Final answer:
The answer that is not a part of the global challenge and opportunity is b) Increase the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from economic and social progress. A circular economy requires decoupling emissions and extraction from progress, as well as eliminating waste. On the global scale, sustainability in economic growth is crucial to combat environmental challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the global challenges and opportunities presented, increasing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from economic and social progress is not a part of the goal; in fact, it is what global society aims to avoid. Therefore, option b) Increase the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from economic and social progress is correct as not being part of the global challenge and opportunity. The global opportunity is to mitigate the harmful effects that come from economic growth and this is notably addressed through the concept of a circular economy.
A successful transition to a circular economy requires decoupling greenhouse gas emissions from economic and social progress, eliminating waste and destruction of embodied resources, and decoupling material extraction from economic and social progress. This transformation aligns with sustainable development goals and ensures that economic growth does not come at the expense of our environment, thus fostering resilience and environmental quality alongside economical progress.
Referring to the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse carbon dioxide, planting more environmentally-suitable plants would be a more effective approach than increasing waste deposition into the ocean. The most significant contributors to global warming include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, whereas oxygen is not considered a significant contributor.
The sustainability of our economy and environment is interconnected, requiring innovation, technology development, regulatory intervention, and a shift towards less resource-intensive activities. This change is fundamental to address the myriad of global-scale challenges like climate change and resource depletion.