Project work
Escola Secundária de Paços de Ferreira
“Environmental problems”
11ºE
Written by:
João Abreu Nº7
Juan Chaves Nº8
Manuel Oliveira Nº11
Tiago Sousa Nº18
Introduction:
Hello class, today we are going to talk about environmental problems, but what are they
exactly? The environment is the biological, physical and chemical conditions where we, and
all the living beings develop.
Every species has their consequences to their habitat, but when it's moderate it won't have a
negative effect on the environment. This is the problem we have nowadays. With the
evolution of the human race, our effect is too much for nature to bear.
So, we are going to show you the most notable human made cases that harm the
environment.
Deforestation:
Deforestation is a very known and pressing environmental issue, which unfortunately is
notoriously widespread across the green areas. As you’re most definitely aware, it’s
characterized by the permanent clearing or removal of forests whose resources are primarily
used as building materials and the newly “opened” spaces are bound to be utilized as
agricultural and/or livestock. Just as a heads up, according to the American Chemical
Society’s study in 1990, as much as 30% of the world’s forests have already been cleared
since the invention of agricultural practices. However, half of this land has been cut-down in
the last century alone.
We could talk for hours about examples, knowing this, we decided to only mention the
enormous scale of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. This problem is responsible for the
death of native species, the migration of animals, CO2 emissions caused by the fires, the
destruction of ameridian land, soil erosion and many more short and long-term consequences.
To stop this, we should prioritize sustainable development of agriculture and livestock
production to minimize the space required for such activities; Institute laws and regulations
that are effectively monitored; Replant deforested areas to revive green areas that might once
again make a home for native species.; Create mutual funds to be used for these solutions and
many more creative ideas that anyone can come up with.
Overpopulation:
It happens when the number of people in an area grows so large that the environment,
economy, and available resources can’t support everyone’s needs. These resources include
food, water, energy, housing, jobs, and clean air.
Overpopulation is known to cause a lot of problems, some of them being environmental
stress, resource shortages, economic pressure and social challenges, such as increased
inequality and poverty.
In the world, today we deal with both extremes, overpopulation (India) and population
decline (Japan).
Some ways to deal with these problems are; intelligent resource management, family
planning and global cooperation, all and all these solutions will help reduce the extreme
scenarios.
Air pollution:
Air pollution is the amount of factors that involve the contamination of air in the
atmosphere. The most substantial causes are the burning of fossil fuels, that release gases
such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide; automobiles such as buses, cars, airplanes and
boats; livestock farming, being cows the most problematic species in terms of gases; and also
factories and industries, that release similar gases of burning of fossil fuels.
There are lots of other examples but they don't produce the same amount of pollution as the
ones referred to.
Of course these have consequences, such as respiratory related diseases; global warming;
acid rain, this is the junction of gases like sulphur and nitrogen with rain water; the
destruction of the ozone layer, that protects us from ultraviolet rays originating from the sun.
One of the most affected cities in the world is New Delhi, that after the Diwali Festival,
which is typical the use of firecrackers, had more than 40 times the World Health
Organization’s annualized guideline level, in New Delhi’s PM 2.5 concentration (a measure
of pollutants in the air), according to Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir.
Water pollution:
Water pollution is, currently, one of the most serious and troublesome environmental
problems that the world has to face. It occurs when harmful substances, such as chemicals,
microplastics, sewage or oil, enter rivers, lakes and oceans. These substances interfere with
beneficial uses of clean water and the natural functioning of diverse ecosystems.
There are lots of examples of water pollution that we could talk about, but the one that
shocked us the most was the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia dam disaster, in 2025.
In February 2025, a mining dam collapsed in Zambia, which led to the release of millions of
liters of toxic waste into the Kafue river. The waste released was highly acidic and full of
harmful chemicals, killing an uncountable amount of fish, damaging crops and making the
water unsafe to people for drinking purposes.
In order to stop water pollution, we must establish rigorous laws to farmers and industries,
such as reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and treating their wastewater before
sending it to rivers and lakes, correspondingly.
Illegal/Excessive mining:
Illegal and excessive mining are very devastating but often forgotten environmental
problems. It is defined by the act of illegally operated and en masse mining operations across
the globe. Just like other issues we mentioned, it is heavily correlated with the degeneration
of the soil, deforestation, expulsion of species, illegal practices and much more.
Once again, the Amazon rainforest is a central hub of illegal and excessive mining
operations. It is heavily used by “Garimpeiros” that are known for using violence, bribes and
shady businesses in order to mine gold and other natural resources that are sold in black
markets, so the money doesn’t even go to public services.
A possible solution for this would be the establishment of government monitored and backed
mining, since we still need the materials that mining brings us and if it is controlled and
regulated, we could lessen and discourage illegal and immoderate mining. As well as the
punishment of people that don’t comply.
Climate change:
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in global temperatures, weather patterns, and
natural systems. While Earth’s climate has always changed, the current rate of change is
unusually fast and is mainly driven by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels,
deforestation, and intensive livestock farming.
Climate change is known to affect all sorts of ecosystems by destroying the habitats,
affecting migration patterns and in general worsening the environment. To fight against
climate change we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect and restore forests, reduce
waste and more importantly we should educate people on how to avoid activities that are
harmful to the environment and what alternatives to take.
Although the scenario seems depressing, we can already see improvements in some areas,
such as the ozone layer, which has been slowly going back to normal.
Unsustainable agriculture:
Unsustainable agriculture refers to farming practices that damage the environment or exhaust
natural resources faster than they can be renewed. It often arises from excessive use of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides, continuous soil exploitation, large-scale monoculture and
inefficient irrigation. These practices degrade soil health, reduce water availability and
diminish biodiversity.
A clear example could be the excessive groundwater use in China’s North Plain, used to
support a high-intense wheat cropping system, leading to declining groundwater tables and
water quality degradation. To address this problem, farmers and policymakers can promote
sustainable methods such as crop rotation, reduce chemical fertilizers and regenerative soil
management.
Strengthening agriculture regulations and supporting farmers through education and
incentives can help shift agriculture towards long-term ecological balance.
Predatory fishing:
Predatory fishing (often called overfishing) happens when the human race catches fish at a
rate greater than the populations can naturally reproduce, resulting in the species becoming
increasingly underpopulating in that area. The declining of fish populations threatens food
security for millions of people who rely on fish for protein, causing negative economical and
social consequences. It can also harm other marine life, since some types of fishing destroy
habitats on the ocean floor.
A report by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) in 2020 stated
that 34% of the fish stocks of the world’s marine fisheries were classified as overfished.
Mitigation measures include government regulation of strict laws, protecting young fish and
allowing their reproduction, designating zones where fishing is restricted and banned, and
encouraging people to buy sustainable caught seafood.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, these issues are a prominent but usually neglected part of our daily lives. So,
we must always remember what is happening to the environment that has always sustained
us. We also must keep trying to improve our ecological footprints everyday, by making laws,
small individual actions, group projects, eco-friendly non-governmental organizations and
much more to make our world a better place for ourselves and for future generations.
Webography:
Consulted in 23/11/2025:
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