Environment vs Progress 9 May 2010

7/31/2019 Environment vs Progress 9 May 2010

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Is it possible to protectthe environment

when many countriesrequire increasing

amounts of energyto progress?

(2007 A-levels, Qn10)


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PREPARATION

ANDINTRODUCTION


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Q = Is it possible ?

Yes, (under what conditions?) No, (under what conditions?)

T: environmental protection vs progress

What is the assumption in the qn?

Is there a contest between the 2 at all?

K = increasing

demand gets greater and greater : why?


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What is the meaning of progress? Traditional assessment :Economic progress

Gross Domestic Product

market value of all final goods and servicesproduced in a country in a year.

Specifically, it is the sum of consumption,investment, government spending and

exports, minus imports, in one year.

INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC WORDS


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What is the implication of this technicaldefinition of progress?

*** If progress is defined as

growth that stems fromthe production and

consumption of goods, then

societies and governmentswill drive up energy use

for the sake of that growth



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What about the key word increasing? The rising demand for energy comesfrom :

Increasing affluence

Increasing technology

Throwaway society

Rising expectation

INTERPRETATION OF KEY WORD


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INCOME RISES= ENERGY USE RISES


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What does it mean to protect theenvironment?

Reduce pollution

Reduce the depletion of natural resources

* Consume less affect economic progress

* Look for other/new alternatives

* Renew resources

maintain economic progress while

causing less damage



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Questioning the assumption inthe Qn

Can protecting the environment

and achieving progress co-exist?

If yes, then why/how?

If no, then why?(dualism)


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Can protecting the environment and

achieving progress co-exist?

If yes, then why/how?

(a) DEVELOP TECHNOLOGICALCAPABILITIES

(b) IMPLEMENT VARIOUS LEVELS OF

EFFORT

(c) BROADEN THE MEANING OF PROGRESS


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Can protecting the environment and

achieving progress co-exist?

If no, then why?

(i) NOT ENOUGH TECHNOLOGY

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / MORAL

COURAGE

(iii) NOT ENOUGH TIME


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PARAGRAPH

DEVELOPMENT


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(a) DEVELOPING

TECHNOLOGICALCAPABILITIES

Alternative energy sources

Nuclear power Nuclear power plants emit less than

one hundreth the greenhouse gases of

coal or gas fired power stations. A single kilogram of uranium can

produce more energy than 200 barrels

of oil


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(a) DEVELOPING

TECHNOLOGICAL

CAPABILITIESAlternative energy (renewable) sources

Hydropower, wind, wave power etc

Solar energy Generate electricity for many uses lighting,

heating, horticulture

High potential : The amount of solar energyreaching the surface of the planet is so vast

that in one year it is about TWICE as much as

will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's

non-renewable resources


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(a) DEVELOPING

TECHNOLOGICAL

CAPABILITIESBegin an energy race (case study : China)

In 2009 it invested $35 billion in

clean energy technologies(US : $19 billion)

created 1.2 million renewable andsustainable energy jobs.

starting to export its clean energytechnologies to the rest of theworld, including to the UnitedStates.


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(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF

EFFORTSGovernments

LegislateIncentivise

EducateCooperate(with other governments

and international organisations)

Guide

consumer

and

corporate

behaviour


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EFFORTSThe Singapore government

Legislates Mandatory energy labelling of electricalappliances

limits for waste disposal, gasemissions

licences e.g for hazardous subtances


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Incentivises

EASe (Energy Efficiency AssistanceScheme) 50% subsidy of appraisalcost

GREET (Grant for Energy EfficientTechnologies up to $2million forenergy saving installations

Green Vehicle Rebate


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Educates Guidelines and handbooks

Environmental training for businesses(Corporate Environment Champions

Programme) Educational programmes for schools

and the public (Semakau Island tour,Youth Environment Envoy etc)


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EFFORTEcotourism

e.g. The use of geothermal energy in

Iceland for power and tourism

e.g. ecotravel in many countries(Indonesia, Australia etc.)

Drawbacks?


