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Environmental Laws, Economics, and Ethics

Chapter 2. Environmental Laws, Economics, and Ethics. Environmental History of U.S. Dominated by the frontier attitude. 1800. 1700. 1900. 1600. Environmental History of U.S. John James Audubon. Henry David Thoreau. George Perkins Marsh. 1800. 1900. 1750.

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Environmental Laws, Economics, and Ethics

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  1. Chapter 2 Environmental Laws, Economics, and Ethics

  2. Environmental History of U.S. Dominated by the frontier attitude 1800 1700 1900 1600

  3. Environmental History of U.S. John James Audubon Henry David Thoreau George Perkins Marsh 1800 1900 1750 Some conservationists were influential in raising environmental concerns later in this period.

  4. Environmental History of U.S. General Revision Act 1st National Park: Yellowstone Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks 1900 1950 1850 Several presidents, particularly Theodore Roosevelt, used this Act to establish 43 million acres of forest reserves.

  5. Environmental History of U.S. • Theodore Roosevelt - utilitarian John Muir - preservationist 1900 1950 1850 Different worldviews

  6. Environmental History of U.S. Franklin Roosevelt establishes CCC and SCS Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac published posthumously 1950 2000 1900

  7. Environmental History of U.S. Rachel Carson published Silent Spring 1950 2000 1900

  8. Environmental History of U.S. Wilderness Act of 1964, spurred on by Wallace Stegner First Earth Day Paul Ehrlich published The Population Bomb 1950 2000 1900

  9. Environmental History of U.S.

  10. U.S. Environmental Legislation • National Environmental Policy Act – • dictates ALL federally proposed actions draft an environmental impact statement.

  11. U.S. Environmental Legislation Legislation passed, signed by president US congressperson drafts legislation Full-cost accounting evaluation Public comments EPA develops regulations OMB reviews / approves funding • Addressing New Environmental Problems with Government Policies Problem identified Regulations implemented / enforced by states (usually)

  12. U.S. Environmental Legislation • Many environmental laws have been passed: • Clean Air Act (1970) (Amended in 1990) • Clean Water Act (1972) • Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972) • Endangered Species Act (1973) • Energy Policy and Conservation Act (1975) • Federal Land Policy and Management Act (1976) • National Forest Management Act (1976) • Toxic Substances Control Act (1976) • Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (1977) • Medical Waste Tracking Act • Food Quality Protection Act (1996) • Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (2002)

  13. U.S. Environmental Legislation • What has been their effect since 1970? • 8 National Parks, National Wilderness Preservation System • Substantial soil erosion reduction • Many endangered species fairing better • Emissions of many pollutants reduced

  14. Economics and the Environment Economy Products Source Sinks Raw Materials Waste Production Consumption Money

  15. Political Action: • Elected officials select a course of action and implement it. • (Either based on scientific evidence, economic or social factors).

  16. Reasoning Inductive Reasoning begins with specific examples and seeks to draw a conclusion (error prone) Example: fact - Gold is a metal that is heavier than water Fact - Iron is metal heavier than water Fact - Silver is a metal that is heavier than water Conclusion - All metals are heavier than water. Deductive Reasoning operates from generalities to specifics Example: General Rule: All birds have wings A specific example: Robins are birds Conclusion - All Robins have wings

  17. Inductive Reasoning • Discovering general principles by the careful examination of specific cases.

  18. 4. Inductive reasoning Fact: Au is heavier than H2O. Fact: Fe is a metal that is heavier than H2O. Fact: Ag is a metal that is heavier than H2O. Fact: Li has ½ the density of H2O. We induce that most metals are heavier than water. Inductive reasoning produces new knowledge but is prone to error.

  19. Deductive Reasoning: • Makes relationships among data more apparent by proceeding from the general to the specific.

  20. Deductive reasoning General rule: All birds have wings. A specific example: Robins are birds. Conclusion: All robins have wings. We deduce information directly from information given. What can we induce from this?

  21. General rule: All birds have wings. A specific example: Robins are birds. Conclusion: All robins have wings. We could induce that chickens have wings. We could induce that ostriches have wings.

  22. Economics and the Environment BUT, consuming nonrenewable natural resources typically NOT accounted • National Income Accounts • Gross Domestic Product (GDP) • Net Domestic Product (NDP) • NDP = GDP - depreciation / capital expenses

  23. Economics and the Environment In addition, degradation of natural resources by pollution also typically NOT accounted • National Income Accounts • Gross Domestic Product (GDP) • Net Domestic Product (NDP) • NDP = GDP - depreciation / capital expenses External costs rarely considered

  24. Ecological Risk Assessments: • EPA has guidelines for estimating probable effect of human activities in ecosystems. • Stressors: These are human induced changes that tax the environment. • Cost-Benefit Analysis: the estimated cost is compared to determine how much expense society will incur to derive an environmental benefit.

