Environmental Politics

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Sustainable Development has been a widely used term since the 1980s. Which publication/conference/commission has this idea been attributed to? Brundtland Commission Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" Club of Rome's "Limits to Growth" The Stockholm Conference

2. What is the current, most widely accepted definition of Sustainable Development? "SD will achieve a balance between the needs of the environement and the social, cultural and economic needs of the people" "SD is development that meets the needs of the present without comprimising the ability of future generations to meet their needs" "Through SD, countries will follow specific economic and social guidelines, ensuring the needs of all cultures are met while having a decreasing impact on the environment" "SD will see a socially equitable and resource efficient world rise up from the ashes of our past mistakes"

3. After the WCED (1987), international awareness of Sustainable Development was high, leading to several publications, conferences and agendas. Which of these did not occur in 1992? Agenda 21 United Nations Commission on Environment Development (UNCED) Global 2000 Report to the US President Rio Summit

4. Agenda 21 was and still is (debatably) important to the evironmental movement. What is/was it? A proposal of environmental action to be taken globally, nationally and locally 21 proposals concerning environmental practices to be enforced in all countries A group of 21 countries (including the Norway, UK and Sweden) who committed to an environmental cleanup An agenda discussing the state of the environment, listing all issues surrounding air, land and sea pollution

5. The Kyoto Prococol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (aka Kyoto Agreement) was opened for signature in 1997. Which aspect of the environment does it focus upon? Sewage emissions into waterways Greenhouse gas emissions into the air Oil spills in oceans Pesticide seepage into the ground

6. The Kyoto Protocol is the current environmental agenda most countries are aspiring to. Which two main players have signed but not ratified this protocol (ie agree on principal but won't bind their country to it) Australia and the USA Europe and the USA China and the USA Russia and the USA

7. Climate Change is another frequently used term in today's media. Who said that climate change is “probably, long-term the single most important issue we face as a global community”? Helen Clark, NZ Prime Minister Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the EU Commission Al Gore, former Vice President for USA Tony Blair, UK Prime Minister

8. Through various mediums, climate change and sustainable development have recently come to the attention of the general public. One such example was Al Gore's documentary, released in 2006. What was the name of this documentary? "An Inconvenient Truth" "An Inconvenient Reality" "An Uncomfortable Truth" "An Uncomfortable Reality"

9. A publication which gained massive media attention recently was 'The Stern Review' (2006), written by Sir Nicholas Stern - Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President of the World Bank 2000-2003, now Second Permanent Secretary at Treasury in the UK. What did he conclude? Taking action will create significant business opportunities Neither of these Both of these Climate change will be less expensive to prevent than live through

10. In order to change the future, money must be spent in the present. The USA spends 41% of its budget on past and present military spending to create a peaceful world, what percentage did it spend in 2006 on science, environment AND energy? 4% 19% 2% 12%