Global Warming Challenge Essay Example for Free

A worldwide temperature alteration Challenge Essay Probably the best test earth is confronting is Global Warming. The an Earth-wide temperature boost speculation orginated in 1896 when Svante Arrhenius, a Swedish scientist, built up the hypothesis that carbon dioxide discharges from the copying of non-renewable energy sources would make worldwide temperatures ascend by catching abundance heat in the earth’s air. The term â€Å"Global Warming† connotes the temperature of the earth’s neon-surface air. The change in climatic conditions is one of the effects of an unnatural weather change. It is legitimately affecting on rising ocean levels and the liquefying of ice. It is a danger to life on earth. The impacts of an unnatural weather change have been expanding altogether for as far back as decades. Environmental change, demolition of the biological system, water pollution, liquefying ice over Arctic and Antarctic districts, negative effects in the rural division are only the issues brought about by an Earth-wide temperature boost. The explanation for this is human exercises that lead to arrival of ozone depleting substances. The grouping of ozone depleting substances has fundamentally expanded since twentieth century. A few Scientists accept that there is an expansion of 0.5 Celsius in earth’s temperature since 1900 and will keep on expanding. The year 1990 was supposed to be the most smoking year in the only remaining century. We Human Beings have made an awkwardness among life and nature that has prompted flood, tornados, avalanches, tidal wave, dry season, and so forth. On the off chance that this lopsidedness proceeds, soon our life on earth would be troublesome. The expansion of Carbon-dioxide in air is one reason for warming the earth’s surface. The most huge ozone harming substance is really water fume, not something delivered straightforwardly by mankind in noteworthy sums. Nonetheless, even slight increments in environmental degrees of carbon dioxide (CO2) can cause a considerable increment in temperature. When the earth’s surface heats up it will inevitably prompt vanishing of water. Water fume, itself is an ozone harming substance. It is accepted that the expansion in CO2 in the environment will proceed because of continuous consuming of non-renewable energy sources and deforestation. CO2 as well as different gases, for example, methane, CFCs, nitrous oxide, tropospheric ozone are likewise liable for an unnatural weather change. The expansion in these gases is because of industrialization, deforestation, urbanization and expanding populace. Nature has given us a component to diminish the substance of CO2 in environment however we are misusing it. Trees are the system given to humanity as a blessing from nature. Trees convert CO2 gas into Oxygen. This assists with diminishing the CO2 content in air which in the end encourages us preventâ global warming. The inquiry that ought to be advanced presently is that in the event that this instrument just won’t exist, at that point in what capacity will we forestall an Earth-wide temperature boost? People have consistently been abusing nature. Trees have been chopped down for the advantages of people without understanding that it will influence us in the end. Deforestation is liable for 25 percent of all carbon outflows entering the environment, by the consuming and cutting of 34 million sections of land of trees every year. Regularly more than 5500 sections of land of rainforest are obliterated. Expanding populace is additionally one reason for an Earth-wide temperature boost. Around, 80 percent of barometrical C02 increments are expected to man’s utilization of petroleum products either as coal, gas or oil. Vehicles with poor gas mileage contribute the most to an Earth-wide temperature boost. Additionally, the sulfur bunch gas is the most destructive for this. Its commitment is 30 percent in an unnatural weather change. This gas is additionally radiated from the consuming of non-renewable energy sources. One of the impacts of an unnatural weather change is ascend in ocean level. It will prompt liquefying of ice sheets and changes in precipitation designs. The pace of softening icy masses have been expanding since the previous decade. . The contracting of ice sheets is going to represent a significant issue of drinking water. The ocean levels because of dissolving of icy masses have ascended from 0.35 mm to 0.4 mm. Researchers have cautioned in their reports that the vast majority of the ice sheets will vanish inside a time of 15 to 25 years. It will make issues of drinking water and food grains in the greater part of the North American nations. India isn't unaffected from it. The Himalayan icy masses have contracted around 30 percent after 1970. The ascent in ocean levels is a significant reason for concern. Countless urban communities situated in beach front regions will lower in the ocean. Moreover, numerous island nations will eventually lose their reality and will be washed away from the outside of the earth. In India this impacts may likewise compromise the Lakshadweep islands, Mumbai and deltas of Ganges (West Bengal), Carvers (T.N), Godavari (AP) and Mahanadi, Orissa. India is likewise influenced by a worldwide temperature alteration. As India is a farming nation, it is to a great extent reliant on precipitation however because of unpredictable rainfalls brought about by an Earth-wide temperature boost, the yield is diminishing each year. The ascent in barometrical temperature and fall in downpour would normally bring about decrease in crop creation. Additionally, it would have extraordinary impact on biodiversity also. Forestation can be of incredible assistance in such manner. Planting more trees worldwide will help reestablish the awkwardness. Also, we should follow on ecological strategy of ‘reduce,â reuse, recycle’, for example advancing the reuse of anything. Thirdly, the utilization of eco-friendly vehicles ought to be advanced as these vehicles have lower emanations of destructive gases. Fourthly, every individual ought to know about the significance of the ensuring condition. Moreover, eco-accommodating advances must be adva nced, and should be subbed with the advances which cause incredible outflow of a dangerous atmospheric devation gases. Numerous administration organizations around the globe are exceptionally keen on keeping up petroleum derivative use, particularly coal. Besides, we won't come up short on coal in the close to term (oil may start to pursue low at some point 2010). Strategies for diminishing carbon discharge levels while as yet copying coal are currently examination by government and industry, as we presently talk about. It is past the point where it is possible to banter on a worldwide temperature alteration. We have to take a few measures to diminish a dangerous atmospheric devation. Forestation can be of incredible assistance in such manner. Planting more trees worldwide will help reestablish the irregularity. Besides, we should follow on ecological arrangement of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, for example advancing the reuse of anything. Thirdly, the utilization of eco-friendly vehicles ought to be advanced as these vehicles have lower outflows of unsafe gases. Fourthly, every individual o ught to know about the significance of the securing condition. Additionally, eco-accommodating advances must be advanced, and should be subbed with the innovations which cause extraordinary outflow of a dangerous atmospheric devation gases. We should control the development of populace by diminishing birth rate. This should be possible by appropriate family arranging. We ought to decrease the utilization of chlorofloro carbons. More utilization of non-regular wellspring of vitality like breeze power and sunlight based vitality. It is said that â€Å"There is no spot like home† and earth is our home so we have to secure it. Arrangements are made each day however do we tail it? The appropriate response is â€Å"No†. We as a whole know about a worldwide temperature alteration so we have to change the manner in which we imagine that we can’t do anything and just the wealthy who are situated in the seats of government can spare us. What your identity is, whatever you will be you can accomplish something for your planet when you t hink a dangerous atmospheric devation is an issue.

