Politics, Environment, and Sustainability Chapter 25 Politics, Environment, and Sustainability

Core Case Study: Rescuing a River In the 1960s, the Nashua River was considered one of the nation’s filthiest rivers. Marrion Stoddart (left) used politics to help clean-up the river. Figure 25-1

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Developing environmental policy involves identifying a problem and its causes, coming up with a solution, implementing the solution, and monitoring and adapting the solution as needed.

Recognition Identify the problem. Formulation Look for solutions. Implementation Implement solutions. Control Things are improving. Nonpoint-source water pollution Global warming Acid deposition Outdoor air pollution Urban sprawl Ozone depletion Indoor air pollution Nuclear wastes Sewage treatment Reuse Municipal solid waste Biodiversity protection Drinking water treatment Mining wastes Pollution prevention Protecting endangered species Groundwater contamination Point-source water pollution Toxic wastes Environmentally harmful subsidies Resource productivity Pest control Recycling Figure 25.2 Politics: positions of several major environmental problems in the policy life cycle in most developed countries. QUESTION: Which two of the problems in the first column and which two of the solutions in the second column do you think need to be moved to the implementation stage on an urgent basis? Why hasn’t this been done? Market prices do not include environmentally harmful costs Soil erosion Some infectious diseases Aquifer depletion Environmental justice Need for integrated environmental management Sustainable economic development Fig. 25-2, p. 593

DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN DEMOCRACIES: SOME DIFFICULTIES Democracies have difficulty dealing with long-term, interrelated environmental problems. In passing laws, developing budgets, and formulating regulations, elected and appointed officials must deal with pressures from.

Principles for Making Environmental Policy Decisions: Some Guidelines Existing or proposed environmental policies should be guided by several principles: The humanity principle. The reversibility principle. The precautionary principle. The polluter pays principle. The integrative principle. The public participation principle. The human rights principle. The environmental justice principle.

Influencing Environmental Policy What Can You Do? Influencing Environmental Policy • Become environmentally literate on issues • Run for office (especially at local level) • Make your views known at public hearings • Make your views known to elected representatives • Contribute money and time to candidates for office • Vote Figure 25.4 Individuals matter: ways you can influence environmental policy. QUESTION: Which three of these actions do you think are the most important? • Form or join nongovernment organizations (NGOs) seeking change • Support reform of election campaign financing to increase the influence of ordinary citizens on government policy Fig. 25-4, p. 595

Principles for Making Environmental Policy Decisions: Some Guidelines Most improvements in environmental quality result from citizens putting pressure on elected officials and individuals developing innovative solutions to environmental problems. Each of us can play a leadership role in establishing and changing environmental policy.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES Formulating, legislating, and executing environmental policy in the U.S. is a complex, difficult, and controversial process. Lobbying consists individuals or groups use public pressure, personal contacts, and political action to persuade legislators to vote in their favor. Most environmental bills are evaluate by as many as ten committees in the U.S. House of representatives and Senate.

Special-interest groups Lobbyists Lobbyists Lawmaking body Public hearing Special-interest groups Public advisory Regulating enforcement body Laws and regulations Legal action Legal action Lawyers Lawyers Environmental organizations Courts Corporations and small business Laws and regulations Figure 25.6 Individuals matter: greatly simplified overview of how individuals and lobbyists for and against an environmental law interact with the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the U.S. government. The bottom of this diagram also shows some ways in which individuals can bring about environmental change through their own lifestyles. See the website for this book for details on contacting elected representatives. Membership support Boycotts Individual Fig. 25-6, p. 598 Purchase recyclable, recycled, & environmentally safe products Recycle cans, bottles, paper, & plastic Plant a garden Donate clothes & used goods to charities Use water, energy, & other Resources efficiently Use mass transit, walk, ride a bike, or carpool

President White House Office Office of Management and Budget Council on Environmental Quality • Overall policy • Agency coordination • Budget • Agency coordination and management • Environmental policy • Agency coordination • Environmental impact statements Dept of Health & Human Services Environmental Protection Agency Department of Justice Department of the Interior Department of Agriculture Department of Defense • Health • Air & water pollution • Noise • Pesticides • Solid waste • Radiation • Toxic substances • Endangered species • Energy • Minerals • National parks • Public lands • Fish and wildlife • Water development • Civil works construction • Dredge & fill permits • Pollution control from defense facilities • Soil conservation • Forestry • Environmental litigation Figure 25.5 Major federal agencies concerned with establishing regulations and implementing environmental laws in the United States. Such agencies are established by Congress but are run by the president as part of the executive branch of government. This diagram shows only the environmental responsibilities of these agencies. Many have a broad range of other responsibilities. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of State Department of Commerce Department of Labor Department of Transportation • Licensing and regulation of nuclear power • International environment • Oceanic and atmospheric monitoring and research • Occupational health • Housing • Urban parks • Urban planning • Airplane noise • Mass transit • Oil pollution • Roads • Energy policy • Petroleum allocation Department of Energy Tennessee Valley Authority • Electric power generation Fig. 25-5, p. 597

