Chapter 16 (Environmental Policy and Sustainability ) Lecture Outline 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. Introduction Public policy is set of rules or decisions that influence how we act, as individuals and as a society while environmental policy involves rules designed to protect natural resources and public health. The safety of our air, drinking water, and food are all protected by laws developed by past generations of voters and policy makers. Access to public lands and public waterways is also protected by laws. Most of the time we forget about these rules, and we take these protections for granted. The best way to ensure that policies serve the general public interest is to ensure that the public is active, well informed, and involved in policy making, that is, to allow open debate that allows all voices to be heard. Elected representatives defend policies they think will benefit their constituents. In fact, the rules that result from political wrangling are imperfect and involve a lot of compromises. Often nobody is completely satisfied, but ideally rules need to be reasonably palatable to a majority of voters in order to pass a vote. In this chapter, you will learn about environmental policies that may help to manage natural resources sustainably. Go to the next slide for seven important learning outcomes. 16-2 Learning Outcomes After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1.Generalize environmental policy, and how is it formed. 2.Discover National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and assess what does it does. 3.Describe some of the important U.S. environmental laws. 4.Describe several international environmental laws and conventions. 5.Identify how the different branches of government influence environmental policy. 6.Explain some of the ways students can contribute to environmental protection. 7.Discover Millennium Development Goals. 16-3 Never doubt that a small, highly committed group of individuals can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead 16-4 350.org: Making a Change 16-5 16.1 Environmental Policy and Law Public policy is set of rules or decisions that influence how we act, as individuals and as a society. Environmental policy involves rules and regulations designed to protect natural resources and public health. Most of the time we forget about these rules, and we take these protections for granted. Theoretically, in a democratic system, these policies are established through negotiation and compromise. The best way to ensure that policies serve the general public interest is to ensure that the public is active, well informed, and involved in policy making. 16-6 What Drives Policy Making? Power and influence inevitably control much of our policy making. Economic interest groups, industry associations, labor unions, or wealthy and powerful individuals often have disproportionate access to lawmakers. Public interest groups work to gain similar access by developing broad support, bringing citizens to the capital to meet with legislators. Often these groups organize public events and protests, because they lack money for influencing policy. 16-7 Demonstrations Can Influence Environmental Policy Makers 16-8 Public Citizenship is Also a Powerful Force Many of our current public policies in the United States such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Voting Rights Act, and many others defend public interests and collective well-being. 16-9 Citizen Initiated Environmental Movements are Import Globally Citizen movements for environmental quality often have been important globally and historically. Chinas government has recently modified many policies in response to environmental complaints. Globally, support for environmental protection is widespread. A 2007 BBC poll of 22,000 residents of 21 countries found that 70 percent of respondents said they were personally ready to make sacrifices to protect the environment. 09/22/ Results of a 2007 BBC Poll on Environmental Attitudes 16-11 The Policy Cycle 16-12 Building Support is Central to Policy Development Often groups hire a lobbyist who can dedicate weeks, months, or even years to develop support of legislators. A common strategy is to finance commentators on radio and television who, while in an apparent position of neutrality, can promote a particular point of view. When watching the media, its always a good idea to follow the money if you want to learn more about the views expressed The Next Policy Step is Implementation Ideally, government agencies faithfully carry out policy directives as they organize bureaucracies, provide services, and enforce rules and regulations. Often, continued public attention is needed to make sure the government enforces its own rules. Once a rule is enacted, it almost invariably requires re-evaluation and improvement after time. Often laws expire after a designated number of years, so that it is necessary to re-authorize a law, or vote again to continue it Are We Better Safe Than Sorry? The precautionary principle states that when an activity threatens to harm health or the environment, we should fully understand risks before initiating that activity. According to this principle, for example, we shouldnt mass-market new chemicals, new cars, or new childrens toys until were sure they are safe. The European Union has adopted this precautionary principle as the basis of its environmental policy. In the U.S., opponents of this approach claim that it threatens productivity and innovation 16.2 Major Environmental Laws We depend on countless laws to protect the water we drink, the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the biodiversity that surrounds us. Most of these laws work to negotiate a balance between the differing interests and needs of various groups, or between the private interests and the public interest. In the sections that follow well examine some of our most important environmental policies in the United States NEPA (1969) Establishes Public Oversight The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is the cornerstone of U.S. environmental policy. NEPA does three important things: 1.It authorizes the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the oversight board for general environmental conditions. 2.It directs federal agencies to take environmental consequences into account in decision making. 