For Him I Will Live free essay sample

Most families would not choose to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge on a blustery day. There is a clear feeling of experience that goes through the my family: a steady need to feel invigorated. Something was diverse about our family that made us need to go through fourteen hours in a huge, swarmed plane to travel to the opposite side of the world for excursion. Australia and New Zealand sure appeared to be amazing escapes yet for a gathering of ten individuals going from ages 2-67 it may have appeared to be insane, yet that didn't stop us. To most, it would be a long, nerve-wracking trek, yet we saw it as something we could attempt that was new and energizing, and that in itself was sufficient inspiration for us to get onto the plane. Since I was youthful, the principle enthusiasm of my family has been essentially trying. Youll never realize except if you attempt was basically, the aphorism that I lived by. We will compose a custom paper test on For Him I Will Live or on the other hand any comparative point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Regardless of whether it was attempting the odd Kiwano organic product that Uncle Alan found in the market or finding the mental fortitude to endeavor wakeboarding just because, there was consistently somebody urging me to put it all on the line. So regardless of the incidental hyperactivity of my muffle reflex in the wake of expending an exceptionally bothersome new food or crashing and burning and being hauled awkwardly through the water behind a vessel, I am still continually scanning for new things to endeavor. This longing to investigate, understanding, and endeavor things I have not yet done, without a doubt comes from different parts of my family tree. My folks, my grandparents, my cousins, and my sibling regularly are the ones who bolster and urge me to face a challenge; anyway one individual hangs out in my psyche. It is as a matter of fact my spiky-orange-Kiwano-natural product cherishing Uncle Alan. It was he who encouraged my cousins and me to follow our fantasies, and despite the fact that his words may have sounded worn out originating from another person, some way or another when he said it, we could tell in all seriousness. Uncle Alan was known for his mind blowing creative mind. For instance, in what might appear to the normal individual as a curiously large zucchini he saw a Viking transport flooding with its team of unforgiving vegetables. Following a couple of moments of decided cutting, and cautious arrangement of every cherry tomato, his vision sprung up. On excursions down to Florida, he would cut appearances into coconuts and utilize minor shakes and shells as embellishments for the highlights. In one hand he would hold the coconut, his palette, and in the other, a sharp cutting edge. At whatever point one of the children would begin, But consider the possibility that he promptly reacted, Then well beginning once more. Uncle Alan lived unafraid. He realized that on the off chance that he committed an error, he could return and right it or start without any preparation, yet that committing those errors was better than never attempting. After about a time of a unimaginable fight with Leukemia, Uncle Alan died. Despite the fact that he may never again be with my family from a physical perspective, he is continually inside every one of us: pushing us, challenging us, and empowering us. He is the voice in my mind that convinces me to take an alternate course when I cannot make sense of an issue. He is interested power in my body that gets the fork of dubious food that I am apprehensive to attempt. He is the push that I have to climb another scaffold when I am trembling in dread. Other than instructing me to attempt new things and face the challenges that go over my way, he instructed me to make every second count while I despite everything can. It is difficult to realize exactly to what extent you have before you used up all available time; so for him I will attempt. For him I will do. For him I will live.

Phobia Symptoms, Types, and Treatment

Phobia Symptoms, Types, and Treatment Phobias Print Phobia Symptoms, Types, and Treatment By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD on November 25, 2019 twitter linkedin Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Learn about our Medical Review Board Daniel B. Block, MD Updated on February 03, 2020 Megan Maloy/Photodisc/Getty Images More in Phobias Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment Types In This Article Table of Contents Expand Symptoms Types Prevalence Treatments View All Back To Top According to the American Psychiatric Association, a phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. In most cases, the phobia involves a sense of endangerment or a fear of harm.?? For example, those with agoraphobia fear being trapped in an inescapable place or situation. Symptoms Phobic symptoms can occur through exposure to the feared object or situation, or sometimes merely through thinking about the feared object. Typical symptoms associated with phobias include: Dizziness, trembling, and increased heart rateBreathlessnessNauseaA sense of unrealityFear of dyingPreoccupation with the feared object In some cases, these symptoms may  escalate into a full-scale anxiety attack.?? In response to these symptoms, some individuals may develop social anxiety disorder (SAD)â€"previously known as social phobiaâ€"and begin to isolate themselves, leading to severe difficulties  with functioning in daily life and with maintaining relationships. In other cases, such as with hypochondriasis, a person may seek out medical care due to a constant concern with imagined illnesses or imminent death. Types The American Psychiatric Association defines phobias as anxiety disorders and categorizes them into three different types: Social phobias involve a fear of social situations. Such phobias include an extreme and pervasive fear of social situations. In some cases, this fear may center on a very particular type of social situation such as public speaking. In other instances, people may fear to perform any task in front of other people for fear that they will be somehow publicly embarrassed.Agoraphobia involves a fear of being trapped in an inescapable place or situation. As a result, the phobic individual may begin to avoid such situations. In some cases, this fear can become so pervasive and overwhelming that the individual even fears to leave their home.?Specific phobias involve the fear of a particular object (such as snakes or butterflies  and moths). Such phobias typically fall into one of four different categories: situational, animals, medical, or environmental. A few examples of common fear objects include spiders, dogs, needles, natural disasters, heights, and flying. More examples of the four major types of specific phobias?? include: The natural environment: Fear of lightning, water, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes,  or  mudslides.Animal: Fear of snakes, rodents,  cats, or  birds.Medical: Fear of seeing blood or visiting a doctor.Situational: Fear of bridges, leaving  home, or driving. Prevalence According to the National Institute of Mental Health, social anxiety disorder affects about 7 percent of adult Americans in a given year and specific phobias affect approximately 9 percent. In general,  women are affected more than men.?? According to the  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual  of Mental Disorders, only about 10% of reported phobia cases become life-long phobias. Treatments There are a number of treatment approaches for phobias, and the effectiveness of each approach depends on the person and their type of phobia.   In exposure treatments,??? the person is strategically exposed to their feared object in order to help them overcome their fear. One type of exposure treatment is flooding, in which the patient is confronted by the feared object for an extended length of time without the opportunity to escape. The goal of this method is to help the individual face their fear and realize that the feared object will not harm them. Another method often used in phobia treatment is counter-conditioning. In this method, the person  is taught a new response to the feared object. Rather than panic in the face of the feared object or situation, the person learns relaxation techniques to replace anxiety and fear. This new behavior is incompatible with the previous panic response, so the phobic response gradually diminishes. Counter-conditioning is often used with people who are unable to handle exposure treatments and has been effective for treating children and adolescents.??? Finally, for both adults and children with social phobia, medication like a low dose of a benzodiazepine  or potentially an antidepressant (like a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI) in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy can prove helpful.?? Find Support With the 9 Best Online Therapy Programs A Word From Verywell If you think you may have a phobia, please seek out treatment from a licensed therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. You deserve to develop control of this fear, and you can with proper therapy.   Misconceptions and Facts About Phobias

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I Was Little, I Had Love For Science Essay - 977 Words

