chapter 21. sustainability people are living longer and are more educated than 100 years ago...
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Chapter 21
SustainabilityPeople are living longer and are more
educated than 100 years agoDisagreements over whether environmental
problems are happening or notIn the end, the world is looking for
sustainability
SustainabilityThe condition in which human needs are met
in such a way that a human population can survive indefinitely
What would it take for you to remain sustainable?
International Development and CooperationThis is a time of globalizationWhere people can move to other countries in
search of better economics
Concern of Sustainability?Because:People live differently and use more
resourcesThe human population is growingPeople are more educated
Difficulties with Binding International Agreements?Governments do not agree on how to solve
environmental problemsGovernments don’t agree on who is
responsible for:Causing the problemsPaying to solve them
International Organizations, Meetings and AgreementsWorld Conservation Union (IUCN) – 1948140 countries united for equitable and
sustainable use of natural resourcesUN Conference on Human Environment –
Stockholm – 1972First meeting to discuss global environmental
problems – led to UN Environmental Program
International Organizations, Meetings, and AgreementsUN Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED or Earth Summit) – Rio de Janeiro – 1992
Produced Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration to outline key policies for sustainable development
World Summit on Sustainable Development – Johannesburg – 2002
Meeting to discuss progress of Agenda 21
International Organizations, Meetings, and AgreementsIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPEC) – 1988Group of scientists studying human-induced
climate changeFramework Convention on Climate Change –
Rio de Janeiro – 1992Recognition and proposal of ways to deal
with Greenhouse Gases
Montreal ProtocolWhere agreements were made about CFC’s
International Organizations, Meetings, and AgreementsKyoto Protocol on Climate Change – 1997Agreement to reduce worldwide emissions of
greenhouse gasesRequires larger reduction by developed
countriesAllows trading of permitted levels of
emissionsPromotes pollution-free development
Other International Organizations, Meetings, and Agreements Related to the Environment Antarctic Treaty and Convention – 1959 – Everyone shares Antarctica for
peaceful purposes International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL) – 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) –
1973 (classifies worldwide endangered species) Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), 1979 – Protects species that
cross borders Laws of the Sea – 1982 – Pollution into oceans that are owned by no
country Basel Convention – 1989 – regulation and transportation of hazardous
wastes Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) – 1994 –
international cooperation in use and disposal of chemicals Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety – 2000 – transportation and use of
genetically modified organisms UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) – 2001 – management, conservation, and
sustainable development of all types of forests
Convention on Biological DiversityWhere agreements were made to protect
endangered and threatened species
EconomicsEconomics is the study of the choices people
make as they use and distribute limited resources
Economic Growth – an increase in the flow of money and products within a market
Market Failures – The market fails if the price of something does not reflect its true cost
Economic Incentives – paying out money for actions that benefit society or charging taxes on actions that have a social cost
Market FailuresAn economists’ view of environmental
problems
Raised Prices due to Pollution TaxNOThe tax should be paid by the manufacturer
making the profitConsumers can only buy what manufacturers
makeManufacturers have the power, they should
pay to pollute
Raised Prices due to Pollution TaxYESManufacturers only produce products that
are in demand by consumersThis demand makes consumers partly
responsibleRaising prices encourages consumers to
switch to products with lower pollution costs
What are some difficulties of limiting whale harvesting?There are loopholes in the regulations that
countries are using to opt out of IWC rules
History of US Policy1800’sAncient Forests cut downPlains Farmed8 Species hunted to extinctionNo one realized the consequences of these
actions until the 1900’s
John MuirThe pioneer of environmental preservationWorked along side Teddy RooseveltEstablished first national parks
Drought and Soil Erosion of 1930’sAn event that demonstrated the need for new
soil conservation practices and policies
US Environmental Federal AgenciesEnvironmental Protection AgencyDepartment of Interior:US Fish and Wildlife ServiceBureau of Land ManagementNational Parks ServiceOffice of Surface Mining Reclamation and EnforcementDepartment of AgricultureDepartment of Commerce:National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Marine Fisheries ServiceNuclear Regulatory CommissionDepartment of Energy
Environmental Protection in Developing CountriesDeveloping countries struggle to provide the
basic necessities – Food and Water – to growing populations
They lack additional resources for environmental protection
Environmental Protection in Developed CountriesUsing the United States as an example:Citizens and politicians often disagree over
the need for:Economic growthEnvironmental protectionDifference in opinion over urgency of certain
environmental problemsWhat’s important to you may not be
important to me
EPAEnvironmental Protection AgencyUS agency that monitors air and water
quality
Environmental Impact StatementA study that accesses the environmental
effects of a project or policy
Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental lawsFed government must provide funding for
any new laws that cost more than $50 million to implement
Federal agencies must evaluate both the economic and environmental impact of their policies and projects
These laws help the government but hurt the state
Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental lawsState and local governments must allocate
their budgets carefully Unlikely to invest in costly environmental
projects unless forced to do soDifficult to place a value on external factors,
such as air qualityEasy to place value on economic factors, such
as job creation
Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental lawsForcing Federal agencies to evaluate both
economic and environment impacts gives an unfair emphasis on economic considerations
Why work on Local GovernmentIf you wanted to convince your elected
leaders that steps should be taken to reduce soil erosion along the bank of the creek that runs through your neighborhood
LobbyingAn organized attempt to influence the
decisions of lawmakers
People who influenced environmental thinkingH. Thoreau – writing – cabin at Walden Pond, MAJ. Muir – Founder of Sierra ClubT. Roosevelt – 1st President to support conservationR. Carson – Silent SpringP. Ehrlich – warned of rapid population growth
through The Population BombJ. Goodall – chimpanzeesM. Stoddart – Author who’s efforts were to save the
Nashua River in MA from pollutionJ. Cousteau – Marine EcologyG. Hardin – human ecology – “Tragedy of the
Commons”
Alice HamiltonThe woman who pioneered the study of
environmental impact on health
Applying Your KnowledgeWhat can you now do with the education you
gained from taking this class?
Projects that NEED Environmental Impact StatementsBuilding a new airportBuilding a new damBuilding a new highway
Evaluation of Environmental SourcesYou should evaluate environmental sources
for:BiasAccuracy
VotingAn action that allows individuals to affect
environmental policy at ALL levels of government
Land Donation for PreserveAn example of private effort to address
environmental problems
How make people comply to environmental regulations?Governments offer two approachesThe first is to fine anyone who violates the
lawNegative approach, but effectiveThe second is to offer incentives to anyone
who volunteersPositive approach to compliance with the law
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