Transcript ppt - Vula
EGS1003: Section on International Environmental Justice and the Climate Change Challenge Mary Lawhon ([email protected]) This work by Mary Lawhon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Environment- generally focused on concerns for ecology Development- generally focused on concerns for economic growth, quality of life Though some overlap around “brown” environmentalism Unsustainable definitions of development? (e.g. Smokestacks = progress = good) Unrealistic expectations of environmentalists? By Sean Wilson/ SEI Blame environmental problems on the South: population, desertification, rainforest destruction… Opposition from the South of environmental regulations seen as neo-colonial environmental protection as preventing/antidevelopment Growing recognition by South of limits Capital formation Skilled workforce AND long-term availability of natural resources Recognition of need for “efficient management of natural resources” “We have in the past been concerned about the impacts of economic growth upon the environment. We are now forced to concern ourselves with the impact of ecological stress… upon our economic prospects” (Bruntland Report 1987) “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Bruntland Report 1987) 1987 World Commission on Environment & Development (Brundtland Report) 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development Increasingly “sustainability” is replacing SD… “Agreement at Rio was achieved at some cost, in terms of the clarity of this concept” (McNeill, 2001) What does it really mean? Can it be used to evaluate options? How to weight competing components: social, environment, economy? CAG consultants A more theoretically sound alternative, although also diverse views/definitions Developed in Germany in 1980s Primarily exists in Europe/Japan Environmental problems could be dealt with by government Character of environmental problems was understood End of pipe tech is adequate Pollution control stands to BALANCE environmental and economic demands Technology is a key cause of the problem Environmental problems can’t be dealt with by just the government New coalitions Changes in institutional structure of society, new forms of political intervention Character of environmental problems is complex End of pipe tech is not enough Pollution control is good for BOTH environment and economy Technology is a key solution to the problem Clean Environment is Good for Business Eco Mod has “potential to break the political stalemate” Environmental protection is a source of economic growth By Sean Wilson for SEI By Sean Wilson for SEI Happy, healthy workers are more productive Green products are a new market Pollution = Wasted resources Cheaper to tackle problems now (ounce of prevention…) Pollution clean ups, tech investments, included in GDP calculations Value added to products Regulations Proper incentives Reconceptualisation by business & govt & society North should transfer technology to South for environmental protection Powerful public commitment to science Strong environmental consciousness Ecological problems are rooted in social problems Inequality Ignorance War Racism Greed Lack of freedom Lack of options Capitalism Arrogance Power Changes relationships to market exchanges Market grew from subservient to human needs to having needs of its own Key to & measure of success becomes amoral “profit” Need to recognise heterogeneity of societiessome already have solutions in place Change needed is more than just economic, but need for spiritual/attitude change Need to question institutions Empowerment/reduce inequality McNeill, J.R. 2001. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth Century World