Since I was little, I had love for science. It is the subject that interest me because there’s too many interesting topics. Science make us wonder how things work and how the world was made. In science there s too many hypotheses that can be made into proved theories. Now that I’m in college, it has only reassured to me that I do love science. I’m taking my Biology courses and they are so intriguing to me. One of my classes that I’m really enjoying right now is Biological evolution. When I was in my Biological Evolution class, professor Dr. Matthew Terry started talking about how many people can the Earth support. He said the Earth population has grown dramatically over the past 15 years and it would continue to grow exponentially. For example, when I was born Earth population was about 3 billion people now we have 7 billion people. It got me thinking about why is our population growing significantly and how is this going to affect our habitat. Earth is now overpopulated and there s have to be some measures. Would it be ethical if we try to control how many babies you can have or try to limit our population? How has technology influenced our population growth? What would be the consequences if the Earth reaches its final capacity? How this is going to affect our environment and other species. These are just some of the burden questions I have about this topic. It makes sense that technological growth helps drive population. Since the industrial boomShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of To My One Love By Chimamanda Adichie1013 Words   |  5 Pages Amongst the two paired essays, To My One Love by Chimamanda Adichie, and My Periodic Table by Oliver Sacks, Adichie’s essay was the most effective in terms addressing the mournful topic of facing death. This melancholy writing expresses the ceaseless impacts of young love, and young loss. Between both essays, To My One Love is more effective in its purpose. 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Good and Bad Dams Free Essays

Latin America and Caribbean Region Sustainable Development Working Paper 16 Good Dams and Bad Dams: Environmental Criteria for Site Selection of Hydroelectric Projects November 2003 George Ledec Juan David Quintero The World Bank Latin America and Caribbean Region Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Department (LCSES) Latin America and the Caribbean Region Sustainable Development Working Paper No. 16 Good Dams and Bad Dams: Environmental Criteria for Site Selection of Hydroelectric Projects November 2003 George Ledec Juan David Quintero The World Bank Latin America and the Caribbean Region Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Sector Management Unit George Ledec has worked with the World Bank since 1982, and is presently Lead Ecologist for the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Unit (LCSES) of the World Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office. He specializes in the environmental assessment of development projects, with particular focus on biodiversity and related conservation oncerns. We will write a custom essay sample on Good and Bad Dams or any similar topic only for you Order Now He has worked extensively with the environmental aspects of dams, roads, oil and gas, forest management, and protected areas, and is one of the main authors of the World Bank’s Natural Habitats Policy. Dr. Ledec earned a Ph. D. in Wildland Resource Science from the University of California-Berkeley, a Masters in Public Affairs from Princeton University, and a Bachelors in Biology and Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College. Juan David Quintero joined the World Bank in 1993 and is presently Lead Environmental Specialist for LCSES and Coordinator of the Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean Quality Assurance Team, which monitors compliance with environmental and social safeguard policies. He specializes in environmental assessment of infrastructure projects, mainly roads, hydropower, oil and gas, urban transport, and water supply and sanitation. He has received the Regional Award from the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) for promoting improvements in environmental impact assessments throughout Latin America. He is a civil engineer with postgraduate degrees in Environmental and Sanitary Engineering. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, its affiliated organizations, members of its Board of Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. This working paper series is produced by the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Sector Management Unit of the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office. Additional copies may be obtained from the authors or from LCSES Program Assistant Peter Brandriss (pbrandriss@worldbank. rg, or tel. 1-202-473-9379). Cover photos (clockwise from upper left): Loksop Dam, South Africa Guavio Dam, Colombia Yacyreta Dam, Argentina/Paraguay All photos by George Ledec ii Contents Acknowledgments †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. iv Foreword †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. v Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ii Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 Adverse Environmental Impacts of Hydropower Development †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Key Indicators of Likely Environmental Impacts †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 Overview of Environmentally Good and Bad Hydroelectric Dam Sites †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13 Conclusions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 Tables 1. Hydroelectric Projects: Adverse Impacts and Mitigation Options 4 2. Land Area Flooded and People Displaced in Large Hydropower Projects iii 12 Acknowledgments Doug Mason (consultant) compiled data on more than twenty completed Latin American hydroelectric projects; this information was very useful in our analysis of environmental and social impacts, mitigation measures, and site selection criteria. Several current and former World Bank Group staff members provided useful comments and much encouragement, including Alessandro Palmieri, John Briscoe, Teresa Serra, Tony Whitten, Robert Goodland, Tor Ziegler, Warren Van Wicklin, William Partridge, Maria Clara Mejia, Kristine Ivarsdotter, Mateen Thobani, Salman Salman, and A. J. Glauber. This paper also reflects the helpful comments provided by Dominique Egre and Gaitan Guertin (Hydro-Quebec), Jose Goldemberg (World Commission on Dams), and Paul Dulin. Peter Brandriss helped edit and prepare the report for publication. iv Foreword Few types of development projects arouse as much controversy as hydroelectric dams. Their often serious environmental damage has been amply documented within the past decade. Nonetheless, many countries, in Latin America and worldwide, rely upon hydroelectric dams for a major portion of their electric power. Electricity remains a key ingredient for improving the lives of poor people almost everywhere. In developing countries, rapid urbanization and continued population growth will ensure increased demand for electric power for decades to come, even with the most successful of demand management and energy efficiency measures. Energy planners in many developing countries are thus likely to continue seeing hydroelectric dams as a promising source of renewable electric power. This report provides important advice for substantially reducing the environmental damage from future hydroelectric dams (whether or not they receive World Bank Group financing) through good project site selection. Although the report’s conclusions are drawn primarily from a review of Latin American dams, its innovative methodology for dam site selection–based on robust environmental and social criteria and straightforward, quantitative indicators–should prove useful worldwide. The report also helpfully summarizes the environmental mitigation options for the improved operation of existing hydroelectric dams. As such, this report should be of considerable interest to people interested in hydroelectric dams, whether at the World Bank, other multilateral and bilateral development institutions, government agencies, private energy companies, consulting firms, environmental and other NGOs, and academia. This report is part of the LCR Sustainable Development Working Paper Series published by the Latin America and the Caribbean Region’s Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Sector Management Unit (LCSES). This series seeks to disseminate the results of our analytical and operational work, present preliminary findings, and describe â€Å"best practices† with respect to major sustainable development issues facing the region. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in these papers are entirely those of the authors and should not be attributed to the World Bank, members of its Board of Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. John Redwood Director Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Latin America and Caribbean Region The World Bank v Executive Summary Large dams vary considerably in their adverse environmental and related social impacts. From an environmental standpoint, there are relatively good dams and bad dams. While some large dams are relatively benign, others have caused major environmental damage. The severity of environmental impacts from a hydroelectric project is largely determined by the dam site. While dams at good sites can be very defensible from an environmental standpoint, those proposed at bad sites will inherently be highly problematic, even if all feasible mitigation measures are properly implemented. This paper provides a simple, yet robust, methodology for comparing proposed hydroelectric project sites in terms of their expected negative environmental impacts, and relating these to power generation benefits. The paper also summarizes the environmental mitigation options for large dams. If properly implemented, these mitigation measures can effectively prevent, minimize, or compensate for many (though not all) of a hydroelectric project’s negative impacts. Nonetheless, the most effective environmental mitigation measure is good site selection, to ensure that the proposed dam will cause relatively little damage in the first place. The paper presents quantitative indicators (using data that are relatively easy to obtain) for rating and ranking proposed new hydroelectric projects in terms of their likely adverse environmental impacts. Projects with a small reservoir surface area (relative to power generation) tend to be most desirable from both an environmental and social standpoint, in part because they minimize natural habitat losses as well as resettlement needs. In general, the most environmentally benign hydroelectric dam sites are on upper tributaries, while the most problematic ones are on the large main stems of rivers. Power expansion planning should ensure that environmental criteria, of the type outlined in this paper, are given appropriate weight in hydroelectric project site selection. Many of the more problematic dam sites are best left undeveloped, because the environmental or related social impacts are likely to be unacceptably high. In those cases, other power generation technologies are likely to be more environmentally desirable. Conversely, hydroelectric dams at good sites (with relatively low adverse impacts) and with effective implementation of proper mitigation measures are likely to be more attractive from an environmental standpoint than the most likely power generation alternatives. vii Introduction 1. Large hydroelectric dams are among the most controversial of all types of development projects. They have been the focus of much criticism of the World Bank and other international financing agencies. The â€Å"large dams† debate is often highly polarized. Critics of large hydroelectric projects point to a wide range of negative environmental and related social impacts, from the destruction of unique biodiversity to the displacement of vulnerable human populations. Defenders of large dams note that they are often the economically least-cost source of electric power available, especially to large urban centers; they are a renewable electricity source; and most other power generation technologies also imply significant adverse environmental impacts. 2. Worldwide, many countries rely upon hydropower for a substantial portion of their electricity. In developing countries, rapid urbanization and continued population growth will ensure increased demand for electric power for decades to come, even with the most successful of demand management and energy efficiency measures. Electricity remains a key ingredient for improving the lives of millions of poor people throughout the developing world. Energy planners in many countries are likely to continue seeing hydroelectric dams as a promising, renewable source of electricity. Major recent international initiatives–including the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 2002), World Water Forum (Kyoto, 2003), World Commission on Dams (1997-2002), and the ongoing Dams and Development Project of the United Nations Environment Program–have reaffirmed the commitment of many governments and international agencies (including the World Bank) to hydropower development, but in a manner which fully reflects modern environmental concerns. 3. In this context, it is important to remember that all large hydroelectric dams are not alike. Large hydroelectric projects vary tremendously in the extent of their adverse environmental and related social impacts. (In this paper, we define large hydroelectric dams as those with 10 megawatts or more of installed generating capacity, to distinguish them from small or micro-dams which generate power on a smaller scale. ) For example, the 500–megawatt Pehuenche Hydroelectric Project in Chile flooded only about 400 hectares of land (with minimal damage to forest or wildlife resources) and has had no water quality problems. By contrast, the Brokopondo Dam in Suriname inundated about 160,000 hectares of biologically valuable tropical rainforest and is known for serious water quality and aquatic weed problems, while providing relatively little electric generating capacity (only 30 megawatts). 4. We conducted a review of more than twenty completed hydroelectric dam projects in Latin America, along with several well-known projects from other regions. Our study found that some large dams are relatively benign, while others have caused substantial environmental and related social damage. This paper provides a methodology for easily comparing proposed hydroelectric project sites in terms of their expected adverse environmental impacts, relative to their power generation benefits. The technical criteria and quantitative indicators in this paper should be viewed as complementary to 1 2 LCR Sustainable Development Working Paper No. 16 the broader and often more process-oriented advice of other recent reports on dams, including the 2000 Dams and Development report of the World Commission on Dams. This paper’s recommendations are fully compatible with the World Bank’s Water Resources Sector Strategy, although this paper provides more technical detail regarding specific environmental impacts, mitigation options, and site selection criteria. Adverse Environmental Impacts of Hydropower Development 5. The range of adverse environmental and related social impacts that can result from hydroelectric dams is remarkably diverse. While some impacts occur only during construction, the most important impacts usually are due to the long-term existence and operation of the dam and reservoir. Other significant impacts can result from complementary civil works such as access roads, power transmission lines, and quarries and borrow pits. Table 1 summarizes the adverse environmental and social impacts associated with dams and reservoirs, along with the typical kinds of mitigation measures often proposed (and, less often, effectively implemented). 6. Our analysis indicates that with properly implemented mitigation measures, many of the negative environmental and related social impacts of hydroelectric projects can be reduced to very acceptable levels. As outlined in Table 1, mitigation measures can effectively prevent, minimize, or compensate for most adverse impacts, but only if they are properly implemented. In our review of Latin American hydroprojects, we found wide variation in the extent to which environmental mitigation measures were planned, budgeted, and actually implemented. 7. Moreover, for some types of negative impacts, at some project sites, the available mitigation measures—even when properly implemented—are inherently unsatisfactory. Examples of adverse environmental impacts which occur at some hydroelectric projects and cannot be fully mitigated include (i) irreversible biodiversity loss, if critical natural habitats not occurring elsewhere are submerged (or left dry) by the dam; (ii) fish passage facilities frequently cannot restore the pre-dam ecological balance of a river, in terms of species composition or fish migrations; and (iii) some cultural property (including sacred sites) cannot be adequately salvaged prior to reservoir inundation. 8. Thus, because mitigation measures are often not fully implemented, and are sometimes inherently inadequate, the single most important environmental mitigation measure for a new hydroelectric project is good site selection, to ensure that the proposed dam is will be largely benign in the first place. In the following summary of typical adverse environmental impacts and corresponding mitigation options, it is important to keep in mind that all these types of impacts can be either avoided or minimized through good project site selection. 3 4 Note: All of these impacts can be avoided or minimized by good dam site selection, the single most important environmental measure. Environmental Impacts Mitigation Options Impacts of the Dam and Reservoir Flooding of Natural Habitats Some reservoirs permanently flood extensive natural habitats, with local and even global extinctions of animal and plant species. Very large hydroelectric reservoirs in the tropics are especially likely to cause species extinctions (although such losses are only infrequently documented due to the lack of scientific data). Particularly hard-hit are riverine forests and other riparian ecosystems, which naturally occur only along rivers and streams. From a biodiversity conservation standpoint, the terrestrial natural habitats lost to flooding are usually much more valuable than the aquatic habitats created by the reservoir. One occasional exception to this rule is that shallow reservoirs in dry zones can provide a permanent oasis, sometimes important for migratory waterfowl and other terrestrial and aquatic fauna. To offset the loss of natural habitats to reservoir flooding or other project components (such as borrow pits), one or more compensatory protected areas can be established and managed under the project. If an existing area is protected â€Å"on paper† only, a useful project option is to strengthen its onthe-ground protection and management. The area protected under the project should ideally be of comparable or greater size and ecological quality to the natural area lost to the project. Under the World Bank’s Natural Habitats Policy, hydroelectric and other projects should not be sited where they would cause the significant conversion or degradation of critical natural habitats that do not occur elsewhere (and, hence, cannot be adequately compensated). Loss of Terrestrial Wildlife The loss of terrestrial wildlife to drowning during reservoir filling is an inherent consequence of the flooding of terrestrial natural habitats, although often treated as a separate impact. Although they may be useful for public relations purposes, wildlife rescue efforts rarely succeed in restoring wild populations. Instead of drowning, the captured and