  25. Health effects and risk assessment • Risk assessment • the estimation of risks for comparative purposes, helps us set priorities and manage risks • If risk is certain, its probability is 1. • If risk is certain NOT to occur, its probability is 0. • Risk management • the determination of the need to reduce or eliminate a particular risk. • Cost benefit analysis • Ecological risk assessment

  26. Health effects of environmental pollutants Toxicology study of chemicals with adverse effects on health Dose - the amount of a toxin that enters the body. Response - the type and amount of damage caused by exposure to a particular dose. Lethal-dose 50% (LD50) the dose that is lethal to 50% of test animals (mg/kg) the lower the LD50 the more toxic Effective-dose 50% (ED50) the dose that causes 50% of a population to exhibit whatever response is under study.

  27. Carcinogens • Carcinogens • cancer causing substances • See table 2-1 in text. • Page 26 Deaths caused by smoking

  28. Ecological Risk Assessment • How one assesses the impact of environmental damage in the environment (water, land, air, flora and fauna) and the interactions of each.

  29. Today’s Activity From Chapter 1: Discuss the Lake Washington Case-study using the 5 components of addressing an environmental problem.1. Scientific assessment (model)2. Risk Analysis3. Public Education4. Political Action5. Follow through

  30. Case - Study - Lake Washington • Damage to the environment can often be reversed. (As in Seattle's Lake Washington) • Problem: Raw sewage inputted into lake - making it nutrient rich and Eutrophic. • Scientific assessment identifies problems and makes suggestions • Risk analysis - environmental, social and political • Public education and • Political action come into play • Follow through of assessment and implication of remediation

  31. Lake Washington Case-study

  32. Lake Washington Case-study

  33. U.S. Environmental Legislation What has been their effect since 1970? • 8 National Parks, National Wilderness Preservation System • Substantial soil erosion reduction • Many endangered species fairing better • Emissions of many pollutants reduced • Increases in fish consumption advisories has increased. Due to Mercury or polychloriated biphenyls??????? Why??????

  34. Economics and the Environment Source are that part of the environment from which materials move Sinks are that part of he environment that receives input of materials Economy Products Raw Materials Waste Production Consumption Money Depends on natural capital to provide sources fro raw materials and sinks for waste products

  35. Economics Study of how people use their limited resources to try to satisfy their unlimited wants. Depends on natural capital to provide sources fro raw materials and sinks for waste products

  36. Economics and the Environment National Income Accounts:total income of a nation for a given year Gross Domestic Product (GDP): Net Domestic Product (NDP) NDP = GDP - depreciation / capital expenses BUT, consuming nonrenewable natural resources typically NOT accounted

  37. National Income Accounting Practices are misleading and incomplete,, they do not incorporate environmental factors National Income Accounts Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Net Domestic Product (NDP) NDP = GDP - depreciation / capital expenses Not accounted for: 1. natural resource depletion 2. costs and benefits of pollution control External costs rarely considered

  38. An Economists View of Pollution External cost: when consuming How much pollution is Acceptable

  39. Economics and the Environment Marginal cost of pollution

  40. Economics and the Environment Marginal cost of pollution abatement

  41. Economics and the Environment Cost-Benefit diagram: economists identify the optimum amount of pollution as the amount at which Marginal costs= marginal cost abatement

  42. Economics and the Environment HARMFUL Marginal cost of pollution EXCEEDS the cost of reducing pollution (abatement) BENEFICIAL why?

  43. Economics and the Environment Common problems with economic analyses: 1) Reduction in quality of life and natural beauty difficult to assess. 2) Fails to consider unexpected catastrophic environmental damage.

  44. Economics and the Environment Economic strategies for pollution control: • Command and control regulations • Catalytic converters • Clean Air Act amend. 1990 quantitative goal a 60% reduction of nitrogen oxide • 2) Incentive-based regulation • Emission charge in Europe (tax), green taxes • marketable waste-discharge permits • Emission reduction credits (ERCs)

  45. Economics and the Environment Case-in-Point: Environmental Problems in Central and Eastern Europe

  46. Economics and the Environment The Black Triangle is located on the triangular border area between Germany's Southern Saxony; Poland's Lower Silesia and the Czech Republic's Northern Bohemia.

  47. Environmental Ethics, Values, and Worldviews Deep Ecology worldview Western worldview

  48. Environmental Ethics, Values, and Worldviews Deep Ecology Western • Environmental Ethics: • List your moral values concerning the stewardship of natural resources. • Where would you place yourself along this spectrum of worldviews?

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