Politics, Environment, and Sustainability

1. Politics, Environment, and Sustainability Chapter 24

2. 24-1 The Role of Government in the Transition to More Sustainable Societies • Concept 24-1 A government can help to protect environmental and public interests and help to encourage more environmentally sustainable economic development through its policies.

3. Government Can Serve Environmental and Other Public Interests (1) • Balance between government intervention and free enterprise • Is the government the best mechanism to deal with • Full-cost pricing • Market failures • The tragedy of the commons

4. Government Can Serve Environmental and Other Public Interests (2) • Policies and politics • Environmental policy • Policy life cycle: 4 stages • Recognition • Formulation • Implementation • Control

5. Recognition Identify the problem Nonpoint-source water pollution Indoor air pollution Electronic waste Mining wastes Control Monitor and adjust Formulation Look for solutions Groundwater contamination Environmentally harmful subsidies Outdoor air pollution Global warming Sewage treatment problems Urban sprawl Drinking water pollution Nuclear wastes Point-source water pollution Biodiversity losses Implementation Implement solutions Municipal solid waste Toxic wastes Some infectious diseases Aquifer depletion Acid deposition Ozone depletion Municipal solid waste Endangered species Pest damage Soil erosion Exclusion of environmentally harmful costs from market prices Stepped Art Fig. 24-2, p. 636

6. Democracy Does Not Always Allow for Quick Solutions (1) • Democracy • United States • Constitutional democracy • Three branches of government • Legislative • Executive • Judicial

7. Democracy Does Not Always Allow for Quick Solutions (2) • Special-interest groups pressure the government • Profit-making organizations • Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) • Politicians focus on problems with short-term effects, not long-term

8. Certain Principles Can Guide Us in Making Environmental Policy (1) • The humility principle • The reversibility principle • The precautionary principle • The net energy principle • The preventive principle

9. Certain Principles Can Guide Us in Making Environmental Policy (2) • The polluter-pays principle • The public access and participation principle • The human rights principle • The environmental justice principle • How will these principles be implemented?

10. 24-2 How Is Environmental Policy Made? (1) • Concept 24-2A Policy making involves law making, program funding, rule writing, and enforcement of rules by agencies—a complex process that is affected at each stage by political processes.

11. 24-2 How Is Environmental Policy Made? (2) • Concept 24-2B Individuals can work with each other to become part of political processes that influence how environmental policies are made and whether or not they succeed. (Individuals matter.)

12. How Democratic Government Works: The U.S. Model • Three branches • Legislative branch • Executive branch • Judicial branch • Develop and implement policy • Laws, regulation, and funding • Lobbying

13. Laws Courts Legislative branch Executive branch Regulators Lobbyists Lobbyists Public hearing Civil suits Environmental organizations Corporations and small businesses Patronize or boycott Membership support Individuals Purchase recyclable, recycled, and environmentally safe products Use mass transit, walk, ride a bike, or carpool Recycle cans, bottles, paper, and plastic Plant a garden Donate clothes and used goods to charities Use water, energy, and other resources efficiently Fig. 24-3, p. 639

14. Major Environmental Laws and Amended Versions Enacted in the U.S. Since 1969

15. Developing Environmental Policy Is a Controversial Process • Funding needed • Regulations and rules needed to implement the law • Policy: important role in environmental regulatory agencies

16. Case Study: Managing Public Lands in the United States—Politics in Action (1) • 35% of the U.S., ¾ in Alaska • Federal public land • National Forest System • National Resource Land • National Wildlife Refuges • National Park System • National Wilderness Preservation System

17. Case Study: Managing Public Lands in the United States—Politics in Action (2) • Public land use • Views of conservation biologists and environmental economists • Views of developers, resource extractors, and many economists • Since 2002: greater extraction of mineral, timber, and fossil fuel resources on public lands

18. National parks and preserves National forests (and Xs) National wildlife refuges Fig. 24-5, p. 641

19. What Can You Do? Influencing Environmental Policy

20. Environmental Leaders Can Make a Big Difference • Lead by example • Campaign and vote for informed and eco-friendly candidates • Run for local office • Propose and work for better solutions to environmental problems

21. 24-3 What Is the Role of Environmental Law in Dealing with Environmental Problems? • Concept 24-3 Environmental laws and regulations can be used to control pollution, set safety standards, encourage resource conservation, and protect species and ecosystems.

22. Environmental Law Forms the Basis for Environmental Policy (1) • Environmental law • Body of law • Statutory laws • Administrative laws • Common law • Legal concept of nuisance or negligence

23. Environmental Law Forms the Basis for Environmental Policy (2) • Most environmental lawsuits are civil suits • Plaintiff • Defendant • Class action suit

24. Open Ditch Containing Acid Runoff from a Closed Coal Mine In W. Virginia, U.S.

25. Environmental Lawsuits Are Difficult to Win (1) • Has the plaintiff suffered health or financial problems? • Very expensive • Public interest law firms: usually can’t recover attorney’s fees • Have you been harmed and did the company cause the harm?

