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Multi -Perspective Environmental Science, Environmental Ethics, Infectious…
Multi -Perspective Environmental Science
Science
:question: What is Science
:explode:Way to understand the world, :explode:explain how things work, :explode: Natural and human construct
:!: Scientific Assumptions : university pattern, not absolute proof, increasing accurate approximation, pattern to generalization
:!: Scientific method: observation, hypothesis, experiment, data, interpret, and conclude
:!: Theory: grand scheme that relates and explain many observation that is supported by evidence
:!: Environmental Science : how natural world works and environment affect us and how we affect our environment.
:question: What's the role with environmental science : recognize the problem and synthesizing information for better understanding
:!: Ethics : moral principles or values held by an individual or society study on good and bad, right and wrong
:!: Relativist : ethics vary with social context
:!: Universalist : exist fundamental objective notions of right and wrong, good and bad
:question: Whats are ethical standards
:!: Categorial imperative: " do onto other as you would have other do unto you"
:!: Utilitarian Principle : something is right when it produces the greatest Practical benefit for the most people
:!: Environmental Ethics: application of ethical standard to relationship between human and non human, since industrialization
Environmental Ethics Principals
Conservation ethic: natural resources to use but have responsibility to manage them :explode: Gifford, Clifford
Preservation ethic: protect environment in unaltered state :explode: John Muir , James Harkin
:question: Who should we extend ethical considerations to ?
:!: Peter Singer and Tom Regan : extend moral standing to other species and animal
:!: Aldo Leopold : the land ethic : consider soil, water, plants, and animal
:!: Arne Naess : Deep Ecology : all things have equal intrinsic, protect all living things
:!: Social Ecology: environmental problem are related to social problem, mutualistic relationship and non hierarchical
:!: Environmental Justice : all people have right to healthy environment, protected from risks and impact, and compensated for impact , equitable access to environmental resources
:!: Eco feminism: oppression of nature and of women, dominate and conquer what they do not understand and hate
:!: Environmental Policy: specifically pertain to human interactions with environment and require input from all discipline.
:!: Policy : set plan and principles to address problems and guide decision making , intend to promote societal welfare
:!: Actors: governments, UN, EU, WTO, NGOS
:!: Command and control : rules and limit set with legal instrumentation and repercussions :!: Market incentives
:question: what are the factors that contributed to growth of environmental movement in 60s and 70s
:explode: Clear evidence, political will from public and leader, economic stability, grassroot activism
:!: Timeline to Environmental Policy
1962 : Silent Spring: launched environmental movement
1970 Limits to growth : identified the global environmental problem
1987 : defined sustainable development
19992 : Earth Summit, worlds coming together to solve sustainability problem
2000 : Kyoto Protocol : solving climate change problem
:question: Why is policy needed
Guide public action to universally embrace concept for change
Market capitalism : overexploitation of public resource, free rider and external cost
:!: Environmental Economics : allocation of environmental resources include cost and benefit of policies and strategies
:question: how to minimize cost
:!: Marginal Cost and Benefit : cost and benefit to produce one more unit, considered efficient when both are equal
As environmental protection increase, marginal cost increase, should do easy stuff first and only reduce emission if there is benfit ( Eg. pollution ta and emission trading)
:!: Ecological Economics: Steady state economics, economic growth lead to environmental degradation and inequalities in wealth. Look at sustainability not growth
:question: how to place a value on environment
:!: Hedonic Pricing : measure effect environmental qualities have on price of related market goods , what are people willing to pay for ENV amenties/wellbeing ( Eg. house near park and house in city, visit to national parks)
:!: Contingent Valuation: Survey to ask consumer on WTP and WTA the unpriced good and services ( building a community park)
Environmental Ethics
:!: Modernize Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) 1999 : environmental protection law that enable Canadians to live from harmful chemical and pollutions
right of all citizens to live in healthy environment
comprehensive pan-Canadian health and environment strategy
Invest in environmental health research and monitoring
Strengthen environmental law and national standards for air, water, food safety and chemical to meet the standard in other wealth indsutrialized countries
:!: 2021 Oct 8, UN human Right " right to clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a human right."
