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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was founded to promote the sustainable use of natural resources. It was one of the first steps forward into the future of climate change prevention through smart resource management
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Minamata disease was a "neurological syndrome" caused by severe mercury poisoning from industrial wastewater dumped into Minamata Bay, Japan. It was a powerful symbol of the dangers of industrial waste on the environment, emphasizing the need for regulations on industry
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The publishing of this book spoke on the devastating effects that pesticides had on the environment, specifically bird, and the regulations that needed to be put in place. This marked a step forward in government regulation on dangerous industrial substances such as the ban of DDT has pesticide.
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This book written by James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis proposed that all living organisms are interconnected in a complex web of reliance on each other. It caused a shift in the understanding of the food web and how fragile the environment is. It provided a framework for understanding global environmental challenges like climate change.
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The Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine was the largest nuclear disaster to date. It demonstrated the catastrophic potential of technology like nuclear power and its environmental risks, leading to a global re-evaluation of nuclear power safety protocols and fueling anti-nuclear policies within the environmental movement.
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This international treaty was designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of chemicals responsible for ozone depletion, such as aerosols. It is widely considered one of the most successful international environmental agreements, proving that nations can cooperate effectively to solve a global environmental problem.
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The Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska was one of the largest in U.S. history. The disaster caused widespread ecological damage and highlighted the environmental risks of oil extraction and transport, leading to new regulations and increased corporate responsibility.
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This was the largest oil spill in history, caused by Iraqi forces purposely dumping oil from tankers and terminals during the Gulf War. It highlighted the weaponization of the environment in warfare and showed the environmental consequences war.
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The Kyoto Protocol was the first major international treaty to set legally binding targets for greenhouse gas emissions. It was a landmark event that solidified the global response to climate change and established the principle of responsibilities among nations.