Kircher Library Geography

A short introduction to the Great Barrier Reef and its importance. Links to the Living Planet Report 2014, a video (6:09 minutes) on the challenges to the reef posed by industry, agriculture and tourism. The video ends with how better farming choices help.

Queensland government website on sustainable farming, with links to reef regulations and reef protection initiatives. Also click on the other links to learn about reef water quality.

UNESCO has been expressing concern over the erosion of the Great Barrier Reef, and considering whether to list it as "in danger". This could foil plans for huge coal mines to be opened up in Queensland in 2017, and the expansion of the coal port on the Queensland coast. This could also impact on tourism. As you read the article, consider what the different stakeholders could or should do. Also links to The Great Barrier Reef: An Obituary, which gives a historical overview of human impact on the reef. 

Actions taken by the Australian Marine Conservation Society, together with WWF Australia, to fight against industrial development which threatens the Great Barrier Reef.

About the oil spill in 2015 and actions taken to clean it up.

Link to online copy of  "A reef-wide framework for managing traditional use of marine resources in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park".

The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) has called on federal Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt to take immediate and effective action to tackle global warming, the fundamental driver of coral bleaching.  Search for the latest news on this topic.

Managing  the Great Barrier Reef is very complex and involves many agencies. This paper presents zoning as a key management tool, but also mentions other measures taken by GBRMPA. Also mentions the role of politics in the rezoning process.

Links to all the plans and legislation to protect the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

An urban sustainability expert, Warren Karlenzig, identifies four key challenges faced by Chinese megacities: water scarcity, energy efficiency, transportation issues, and waste disposal. He also proposes some solutions.

Interactive chart showing latest figures on housing affordability in Chinese megacities. Click on the link for "For whom the bubble blows" to read the full article, including some government measures to support megacity property buyers.

Explains how water is transported from long distances to supply a megacity, Beijing, and how this impacts on the people and environment outside of the city. Includes some measures taken to make the solution a sustainable one.

Describes the waste management system in East Kolkata, where a complex ecosystem process has been adopted by fish and vegetable farmers to treat sewage and garbage, making them useable for aquaculture and horticulture.

As part of an ambitious attempt to build a 21st century city, Lagos authorities targeted Makoko, a floating slum, and demolished many of its makeshift structures which posed health and safety issues. Includes a video interview with Felix Morka, executive director of Social and Economics Rights Action Center, on how this development has affected the residents of Mokoko.

This is a feature article on a doctor who worked for 25 years in Mumbai's busiest public hospital. She was especially troubled by the high mortality rate of sick infants, which led her to take radical steps to improve hygiene at the hospital.

This is a policy brief based on the findings of Human Development in South Asia 2014. The author outlines the key factors affecting the social, geographical, infrastructural and environmental dynamics of Karachi, and proposes policies to improve urban planning and development. 

The author outlines the traffic problems in Jakarta and the measures being taken to relieve these problems, but argues that these solutions are not enough.

Links to organisations, travel information, environment, heritage, publications

There's a few tips that are worth keeping in mind when creating your own graphic designs. The tips in this post will have you creating great looking graphics in no time at all.

Scroll to the bottom of the paged to find the MDG Progress Chart 2014 which presents an assessment of the regional progress towards selected key targets relating to each Goal as of June 2014.