GEOG 101: DAY 24A Break from the ‘Doom and Gloom’

Alter-natives

Awareness-building

Regulations

Directaction

Cultural change

Political leadership

Techno advances

Political/public support

Incentives & disincentives

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS

I have a brief (hopeful!) article to give to everyone.

Brief talk by Lucas Anderson on the presentation on the presentation by Doug White on the implications of the Tsilhqot'in land decision.

Then we’ll finish up the notes on environmental ethics and environmental economics.

Chapter 23 is on strategies for sustainability with a focus on campuses; please read on your own. There will be exam questions

After we finish the slides from Tuesday, I would like to hear what you think are the most effective strategies for promoting social change?

SOCIAL CHANGE STRATEGIES FORINSTITUTIONS AND HOUSEHOLDS

For institutions: Examples: lobbying (protests, letters to

politicians and corporations, on-line petitions);

electoral (voting for people who stand – at least in theory – for the right things;

legal work (challenging government decisions in court);

regulations (for instance, to protect the environment);

policy development (showing governments and corporations that there are alternatives that have worked in other jurisdictions and that can be win/win)

SOCIAL CHANGE STRATEGIES FORINSTITUTIONS AND HOUSEHOLDS

For institutions: influencing public opinion through

opinion-makers (celebrities and religious leaders – Suzuki, Bishop Tutu, etc.) and the media, both mainstream and alternative (documentaries, web sites, social media, etc.);

direct action – political (such as sit-ins, as at Clayoquot) and lifestyle (modeling a different way of doing things while challenging by-laws and old conventions – front yard gardening/ urban agriculture, selling medical marijuana).

SOCIAL CHANGE STRATEGIES FORINSTITUTIONS AND HOUSEHOLDS

For individuals and households: [Examples] education (dangers of smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, need

to adopt more environmentally-friendly lifestyles, getting kids when they’re young; also relates to opinion-makers and media);

citizenship (fostering public discussion where people feel an ownership of the final result, as with charrettes and study circles);

incentives and disincentives (people are responsive to their pocket books – make bad behaviours more expensive and good behaviours less expensive [green taxes, etc.]; the same applies to corporations);

alternatives (creating and demonstrating the existence of – e.g. blue boxes for recycling, enhanced transit, eco-labelling).

It’s also good when you can combine strategies and combine arguments – cycling as environmentally virtuous, but as a boost to health (see TED talks by Jeff Speck and Majora Carter).

FIND YOUR NICHE… If you do decide to get involved in social

change work, find a niche that matches your talents and what you enjoy doing: Are you a good organizer? Do you like to do research and come up with

alternative policies? Are you a good educator/ communicator? Do you like to document things through text,

photos, or film? Do you like to be at the centre of activity and

confront authority? Do you want to reform institutions from within? Do you like to create and popularize

alternatives?

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY(CHAPTER 22)

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UPON SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THIS CHAPTER, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO

Describe environmental policy and assess its societal context

Identify the institutions important to Canadian environmental policy

Recognize major Canadian environmental laws List the institutions involved with international

environmental policy Categorize the different approaches to

environmental policy Describe how nations handle transboundary

issues

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CENTRAL CASE: THE DEATH AND REBIRTH OF LAKE ERIE

1970s: Lake Erie “died” of pollution International effort brought Lake Erie back using

touch legal restrictions on both sides of the border

Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement

42 Areas of Concern with tailored Remedial Action Plans

One example of how people and organizations work together

“When you get ready to vote, make sure you know what you’re doing.”