3.It requires an environmental impact statement (EIS) be published for every major federal project likely to have an important impact on environmental quality Every Major Federal Project in the U.S. Requires an EIS 16-18 The U.S. Clean Air Act (1970) Regulates Air Emissions The first major environmental legislation to follow NEPA was the Clean Air Act (CAA) of It provided the first nationally standardized rules to identify, monitor, and reduce air contaminants The Clean Water Act (1972) Protects Surface Water The Act aimed to make the nations waters fishable and swimmable. The first goal of the Clean Water Act (CWA) was to identify and control point source pollutants, end-of- the-pipe discharges from factories, municipal sewage treatment plants, and other sources. Later, the CWA was used to address nonpoint sources, such as runoff from urban storm sewers. The Act has also been used to promote watershed- based planning The Endangered Species Act (ESA) Protects Wildlife This 1973 Act identifies and lists species that are vulnerable, threatened, or endangered. Once a species is listed as endangered, this act provides rules for protecting it and its habitat, ideally in order to help make recovery possible The Superfund Act (1980) Lists Hazardous Sites Most people know this law as the Superfund Act because it created a giant fund to help remediate abandoned toxic sites. The proper name of this law is informative, though: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The Act is comprehensive, addressing orphan sites, emergency spills, or uncontrolled contamination, and it allows the EPA to try to establish liability, so that polluters help pay for cleanup 16-23 16.3 How Are Policies Implemented? The laws discussed above are among our most important environmental protections (table 16.1). Each of these laws resulted from action at local, State and national levels by citizens and elected representatives who negotiated policies. Environmental law can be established or modified in each of the three branches of government: Legislative Judicial Executive 16-24 The Legislative Branch Establishes Statutes (Laws) Federal laws (statutes) also called Statutory laws are enacted by Congress and signed by the President. Citizens can be involved in this process either by writing or calling their elected representatives, or by appearing at public hearings. All bills and all public laws (bills passed by Congress) are available for you to examine, as part of the public record. You can find the details of any national law by looking atCitizens can be involved in the legislative process by writing or calling their elected representatives Organizing Protests Can Call Attention to Your Issue 16-26 The Judicial Branch Resolves Legal Disputes The judicial branch of government decides: what the precise meaning of a law is. whether or not laws have been broken. whether a law violates the Constitution. Interpretation is needed because legislation is frequently written in vague and general terms so as to make it widely enough accepted to gain passage. When a law may have been broken, it becomes a matter of criminal law or civil law. The U.S. Supreme Court decides whether a law is consistent with the Constitution of the United States The Supreme Court Decides Pivotal Cases 16-28 The Executive Branch Directs Administrative Law More than 100 federal agencies and thousands of state and local boards and commissions oversee environmental rules. These bodies set rules, decide disputes, and investigate misconduct. The EPA is the primary agency with responsibility for protecting environmental quality in the U.S. Other agencies that have environmental impacts are the Department of the Interior, which oversees public lands and national parks, and the Department of Agriculture, which oversees forests and grasslands The Executive Branch Oversees Administrative Rules Within the executive branchheaded by the president, or by the governor of a statevarious agencies, boards, and commissions oversee environmental policies. These bodies set rules, decide disputes, and investigate misconduct. At the federal level, these rules can have far-reaching consequences. Executive rules can be made quickly and with little interference from Congress and with little public oversight or discussion Smokey Bear Symbolizes the Forestry Services Role in Extinguishing Wild Fires 16-31 How Much Government Do We Want? In his 1981 inaugural address, President Ronald Reagan famously said, Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. In this, he invoked a perennial debate in American politics: Is government a power that undermines personal liberties? Or is government a defender of liberties and rights and the common good? Part of the reason these disputes persist may be that both views are partially correct 16.4 International Policies Nations have become increasingly interested in signing on to international agreements for environmental protection. Convention or Treaty are other terms for these agreements. A principal motivation in these treaties is the recognition that countries can no longer act alone to protect their own resources and interests. Water resources, the atmosphere, trade in endangered species, and many other concerns cross international boundaries Major International Agreements Here are several benchmark agreements: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES, 1973). Montreal Protocol (1987) protects stratospheric ozone. The Basel Convention (1992) restricts shipment of hazardous waste across borders. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (1994) directs governments to share data on climate change, to develop national plans for controlling greenhouse gases, and to cooperate in adapting to climate change 16-35 Enforcement Depends on National Pride Enforcement of international agreements usually depends on the idea that countries care about their international reputation. Most countries are reluctant to appear irresponsible or immoral in the eyes of international community, so moral persuasion and public embarrassment can be effective enforcement strategies. Shining a spotlight on transgressions will often push a country to comply more with international agreements United Nations Climate Change Conference 16-37 Japan Helped Derail Attempts to List Bluefin Tuna as Endangered Under CITES 16-38 16.5 What Can Individuals Do? Whatever your skills and interests, you can participate in policy formation and help to contribute to understanding and protecting our common environment. Communicating the ideas of environmental science requires educators, policy makers, artists, writers, engineers, economists and business leaders. Environmental educators are also needed to help train an environmentally literate populace Learning About the Natural World is the Foundation of Environmental Protection 16-40 Environmental Literacy is a Policy Aim The National Environmental Education Act, passed by Congress in 1990, identified environmental education as a national priority. The act established two broad goals: To improve public understanding of the environment. To encourage postsecondary students to pursue careers related to the environment. 