Benefits: promotes procedure right like right to receive information and participate in decision making about matter and obtain access to the justice system
Protect element of natural environment that enable a dignified life
: Allows national and regional courts to impose duties on States to implement right to a healthy enviornment
Recognized that state can have an obligation to prevent violation of the right to a healthy enviornment
:!: Love Canal: discovery of 21,000 toxic waste buried beneath neighbourhood of 36 square blocks, Hookers chemical and plastic purchased abandoned canal and dumped hazardous waste in 40s , covered the canal and sold it for 1 dollar, and 100 homes and schools built at site (working class Community) in 50s, leakage detected in 70s
Took 21 years and cost 400 million , a national symbol of failure to exercise sense of concern for future generation
:!: Stockholm Declaration: "man has the fundamental right to freedom, equality, adequate condition of life in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well being.". Led to legal recognition of the right to a healthy and sustainable environment.
:!: Environmental Bill of Right : Ontario have right to participate in government decisions. Right :explode: to comment, ask :explode: ministry to review existing and new one, investigate :explode: harm to the enviornment, appeal :explode: to decision, whistleblower :explode: protection, use :explode: courts to protect the environment.
:!: Environmental Justice : " endorsed recognition to live in a healthy environment" :explode:justice for all people :explode:universal protection from toxic/hazardous waste and threat to right to clean enviornment :explode:demand cessation of all toxin, hazardous waste and radioactive material and held producer strictly accountable
:!: Environmental Health Justice : " :explode: equity at all jurisdictional level in distribution of environmental hazard" "access :explode: to information and meaningful participation in decision making" " :explode: recognition and respect for diversity of people and their experiences"
:!: Social&Gender Inequalities : Exist :explode: within communities, disproportionately exposed to risks, :explode: low income and poverty are strongest determinant of risks, examine :explode: driving force, target :explode: :explode: vulnerable and disadvantaged population, health :explode: enivonrment for all
COVID ethics: resource allocation and priority setting ( health care) , tracking apps, environmental racism and health equity, individual freedom vs collective health measures
Infectious Disease
Type of Diseases
Re-Emerging Disease
Antibiotic and Pesticide Resistance : ability to replicate quickly and mutate to antimicrobial intervention or public health measure
overuse of antibiotic
unnecessary prescription of antibiotic
super virulent pathogens
Overuse of pesticides
natural selection and ability to evolve rapidly
Re-emergence of tuberculosis (TB) and aids : mycobacteria, attacks lungs (eradicated ) but immune deficiencies of people with aids allowed re-emergence and allow transmission to others
Inadequate anti- TB therapy which led to drug resistant
TB associated with inadequate hygiene : population in poverty
Top 10 causes of death and from single infectious agent. 10 million people per year infected and 1.4 million killed
Malaria: parasitic Protozoa between transmitted by humans by mosquitoes
DDT was effective malaria control for mosquito control and DDT was banned and malaria re-emerged
Re-emergence followed by Parasitic protozoa resistance to two antimalarial drug
Kills over 1 million people a year with 300 - 500 million infected
Preventioni s best approach, mosquito beds, supplements like zinc and Vitamin A to boost resistance , insecticides
Emerging Infectious Diseases
SARS : Acute respiratory syndrome, animal virus to human :question: what's vulnerability did SARS reveal
Able to spread person to person, no vector required, incubation period of a week, similar symptoms like other diseases, 10% death rate, international air travel, damaged economies, societies and international image of countries
West Nile virus : mosquito-borne illness with mild flu symptoms, can lead to permanent neurological issues :explode:Uganda
Zika Virus : relate to dengue, yellow fever and west nlle viruses , spread by mosquito and have mild sympotoms. can lead to development of brain effect and microcephaly :explode: outbreak impacted olympic 2016 :explode: Uganda
:!: Microcephaly: baby's head is much smaller than expceted
No vaccine or treatment, only relieving symptoms and medication for fever and pain
Influenza (Flu)
Influenza A Viru Types : Subtypes based on proteins on surface H and N, Eg. H5N1, H1N1, H3N2 :explode:Most common are Influenza A (H1N1, H3N2)
Swine Flu ( Influenza A, H1N1) : mild illness, 2009 - 2010
Spanish Flu: skin turning blue and lungs filling with fluid :explode: Europe (Spain hit the hardest). :explode:20 - 50 million killed
Annual Flu: 5 - 15% population, 0.25 - 0.5 death per year , H1N1 and H3N2
:question: What are ways to prevent infectious disease
Research, reduce poverty and malnutrition and improve drinking water quality, reduce unnecessary use of antibiotic, hand wash, immunize children , reduce HIV and Aids, Oral hydration for diarrhea
:question: what are ways to assess risks for disease
:!: Risk : probability of harm times probability of exposure
5 Components of Risk Assessment: 1. identify problem 2. receptor characterization 3. exposure assessment 4. toxicity assessment 5. risk characterization
:question: How are risk perceived
interest groups downplay or emphasize risks 2. people's understanding of probability 3. personal experiences carry weight 4. news media 5. irrational fear and distrust :explode: react to emotion than statistics :explode: most feared: unfamiliar, delayed, threat to future, catastrophic, undetectable, involuntary :explode:driving Vs Nuclear energy
:question: What are emerging health threat
Large scale anthropogenic changes and interaction with environment, synergistically to alter exposure to diseases and hard to demonstrate direct connections
Amount for 25% of worldwide death, mostly in developing nations
:!: Epidemic : more cases of that disease than normal
:!: Pandemic: worldwide epidemic, emergence of disease new to a population, agents infect human causing serious illness, and spread easily and sustainably among humans
Climate Ethics
:question: What are some ways to allocate GHG emission reduction among nations
:!: polluter pay principal
:!: Difference in needs and capacities
:!: Equal per capita allocations
:!: Efficient solutions may not just be solutions
:!: Distributive Fairness, perceived fairness of how rewards and cost are shared :explode: Challenges , the most harm are the ones that's not the one contribute to problems, resilient , why should future geneartion bear the bruden
:question: Resistance to act
:!: Scientific Uncertainty: uncertainty around timing and magnitude of threat :explode:precautionary principle
:!: Cost to Nations : strong economic rationale not to act, economic analysis alone is problematic
:!: Benefit first and cost later : Alberta Tar Sand, Nuclear energy to nuclear waste, technological optimists, cost to me but benefit somebody in the future ( invest in renewable energy)
:!: Rio Declaration and UNFCC on nations responsibility : polluters bear the cost, nation reduce GHG within jurisdiction, develop nation take the lead , no scientific uncertainty excuse, the parties contribute to CO2 need to bear the burden
:!: Carbon account : CO2 inventory to track cooperate responsibility , helding carbon accountable, identified major CO2 emitters
:!: Common but differentiated responsibility : historical emission from developed country and share of global emission in developing country will grow as economy grow
:!: Perfect Moral Storm: explain why it's hard to address climate change, global :explode: problem but not everyone have same burden, :explode: intergeneration effect ( not urgent), no :explode: theoretical tool avaliable
:question: What is the individual responsibility in climate change
What is Environmental Health
12.6 Million people are estimated to died result of working in unhealthy environment (23% of the death). Environmental change pose additional major challenge.
:!: Health " state of complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
:!: National Centre of Environmental Health: Promote health and quality of life by preventing or controlling disease or death result from interaction between people and their envrionment.