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EFFORTGovernments cooperate- Recognise that environmental degradation is

a transnational problem

e.g. EU Climate Policy 25-40% cut in greenhouse gases by 2020 and at

least 80% by 2050, compared with 1990 levels

a binding target of a 20% increase in energyefficiency by 2020 and specific interim targets

a European Climate Fund + incentives


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EFFORTCarbon trading, carbon credits

One carbon credit

= one ton of C02 or equivalentgreenhouse gas

Emissions are capped, so buy and sellcarbon credits to meet developmentrequirements

Drawbacks?


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(c) BROADEN THE MEANING

OF PROGRESSSOCIAL PROGRESS, MORAL

PROGRESS

Conserve in order for progress tobe sustainable

Dont be rapacious, avaricious have insatiable desire to consume,take more than needed


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On the other hand,

we face challenges in trying to

reconcile our need to progress

and our need to protect the

Earth.


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(i) NO TECHNOLOGY

WHY ? NOT ENOUGH $$$ !

poor nations debt-ridden already

(Ethiopias $10 billion debt ; 45% of exportearnings used to clear debt each year)

vs

richer countries esp. with reserves(China has trillions of US dollars in

reserves)


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(i) NO TECHNOLOGY

WHY ? NOT ENOUGH SHARING !

* Knowledge and skills = advantage

* Why lose this advantage

to economic competitors ?

* Clean energy race has been likenedto the space race


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(i) NO TECHNOLOGY

SO?

Poor countries fall further and furtherbehind

Need more and more of theenvironmentally damaging

energy sources to catch up


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(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL /

COURAGEAs long as the measurement ofprogress is tied to consumption &production, energy demands willremain high

E.g. Bhutan (Gross National Happiness)

E.g. Genuine Progress Indicator(proposed by public policyorganisation called RedefiningProgress)


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COURAGEMore about GPI : POLLUTION

The GPI subtracts the costs ofpollution as measured by damageto human health and theenvironment. (GDP excludes)


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COURAGEMore about GPI : RESOURCE DEPLETION

The GPI treats the loss of futureavailability of resources such aswetlands, farmland, and mineralsas a current cost when these

resources are depleted ordegraded. (GDP excludes)


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COURAGEMore about GPI : DEFENSIVE EXPENDITURES

E.g. pollution control devices,medical services) are treated ascosts in the GPI. (more of theseare bad for progress)

GDP treats as consumption,government spending orinvestment (shows progress)


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COURAGEBetween First World and

Third World countries

If the First World exploitnature to progress, then whycant the Third World?(Moral hypocrisy)


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COURAGEAmongst First Worldcountries

neverending competition


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COURAGEAt the individual / social level more modernity, more

success, more consumption bigger ecological footprint

Do we care to see it any otherway?


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(ii) NOT ENOUGH TIME

Science takes time to be accessible toall and be cost effective for all

Until then, current methods will

prevail to prevent stagnation,unemployment etc.

Current (pollutive) energy sourcesare needed to pursue thedevelopment of environmentally-friendly products or projects


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Technology Cost (USD/MWh)

Advanced Nuclear 67

Coal 74-88

Gas 313-346

Geothermal 67

Hydropower 48-86

Wind power 60

Solar 116-312

Biomass 47-117

Fuel Cell 86-111

Wave power 611


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CONCLUSION


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IN CONCLUSION

SUMMARYOF KEY

IDEAS

Progress, as it is presently

understood, does require

increasing amounts of energy.

Balancing progress and

environmental protection is a

huge challenge that can be

surmountable by harnessing

green technology and sharing

it.


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IN CONCLUSION

INSIGHT

past present future

direct indirect

short term long term

While technology is key,

we also need to include

sustainability in our

definition of progress.This entails :

a change inexpectations

conservation even itmeans consuming less

social justice


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How are these questions similar?

Is it is possible to nurture a sense of

belonging to ones country when theprospects of going abroad are so attractive?

Should we invest in expensive medicalresearch when only few can afford it ?

Should the government invest in the arts in

times of economic hardship ?

Should the state be concerned with what

happens in other countries when it faces

many challenges of its own?

Documents

Environment vs Progress 9 May 2010