Adam Romero

Environmental Geography as a Branch of Applied Geography

Environmental geography plays a unique role as a branch of applied geography. While geography as a whole seeks to understand the Earth’s physical and human systems, applied geography specifically focuses on practical solutions to real-world problems. Environmental geography applies geographical theories and methods to address pressing environmental challenges, making it one of the most relevant and solution-oriented fields within geography today.

What Is Applied Geography?

Applied geography is the use of geographical knowledge and techniques to tackle societal issues. Instead of studying geography purely for academic purposes, applied geographers take a more hands-on approach, using data analysis, mapping tools like GIS (Geographical Information Systems), and field research to solve problems such as urban development, natural resource management, and environmental protection.

Applied geography integrates various branches of geography—such as human geography, physical geography, and environmental geography—into actionable solutions. This means applied geographers work across disciplines, often collaborating with scientists, policy-makers, urban planners, and environmentalists to make impactful decisions.

For example, applied geographers might use spatial analysis to study flood-prone areas, helping government agencies implement disaster management plans that protect communities. Environmental geography, as a subfield of applied geography, plays a critical role in identifying and mitigating environmental risks like deforestation, water scarcity, and air pollution.

How Environmental Geography Fits Into Applied Geography

Environmental geography, within the applied geography framework, focuses on understanding and resolving environmental problems. The environmental issues we face today—climate change, habitat destruction, pollution—are inherently geographical because they vary across regions and require localized solutions. By examining how different environments interact with human activities, environmental geography offers practical tools to address these challenges.

Key ways environmental geography is applied:

• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA): Geographers conduct EIAs to determine how proposed developments (e.g., construction projects, mining operations) will affect the local environment. They assess potential risks and recommend mitigation strategies to ensure that human actions don’t irreversibly harm ecosystems.
• Resource Management: Environmental geography helps manage natural resources like water, minerals, and forests in a sustainable way. Geographers analyze patterns of resource use, identify areas of overexploitation, and design systems for more sustainable practices. For example, in areas suffering from water scarcity, environmental geographers can provide insights into water conservation strategies or alternative sources.
• Disaster Preparedness and Response: Environmental geographers often work with disaster management teams to predict natural disasters, such as floods or hurricanes, and plan accordingly. They use tools like remote sensing and GIS to analyze vulnerable areas and provide crucial information that can save lives and protect property.

Examples of Applied Environmental Geography

To better understand how environmental geography works as a branch of applied geography, let’s look at a few real-world examples:

1. Urban Green Spaces: In densely populated cities, environmental geographers work with urban planners to design green spaces that reduce air pollution and heat while improving residents’ quality of life. For instance, in New York City, environmental geographers played a role in creating the High Line, an urban park built on an old railway line that promotes biodiversity and sustainable land use.
2. Coastal Erosion Management in the UK: Coastal erosion is a serious issue in many parts of the world, particularly in the UK. Environmental geographers have been instrumental in creating sustainable coastal management strategies, using spatial data to predict future erosion patterns and implementing solutions like beach nourishment and sea walls to protect coastal communities.
3. Forest Conservation in the Amazon: The Amazon rainforest faces severe deforestation, primarily due to logging and agriculture. Environmental geographers collaborate with ecologists and policymakers to monitor deforestation trends using satellite imagery and GIS tools. Their research informs conservation policies and efforts to promote sustainable land use in the region.

By applying their skills in data analysis, mapping, and environmental science, environmental geographers can make significant contributions to solving some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Key Areas of Study in Environmental Geography

Environmental geography covers a wide range of subjects, each focused on understanding the interaction between human societies and the natural world. By examining these key areas, environmental geographers can identify how human activities impact the environment and propose solutions for more sustainable living. Let’s explore some of the most important areas of study within environmental geography.

1. Human-Environment Interaction

One of the central themes in environmental geography is human-environment interaction. This field explores how human activities, such as agriculture, urbanization, and industrialization, affect the natural environment and how, in turn, environmental conditions influence human behavior.

For example:

• Agriculture: Clearing land for farming often leads to deforestation and soil degradation. Environmental geographers study the impact of these activities and work on developing more sustainable agricultural practices, like crop rotation and agroforestry, to reduce environmental damage.
• Urbanization: As cities expand, natural habitats are destroyed, and pollution levels rise. Environmental geographers analyze urban growth patterns and suggest greener city planning initiatives, such as creating parks, reducing emissions, and implementing better waste management systems.

Human-environment interaction also includes the study of how natural disasters (like floods, hurricanes, and droughts) affect human societies. Geographers use this information to improve disaster preparedness and resilience in vulnerable communities.

2. Climate Change and Environmental Geography

Climate change is one of the most pressing global issues today, and environmental geography plays a crucial role in understanding its causes and impacts. Environmental geographers study how changes in the Earth’s climate—rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events—affect ecosystems and human societies.

For example:

• Melting Glaciers: Environmental geographers use satellite imagery and other tools to monitor glacial retreat in areas like Greenland and the Himalayas. The loss of glaciers has significant consequences, including rising sea levels and disrupted water supplies for millions of people.
• Coastal Cities: Rising sea levels caused by climate change pose a direct threat to coastal cities around the world. Environmental geographers study how these cities can adapt, for example, by building sea defenses or creating wetland buffers to absorb floodwaters.

Through climate modeling and geographical analysis, environmental geographers provide crucial insights into how climate change will impact specific regions and what steps can be taken to mitigate its effects.

3. Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Environmental geography also involves the study of ecosystems—the interconnected communities of plants, animals, and microorganisms that exist in specific environments. Environmental geographers investigate how ecosystems function, how they are affected by human activities, and how they can be preserved or restored.

Key concepts in this area include:

• Biodiversity: The variety of life within an ecosystem is a critical component of its health and resilience. Environmental geographers study how human actions like habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change reduce biodiversity and propose conservation strategies.
• Ecosystem Services: Ecosystems provide essential services to humans, such as clean air, water purification, and pollination. Environmental geographers assess how changes to ecosystems—like deforestation or overfishing—affect these services and, in turn, human well-being.

For example, in tropical rainforests like the Amazon, environmental geographers work with ecologists to monitor deforestation rates and their impact on biodiversity. By mapping deforestation using remote sensing technology, they provide data that helps inform policies to reduce illegal logging and protect endangered species.

4. Resource Management

One of the most important applications of environmental geography is natural resource management. This involves managing resources like water, minerals, forests, and land in a way that meets human needs without degrading the environment. Environmental geographers play a key role in analyzing how resources are used, how they can be conserved, and how overexploitation can be prevented.

Examples of resource management in environmental geography include:

• Water Resources: Environmental geographers assess the availability and quality of water resources in different regions. In arid areas, such as the American Southwest, they study how climate change and population growth strain water supplies and propose strategies like water recycling and rainwater harvesting to address shortages.
• Forestry: In forested areas, geographers look at sustainable forestry practices that balance the economic benefits of logging with the need to preserve ecosystems. Techniques like selective logging, reforestation, and forest conservation are informed by geographical studies of forest health and biodiversity.

Resource management is crucial for ensuring that future generations have access to the natural resources they need while minimizing environmental degradation.

The Importance of Environmental Geography in Today’s World

As environmental challenges continue to grow in complexity, environmental geography becomes increasingly critical for addressing these issues. From climate change and biodiversity loss to urbanization and resource depletion, environmental geography provides the necessary tools and insights to understand and solve these problems on a local, regional, and global scale.

1. Addressing Global Environmental Challenges

One of the most significant contributions of environmental geography is its role in tackling global environmental challenges. These challenges include, but are not limited to:

• Climate Change: As discussed earlier, climate change affects ecosystems, weather patterns, sea levels, and human settlements. Environmental geographers contribute to climate action by providing data on vulnerable areas, predicting future impacts, and helping design mitigation strategies. For example, the development of climate adaptation plans for coastal cities, such as Amsterdam or Miami, often relies on geographical data to create flood defenses and manage rising sea levels.
• Biodiversity Loss: The rapid decline of species due to habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change is a critical issue. Environmental geography helps to monitor these changes using tools like remote sensing and GIS to map areas of biodiversity under threat. Conservation efforts, such as the establishment of protected areas or wildlife corridors, are often guided by geographical data that ensures the most vulnerable species are prioritized.
• Pollution: Air and water pollution are significant environmental hazards in many parts of the world. Environmental geography plays a role in monitoring pollution levels and identifying sources of contamination. Geographers might analyze how industrial activities or urban sprawl contribute to air pollution, then work with urban planners and policymakers to reduce emissions or implement cleaner technologies.

By combining geographical analysis with environmental science, environmental geography offers targeted solutions for these global challenges, helping to create sustainable policies and practices.

2. Urbanization and Environmental Geography

Urbanization—the increasing concentration of populations in cities—is a significant trend worldwide, and it has profound impacts on the environment. While urban areas can provide economic opportunities, they also contribute to environmental degradation through pollution, the destruction of natural habitats, and high resource consumption.

Environmental geography helps in managing the environmental impacts of urbanization through urban planning and sustainable development strategies. Some key areas where environmental geography contributes include:

• Green Infrastructure: Environmental geographers work with urban planners to design green spaces within cities that promote biodiversity and provide cleaner air. Projects like the Singapore Gardens by the Bay or the Copenhagen Green Roof Initiative are excellent examples of urban planning informed by environmental geography. These projects help mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce air pollution, and provide residents with access to nature.
• Sustainable Transportation: Cities are major contributors to air pollution, primarily due to transportation. Environmental geographers contribute to the development of sustainable transportation networks, such as public transit, bike lanes, and electric vehicle infrastructure, that reduce a city’s carbon footprint.
• Waste Management: Another significant issue in urban areas is waste production. Environmental geographers help design more efficient waste management systems, such as recycling programs or waste-to-energy plants, to reduce the environmental impact of urban waste.

Urbanization presents both challenges and opportunities for sustainability, and environmental geography provides the framework for making cities more environmentally friendly.

3. The Role of Environmental Geography in Policy Development

Another crucial area where environmental geography is applied is in the creation and implementation of environmental policies. By providing spatial data, geographical analysis, and predictive models, environmental geographers inform policymakers on how best to protect the environment while balancing economic and social needs.

For example:

• Land Use Planning: Environmental geographers assist in land use planning, ensuring that human development is conducted sustainably. They help identify which areas should be reserved for agriculture, conservation, and urban development based on geographical and environmental considerations.
• Climate Adaptation Policies: Many governments now require the integration of climate adaptation strategies into urban and regional planning. Environmental geography provides the data and analysis needed to develop these strategies, ensuring that communities are prepared for the impacts of climate change.

By incorporating geographical insights, environmental policies become more effective and targeted, leading to better environmental management and long-term sustainability.