Transcript Chapter 21 notes 2012

Chapter 21: Economics, Policy
and the Future
P532-548
Key Terms:
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Sustainability
Economics
Environmental Impact Statement
Lobbying
Objectives
1. Describe some of the challenges to achieving
sustainability
2. Describe several major international meetings
and agreements relating to the environment
3. Explain how economics and environmental
science are related
4. Compare two ways that governments influence
economics
5. Give an example of private effort to address
environmental problems
Economics and International
Cooperation
• More than 6 billion people living on earth
• Today we have longer life expectancies
• Many disagree how humans are impacting the
earth today? And how we should fix them?
• Will we run out of resources ?
• Is the present human condition sustainable?
• (the condition in which human needs are met in
such a way that human populations can survive
indefinitely)
• Economics and politics and ES all work together
International Development and
Cooperation
• Globalization- environmental and social
conditions are linked across political borders
worldwide.
• People cross boarder to find better way of life
• We need world wide efforts
• Debate who is responsible – want a common
goal
Sustainable Development
• The World Conservation Union (IUCN), 1948
• Un Conference on Human Environments,
Stockholm, 1972
• UN Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED or Earth Summit) 1992
• World Summit on Sustainable Development
2002
Climate and Atmosphere
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) 1988
• Framework Convention on Climate Change
1992
• Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete
the Ozone Layer, 1987 http://ozone.unep.org/Publications/MP_Handbook/
• Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change 1997 (US
did not sign) (cost out weighed the benefit)
Other Agreements
1. Antarctic Treaty and Convention 1959
2. International Convention for the Prevention of
Pollution from ships (MARPOL) 1973, 1978
3. Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES)1973
4. Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) 1979
5. Law of the Sea 1982
6. Basel Convention 1989
7. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 1992
8. Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS)
1994
9. Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety 2000
10. UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) 2001
Economics and the Environment
• Economics- study of the choices people make as
they use and distribute limited resources
• Markets- money and products flow in cycles
• Economic growth- when you have an increase in
that flow
• Economics can draw resources from the
environment and return waste or cause damage
to ecosystem (Market Failures)
• Ocean are free- Whaling (Whale Wars)
Regulation and Economic
Incentives
• Fines and jail time
• Economic incentives (tax cuts for energy
efficient products)
Private Efforts
• Donate land for parks, money to causes
• Conducting research/ environmental
management
• Nature Conservancy- nonprofit organization
to help preserve ecosystems
21.2 Environmental Policies in the US
• Describe 2 major developments in US
environmental history
• Give examples of 3 federal agencies that have
environmental responsibilities
• Explain the purpose of Environmental Impact
Statements
• Give an example of how citizens can affect
environmental policy at each level of
government- local, state, and national
• Evaluate the media as a source of information
about the environment
History of US Environmental Policy
• 1800’s – Hunters and Gathers; turn prairies
into croplands; cut down forest; hunt animals
to extinction
• 1900’s Roosevelt and Muir- increased
protection and management of nation’s
resources- national parks and forests
established
Environmental Agencies and Laws
• 1930’s- poor farming- soil erosion and crop
disasters leads to poverty
• Better waste disposal
• Fist earth day celebrated around the world
1970 and EPA was also created
US Federal Agencies and
Environmental Responsibilities
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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
Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)
• Government agencies are required to file for
any proposed project or policy that would
have a significant effect on the environment
(dams, highways, airports)
• State the impact on environment and if any
negative impact can be minimized- the public
can attempt to speak against
Unfunded Mandated and Economic
Impacts
• 1995, Congress passed a low to prevent
unfunded mandates, which are federal
regulations that do not provide funds for state or
local governments to implement the regulations
• Government must provide funding for any new
law that would cost more that 50 million to
implement
• Can no longer pass laws that require local
communities to conduct their own tests
Influencing Environmental Policy
• Local governments- citizens, City councils
• State Governments
• Lobbying- organized attempt to influence the
decision of lawmakers (political donations)
• Media and Source on Information (not always
accurate)
21.3 The importance of the individual
• Give examples of individuals who have
influenced environmental history
• Identify ways in which the choices that you
make as an individual may affect the
environment
Influential Individuals
• Thoreau-(1817-1862)- Walden Pond
• Muir (1838- 1914) Sierra Club
• Roosevelt (1858- 1919) first president to
support conservation, funded forest service
expanded national forests 400% and first
National Monuments
• Hamilton (1869-1970) disease by working with
chemicals (lead and gasoline)
• Carson (1907- 1964) Silent Springs, pesticides
Continued:
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Ehrlich- Population Bomb
Goodall (1934-) Chimpanzees
Cousteau (1910- 1997) undersea explorations
Hardin (1915-2003) The Tragedy of the
Commons
Applying Your Knowledge
• Voting
• Weighing the Evidence
• Consumer Choices (Reduce, reuse, Recycle)