relocated animals typically starve, are killed by competitors or predators, or fail to reproduce successfully, due to the limited carrying capacity of their new habitats. Wildlife rescue is most likely to be justified on conservation grounds if (a) the species rescued are globally threatened with extinction and (b) the relocation habitat is ecologically suitable and effectively protected. However, the money spent on rescue would usually do much more for wildlife conservation if it were invested in compensatory protected areas. The most effective way to minimize wildlife mortality in hydroelectric projects is to choose dam sites which minimize the wildlife habitat flooded. LCR Sustainable Development Working Paper No 16 Table 1. Hydroelectric Projects: Adverse Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Options Environmental Impacts Mitigation Options Involuntary Displacement Involuntary displacement of people is often the main adverse social impact of hydroelectric projects. It can also have important environmental implications, such as with the conversion of natural habitats to accommodate resettled rural populations. For physical displacement, the main mitigation measure is the resettlement of displaced populations, including new housing, replacement lands, and other material assistance, as needed. Success usually requires consultation and participatory decisionmaking by both the resettled and host populations (mandatory for World Bank–supported resettlement). Effective resettlement of vulnerable ethnic minorities is particularly challenging because some of these people are highly vulnerable to adverse social changes. Accordingly, the World Bank’s Involuntary Resettlement and Indigenous Peoples policies afford special consideration to these populations, specifying that, among other requirements, all viable alternative project designs should be explored before considering physical displacement for these groups. For people who are not physically displaced but suffer an economic loss of livelihoods (based on fisheries, agricultural or grazing lands, river-edge clay for brick and tile production, or other resources), mitigation measures should involve the provision of replacement resources, new job training, or other income restoration assistance, as needed. Deterioration of Water Quality The damming of rivers can cause serious water quality deterioration, due to the reduced oxygenation and dilution of pollutants by relatively stagnant reservoirs (compared to fast-flowing rivers), flooding of biomass (especially forests) and resulting underwater decay, and/or reservoir stratification (where deeper lake waters lack oxygen). Water pollution control measures (such as sewage treatment plants or enforcement of industrial regulations) may be needed to improve reservoir water quality. Where poor water quality would result from the decay of flooded biomass, selective forest clearing within the impoundment area should be completed before reservoir filling. Downriver Hydrological Changes These adverse impacts can be minimized through careful management of water releases. Objectives to consider in optimizing water releases from the turbines and spillways include adequate downriver water supply for riparian ecosystems, reservoir and downriver fish survival, reservoir and downriver water quality, aquatic weed and disease vector control, irrigation and other human uses of water, downriver flood protection, recreation (such as whitewater boating), and, of course, power generation. From an ecological standpoint, the ideal water release pattern would usually closely mimic the natural flooding regime (although this may not be feasible for densely settled floodplains where flood protection is a high priority). Dams that generate baseload electricity are typically more capable of replicating near-natural downriver flows than those that produce peaking power (where daily water releases may fluctuate sharply, often to the detriment of aquatic organisms that are adapted to less frequent flow changes). Environmental management plans for hydroelectric projects should specify environmental water releases, including for dams owned or operated by the private sector. Good Dams and Bad Dams 5 Major downriver hydrological changes can destroy riparian ecosystems dependent on periodic natural flooding, exacerbate water pollution during lowflow periods, and increase saltwater intrusion near river mouths. Reduced sediment and nutrient loads downriver of dams can increase river-edge and coastal erosion and damage the biological and economic productivity of rivers and estuaries. Induced desiccation of rivers below dams (when the water is diverted to another portion of the river, or to a different river) kills fish and other fauna and flora dependent on the river; it can also damage agriculture and human water supplies. Mitigation Options Water-Related Diseases Some infectious diseases can spread around hydroelectric reservoirs, particularly in warm climates and densely populated areas. Some diseases (such as malaria and schistosomiasis) are borne by water-dependent disease vectors (mosquitoes and aquatic snails); others (such as dysentery, cholera, and hepatitis A) are spread by contaminated water, which frequently becomes worse in stagnant reservoirs than it was in fast-flowing rivers. Corresponding public health measures should include preventive measures (such as awareness campaigns and window screens), monitoring of vectors and disease outbreaks, vector control, and clinical treatment of disease cases, as needed. Control of floating aquatic weeds (see below) near populated areas can reduce mosquito-borne disease risks. Fish and Other Aquatic Life Hydroelectric projects often have major effects on fish and other aquatic life. Reservoirs positively affect certain fish species (and fisheries) by ncreasing the area of available aquatic habitat. However, the net impacts are often negative because (a) the dam blocks upriver fish migrations, while downriver passage through turbines or over spillways is often unsuccessful; (b) many riveradapted fish and other aquatic species cannot survive in artificial lakes; (c) changes in downriver flow patterns adversely affect many species, and (d) water quality deterioration in or below reservoirs (usually low oxygen levels; somet imes gas super-saturation) kills fish and damages aquatic habitats. Freshwater molluscs, crustaceans, and other benthic organisms are even more sensitive to these changes than most fish species, due to their limited mobility. Management of water releases may be needed for the survival of certain fish species, in and below the reservoir. Fish passage facilities (fish ladders, elevators, or trap-and-truck operations) are intended to help migratory fish move upriver past a dam; they are usually of limited effectiveness for various reasons (including the difficulty of ensuring safe downriver passage for many adults and fry). Fish hatcheries can be useful for maintaining populations of native species which can survive but not successfully reproduce within the reservoir. They are also often used for stocking the reservoir with economically desired species, although introducing non-native fish is often devastating to native species and not ecologically desirable. Fishing regulation is often essential to maintain viable populations of commercially valuable species, especially in the waters immediately below a dam where migratory fish species concentrate in high numbers and are unnaturally easy to catch. Floating Aquatic Vegetation Floating aquatic vegetation can rapidly proliferate in eutrophic reservoirs, causing problems such as (a) degraded habitat for most species of fish and other aquatic life, (b) improved breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other nuisance species and disease vectors, (c) impeded navigation and swimming, (d) clogging of electro-mechanical equipment at dams, and (e) increased water loss from some reservoirs. Pollution control and pre-impoundment selective forest clearing will make reservoirs less conducive to aquatic weed growth. Physical removal or containment of floating aquatic weeds is effective but imposes a high and recurrent expense for large reservoirs. Where compatible with other objectives (power generation, fish survival, etc. ), occasional drawdown of reservoir water levels may be used to kill aquatic weeds. Chemical poisoning of weeds or related insect pests requires much environmental caution and is usually best avoided. LCR Sustainable Development Working Paper No 16 Environmental Impacts (table continues on following page) 6 Table 1. Hydroelectric Projects: Adverse Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Options (continued) Environmental Impacts Mitigation Options Loss of Cultural Property Cultural property, including archaeological, historical, paleontological, and religious sites and objects, can be inundated by reservoirs or destroyed by associated quarries, borrow pits, roads, or other works. Structures and objects of cultural interest should undergo salvage wherever feasible through scientific inventory, careful physical relocation, and documentation and storage in museums or other appropriate facilities. However, it is often not possible to replace the loss of, or damage to, unique or sacred sites which may have great religious or ceremonial significance to indigenous or other local people. Reservoir Sedimentation Over time, live storage and power generation are reduced by reservoir sedimentation, such that much of some projects’ hydroelectric energy might not be renewable over the long term. If effectively implemented, watershed management can minimize sedimentation and extend a reservoir’s useful physical life, through the control of road construction, mining, agriculture, and other land use in the upper catchment