On a cold, cloudy, winter evening eight year old Lily and her mother, Emily stroll down Emerson Park when suddenly Lily recognizes the sound of an ice cream truck. As the ice cream truck approaches Lily and her mother, Lily shouts " Mommy, Mommy! I want chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream!" As a mother, Emily empathizes with her child's craving and purchases the treat although she believes it slight unusual; eating ice cream generally occurs during summertime. Lily joyfully gives thanks to her mother and delightfully tastes her dessert, but as soon as she tastes her ice cream, it quickly melts, and all that remains from the treat consists of nothing but a sugar covered cone. Lily gives her mother a sad questioningly look, and her mother perplexedly stares at the puddle of ice cream left behind on the concrete floor. This act would be considered normal on a steamy, hot summer day; however, it occurred on a cold, cloudy winter evening. What does this situation depict? Why did Lily's ice cream melt during winter? Could there be a correlation between Lily's ice cream and increasing climate changes? Around the world, countries have experienced environmental deterioration, and climate change has been the central focus for many experts and professionals; however, environmental issues in the Netherlands, Japan, Armenia, United Kingdom, and many other countries depict that environmental issues expand beyond solely climate change, as countries experience sea level rise, deforestation, water pollution, soil degradation, radiation, and more. While these environmental issues prevail in differing countries, information technology has begun to play a role in attempting to decipher and solve environmental issues globally. Netherlands, a country located in Western Europe, inhabiting about 16.7 million people, experiences environmental issues of its own (Netherlands). The Netherlands is mostly known for its "peaceful rows of spring tulips, sharp and buttery cheeses, and windmills turning in the breeze," however, it is also known for three main environmental issues; dense population, climate change, and sea level rise.
The Netherlands is considered to have one of the largest populations in Europe. It supports a population of about 16 million people in about only 41,526 sq kilometers; this makes the Netherlands "one of the most densely populated countries in the world " (McKinney). However, how does a highly populated country contribute to environmental issues? A populated country signifies a large number of people contributing to issues such as climate change and sea level rise. With the distinctive approach individuals have demonstrated to treat their ecosystem, an increase in individuals signifies an increase in environmental deterioration. A book entitled "Environmental Performance review of the Netherlands," states that "very high densities of population..have led to very intense pressures on the countries enviroment." The book furthermore argues that '"together with the delicate geographical balance between land and water, these pressures have made environmental protection a matter of serious public concern" (Avérous). Additionally, according to the national geographic, due to the fact that the Netherlands has an exceptionally crowded population, not only has this affected residents, but it has also affected animals as they have had to modify their habitats "around dams, dikes, and canals" (Kids). A dense population results in critical ramifications that affect not only humans, but also other living creatures in surrounding habitats.
Due to dense populations, the Netherlands climate has altered, and the beginning of climate change in the Netherlands has arisen. As stated in a case study conducted by Vanessa Mckinney, " Climate change has the potential to increase sea levels by 20 feet. The lowest city within the Netherlands lies 7 meters below sea level... The expansive system of dams, dykes, and dunes maintained by the country, may not be able to hold back the flood of Climate Change." The ramifications of climate change become evident here; if climate change continues to prosper in the Netherlands, the lives of many individuals change drastically with it as well. Without climate change in the Netherlands, sea level rise would not have prevailed in the country. In McKinney's case study, she derives a connection between climate change and sea level rise when stating that "[the] threat of sea level rise due to Climate Change will test the country's flood protection system." Due to Climate Change, the inhabitants of the Netherlands have risked suffering ramifications from sea level rise.
The Netherlands, in Dutch means "low countries" since it is prone to flooding due to sea level rise (McKinney). Sea level rise in the Netherlands has become a prominent issue - " Half of the country lies below 1 meter above sea level, with an eighth of the country lying below sea level....[and therefore,] sea level rise could impact the Netherlands drastically, leading to social and economic devastation" (Mckinney). Netherlands survival depends on "extensive network of dams, dykes, and dunes," and without such extensive support, the Netherlands would become highly vulnerable and the risk of flooding would increase. As the national geographic website states, "today more than 1,491 miles of dikes shield the low, flat land—almost half of which lies below sea level—from the North Sea. Without the existing dikes 65 percent of the country would be flooded daily" (Geographic). Rising sea levels offer dangerous consequences; individuals living in the Netherlands risk their land, their wealth, financial system, and even their lives. Studies show that due to global warming, many of Earth's polar regions are now warmer, and last warmer longer than previous years ( Mckinney). Vanessa Mckinney mentions in her case study that it is practically impossible to determine when a flood will occur in the Netherlands due to sea level rise; however, the IPCC, known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, predicts that the chances of intense high sea level events become highly likely in the 21st century. Furthermore, sea level rise in the Netherlands has critical consequences. Although the North sea protects the Netherlands from flooding, the probability of malfunction still remains, and without the North sea's protection, nor the network of "dams, dykes, and dunes," the Netherlands would suffer from flooded agricultural lands; "the people, the economy...would be swept away, costing the Dutch their livelihood," costing a mass of individuals to be "displaced from their homes and workplaces" and would cost the Dutch to possibly lose their lives (McKinney).
The Netherlands central environmental issues all correlate with one another, and thus, their order of significance depends on how each environmental issue lead to the rise of other environmental challenges. For example, climate change arose from dense populations, and sea level rise arose from climate change, thus the order of significance begins with dense populations, and continues with climate change, and finally sea level rise. If the Netherlands had a smaller population ratio, climatic change would not have arisen, or if it had, it would not have been as drastic. Without climate change, sea level rise would not exist, since glaciers would still remain as glaciers and would not exist contemporarily as melted ice, and therefore, these environmental issues are ordered depending on their significance in emerging additional environmental challenges.
In order to avoid potential ramifications due to environmental issues, the Netherlands has begun utilizing information technology to their advantage. According to Manfred C. Vernon in " The Netherlands and Its Waters: A Major Problem for a Small and Crowded Nation," through information technology, the Netherlands utilizes the media, and television to expand sustainability ideas and to increase awareness about climatic change in the Netherlands - " Much has been done to enable the population to recognize the need for rapid action; the press, radio, and T.V. are constantly bringing environmental problems to the attention of the populace. Political spokesmen and public figures have been enlisted in the process of continually reminding the nation of the severity of the problem" (Vernon 206). Additionally, through the use of information technology , the Netherlands plans to prepare environmental objectives, create a strong institutional incorporation to guarantee environmental sustainability, continue conducting research for environmental progress, establish " ecological networks and better protect areas at risk (e.g from floods), integrate water management, nature management, and spatial planning" (Netherlands). Through information technology, not only does the Netherlands intend to expand the knowledge on climate change to engage the massive Netherland population to begin taking actions and become pro - active for a sustainable enviroment, but it also attempts to create a management plan designed to limit and reduce the environmental impacts made in the Netherlands as of now. Additionally, the Netherlands plans to utilize information technology when generating "environmental policy planning, land use planning, and water management planning" (Avérous).
Globally, countries experience environmental issues that challenge the forms in which countries execute their current policies. Environmental issues challenge countries such as the Netherlands to change their current policies through information technology in order to promote a more sustainable enviroment and promote the well being of their inhabitants. Through the use of information technology, the Netherlands attempts to convert the environmental detriments of their country and find a solution to their three chief environmental issues; dense population, climate change, and sea level rise.
Here is a list of my references: References: