Chapter 21

SustainabilityPeople are living longer and are more

educated than 100 years agoDisagreements over whether environmental

problems are happening or notIn the end, the world is looking for

sustainability

SustainabilityThe 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?

International Development and CooperationThis is a time of globalizationWhere people can move to other countries in

search of better economics

Concern of Sustainability?Because:People live differently and use more

resourcesThe human population is growingPeople are more educated

Difficulties with Binding International Agreements?Governments do not agree on how to solve

environmental problemsGovernments don’t agree on who is

responsible for:Causing the problemsPaying to solve them

International Organizations, Meetings and AgreementsWorld Conservation Union (IUCN) – 1948140 countries united for equitable and

sustainable use of natural resourcesUN Conference on Human Environment –

Stockholm – 1972First meeting to discuss global environmental

problems – led to UN Environmental Program

International Organizations, Meetings, and AgreementsUN 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

International Organizations, Meetings, and AgreementsIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPEC) – 1988Group of scientists studying human-induced

climate changeFramework Convention on Climate Change –

Rio de Janeiro – 1992Recognition and proposal of ways to deal

with Greenhouse Gases

Montreal ProtocolWhere agreements were made about CFC’s

International Organizations, Meetings, and AgreementsKyoto Protocol on Climate Change – 1997Agreement to reduce worldwide emissions of

greenhouse gasesRequires larger reduction by developed

countriesAllows trading of permitted levels of

emissionsPromotes pollution-free development

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

Convention on Biological DiversityWhere agreements were made to protect

endangered and threatened species

EconomicsEconomics 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

Market FailuresAn economists’ view of environmental

problems

Raised Prices due to Pollution TaxNOThe tax should be paid by the manufacturer

making the profitConsumers can only buy what manufacturers

makeManufacturers have the power, they should

pay to pollute

Raised Prices due to Pollution TaxYESManufacturers only produce products that

are in demand by consumersThis demand makes consumers partly

responsibleRaising prices encourages consumers to

switch to products with lower pollution costs

What are some difficulties of limiting whale harvesting?There are loopholes in the regulations that

countries are using to opt out of IWC rules

History of US Policy1800’sAncient Forests cut downPlains Farmed8 Species hunted to extinctionNo one realized the consequences of these

actions until the 1900’s

John MuirThe pioneer of environmental preservationWorked along side Teddy RooseveltEstablished first national parks

Drought and Soil Erosion of 1930’sAn event that demonstrated the need for new

soil conservation practices and policies

US Environmental Federal AgenciesEnvironmental Protection AgencyDepartment of Interior:US Fish and Wildlife ServiceBureau of Land ManagementNational Parks ServiceOffice of Surface Mining Reclamation and EnforcementDepartment of AgricultureDepartment of Commerce:National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Marine Fisheries ServiceNuclear Regulatory CommissionDepartment of Energy

Environmental Protection in Developing CountriesDeveloping countries struggle to provide the

basic necessities – Food and Water – to growing populations

They lack additional resources for environmental protection

Environmental Protection in Developed CountriesUsing the United States as an example:Citizens and politicians often disagree over

the need for:Economic growthEnvironmental protectionDifference in opinion over urgency of certain

environmental problemsWhat’s important to you may not be

important to me

EPAEnvironmental Protection AgencyUS agency that monitors air and water

quality

Environmental Impact StatementA study that accesses the environmental

effects of a project or policy

Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental lawsFed 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

Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental lawsState and local governments must allocate

their budgets carefully Unlikely to invest in costly environmental

projects unless forced to do soDifficult to place a value on external factors,

such as air qualityEasy to place value on economic factors, such

as job creation

Limits of the Federal Government to pass environmental lawsForcing Federal agencies to evaluate both

economic and environment impacts gives an unfair emphasis on economic considerations

Why work on Local GovernmentIf 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

LobbyingAn organized attempt to influence the

decisions of lawmakers

People who influenced environmental thinkingH. Thoreau – writing – cabin at Walden Pond, MAJ. Muir – Founder of Sierra ClubT. Roosevelt – 1st President to support conservationR. Carson – Silent SpringP. Ehrlich – warned of rapid population growth

through The Population BombJ. Goodall – chimpanzeesM. Stoddart – Author who’s efforts were to save the

Nashua River in MA from pollutionJ. Cousteau – Marine EcologyG. Hardin – human ecology – “Tragedy of the

Commons”

Alice HamiltonThe woman who pioneered the study of

environmental impact on health

Applying Your KnowledgeWhat can you now do with the education you

gained from taking this class?

Projects that NEED Environmental Impact StatementsBuilding a new airportBuilding a new damBuilding a new highway

Evaluation of Environmental SourcesYou should evaluate environmental sources

for:BiasAccuracy

VotingAn action that allows individuals to affect

environmental policy at ALL levels of government

Land Donation for PreserveAn example of private effort to address

environmental problems

How make people comply to environmental regulations?Governments offer two approachesThe first is to fine anyone who violates the

lawNegative approach, but effectiveThe second is to offer incentives to anyone

who volunteersPositive approach to compliance with the law