Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Environmental policy Policy = a formal set of general plans and principles to address problems and guide decisions Environmental Policy = pertains to human interactions with the environment Regulates resource use or reduce pollution

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Environmental policy and resource use Policies include science, ethics, and economics Market failure = businesses or individuals don’t minimize environmental impact Justification for government intervention The tragedy of the commons = we must develop guidelines for commonly held resources Restrict use and actively manage resources

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Significant environmental laws The public demanded a cleaner environment and supported tougher environmental legislation

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Why are environmental laws unpopular? Environmental laws are challenged, derided, and ignored Environmental policy involves government regulations Businesses and individuals view laws as overly restrictive and unresponsive to human needs Most environmental problems are long-term processes Human behavior is geared toward short-term needs News media have short attention spans Politicians act out of their own short-term interest

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Approaches to environmental policy Command-and-control approach: environmental policy sets rules or limits and threatens punishment for violators Heavy-handed Alternative approaches involve using economic incentives to encourage desired outcomes and use market dynamics to meet goals Most current environmental laws -Have resulted in safe, healthy, comfortable lives

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Drawbacks of command-and-control Government actions may be well-intentioned but not informed Interest groups–people seeking private gain–unduly influence politicians Citizens may view policies as restrictions on freedom Costly and less efficient in achieving goals

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Widespread economic policy tools Tax breaks = encourage desirable industries or activities Subsidy = a government giveaway of cash or resources to encourage a particular activity Have been used to support unsustainable activities In 2003, $58 billion of taxpayer’s money was spent on 68 environmentally harmful subsidies such as building logging roads

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Another economic policy tool Green taxes = taxes on environmentally harmful activities Polluter pays principle = the price of a good or service includes all costs, including environmental degradation Gives companies financial incentives to reduce pollution But, costs are passed on to consumers

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Market permitting and incentives Permit trading = government-created market in permits Businesses buy, sell, trade these permits Emissions trading system = government-issued permits for an acceptable amount of pollution and companies buy, sell, or trade these permits with other polluters Cap-and-trade system = a party that reduces its pollution levels can sell this credit to other parties -Pollution is reduced overall, but does increase around polluting plants Companies have an economic incentive to reduce emissions

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Early Environmental Policy Aimed to settle the west and allocate resources

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings 20 th century environmental policy Mid-to late-20th century Better off economically But dirtier air, dirtier water, and more waste and toxic chemicals Increased awareness of environmental problems shifted public priorities and policy 1962: Silent Spring (by Rachel Carson) described the negative ecological and health effects of pesticides and industrial chemicals

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Modern U.S. environmental policy The Cuyahoga River was polluted with oil and industrial waste It caught fire in the 1950s and 1960s Today, public enthusiasm for environmental protection remains strong The majority of Americans favor environmental protection In April, millions of people celebrate Earth Day

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Future environmental policies Will depend on having the American environmental movement reinvent its approach It needs to appeal to people’s core values Start showing why these problems are actually human issues and affect our quality life Future policies need to articulate a positive, inspiring vision for the future Currently, the United States has retreated from its leadership Other nations have increased their attention to environmental issues

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Six steps to making environmental policy Requires curiosity, observation, awareness

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 2 Involves scientific research and Risk assessment = judging risks a problem poses to health or the environment

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 3 Risk management = developing strategies to minimize risk Involves social or political action

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 4 Organizations are more effective than individuals But a motivated, informed individual can also succeed

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 5 Lobbying = spending time and money to influence a politician Environmental advocates are not the most influential lobbyists Political Action Committees (PACs) = raise money for political campaigns The revolving door = the movement of people between the private sector and government Intimate knowledge of an issue or conflict of interest?

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Step 6 Prepare a bill, or draft law, containing solutions Following a law’s enactment Administrative agencies implement regulations Policymakers evaluate the policy’s successes or failures The judicial branch interprets the law

Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Conclusion Environmental policy is a problem-solving tool Uses science, ethics and economics Conventional command-and-control approach Uses legislation and regulations Most common approach Market-based incentives Can be more complicated but can be less expensive