study. The Sydney Morning Herald. Farmer, A, 2013. Managing Environmental Pollution. London: Routledge. pp.154-159. Feenberg, D., 2012. Measuring the Benefits of Water Pollution Abatement. London: Elsevier. pp.43-46. Forstner, U., & Wittmann, G., 2012. Metal pollution in the aquatic environment. New York, NY: Springer Business and Science Media. pp.91-93. Hatchens, G., 2014. Air pollution takes toll on Australian lives, economy: OECD report. The Sydney Mornign Herald. 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