– Bob Hunter, Journalist and Co-founder of Greenpeace

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ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Policy = a formal set of general plans and principles to address problems and guide decisions

Public Policy = policy made by governments that consists of laws, regulations, orders, incentives, and practices

Environmental Policy = pertains to human interactions with the environment • Regulates resource use or reduce pollution

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ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ADDRESSES ISSUES OF EQUITY AND RESOURCE USE The tragedy of the commons = the

idea that a resource held in common that is accessible to all and is unregulated will eventually become overused and degraded

Free Riders = reducing pollution tempts any one person to cheat • Private voluntary efforts are less

effective than mandated efforts External Cost = harmful impacts result

from market transaction but are borne by people not involved in the transaction

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MANY FACTORS HINDER IMPLEMENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

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 develop gradually- Human behavior is geared toward short-

term needs- News media have short attention spans - Politicians often act out of their own

short-term interest 22-13

ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS AND BEST PRACTICES CAN BE PROMOTED BY VOLUNTARY INITIATIVES

Voluntary guidelines Sector-based and self-enforced Canadian mining industry has undertaken some

voluntary initiatives ISO 14001 standards for environmental

management Promote consistency and best practices in

environmental management Are they as effective as legislation?

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CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ARISES FROM ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

Canadian Environmental Protection Act (1999) Federal government shares responsibility for

environmental protection Provinces/territories (principal responsibility) Aboriginal Municipal/local governments

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME)

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CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY

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CANADA’S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES ARE INFLUENCED BY OUR NEIGHBOUR

Influenced by the U.S. in its environmental management approach because of: The trading relationship (e.g. NAFTA) The environmental resources we

share

Canada-U.S. binational management of transboundary pollution has been characterized by cooperation and dialogue

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LEGAL INSTRUMENTS ARE USED TO ENSURE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS ARE ACHIEVED

Acts = laws, or statutes, proposed and voted upon by the Parliament

Regulations = specific legal instruments, a detailed set of requirements established by governments to allow them to enforce acts

Agreements = enforceable or voluntary; with the goal of streamlining, clarifying, or harmonizing the administration of environmental legislation

Permits = document that grant legal permission to carry out an activity

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LEGAL INSTRUMENTS ARE USED TO ENSURE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS ARE ACHIEVED (CONT’D)

Federal (e.g. Canadian Environmental Protection Act, Fisheries Act, Canadian Wildlife Act)

Provincial (e.g. limits on discharging harmful substances, require permits or approvals )

Aboriginal governments (e.g. resource extraction on aboriginal lands)

Municipal/local governments (e.g. water and sewage, noise, waste, zoning, pesticide use)

International agreements (e.g. U.N. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)

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GOVERNMENT AND ENGOS WORK TOGETHER ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Stakeholder = any person or group that has an interest in, or might be affected by, the outcome of a particular undertaking

ENGOs = environmental nongovernmental organizations

Round table = a multi-stakeholder working group established to consult on a particular issue

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DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIA REQUIRE DIFFERENT REGULATORY APPROACHES

Water law in Canada developed from two historical legal concepts:

Riparian law = anyone who has legal access to the water’s edge has the legal right to withdraw water from the resource

Prior appropriation = first come, first right principle, by which one’s right to withdraw water is established by historical precedent

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ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY HAS CHANGED WITH THE SOCIETY AND THE ECONOMY

1780s to 1800s: frontier ethic to tame and conquer the wilderness (still widely prevalent)

1800s: regulate resource use, conservation and preservation ethics

1900s: immigrants encouraged to convert Prairie grasslands into farms; soil conservation

Late 1900s: policy responded to pollution and environmental crises (Silent Spring, 1962)

2000s: public enthusiasm for environmental protection

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THE SOCIAL CONTEXT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY CHANGES OVER TIME

Factors that allowed advances in environmental policy- Wide evidence of environmental problems - People could visualize policies to deal with

problems - The political climate was ripe, with a

supportive public and leaders who were willing to act

- Economic confidence (willingness-to-pay transition)

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environmental “Kuznets curve”; as we become more affluent, do we just displace the pollution overseas??

