Human Impact on the Environment (WJEC GCSE Biology: Combined Science)

• A rapidly increasing human population means that the human need for resources continues to increase, e.g.
  • More agriculture is needed to ensure that enough food is produced
  • Land requirements for housing are increasing
  • Industry requires more land and energy and also produces more pollution
• The increased need for resources means that human requirements are often in conflict with the needs of other species

Environmental impact assessments

• Proposed developments, e.g. housing or industrial buildings, can only go ahead once an environmental impact assessment has been completed 
  • During an environmental impact assessment, biologists study the proposed development site to identify local species and determine the value of the site to wildlife
    • Endangered or protected species might be found, e.g. great crested newts
    • Important sites, such as maternity bat roosts, might be present
  • The assessment will determine the effects of a particular development on local wildlife and will put forward solutions to reduce its impact
• The findings of an assessment may mean that:
  • Developers need to modify their plans to protect certain endangered species, e.g. relocating newts to another local pond
  • Developers are granted permission under certain conditions, e.g. they may be asked to plant more trees, or build new habitats for displaced species
  • Permission may be refused if environmental damage cannot be mitigated

Bouke ten Cate, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

An environmental impact assessment may be carried out to determine whether great crested newts are present on a proposed development site; if they are found then developers would be expected to protect them

Government agencies

• In addition to environmental impact assessments, which are often carried out by biologists working for private companies, there are government agencies tasked with reducing the impact of human activities on the environment, e.g.
  • The Environment Agency
    • Involved with ensuring that development is carried out in a sustainable way
    • Has responsibility for waste management

• In order to produce enough food to feed a growing human population, some farmers are turning to more intensive farming methods
• Intensive farming aims to produce more food with reduced energy and land inputs

Advantages and disadvantages of intensive farming table