area. Protected areas are sometimes established in upper catchments to reduce sediment flows into reservoirs, as with the Fortuna Dam in Panama and the proposed Rio Amoya (Colombia) and Nam Theun II (Laos) projects. Aside from watershed management, other sediment management techniques for hydroelectric reservoirs may at times be physically and economically feasible; they include, among others, upstream check structures, protecting dam outlets, reservoir flushing, mechanical removal, and increasing the dam’s height. Greenhouse Gases Greenhouse gas releases from reservoirs can be reduced by a thorough salvage of commercial timber and fuelwood, although frequently this does not happen because of (a) high extraction and transportation costs, (b) marketing constraints, or (c) political and economic pressures not to delay reservoir filling. The surest way to minimize greenhouse gas releases from reservoirs is to choose dam sites that minimize the flooding of land in general, and forests in particular. table continues on following page) Good Dams and Bad Dams 7 Greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) are released into the atmosphere from reservoirs that flood forests and other biomass, either slowly (as flooded organic matter decomposes) or rapidly (if the forest is cut and burned before reservoir filling). Greenhouse gases are widely considered to be the main cause of human-induced global climate change. Many hydroelectric reservoirs flood relatively little forest or other biomass. Moreover, most hydroprojects generate sufficient electricity to more than offset the greenhouse gases which would otherwise have been produced by burning fossil fuels (natural gas, fuel oil, or coal) in power plants. However, some projects which flood extensive forest areas, such as the Balbina Dam in Amazonian Brazil, appear to emit greenhouse gases in greater amounts than would be produced by burning natural gas for many years of comparable electricity generation. Mitigation Options Impacts of Complementary Civil Works Access Roads New access roads to hydroelectric dams can induce major land use changes— particularly deforestation—with resulting loss of biodiversity, accelerated erosion, and other environmental problems. In some projects (such as Arun II in Nepal), the environmental impacts of access roads can greatly exceed those of the reservoir. The siting of any new access roads should be in the environmentally and socially least damaging corridors. Forests and other environmentally sensitive areas along the chosen road corridor should receive legal and on-the-ground protection. Road engineering should ensure proper drainage, to protect waterways and minimize erosion. Environmental rules for contractors (including penalties for noncompliance) should cover construction camp siting, gravel extraction, waste disposal, avoiding water pollution, worker behavior (such as no hunting), and other construction practices. See Ledec and Posas (2003) for details. Power Transmission Lines Power transmission line rights-of-way often reduce and fragment forests; indirectly, they occasionally facilitate further deforestation by improving physical access. Large birds are sometimes killed in collisions with power lines, or by electrocution. Power lines can also be aesthetically objectionable. Power lines should be sited to minimize these concerns and built using good environmental practices (as with roads). In areas with concentrations of vulnerable bird species, the top (grounding) wire should be made more visible with plastic devices. Electrocution (mainly of large birds of prey) should be avoided through bird-friendly tower design and proper spacing of conducting wires. Quarries and Borrow Pits Quarries and borrow pits are used to provide material for construction of the dam and complementary works. They can considerably increase the area of natural habitats or agricultural lands that are lost to a hydroelectric project. To the greatest extent feasible, quarries and borrow pits should be sited within the future inundation zone. Where this is not feasible, the pits should be rehabilitated after use, ideally for conservation purposes such as wetland habitats. Impacts of Induced Development Associated Development Projects Hydroelectric dams often make possible new development projects with major environmental impacts, including irrigation, urban expansion, and industrial facilities (due to new water supplies). New development projects should be planned to minimize adverse environmental and social impacts. Environmental impact assessment studies should be carried out in the early stages of project planning; the resulting environmental mitigation plans should be fully implemented. Additional Dams The construction of the first dam on a river can make the subsequent construction of additional dams more economical, because flow regulation by the upriver dam can enhance power generation at the downriver dam(s). The environmental impact assessment study for the first dam on any river should include a cumulative environmental assessment of the likely impacts of proposed additional dams on the same river system. Implementation of mitigation measures for cumulative (rather than dam-specific) impacts should be completed or well underway prior to construction of the second dam on the river. LCR Sustainable Development Working Paper No 16 Environmental Impacts 8 Table 1. Hydroelectric Projects: Adverse Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Options (continued) Key Indicators of Likely Environmental Impacts 9. Before a dam site is chosen (with a project-specific environmental impact assessment), sector-level environmental analysis can rank potential sites according to their degree of environmental desirability. A sectoral environmental assessment (SEA) should be carried out prior to making major power sector planning decisions, especially in the comparison of hydroelectric and other power generation (and demand management) alternatives. However, even without a detailed SEA, it is possible to carry out a simple environmental and ranking of different hydropower sites using basic, often readily available technical data. There exist various quantitative, easily calculated indicators that can be used to estimate the extent of adverse environmental impacts for any proposed hydroelectric project. 10. This paper presents 13 quantitative, easily calculated indicators that we consider especially useful for hydroproject site selection from an environmental standpoint. These indicators have high predictive value for likely adverse environmental (and related social) impacts. The first nine indicators (A–I) use information that is normally easy to obtain from basic dam planning data, even without a separate environmental study. The other four indicators (J–M) are also very important in the environmental comparison of alternative dam sites, but involve data that may require further environmental (or resettlement) study to obtain. Indicator A (hectares of land inundated) is perhaps the single most useful one in predicting the degree of environmental damage, because this indicator is positively correlated with many of the others. From a social standpoint, the number of people requiring resettlement (Indicator J) is an especially important. A. Reservoir Surface Area 11. The area flooded by the reservoir is a strong proxy variable for many environmental and social impacts (Goodland, 1997). A large reservoir area implies the loss of much natural habitat and wildlife and/or the displacement of many people. Very large reservoirs are typically in the lowlands (often with tropical disease and aquatic weed problems) and usually impound larger rivers (with more fish and other aquatic species at risk). A very useful measure of environmental costs relative to economic benefits is the ratio of inundated hectares per megawatt (ha/MW) of electricity; it varies by four orders of magnitude for large power projects (see Table 2). The global average for all large hydroelectric dams constructed to date (not just those in Table 2) is about 60 ha/MW (J. Goldemberg, pers. comm. ); it would be environmentally highly desirable for this average to be much reduced in future hydroprojects. B. Water Retention Time in Reservoir 12. Mean water retention time during normal operation (the shorter, the better) is very useful in estimating the extent to which reservoirs will have long-term water quality problems. This figure (number of days) is calculated as a function of reservoir volume (cubic meters) and mean river flow (cubic liters per second). 