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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
INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC WORDS
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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
INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC WORDS
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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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(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF
EFFORTSThe Singapore government
Legislates Mandatory energy labelling of electricalappliances
limits for waste disposal, gasemissions
licences e.g for hazardous subtances
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(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF
EFFORTSThe Singapore government
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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(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF
EFFORTSThe Singapore government
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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(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF
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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(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF
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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(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF
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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(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL /
COURAGEMore about GPI : POLLUTION
The GPI subtracts the costs ofpollution as measured by damageto human health and theenvironment. (GDP excludes)
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(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL /
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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(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL /
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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(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL /
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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(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL /
COURAGEAmongst First Worldcountries
neverending competition
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(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL /
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?