09/22/ Environmental Education Develops Ecological Awareness and Appreciation 16-42 Citizen Science Lets Everyone Participate Many students are discovering they can make authentic contributions to scientific knowledge through active learning and undergraduate research programs. One way of doing this is to get involved in organized citizen science projects in which ordinary people join with established scientists to answer real scientific questions. Community-based research was pioneered in the Netherlands. Similar research opportunities exist in the United States and Canada The Audubon Christmas Bird Count: An Example of Citizen Science 16-44 How Much is Enough? Technology has made consumer goods and services cheap and readily available in the richer countries of the world. Conspicuous consumption is a term used to describe things we buy just to impress others, things we dont really want or need. Some social critics call this accelerated consumerism affluenza. Choosing to consume less is an easy way to reduce your global environmental footprint and save money Is Shopping Our Highest Purpose? 16-46 16.6 Campus Greening Colleges and universities are powerful catalysts for change. Because a fundamental purpose of universities is to collaborate in exploring new ideas, students and faculty in schools worldwide are working to develop strategies for more sustainable living and for restoring environmental quality. Like 350.org, countless student-led efforts have pushed for better environmental policies Student Action has Lasting Effects Another large and successful student environmental group in North America is the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC). Formed in 1988 by students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This groups has grown to include more than 30,000 members in some 500 campus environmental groups. SEAC also functions as an information clearinghouse and a training center for student leaders Working With Student Environmental Groups Can Give You Valuable Experience 16-49 Electronic Media are Changing the World One of the lessons of 350.org is that new media provide new opportunities to organize action. The power of social media to organize mass demonstrations and change political systems sometimes practically overnight. Youth with few resources other than cell phones, blogs, and a social network can have a powerful impact. Social media, online videos, and blogs create a virtual media network that competes with traditional media Schools are Embracing Green Building Green building is one of the areas in which colleges and universities often show leadership. More than 110 colleges have buildings certified to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. Prize-winning sustainable designs can be found at large institutions, such as Stanford University, and small colleges, such as Oberlin College in Ohio or Middlebury in Vermont. The first college to get all of its energy from renewable resources was Concordia University. 09/22/ A Green Building At Oberlin College Oberlins Center for Environmental Studies features photovoltaic panels on its roof, a geothermal well to help heat and cool the building, large south-facing windows for passive solar gain, and a living machine for water treatment Reducing Your Impact Purchase Less Ask yourself whether you really need more stuff. Avoid buying things you dont need or wont use. Use items as long as possible (and dont replace them just because a new product becomes available). Use the library instead of purchasing books you read. Reduce Excess Packaging Carry reusable bags when shopping and refuse bags for small purchases. Buy items in bulk or with minimal packaging; avoid single-serving foods. Choose packaging that can be recycled or reused. Avoid Disposable Items Conserve Energy Walk, bicycle, or use public transportation. Turn off (or avoid turning on) lights, water, heat, and air conditioning when possible. Put up clotheslines or racks to avoid using a clothes dryer. Carpool and combine trips to reduce car mileage. Save Water Use water-saving devices and fewer flushes with toilets and dont leave water running. Based on material by Karen Oberhauser, Bell Museum Imprint, University of Minnesota, Used by permission Audits Help Reduce Energy Consumption Campus audits are an area where students, faculty, and administrators collaborate to examine water and energy use, waste production and disposal, paper consumption, recycling, buying locally produced food, and other strategies to cut resource consumption. There are several different auditing systems that help guide and organize data collection on campus consumption of energy and materials Many Schools Have Installed Their Own Wind Turbines 09/22/ 16.7 The Challenge of Sustainable Development The idea of sustainability is that if we hope to be here for the long term, we cant deplete the natural systems we depend on for food, water, energy, fiber, waste disposal, and other life-support services. The idea of sustainable development is to share opportunity by improving peoples lives in impoverished regions, and to extend human well- being over many generations. To be truly enduring, these benefits must be available to all humans, not just to members of a privileged group. 09/22/ As Developing Countries Become More Affluent They Increase Consumption 16-57 National Organizations are Influential but Sometimes Complacent Among the oldest, largest, and most influential environmental groups in the United States are: the National Wildlife Federation the World Wildlife Fund the Audubon Society the Sierra Club the Izaak Walton League Friends of the Earth Greenpeace Ducks Unlimited the Natural Resources Defense Council The Wilderness Society 16-58 Meeting Present Needs Without Compromising the Needs of the Future The World Commission on Environment and Development defined sustainable development in Our Common Future as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs . 09/22/ A Model for Integrating Sustainable Development 09/22/ Goals of Sustainable Development A demographic transition to a stable world population of low birth and death rates. An energy transition to high efficiency in production and use, coupled with increasing reliance on renewable resources. A resource transition to reliance on natures income without depleting its capital. An economic transition to sustainable development and a broader sharing of its benefits. A political transition to global negotiation grounded in complementary interests between North and South, East and West. 09/22/ Sustainable Development Must Protect the Needs of Future Generations 09/22/ 09/22/ Conclusion In this chapter we have examined some of some basic environmental policies, and the ways policies are formed. There are many players in the formation of environmental policy. Student activism has long been essential both for shaping policy and for building leadership skills and experience in the leaders of tomorrow. Sustainable development is one of our greatest challenges. Finding ways to share opportunity without destroying resources requires creativity and commitment