How a Bill Becomes a Law Individual citizens and lobbyists can influence how the bill is written before it is introduced and through subsequent stages. Figure 25-7

Major Environmental Laws in the U.S. Many of these laws have been amended (weakened or strengthened) since 1969. Figure 25-8

Case Study: Managing Public Lands in the U.S. – Politics in Action Since the 1800s, controversy has swirled around how publicly owned lands in the U.S., which contain valuable resources, should be used and managed. Figure 25-4

Lands managed by the U.S. federal government. U.S. citizens jointly own these and other public lands. Figure 25-9

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND LAWS The body of environmental laws is constantly evolving through legislation and lawsuits. It includes: Statutory laws: passed by legislative bodies. Administrative laws: consist of rules and regulations, executive orders, and enforcement decisions. Common law: A body of unwritten rules derived from past legal decisions.

Lawsuits: Loaded Dice Environmental lawsuits are expensive and difficult to win because: Plaintiff must establish they have the legal right to bring the suit to a particular court. Too expensive for most individuals. Public interest law firms many times cannot recover legal fees. Plaintiff must establish that they were harmed. Statutes of limitations.

Major Types of Environmental Laws in the U.S. U.S. environmental laws set pollution standards, screen for toxic substances, evaluate environmental impacts, encourage resource conservation, and protect various ecosystems and species from harm.

Major Types of Environmental Laws in the U.S. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency. An environmental impact statement (EIS) must be developed for every major federal project likely to have an important effect on environmental quality.

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND THEIR OPPONENTS Environmental groups monitor environmental activities, work to pass and strengthen environmental laws, and work with corporations to find solutions to environmental problems. Non-government agencies (NGOs) range from grassroots groups to global organizations. NGOs help expose corruption and violation of national and international agreements.

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND THEIR OPPONENTS Some grassroots NGOs use nonviolent and nondestructive tactics of protest and demonstrations for generating publicity to help educate and sway members of the public.

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND THEIR OPPONENTS Many student environmental groups work to bring about environmental improvements in their schools and local communities. Environmental audits by students reveal that most college campuses are major polluters. A Yale University study revealed that the school emits more greenhouse gases than 32 developing countries.

Case Study: Threats to the U. S Case Study: Threats to the U.S. Environmental Legal and Regulatory Structure – Environmental Backlash Three major groups are strongly opposed to many environmental laws, regulations and proposals: Some corporate leaders who see environmental laws as threats to their wealth and power. Citizens who see environmental laws as threats to their private property rights and jobs. State and local government officials who resent having to implement federal environmental laws with little to no funding.

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Many analysts believe that environmental security is as important as military and economic security. Some developing nations view the concept of environmental security as an agenda for rich countries to continue their control of the world’s natural resources.

Global Efforts on Environmental Problems Trade-Offs Global Efforts on Environmental Problems Good News Bad News Environmental protection agencies in 115 nations Most international environmental treaties lack criteria for monitoring and evaluating their effectiveness Over 500 international environmental treaties and agreements 1992 Rio Earth Summit led to nonbinding agreements without enough funding to implement them UN Environment Programme (UNEP) created in 1972 to negotiate and monitor international environmental treaties By 2003 there was little improvement in the major environmental problems discussed at the 1992 Rio summit 1992 Rio Earth Summit adopted key principles for dealing with global environmental problems Figure 25.10 Trade-offs: good and bad news about international efforts to deal with global environmental problems. QUESTION: Pick the single piece of good news and the single piece of bad news that you think are the most important. 2002 Johannesburg Earth Summit failed to provide adequate goals, deadlines, and funding for dealing with global environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty 2002 Johannesburg Earth Summit attempted to implement policies and goals of 1992 Rio summit and find ways to reduce poverty Fig. 25-10, p. 611

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY International environmental organizations: Expand understanding of environmental issues. Gather and evaluate environmental data. Help develop and monitor environmental treaties. Provide funds and loans for sustainable economic development. Help nations develop environmental laws and institutions.

International Environmental Treaties Solutions International Environmental Treaties Problems Solutions Take a long time to develop and are weakened by requiring full consensus Do not require full consensus among regulating parties Establish procedures for monitoring and enforcement Poorly monitored and enforced Figure 25.11 Global outlook: major problems with global environmental treaties and agreements and solutions to these problems. QUESTION: Which problem and which solution do you think are the most important? Lack of funding for monitoring and enforcement Increase funding for monitoring and enforcement Treaties are not integrated with one another Harmonize or integrate existing agreements Fig. 25-11, p. 611

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Earth summits and international environmental treaties play important roles in dealing with global environmental problems, but most are not effectively monitored or enforced. Making the shift to a more equitable and environmentally secure and sustainable global society is an economic, political, and ethical decision.