26. Environmental Lawsuits Are Difficult to Win (2) • Statutes of limitation • Appeals: years to settle • Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) • Major reforms are needed

27. Arbitration and Mediation Are Alternatives to Battling in Court • Arbitration • Can save time, money, and the uncertainly of a jury trial • Mediation • Can save money and time • May not be legally binding

28. Major Types of Environmental Laws in the United States (1) • Set standards for pollution levels • Screens new substances • Encourages resource conservation

29. Major Types of Environmental Laws in the United States (2) • Sets aside or protects certain species, resources, and ecosystems • Requires evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency

30. U.S. Environmental Laws and Regulations Have Been under Attack (1) • Who is opposing the U.S. environmental laws? • Some corporate leaders and other powerful people • Some citizens • Some state and local officials • Why are the opposition?

31. U.S. Environmental Laws and Regulations Have Been under Attack (2) • Since 2000, environmental laws weakened by executive orders and congressional actions • Prevent further weakening by • Science-based education • Education about the current state of the environmental laws • Organized bottom-up political pressure from concerned citizens

32. 24-4 What Are the Major Roles of Environmental Groups? • Concept 24-4 Grassroots groups are growing and combining efforts with large environmental organizations in a global sustainability movement.

33. Citizen Environmental Groups Play Important Roles • Nonprofit nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working at all levels • International • National • State • Local • Grassroots groups to organizations • Examples of NGOs and their global policy networks

34. Case Study: The Natural Resources Defense Council (1) • NRDC • Goes to court to stop environmentally harmful practices • Informs and organizes millions of environmental activists to take actions to protect the environment • Website, magazines, and newspapers

35. Individuals Matter: Butterfly in a Redwood Tree • Julia Hill: Nonviolent civil disobedience • 2 Years in a redwood tree, named Luna • Protested cutting down these ancient trees • Did not save the surrounding forest • Her message: protect biodiversity

36. Science Focus: Greening American Campuses • Accomplishments of environmental audits by students at American colleges and universities • Specific examples • Morris A. Pierce: energy management plan • Oberlin College, OH: nation’s greenest college • Northland College, WI: “green” residence hall • Buying local and organic food • Yale University, CT • Santa Clara University, CA • Dartmouth, NH: bus fueled by waste cooking oil

37. 24-5 How Can We Improve Global Environmental Security? • Concept 24-5 Environmental security is necessary for economic security and is at least as important as military security.

38. Environmental Security Is as Important as Military and Economic Security • Military security • Economic security • All economies supported by the earth’s natural capital • Failing states: rooted in ecological crisis • Darfur, Sudan, Africa

39. Science Focus: Environmental Impacts of War (1) • Effects of a large bomb explosion • Contamination of military sites • Loss of biodiversity • Air and water pollution • Contaminated • Soil, Groundwater, Fish and wildlife

40. Science Focus: Environmental Impacts of War (2) • Economic and job losses • Displaced refugees • Landmines • Radioactive depleted uranium shells • 1998: U.N. Environment Programme

41. We Can Develop Stronger International Environmental Policies (1) • United Nations: most influential • Family of global policy-making organizations • Other influential groups • E.g., the World Bank • NRDC and China • U.N. Conference of Environment and Development: Agenda 21

42. We Can Develop Stronger International Environmental Policies (2) • Montreal and Copenhagen Protocols • Yale and Columbia Universities, U.S. • Developed the Environmental Performance Index (EPI)

43. TRADE-OFFS Global Efforts to Solve Environmental Problems Good News Bad News Environmental protection agencies in 115 nations Most international environmental treaties lack criteria for evaluating their effectiveness Over 500 international environmental treaties and agreements 1992 Rio Earth Summit led to nonbinding agreements with inadequate funding UN Environment Programme (UNEP) created in 1972 to negotiate and monitor international environmental treaties By 2008 there was little improvement in the major environmental problems discussed at the 1992 Rio summit 1992 Rio Earth Summit adopted key principles for dealing with global environmental problems 2002 Johannesburg Earth Summit failed to deal with global environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty 2002 Johannesburg Earth Summit attempted to implement 1992 Rio summit policies and goals and reduce poverty Fig. 24-9, p. 654

44. SOLUTIONS International Environmental Treaties Problems Solutions Take a long time to develop and are weakened by requiring full consensus Do not require full consensus among regulating parties Establish procedures for monitoring and enforcement Poorly monitored and enforced Lack of funding for monitoring and enforcement Increase funding for monitoring and enforcement Treaties are not integrated with one another Harmonize or integrate existing agreements Fig. 24-10, p. 655

45. Corporations Can Play a Key Role in Moving Toward Environmental Sustainability • Eco-efficiency • World Business Council for Sustainable Development

46. 24-6 Implementing More Sustainable and Just Environmental Policies • Concept 24-6 Making the transition to more sustainable societies will require that nations implement green plans and that people and nations cooperate, agree on principles, and make the political commitment to achieve this transition.

47. Green Planning Can Be a National Priority • The Netherlands focused on four themes • Implement life-cycle management • Improve energy efficiency • Invent more environmentally sustainable technologies • Public education • Is the plan in the Netherlands working? • EPI rank for the Netherlands is 55/149 countries

48. We Can Shift to More Environmentally Sustainable Societies • Emphasize preventing or minimizing environmental problems • Use market-place solutions • Win-win solutions or trade-offs to environmental problems or injustices • Be honest and objective