1. Politics, Environment, and Sustainability
Chapter 24

2. 24-1 The Role of Government in the Transition to More Sustainable Societies
Concept A government can help to protect environmental and public interests and help to encourage more environmentally sustainable economic development through its policies.

3. Government Can Serve Environmental and Other Public Interests (1)
Balance between government intervention and free enterprise
Is the government the best mechanism to deal with
Full-cost pricing
Market failures
The tragedy of the commons

4. Government Can Serve Environmental and Other Public Interests (2)
Policies and politics
Environmental policy
Policy life cycle: 4 stages
Recognition
Formulation
Implementation
Control

5. Implementation Implement solutions
Recognition
Identify the problem
Nonpoint-source water pollution
Indoor air pollution
Electronic waste
Mining wastes
Groundwater contamination
Environmentally harmful subsidies
Formulation
Look for solutions
Global warming
Urban sprawl
Nuclear wastes
Biodiversity losses
Toxic wastes
Aquifer depletion
Control
Monitor and adjust
Outdoor air pollution
Sewage treatment problems
Drinking water pollution
Point-source water pollution
Some infectious diseases
Municipal solid waste
Exclusion of environmentally harmful costs from market prices
Implementation Implement solutions
Acid deposition
Ozone depletion
Municipal solid waste
Endangered species
Pest damage
Soil erosion
Figure 24.2
The policy life cycle, including positions of some major environmental problems within the cycle in most developed countries.
Stepped Art
Fig. 24-2, p. 636

6. Democracy Does Not Always Allow for Quick Solutions (1)
United States
Constitutional democracy
Three branches of government
Legislative
Executive
Judicial

7. Democracy Does Not Always Allow for Quick Solutions (2)
Special-interest groups pressure the government
Profit-making organizations
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
Politicians focus on problems with short-term effects, not long-term

8. Certain Principles Can Guide Us in Making Environmental Policy (1)
The humility principle
The reversibility principle
The precautionary principle
The net energy principle
The preventive principle

9. Certain Principles Can Guide Us in Making Environmental Policy (2)
The polluter-pays principle
The public access and participation principle
The human rights principle
The environmental justice principle
How will these principles be implemented?

10. 24-2 How Is Environmental Policy Made? (1)
Concept 24-2A Policy making involves law making, program funding, rule writing, and enforcement of rules by agencies—a complex process that is affected at each stage by political processes.

11. 24-2 How Is Environmental Policy Made? (2)
Concept 24-2B Individuals can work with each other to become part of political processes that influence how environmental policies are made and whether or not they succeed. (Individuals matter.)

12. How Democratic Government Works: The U.S. Model
Three branches
Legislative branch
Executive branch
Judicial branch
Develop and implement policy
Laws, regulation, and funding
Lobbying

13. Environmental organizations Corporations and small businesses
Laws
Legislative branch
Executive branch
Courts
Lobbyists
Lobbyists
Regulators
Public hearing
Civil suits
Environmental organizations
Corporations and small businesses
Figure 24.3
Greatly simplified overview of how individuals, corporations, and environmental organizations interact with each other and 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
Patronize or boycott
Individuals
Purchase recyclable, recycled, and environmentally safe products
Use mass transit, walk, ride a bike, or carpool
Recycle cans, bottles, paper, and plastic
Plant a garden
Donate clothes and used goods to charities
Use water, energy, and other resources efficiently
Fig. 24-3, p. 639

14. Major Environmental Laws and Amended Versions Enacted in the U. S
Major Environmental Laws and Amended Versions Enacted in the U.S. Since 1969

15. Developing Environmental Policy Is a Controversial Process
Funding needed
Regulations and rules needed to implement the law
Policy: important role in environmental regulatory agencies

16. Case Study: Managing Public Lands in the United States—Politics in Action (1)
35% of the U.S., ¾ in Alaska
Federal public land
National Forest System
National Resource Land
National Wildlife Refuges
National Park System
National Wilderness Preservation System

17. Case Study: Managing Public Lands in the United States—Politics in Action (2)
Public land use
Views of conservation biologists and environmental economists
Views of developers, resource extractors, and many economists
Since 2002: greater extraction of mineral, timber, and fossil fuel resources on public lands

18. National parks and preserves National forests
(and Xs) National wildlife refuges
Figure 24.5
Natural capital: national forests, national parks, and wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. federal government. U.S. citizens jointly own these and other public lands. Question: Do you think U.S. citizens should jointly own more or less of the nation’s land? Why or why not? (Data from U.S. Geological Survey)
Fig. 24-5, p. 641

19. What Can You Do? Influencing Environmental Policy

20. Environmental Leaders Can Make a Big Difference
Lead by example
Campaign and vote for informed and eco-friendly candidates
Run for local office
Propose and work for better solutions to environmental problems

21. 24-3 What Is the Role of Environmental Law in Dealing with Environmental Problems?
Concept Environmental laws and regulations can be used to control pollution, set safety standards, encourage resource conservation, and protect species and ecosystems.

22. Environmental Law Forms the Basis for Environmental Policy (1)
Body of law
Statutory laws
Administrative laws
Common law
Legal concept of nuisance or negligence

23. Environmental Law Forms the Basis for Environmental Policy (2)
Most environmental lawsuits are civil suits
Plaintiff
Defendant
Class action suit

24. Open Ditch Containing Acid Runoff from a Closed Coal Mine In W
Open Ditch Containing Acid Runoff from a Closed Coal Mine In W. Virginia, U.S.