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THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT NOW GUIDES ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Sustainable development = “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

1987, United Nations Commission on Environment and Development

Has not been without controversy too vague anthropocentric prone to misuse and misinterpretation contradiction in terms

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SCIENTIFIC MONITORING AND REPORTING HELPS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY DECISIONS

State-of-the-environment reporting (SOER) = the collection, organization, and reporting of information that can be used to measure and monitor changes in the environment

Indicators = values that can be measured and in comparison to which changes can be assessed

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SCIENTIFIC MONITORING AND REPORTING HELPS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY DECISIONS (CONT’D)

Purpose of SOER What is happening in the environment? Why is it happening? Why is it significant? What is being done about it? Is this response sustainable?

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SCIENTIFIC MONITORING AND REPORTING HELPS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY DECISIONS (CONT’D)

Environment Canada takes the lead role on SOER Other federal-levels

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Parks Canada

Many municipalities also produce SOE reports Many corporations have adopted reporting as well

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SOER PRESENTS ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGES

So much environmental information that can be measured and reported

How to sub-divide the information Pressure–state–response (PSR) model =

based on establishing linkages and causalities

Cause-and-effect feedback loops

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INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY

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INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY

International issues can be addressed through creative agreements

Customary law = practices or customs held by most cultures

Conventional law = from conventions or treaties • Montreal Protocol: nations agreed to

reduce ozone-depleting chemicals • Kyoto Protocol: reduces fossil fuel

emissions causing climate change (Canada withdrew in 2011)

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SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS HELP SHAPE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

The United Nations helps nations understand and solve environmental problems

The European Union seeks to promote Europe’s unity and economic and social progress

The World Trade Organization has authority to impose financial penalties and can shape environmental policy (has interpreted some environmental laws as unfair barriers to trade)

The World Bank funds economic development including some unsustainable projects

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SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS HELP SHAPE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (CONT’D)

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is concerned some countries may impose policies that are harmful to those who rely on fossil fuels for a substantial part of their income

International ENGOs provide funding, expertise, and research to environmental problems in diverse ways

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APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

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SCIENCE PLAYS A ROLE IN POLICY, BUT IT CAN BE POLITICIZED Effective policy decisions are informed by

scientific research Sometimes policymakers ignore science

Cod fisher in Atlantic Canada for example• They let political ideology determine policy• Scientists at government agencies have had

their work suppressed or discredited Their jobs were threatened

When taxpayer-funded research is suppressed or distortedfor political ends, everyone loses

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COMMAND-AND-CONTROL POLICY HAS IMPROVED OUR LIVES, BUT IT IS NOT PERFECT

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

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COMMAND-AND-CONTROL POLICY HAS IMPROVED OUR LIVES, BUT IT IS NOT PERFECT (CONT’D)

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

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ECONOMIC TOOLS ALSO CAN BE USED TO ACHIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS

Subsidy Green taxes and “polluter pays” Permit trading

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ECONOMIC TOOLS ALSO CAN BE USED TO ACHIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS (CONT’D)

Subsidy = a government giveaway of cash or resources to encourage a particular activity

• Have been used to support unsustainable activities

• Could subsidize environmentally sustainable activities instead

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ECONOMIC TOOLS ALSO CAN BE USED TO ACHIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS (CONT’D)

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

• Costs are passed on to consumers

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ECONOMIC TOOLS ALSO CAN BE USED TO ACHIEVE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS (CONT’D)

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

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MARKET INCENTIVES ARE BEING TRIED WIDELY ON THE LOCAL LEVEL

Charges for waste disposal according to the amount of waste they generate

Rebates to residents who buy water-efficient toilets

Discounts from power companies for using high-efficiency light bulbs and appliances

Rebate programs aimed at providing rewards for behavioural changes

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ECO-LABELLING GIVES SOME CHOICE BACK TO THE CONSUMER

Ecolabelling = tells consumers which brands use environmentally benign processes

Consumers provide businesses with a powerful incentive to switch to more sustainable processes

Socially responsible investing = entails investing only in companies that have met certain criteria

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CONCLUSION

Environmental policy is a problem-solving tool that uses science, ethics and economics

Conventional command-and-control approach of legislation and regulation are most common

Environmental issues often overlap political boundaries

Approaches to environmental management are currently emerging in Canada

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