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Economics, Policy, and the Future

Economics, Policy, and the Future. Chapter 21. Sustainability. People are living longer and are more educated than 100 years ago Disagreements over whether environmental problems are happening or not In the end, the world is looking for sustainability. Sustainability.

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Economics, Policy, and the Future

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  1. Economics, Policy, and the Future Chapter 21

  2. Sustainability • People are living longer and are more educated than 100 years ago • Disagreements over whether environmental problems are happening or not • In the end, the world is looking for sustainability

  3. Sustainability • The 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?

  4. International Development and Cooperation • This is a time of globalization • Where people can move to other countries in search of better economics

  5. Concern of Sustainability? • Because: • People live differently and use more resources • The human population is growing • People are more educated

  6. Difficulties with Binding International Agreements? • Governments do not agree on how to solve environmental problems • Governments don’t agree on who is responsible for: • Causing the problems • Paying to solve them

  7. International Organizations, Meetings and Agreements • World Conservation Union (IUCN) – 1948 • 140 countries united for equitable and sustainable use of natural resources • UN Conference on Human Environment – Stockholm – 1972 • First meeting to discuss global environmental problems – led to UN Environmental Program

  8. International Organizations, Meetings, and Agreements • UN 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

  9. International Organizations, Meetings, and Agreements • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPEC) – 1988 • Group of scientists studying human-induced climate change • Framework Convention on Climate Change – Rio de Janeiro – 1992 • Recognition and proposal of ways to deal with Greenhouse Gases

  10. Montreal Protocol • Where agreements were made about CFC’s

  11. International Organizations, Meetings, and Agreements • Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change – 1997 • Agreement to reduce worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases • Requires larger reduction by developed countries • Allows trading of permitted levels of emissions • Promotes pollution-free development

  12. 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

  13. Convention on Biological Diversity • Where agreements were made to protect endangered and threatened species

  14. Economics • Economics 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

  15. Market Failures • An economists’ view of environmental problems

  16. Raised Prices due to Pollution Tax • NO • The tax should be paid by the manufacturer making the profit • Consumers can only buy what manufacturers make • Manufacturers have the power, they should pay to pollute

  17. Raised Prices due to Pollution Tax • YES • Manufacturers only produce products that are in demand by consumers • This demand makes consumers partly responsible • Raising prices encourages consumers to switch to products with lower pollution costs

  18. What are some difficulties of limiting whale harvesting? • There are loopholes in the regulations that countries are using to opt out of IWC rules

  19. History of US Policy • 1800’s • Ancient Forests cut down • Plains Farmed • 8 Species hunted to extinction • No one realized the consequences of these actions until the 1900’s

  20. John Muir • The pioneer of environmental preservation • Worked along side Teddy Roosevelt • Established first national parks

  21. Drought and Soil Erosion of 1930’s • An event that demonstrated the need for new soil conservation practices and policies

  22. US Environmental Federal Agencies • Environmental Protection Agency • Department of Interior: • US Fish and Wildlife Service • Bureau of Land Management • National Parks Service • Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement • Department of Agriculture • Department of Commerce: • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration • National Marine Fisheries Service • Nuclear Regulatory Commission • Department of Energy

  23. Environmental Protection in Developing Countries • Developing countries struggle to provide the basic necessities – Food and Water – to growing populations • They lack additional resources for environmental protection

  24. Environmental Protection in Developed Countries • Using the United States as an example: • Citizens and politicians often disagree over the need for: • Economic growth • Environmental protection • Difference in opinion over urgency of certain environmental problems • What’s important to you may not be important to me

  25. EPA • Environmental Protection Agency • US agency that monitors air and water quality

  26. Environmental Impact Statement • A study that accesses the environmental effects of a project or policy

  27. Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental laws • Fed 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

  28. Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental laws • State and local governments must allocate their budgets carefully • Unlikely to invest in costly environmental projects unless forced to do so • Difficult to place a value on external factors, such as air quality • Easy to place value on economic factors, such as job creation

  29. Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental laws • Forcing Federal agencies to evaluate both economic and environment impacts gives an unfair emphasis on economic considerations

  30. Why work on Local Government • If 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

  31. Lobbying • An organized attempt to influence the decisions of lawmakers

  32. People who influenced environmental thinking • H. Thoreau – writing – cabin at Walden Pond, MA • J. Muir – Founder of Sierra Club • T. Roosevelt – 1st President to support conservation • R. Carson – Silent Spring • P. Ehrlich – warned of rapid population growth through The Population Bomb • J. Goodall – chimpanzees • M. Stoddart – Author who’s efforts were to save the Nashua River in MA from pollution • J. Cousteau – Marine Ecology • G. Hardin – human ecology – “Tragedy of the Commons”

  33. Alice Hamilton • The woman who pioneered the study of environmental impact on health

  34. Applying Your Knowledge • What can you now do with the education you gained from taking this class?

  35. Projects that NEED Environmental Impact Statements • Building a new airport • Building a new dam • Building a new highway

  36. Evaluation of Environmental Sources • You should evaluate environmental sources for: • Bias • Accuracy

  37. Voting • An action that allows individuals to affect environmental policy at ALL levels of government

  38. Land Donation for Preserve • An example of private effort to address environmental problems

  39. How make people comply to environmental regulations? • Governments offer two approaches • The first is to fine anyone who violates the law • Negative approach, but effective • The second is to offer incentives to anyone who volunteers • Positive approach to compliance with the law

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