Sustainability & Resource Management Flashcards
7 cards from real CEP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Sustainability & Resource Management flashcards as text
Which international agreement established the first legally binding global framework for biodiversity conservation, including access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources?
Answer: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) established three goals: biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
A planner is designing a transit-oriented development (TOD). Which sustainability outcome is MOST directly supported by this development pattern?
Answer: Reduced vehicle miles traveled and associated emissions
TOD concentrates development near transit stations, enabling residents to meet daily needs without cars, directly reducing vehicle miles traveled and transportation emissions.
In watershed management, what is a 'riparian buffer'?
Answer: A vegetated strip of land along a water body that filters runoff and provides habitat
Riparian buffers are planted zones of trees, shrubs, and grasses along streams and rivers that intercept pollutants, stabilize banks, and provide wildlife corridors.
Which economic instrument creates a market for pollution reduction by issuing a fixed number of permits that polluters can buy and sell?
Answer: Cap-and-trade system
Cap-and-trade sets a total pollution cap, issues tradable permits, and allows firms to reduce emissions where cheapest while achieving the overall environmental target.
A general plan's conservation element must address which of the following under California law as a model for sustainability planning?
Answer: Protection of natural resources including water, fisheries, and wildlife habitat
California Government Code requires conservation elements to address protection and management of natural resources including water bodies, soils, geology, vegetation, and wildlife.
What is 'net metering' in the context of renewable energy policy?
Answer: A billing arrangement allowing customers with solar panels to receive credit for excess electricity sent to the grid
Net metering credits distributed energy generators (like rooftop solar) for surplus electricity exported to the grid, reducing their utility bills and incentivizing adoption.
Which sustainability indicator best measures the degree to which a community is closing material loops and minimizing waste in its economy?
Answer: Waste diversion rate
Waste diversion rate measures the percentage of total waste diverted from landfill through recycling, composting, and reuse, indicating progress toward circular economy goals.