UA-Hamtic Campus- BSED GEE 18: Environmental Conservation

MODULE IN GEE 18:

ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION

2ND SEMESTER 2023-2024

MS. CHRISTINE VIOLA A. GONZALES

COURSE FACILITATOR

Christine Viola A. Gonzales- Course Facilitator 1

UA-Hamtic Campus- BSED GEE 18: Environmental Conservation

MODULE 1

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:

1. Explained the concept of environment, natural and man-made resources

2. Explained current condition of our environment and the management of
resources
3. Discussed how conservation and sustainability work together.

Introduction:

Earth – our home planet – is the third planet from the Sun, and the fifth largest
planet. It's the only place we know of inhabited by living things. While Earth is
only the fifth largest planet in the solar system, it is the only world in our solar
system with liquid water on the surface. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus,
Earth is the biggest of the four planets closest to the Sun, all of which are made
of rock and metal.

Environment is the basis of our survival and the earth’s existence. In our current
time, our planet is facing severe environmental crisis. The future of the human race
is uncertain to our indiscriminate consumption of resources and irresponsible
pollution on Earth. Environmental problems such as climate change account for
one of the biggest issues in the world today. Due to the lack of exposure and
education, most people are often unaware or misinformed. To fix this issue as well
as ensure we leave some resources for the future, environmental conservation
comes in.

Christine Viola A. Gonzales- Course Facilitator 2

UA-Hamtic Campus- BSED GEE 18: Environmental Conservation

Earth’s natural resources include air, water, soil, minerals, fuels, plants, and
animals. Conservation is the practice of caring for these resources so all living
things can benefit from them now and in the future.

Environmental conservation is the protection and management of natural

resources, such as air, water, soil, plants, and animals. Conservation seeks to
maintain the diversity and integrity of ecosystems, as well as the services they
provide to humans and other living beings. Conservation also involves restoring
degraded habitats, preventing further damage, and promoting responsible use
of resources.

Some of the benefits of environmental conservation include:

• Enhancing the quality and availability of water, air, and soil
• Supporting the livelihoods and cultures of indigenous and local
communities
• Preserving the genetic diversity and evolutionary potential of species
• Maintaining the aesthetic, recreational, and spiritual values of nature
• Reducing the risks and impacts of natural disasters, such as floods,
droughts, landslides, and wildfires
• Mitigating the effects of climate change by storing carbon and
regulating temperature

Some of the challenges of environmental conservation include:

• Balancing the competing demands and interests of different
stakeholders, such as governments, businesses, NGOs, and local
communities
• Addressing the root causes and drivers of environmental
degradation, such as population growth, poverty, inequality,
consumption, and trade
• Securing adequate funding and resources for conservation initiatives
and programs
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness and outcomes of
conservation interventions
• Adapting to changing environmental conditions and emerging
threats.

Some of the examples of environmental conservation include:

• Establishing and managing protected areas, such as biosphere
reserves, World Heritage sites, and UNESCO Global Geoparks
• Implementing laws and policies that regulate the use and trade of
natural resources, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the Nagoya Protocol
on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing
of Benefits Arising from their Utilization
• Promoting community-based conservation approaches that
empower local people to manage their own resources, such as
participatory forest management, community wildlife management,
and indigenous protected areas
• Supporting scientific research and education that increase
knowledge and awareness of biodiversity and ecosystems

Christine Viola A. Gonzales- Course Facilitator 3

UA-Hamtic Campus- BSED GEE 18: Environmental Conservation

Sustainability is the practice of meeting the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainability encompasses three dimensions: environmental, social, and
economic. Sustainability seeks to improve human well-being by ensuring that
human activities are compatible with the carrying capacity and resilience of
natural systems.
Some of the benefits of sustainability include:
• Enhancing human health and quality of life by providing access to
clean water, sanitation, energy, food, education, health care, and
other basic services
• Reducing poverty and inequality by creating opportunities for income
generation, employment, empowerment, and social inclusion
• Fostering innovation and creativity by encouraging new
technologies, practices, products, and services that are efficient,
effective, and environmentally friendly
• Strengthening governance and democracy by promoting
transparency, accountability, participation, rule of law, human rights,
and peace
• Building partnerships and cooperation among different actors and
sectors by facilitating dialogue, collaboration, coordination, and
mutual learning

Some of the challenges of sustainability include:

• Measuring and monitoring progress towards sustainability goals and
indicators, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
which are a set of 17 global goals that cover a range of social,
economic, and environmental issues
• Integrating sustainability principles into decision-making processes
at all levels, from local to global
• Addressing trade-offs and conflicts among different sustainability
objectives,
• such as economic growth versus environmental protection
• Transforming unsustainable patterns of production and consumption
that deplete natural resources and generate waste and pollution
• Engaging diverse stakeholders and mobilizing collective action for
sustainability

Some examples of sustainability include:

• Implementing renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydro,
and biomass, that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
dependence on fossil fuels
• Adopting sustainable agriculture practices, such as organic farming,
permaculture, agroforestry, and urban gardening, that enhance soil
fertility, biodiversity, and food security
• Developing green buildings and cities that optimize energy
efficiency, water management, waste reduction, and green spaces
• Promoting sustainable consumption and lifestyles that minimize
environmental impact and maximize social benefits, such as
recycling, reusing, repairing, sharing, and donating goods
•

Christine Viola A. Gonzales- Course Facilitator 4

UA-Hamtic Campus- BSED GEE 18: Environmental Conservation

How Do Environmental Conservation And Sustainability Work Together?

Environmental conservation and sustainability are interdependent and

complementary concepts that work together to achieve a common vision of a
future where people live with respect for the Earth's natural systems and each
other. Conservation provides the basis for sustainability by ensuring the
availability and quality of natural resources and ecosystem services.
Sustainability supports conservation by reducing human pressures and impacts
on the environment and enhancing human well-being and resilience.
Some of the ways that environmental conservation and sustainability work
together include:
• Applying the ecosystem approach, which is a strategy for the
integrated management of land, water, and living resources that
promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way
• Implementing the landscape approach, which is a framework for
addressing complex and dynamic environmental, social, and
economic challenges across multiple scales and sectors in a given
area
• Adopting the circular economy model, which is a system that
designs out waste and pollution, keeps products and materials in
use, and regenerates natural systems
• Following the precautionary principle, which is a guideline that states
that when an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the
environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some
cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically

Next Lesson: Environmental Science

Christine Viola A. Gonzales- Course Facilitator 5