Environmental Policy and Decision Making

1
Chapter 20

• Environmental Policy and Decision Making

2
Environmental Policy

• Many changes in the past few decades.
• Trade has increased, communication advances,
  technology advances, information as a resource.
• During the past 20 years, the amount of energy
  and natural resources needed in the U.S. to
  produce each constant dollar of output has
  declined, as has many forms of pollution

3
Learning from the Past

• Pollution is waste, waste is inefficient,
  inefficiency is expensive
• Do not think about jobs, energy, transportation,
  and the environment as being unconnected they
  are all tied together.
• Past patterns of environmental protection have
  been crisis management this needs to change

4
Thinking About the Future

• Avoid crisis - Eliminate short term thinking,
  environmental debt.
• Sustainable future for future generations
• Change the environmental paradigm from clean up
  and control to assessment, anticipation, and
  avoidance.

5
Future Environmental Paradigms

• Role of individuals in environmental protection.
• Education, local involvement, informed public.
• Defining the future will require a concerted
  effort of education, awareness, science, policy,
  and economics

6
Development of Environmental Policy and Regulation

• Role of legislative, executive, and judicial
  branches of government.
• Legislative Branch - Congress
• Make policy, create agencies, adopt budgets,
  oversees actions of agencies
• Judicial Branch - Court Systems
• Interpret laws and rules
• Executive Branch - Presidential office
• Establishes budgets, influences policy
  implementation, lead and guide attitudes

7
(No Transcript)
8
(No Transcript)
9
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA - 1969)

• NEPA policy promote efforts which will prevent
  or eliminate damage to the environment and
  biosphere and to stimulate the health and welfare
  of man
• Set up to institutionalize a concern for the
  environment within all federal agencies. Also
  established the CEQ - serves as an advisory
  council to the president can issue binding
  regulations

10
Criticisms of Environmental Regulations

• Unrealistic nature of regulations
• Failure to use market incentives
• Inadequate assignment of responsibility for
  pollution
• Disproportionate harm to small business
• Technology-based rather than performance based
• Business vs Environment mentality

11
Greening of World Politics

• Emergence of the Green Party - has become a
  political force in many countries
• Earth Summit in Rio - 1997. 180 governments came
  together to discuss environmental concerns
• 1992 survey indicated that most Americans want
  the government to be more involved in
  environmental protection
• 1992 Election in the U.S. Environment was a big
  factor.

12
Eco-Conflicts

• South versus North
• Developing nations are not likely to slow down
  resource usage.
• Toxic terrorism
• Dumping of toxic wastes from richer countries in
  poorer countries.
• May end up with tensions similar to the cold war.

13
Environmental Backlash

• The Wise Use Movement
• Anti-environmental attitude
• See page 444 for their recommendations.
• Look at funding agencies timber, oil, coal
  industry, real estate developers, and ranchers.

14
Eco-Terrorism

• Husseins use of oil as a weapon
• Dumped 1.1 billion liters of oil in the Persian
  Gulf may have been to stop an amphibious
  invasion or to shut down water processing plants
  in Saudi Arabia.
• Burning of wells in Kuwait massive air
  pollution.

15
International Environmental Policy and Law

• Factors Affecting International Laws
• Severity of problem
• Science
• Geographical boundaries
• National laws
• Domestic interests and pressures
• Formal institutions or policies
• History
• Economic strength, military strength, and
  populations.
• Outside influences
• Timing

16
Organizations with Influence

• United Nations Environmental Programme
• Organization for Economic Cooperation and
  Development (OECD)
• World Bank
• National Audubon Society
• Sierra Club
• National Resources Defense Council
• National Wildlife Federation - BIG membership

17
Environmental Futures

• Optimism or pessimism?
• Trends are not destiny!!!
• Individual action is the key to making
  environmental protection work
• It all comes back to you, the individual, and the
  choices you make!!!!