25. Environmental Lawsuits Are Difficult to Win (1)
Has the plaintiff suffered health or financial problems?
Very expensive
Public interest law firms: usually can’t recover attorney’s fees
Have you been harmed and did the company cause the harm?

26. Environmental Lawsuits Are Difficult to Win (2)
Statutes of limitation
Appeals: years to settle
Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs)
Major reforms are needed

27. Arbitration and Mediation Are Alternatives to Battling in Court
Can save time, money, and the uncertainly of a jury trial
Mediation
Can save money and time
May not be legally binding

28. Major Types of Environmental Laws in the United States (1)
Set standards for pollution levels
Screens new substances
Encourages resource conservation

29. Major Types of Environmental Laws in the United States (2)
Sets aside or protects certain species, resources, and ecosystems
Requires evaluation of the environmental impact of an activity proposed by a federal agency

30. U.S. Environmental Laws and Regulations Have Been under Attack (1)
Who is opposing the U.S. environmental laws?
Some corporate leaders and other powerful people
Some citizens
Some state and local officials
Why are the opposition?

31. U.S. Environmental Laws and Regulations Have Been under Attack (2)
Since 2000, environmental laws weakened by executive orders and congressional actions
Prevent further weakening by
Science-based education
Education about the current state of the environmental laws
Organized bottom-up political pressure from concerned citizens

32. 24-4 What Are the Major Roles of Environmental Groups?
Concept Grassroots groups are growing and combining efforts with large environmental organizations in a global sustainability movement.

33. Citizen Environmental Groups Play Important Roles
Nonprofit nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working at all levels
International
National
State
Local
Grassroots groups to organizations
Examples of NGOs and their global policy networks

34. Case Study: The Natural Resources Defense Council (1)
NRDC
Goes to court to stop environmentally harmful practices
Informs and organizes millions of environmental activists to take actions to protect the environment
Website, magazines, and newspapers

35. Individuals Matter: Butterfly in a Redwood Tree
Julia Hill: Nonviolent civil disobedience
2 Years in a redwood tree, named Luna
Protested cutting down these ancient trees
Did not save the surrounding forest
Her message: protect biodiversity

36. Science Focus: Greening American Campuses
Accomplishments of environmental audits by students at American colleges and universities
Specific examples
Morris A. Pierce: energy management plan
Oberlin College, OH: nation’s greenest college
Northland College, WI: “green” residence hall
Buying local and organic food
Yale University, CT
Santa Clara University, CA
Dartmouth, NH: bus fueled by waste cooking oil

37. 24-5 How Can We Improve Global Environmental Security?
Concept Environmental security is necessary for economic security and is at least as important as military security.

38. Environmental Security Is as Important as Military and Economic Security
Military security
Economic security
All economies supported by the earth’s natural capital
Failing states: rooted in ecological crisis
Darfur, Sudan, Africa

39. Science Focus: Environmental Impacts of War (1)
Effects of a large bomb explosion
Contamination of military sites
Loss of biodiversity
Air and water pollution
Contaminated
Soil, Groundwater, Fish and wildlife

40. Science Focus: Environmental Impacts of War (2)
Economic and job losses
Displaced refugees
Landmines
Radioactive depleted uranium shells
1998: U.N. Environment Programme

41. We Can Develop Stronger International Environmental Policies (1)
United Nations: most influential
Family of global policy-making organizations
Other influential groups
E.g., the World Bank
NRDC and China
U.N. Conference of Environment and Development: Agenda 21

42. We Can Develop Stronger International Environmental Policies (2)
Montreal and Copenhagen Protocols
Yale and Columbia Universities, U.S.
Developed the Environmental Performance Index (EPI)

43. TRADE-OFFS Good News Bad News
Global Efforts to Solve Environmental Problems
Good News
Bad News
Environmental protection agencies in 115 nations
Most international environmental treaties lack criteria for evaluating their effectiveness
Over 500 international environmental treaties and agreements
1992 Rio Earth Summit led to nonbinding agreements with inadequate funding
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) created in 1972 to negotiate and monitor international environmental treaties
By 2008 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 24.9
Good and bad news about international efforts to deal with global environmental problems. Question: What single piece of good news and what single piece of bad news do you think are the most important?
2002 Johannesburg Earth Summit failed to deal with global environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty
2002 Johannesburg Earth Summit attempted to implement 1992 Rio summit policies and goals and reduce poverty
Fig. 24-9, p. 654

44. 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
Lack of funding for monitoring and enforcement
Figure 24.10
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?
Increase funding for monitoring and enforcement
Treaties are not integrated with one another
Harmonize or integrate existing agreements
Fig , p. 655

45. Corporations Can Play a Key Role in Moving Toward Environmental Sustainability
Eco-efficiency
World Business Council for Sustainable Development

46. 24-6 Implementing More Sustainable and Just Environmental Policies
Concept Making the transition to more sustainable societies will require that nations implement green plans and that people and nations cooperate, agree on principles, and make the political commitment to achieve this transition.

47. Green Planning Can Be a National Priority
The Netherlands focused on four themes
Implement life-cycle management
Improve energy efficiency
Invent more environmentally sustainable technologies
Public education
Is the plan in the Netherlands working?
EPI rank for the Netherlands is 55/149 countries

48. We Can Shift to More Environmentally Sustainable Societies
Emphasize preventing or minimizing environmental problems
Use market-place solutions
Win-win solutions or trade-offs to environmental problems or injustices
Be honest and objective