9 10 LCR Sustainable Development Working Paper No. 16 C. Biomass Flooded 13. Biomass flooded is calculated in tons per hectare based on the percent cover of different vegetation types in the reservoir area. For good reservoir water quality, dams should minimize flooding of forests (which have high biomass content). Flooding native forests also threatens biodiversity and releases greenhouse gases. D. Length of River Impounded 14. To conserve aquatic and riparian biodiversity (including riverine forests), dam sites should minimize the length (kilometers) of river (main stem plus tributaries) impounded by the reservoir (measured during high flow periods). E. Length of River Left Dry 15. This measures the kilometers of river left dry (with less than 50 percent of dry season mean flow) below the dam, due to water diversion. The length of dried-up river bed (before the next important downstream tributary) should be minimized, due to the loss of fish and other aquatic life, damage to riparian ecosystems, and disruption of human water supplies, agriculture, and/or fishing. F. Number of Downriver Tributaries 16. The more (major, undammed) tributaries downriver of the dam site, the better, in terms of maintaining accessible habitat for migratory fish, the natural flooding regime for riverine ecosystems, and nutrient or sediment inputs needed for the high biological productivity of estuaries. G. Likelihood of Reservoir Stratification 7. Stratification in a reservoir occurs when the lake’s upper zone (epilimnion) is thermally divided from the deeper zone (hypolimnion); the latter becomes stagnant and lacking in dissolved oxygen (anaerobic), thereby unsuitable for most aquatic life. A rapid estimate of stratification tendencies in a reservoir can be obtained with the Densimetric Froude Number (F). F can be calculated as: F = 320(L/D)(Q/V), where L = length of the reservoir (meters), D = mean reservoir depth (meters) (for which dam height can be a proxy), Q = mean water inflow (cubic meters per second), and V = eservoir volume (cubic meters). If F is less than 1, some stratification is expected, the severity of which increases with a smaller F. When F is greater than 1, stratification is not likely. H. Useful Reservoir Life 18. Useful reservoir life is the expected number of years before a reservoir’s dead storage is completely filled, so that further sedimentation reduces the live storage and curtails power generation. Dead storage comprises all reservoir water beneath the level of the intakes for the dam’s turbines; all of the water at or above this intake level is part of the live storage. Useful reservoir life is a function of dead storage and river-borne sediment loads. Useful reservoir life is a good indicator of the relative sustainability of electric power generation; it varies from less than ten years before dead storage is filled (such as the Paute Dam in Ecuador) to potentially thousands of years. In general, reservoirs with the longest useful life are relatively deep and situated on rivers with low sediment loads. Maintaining low sediment loads over time typically requires good watershed management. Good Dams and Bad Dams 11 I. Access Roads through Forests 19. Where the risks of induced deforestation are high, project siting should minimize the kilometers of required new or upgraded access roads passing through or near natural forests. J. Persons Requiring Resettlement 20. The number of people physically displaced by hydroelectric projects ranges from zero (e. g. Pehuenche, Chile) to over 50,000 in Latin America (e. g. Yacyreta, Argentina-Paraguay) and well over 1 million in Asia (Three Gorges, China). Dam siting should generally seek to minimize the number of individuals or households requiring resettlement from lands affected by the reservoir and complementary civil works. A useful measure for relating resettlement costs to hydropower benefits is the ratio of people displaced per megawatt (Table 2). Because of their usually greater vulnerability to social disruption, it is especially important to minimize the number of indigenous people with traditional land-based models of production who would require resettlement. K. Critical Natural Habitats Affected 21. It is important to know the number of sites and hectares of critical natural habitats that would be lost to inundation, borrow pits, or other project components. Critical natural habitats include existing and officially proposed protected areas, as well as unprotected areas of known high importance for biodiversity conservation. To comply with the World Bank’s Natural Habitats Policy, hydroelectric projects should not cause any significant loss or degradation of critical natural habitats. On the other hand, some hydroelectric projects imply very important conservation opportunities by providing a strong justification (sediment reduction) and financial resources needed for protecting natural habitats in upper catchment areas. L. Fish Species Diversity and Endemism 22. Fish species diversity is the number of species known from the project area, including the dam and reservoir site, as well as the downstream zone of project influence. Fish species endemism is the number of native species known only from the project area, or the river system where the project is located, and nowhere else on Earth. Dams are environmentally less objectionable if they affect rivers with a naturally low diversity and endemism of native fish species. In general, large, lowland rivers in warm (tropical or subtropical) climates have a high diversity of native fish and other aquatic organisms, while small rivers in cold (tropical highland or temperate) climates have relatively low diversity. Large, lowland rivers are also more likely to have significant seasonal fish migrations, which are effectively blocked by most dams. However, highland rivers and streams often have relatively high endemism in their fish fauna, especially if they are isolated from other rivers by waterfalls or other natural barriers. River segments with threatened fish species found nowhere else should be classified as critical natural habitats and, ideally, would receive permanent protection from dams or other potentially damaging civil works. However, dams and reservoirs in upper tributary rivers and streams need not threaten the survival of any endemic fish (or mollusks, or other aquatic life) if they affect only an insignificant portion of the river area used by these species (see Indicators D and E); they should also be sited so as not to block important fish migrations. M. Cultural Property Affected 23. An indication of the cultural significance of the area to be inundated (or otherwise affected by the project) is the number (by type) of cultural (archaeological, historical, paleontological, or religious) objects or sites. It is important to note whether each type of cultural property at the project site is salvageable (totally, partially, or not at all). 12 LCR Sustainable Development Working Paper No. 16 Table 2. Land Area Flooded and People Displaced in Large Hydropower Projects Project (country) Arun II (Nepal) Pehuenche (Chile) Pangue (Chile) Guavio (Colombia) Tehri (India) Ghazi Barotha (Pakistan) Nam Theun-Hinboun (Laos) Ertan (China) Fortuna (Panama) Chixoy (Guatemala) Grand Coulee (United States) Three Gorges (China) Tarbela (Pakistan) Salvajina (Colombia) Zimapan (Mexico) Itaipu (Brazil/Paraguay) Victoria (Sri Lanka) Kararao/Belo Monte (Brazil) Aguamilpa (Mexico) Betania (Colombia) Urra I (Colombia) Mangla (Pakistan) Bakun (Malaysia) Ataturk (Turkey) El Cajon (Honduras) Ilha Solteira (Brazil) Guri Complex (Venezuela) Salto Grande (Argentina/Uruguay) Nam Theun II (Laos) Arenal (Costa Rica) Yacyreta (Argentina/Paraguay) Tucurui (Brazil) Narmada Sagar (India) Porto Primavera (Brazil) Churchill Falls (Canada) Khao Laem (Thailand) Kedung Ombo (Indonesia) Kainji (Nigeria) Pak Mun (Thailand) Cabora Bassa (Mozambique) Aswan High (Egypt) Nam Ngum (Laos) Sobradinho (Brazil) Kariba (Zambia/Zimbabwe) Balbina (Brazil) Akosombo (Ghana) Bayano (Panama) Kompienga (Burkina Faso) Brokopondo (Suriname) Installed capacity (MW) 402 500 450 1,000 2,400 1,450 210 3,300 300 300 6,494 18,200 3,478 270 280 12,600 210 8,381 960 510 340 1,000 2,400 2,400 300 3,200 10,300 1,890 1,086 157 3,100 3,980 1,000 1,815 5,225 300 29 760 34 2,075 2,100 150 1,050 1,260 250 833 30 14 30 Reservoir rea (hectares) 43 400 500 1,530 4,200 2,640 630 10,100 1,050 1,400 33,306 110,000 24,280 2,030 2,300 135,000 2,270 116,000 13,000 7,370 7,400 25,300 70,000 81,700 11,200 125,700 426,000 78,300 45,000 7,000 165,000 243,000 90,820 225,000 665,000 38,800 4,600 126,000 6,000 380,000 400,000 37,000 415,000 510,000 236,000 848,200 35,000 20,000 160,000 People displaced 775 0 50 4,959 100,000 899 0 30,000 446 3,445 10,000 1,300,000 96,000 3,272 2,800 59,000 45,000 n. a. 1,000 544 6,200 90,000 9,000 55,000 4,000 6,150 1,500 n. a. 5,700 2,500 50,000 30,000 80,500 15,000 0 10,800 29,000 50,000 4,945 How to cite Good and Bad Dams, Essay examples

Pestel Analysis of Titan Watches Essay Example

Pestel Analysis of Titan Watches Paper Pestel analysis of Titan Watches PESTEL analysis : Pestel stands for Political, Economical, Sociocultural, Technological Environmental, Legal analysis of the external environment affecting the business. PESTEL analysis is done by managers to understand the macro environmental factors affecting the business. These analysis are strategic tools for understanding market growth, market share, latest trends etc. Political factors : These refer to the relevant government policies that affect the business environment. For eg. Tax policy,labour law , minimum wages law ,tariff rates etc Economic factors: These refer to the macro economic factors that may affect the business. For eg. Inflation, Gross National Income, Gross domestic product, REPO rate, reverse Repo rate. Socio-cultural factors: We will write a custom essay sample on Pestel Analysis of Titan Watches specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Pestel Analysis of Titan Watches specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Pestel Analysis of Titan Watches specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer These refer to the various social and cultural factors prevalent in the business environment. For eg. Greater awarness of the people towards environment, changes in taste of the consumers, average age of the consumers etc. Technological factors: These include the technological factors such as RD activity, automation and other innovations which has changed the way business is conducted. For eg MP3 players, IPOD, Iphone, Tele conferencing, cloud computing to name a few. Environmental factors: These include the environmental and ecological factors that affect the business for eg climate change, global warming, and rapid depletion of our natural resources. * Legal factors: These refer to the legal environment in which the business is conducted. For eg. Trade barriers, consumer law, anti-dumping duty, corporate acts. Titan group Titan was formed in 1984 with the joint venture of Tata