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Chapter 1: Science and the Environment, Chapter 2: Economics, Politics,…
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Chapter 2: Economics, Politics, and Public Policy
China:
- Economic giant in 21st cent---> costs to environment
- ex. = Yellow River (chem spill) & Beijing (smog)
China Ministry of Envl Protections (MEP):
- Turn to NGOs--> Green Camel Bell
Economics: social science involving production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services w/ the theory and management of economics or economic systems
2 Types of economic systems:
- Centrally planned (dictatorship)
- Free market (capitalist)
Sustainable economy:
- Brown= trad'l (not sustainable)
-->degradation envl services
- Green= sustainable
-->relies on:
- human well-being is important w/ no growth at all costs
- preserve ecosystem resources and services instead of using them for capital
- precautionary principle in terms of emerging tech
-->accounts for several types of capital:
- produced capital... (essential for production of goods/services)
- natural capital... (world's natural assets provided by ecosystem, renewable/ nonrenewable)
- intangible capital... (not from nature in economy) broken into
human (pop. physical/ psychological, etc)
social (created by govt, etc)
knowledge capital (written, transferred through school, etc)
Economic Measurements:
GDP= Gross Domestic Product
--> definition= GNP- Net Income from abroad (domestic)
GNP= Gross Nat'l Product
--> all goods & services (income) produced (domestic/ international) by a country in a particular time
GPI= Genuine Progress Indicator
--> treats env'l degradation as a loss
--> means of measuring a sustainable economy
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- Some problems decline as income levels rise b/c society decides to apply resources available
- some probs increase then decline when serious consequences of prob are recognized & public policies developed
- increased economic activity causes some probs to increase w/o end in sight
Goods= materials extracted from Earth for humans use
Services= actions provide economic well-being & support life
3 "Factors of production":
- Land (Natural resources)
- Labor
- Capital
Env'l policy: CFC Case Study
- Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs)
--> released into environment--> stratosphere
2 chemists; Mario Molina & Sherwood Rowland discovered effect on ozone layer
- Policy options:
- Command & control --> legislature set standards; pollutes must follow
--> neg= alls SOME pollution
*(ex= clean air act/ clean water act)
- Market approach --> user fees; incentives to NOT pollute
*(ex= pay as you throw, fishing lincense)
Policies in US
- Fed level policies:
-->Env'l Protection Agency (EPA)
--> regulations: clean water & air acts (CWA & CAA)
- State & local level policies
--> Dept of Env'l Protection (DEP) in NJ
--> regulations: pay as throw, plastic bags outlawed, returnable bottle laws, etc
Env'l Policy & Economic Effects:
Env'l protection
--> does not diminish wealth (transfers; takes time)
--> creates industry jobs
Cost of policies
--> some require no cost
Cost-benefit analysis:
- real costs= equipment, labor, maintenance, tech
- other costs= poor health/ death
- benefit= clean environment, good health
Careful studies have found:
- pollution control costs add value
- few job layoffs environmentally related
- env'l reg= job growth
- healthier workers= more productive
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Stewardship: managing natural resources through actions/programs & human well-being for greater good of society
Stewards:
Wangari Maathai (Green Belt Movement; Kenyan deforestation movement)
Ramesh Agrawal (helped poor Indian villagers demand right to info on envl impact of industrial projects)
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