group and the Tamil Nadu international development corporation. It is mainly present in the watch industry although it has successfully forayed into the jewellery segment with the launch of Tanishq. Some of the notable brands of Titan are Sonata and Fastrack . It has made successful JV with international brands like Tommy Hilfiger,Hugo Boss,fcuk and made their presence felt in India. It has also made foray into eyewear with the launch of Fastrack eyewear and sunglasses. Alongside Tanishq, Titan has Zoya, the largest retail chain in luxury segment. It has a total of 665 retail outlets all over India backed by a committed workforce of around 5000 employees. PESTEL analysis of Titan Political factors : The Watch industry in India was started by the Indian government with the launch of HMT(Hindustan machine tools) in 1961. Till 1991 HMT enjoyed market leadership due to the trade barriers in the form of quantitative restrictions imposed on foreign products. There were very few players giving serious competition to HMT. But the scenario drastically changed with the formation of Titan and the liberalization policy adopted by the Indian government in 1991. As the trade barriers reduced, more and more players entered the Indian Watch industry which has one of the least watch penetration ratio all over the world (27%). Although the Indian government has successfully reduced the taxes and duties on imported watches and components it is still 50 to 60 percent over and above the watch prices in Singapore or Dubai. Due to this smuggling and tax evasion is quite prevalent in India. Economic factors: The Indian Economy is on a boom. It is having an impressive growth of 8-9 % per year which is second only to china. There is a huge influx of foreign investment in India in all the sectors including watch industry. Many International brands are have set up their retail outlets in india. The Indian watch Industry is growing at an impressive growth of 20% for the last two to three years. The luxury and the premium watch segment is the fastest growing segment with 25% growth per annum. The percapita income of the middle class Indian has increased many folds from a meager 500$ in 1990 to 1500$ in 2010. There is a moderate rate of inflation @ 10% per annum which is far below than many developed countries. Indian consumers are more confident than a decade ago and they are buying products which were a dream for their previous generations. More over with the advent of globalization and internet there is no dearth of information about the commodities. Socio-cultural factors : The Indian consumer is highly segmented with respect to the Indian watch industry. The various segments can be segregated as below * The Indian Urban fashion consious elite: This segment of people buy watches as a fashion statement and for them Titan has exclusively launched the ZOYA brand. The watches of this segment range from Rs 1500 and above. This segment is not Price sensitive. Most of them are brand conscious and very few of them frequently change brand. These people have a yearly salary of more than 8 lakhs. * The Indian Urban upper middle class : This segment of people are somewhat price conscious. They want to buy the most stylish watches at the most affordable prices. Titan has launched the Sonata segment specifically to cater this segment. These people are the bridge way between Indian deep rooted values and western fashion statement. This is the reason Sonata has launched Bandhan for married couples. It is a set of two watches for both the husband/boyfriend and wife/girlfriend. This category of consumers wants to get the best thing at the best affordable price. They don’t mind to pay the extra buck if the quality is good. This segment of consumers has an annual salary of 4-7 lakhs per annum. The Indian urban youth: This segment of consumers are fashion conscious. The age group of these consumers is between 15-28 yrs. The sports watch is specifically meant to cater this segment of consumers. Titan launched the Fastrack segment of watches for this segment. This segment wants to buy watches of the latest trends to show a style statement to their peers. This segment is relatively less price sensitive than the Indian Urban middle class. Apart from watches, Titan has also forayed into the eyewear segment with the launch of Fastrack eyewear to cater to the needs fashion needs of the Indian Urban youth. The Indian Urban middle class/Rural middle class: This is the segment where maximum volume of sales takes place. This is the most price sensitive consumer segment. The watches are below Rs 300 range. This segment is catered majorly by the unorganized sector. An unique feature of this segment is that consumers go for metallic watches even though they are heavier and costlier than the plastic ones. Metallic watches gives a sense of sturdiness to the watch which is absent in plastic watches. This is segment is the most price sensitive segment as the disposable income is very less. The consumers of this segment give high importance to warranty. They use watches not for style statement but for tracking time. They treat watches as a lifetime asset and brand plays a very important role in their buying decision. It is very common to find HMT watches that has been bought by the father to be passed on to the next generation. With the mobile phone rapidly becoming an integral part of the consumer’s daily lifestyle, it provides a serious threat to the Indian watch industry. Earlier watches were bought mainly for two reasons to keep a track of time and for alarm. All these features being now widely available in Mobile phones at throw away prices, they are giving a serious competition to the Indian watch industry specifically the segments which are price sensitive. Technological Factors: The Indian watch industry was kick-started by the launch of HMT. HMT produced mainly mechanical watches which dominated the Indian market till Titan was formed in 1984. Titan introduced Quartz watches which were an instant hit in the market. The Quartz watches were based on the Quartz crystal technology which did not need mechanical components for its functioning. After Quartz technology came the digital technology. Digital watches were popular because of their precision and design flexibility . It also drastically reduced the price of the watches making it affordable to the common man. Digital watches are very popular in the unorganized sector which accounts for around 60 % of the total watch market. The luxury bands like Rolex have their own technology which is reflected in their products. Although Titan is moving towards Rural, Semi urban markets but still its majority sales takes place in the urban markets. The majority of its customers are contemporary, trendy internet savvy urban youth. With the advent of online sites like e bay and Amazon. com Titan should also go online with its entire product portfolio. It will also indirectly enhance its international presence resulting in increase in the bottom line. Environmental Factors: The Watch industry is one such industry which has one of the highest scrap age rates. Most of the watches having plastic as one of their major components are not biodegradable causing serious threat to the environment. Majority of the watch components are outsourced from third world countries like Taiwan where the working conditions are very bad. Also most of the electronic components that go into the watch like LED and electronic circuits are not biodegradable. The gases that are formed after burning of these components are major constituents of global warming. Legal Factors: Although the Indian Government has drastically reduced the Import duty and tariff rates still the duty is 50-60 % higher than the actual price. This leads to a lot of smuggling causing a huge dent in the exchequer of the Indian government. This is quite prevalent in the watches present in the luxury segment costing more than Rs 50000. These watches are bought to India by illegal means in completely knocked down(CKD) form and then sold at a considerable discount. Although with the advent of modern retail this has reduced to a slight extent but it is still prevalent widespread. Conclusion: Taking into consideration all these external factors we can safely conclude that Titan is better positioned than ever before to exploit the Indian watch industry. With a very low watch penetration percentage it is expected that the Indian watch industry will grow in double digits in the near future. Although many foreign players have entered the Indian market but they have failed to catch the imagination of the Indian consumers as a whole. It is evident from the fact that Titan has more than 65% market share in the organized watch sector. Indian market is a complex market and Titan is going in the right direction by launching products which reflects the cultural ethos of Indian consumers like Bandhan and Fastrack two entirely different market segments. Titan established itself as the market leader by launching the latest technology from time to time. It outlasted HMT by launching Quartz watches and has kept up with the latest technology by launching digital technology as when was required. It is one single brand that caters to all the consumer segments. It has its products in the luxury segment like Zoya as well as products for the common man below the price range of Rs. 300. With the urban youth(which constitute more than 60% of the population) moving towards a western kind of lifestyle Titan has taken the right step by foraying into jewelry and eyewear. But Mobile Phones fast catching up as a substitute for watches Titan should diversify its business into high-end designer mobiles with a specific focus on watches(like mobile phones designed like a watch) to offer better diversity to the Indian consumers.