:!: Environment: Air we breath, water we drink, food, chemical, radiation, microbes and physical force we contact
Environmental Health Hazard
Physical: Earthquakes
Cultural: Smoking and drug
Chemical : pesticides
:!: Toxic: substance know or suspect to have harmful effect on human life and wildlife the natural environment when they spread
Heavy metal: lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, tin, zinc, copper, chromium
:!:Lead : lead paint, gasoline, soil or drinking water system with lead plumbing , poisoning interfere with normal development of brain
:!: Mercury: naturally and introduced contaminant, bioaccumulative toxin, considered WHO as top 10 for major public health concern,
Emitted by air from volcanoes, weathering or rocks, burning fossil fuels and waste, flooding
Methylmercury is most toxic: affect immune, nervous system, enzyme system :red_flag: Minamata disease
Organic Compounds: carbon based and resistance to biodegradation (synthetic organic compounds)
persistent organic pollutants: dirty dozen: DDT, Doxins
Endocrine/Hormone disrupt: flame retardants, Bisphenol A
:!: Synthetic Organic Compounds and Endocrine Disrupting Chemical: Disruption occurs when synthetic chemical mimics or blocks hormones that disrupt body normal functions
:!: Flame Retardant: (PBDE) : Emerging contaminant in household product , disruption to thyroid hormone
:!:: Bisphenol A (BPA): in plastic and used in consumer products, resins, Classed by GofC as hormone disruptor :red_flag: Type 7 and Type 3 Plastic
Sources
Home: cleanser, vinyl shower current, clothing, pesticides
Diet: pesticide, fertilizers, antibiotics in meat, hormones in meat, contaminated fish
Impacts
:!: Allergenic: cause allergies
:!: Neurtoxin: damages or destroy nerve tissues
:!: Mutagen: induce mutation
:!: Teratogen: malformation of embryo or fetus
:!: Carcinogens : cancer causing
:!: Endocrine Hormone disrupters
Measuring Toxicity
:!: Bioaccumulation: accumulation of substance in the tissue of single organism ( persistence organic pollutants or heavy metals
:!: Biomagnification: increase in concentration of pollutants: like
:question: What are some determinants of toxicity
Amount, frequency, who, how is material delivered, rate , route of entry, medium
:question: How is toxicity determined
Simulation, tissue culture, animal models
:question: How do we evaluate health risks to human
:!: Retrospective studies : compares two groups of people those with disease and similar group who doesn't (control)
:!: Prospective Studies : watches for outcomes, development of a disease and watch other factors ( risk or protection factor )
that relates to this disease. Cohort of people over long period of time
:question: What is it difficult to establish cause and effect with environmental exposure
Modes of action, Chronic vs Acute, Low concentration, extended exposure, synergistic and antogonistics interaction, underlying element, limited tools
:!: Synergistic Interation: the effect of two chemicals taken together is greater than the sum of their separate effect at the same doses.
:!: Antagonistic : the effect of two chemicals is actually less than the sum of the effect of the two drugs taken independently of each other.
:!:Chemical Substance : Deliberated created , produced as byproduct of other process or occurring naturally in the environment (element or compounds)
Canada: over 23,000 chemical in use, 37 - 2700 evalauted , and 151 known toxic by Canadian Environment Protection Act,
Biological : infectious diseases
Climate Change
:question: What's the impact of climate change
:explode:1.5 C is the heat that will tip natural system that sustain us past a dangerous turning point :question: What's the concesquence of going beyond 1.5 - 2
:explode: Severe heatwaves, sea rise , climate related risk, coral reef define, global fishery decline
:explode:Change in Arctic and Antarctica : Polar Amplification and Arctic temperature increasing 2x the rate :explode: rise sea level, coastal erosion, salt level in ocean :explode: marine transport :explode:animal and vegetation change :explode: extincitons :explode:disrupt infrastructure
:explode: Extreme Weather Event : radiative balance, change temperature and moisture and impact storms
:explode: Ocean : ocean acidification , sea level rises and storms
:explode: Ecological Effect : every species on earth affects, some thrive and expand. Inter-related changes
:explode: Agriculture and Food Security: flooding, pest and disease, drought, growing season, new areas
:explode: Health, heat related illness, molaria, dengue, and yellow fever
Carbon Cycle
:question: Where are carbon stored
:explode:Atmosphere :explode: Forest and Soil :explode:Surface Ocean :explode:Deep Ocean :explode: Fossil Fuel
:question: What are Carbon Fluxes
:explode: Photosynthesis, :explode:Change in land use, Surface Ocean :explode:Flux, :explode:Flux to deep ocean, :explode: Fossil Fuel
:!: Fossil Fuel : supply 85% of world commercially traded energy, concentrated stored solar energy, formed hundreds of millions of years ago.
:question:: What are to ways of dealing with climate change
:!: Mitigation : moderate/postphone climate change to buy time
:explode: Reducing CO2 ( fuel alternative and increase efficiency) :explode:Plant trees :explode:Geoengineering ( Manage CO2 carbon capture or Manage Solar Radiation ( reflective particle of SO2)
:!: Adaptation : response to change, climate change is unavoidable
:explode: Move :explode:Build :explode:Plant different crops :explode:Develop new heat and doughy resistant tree :explode:Change infrastructure
:!: Greenhouse Effect : Radiative forcing: imbalance in Earths energy budget that result when amount of energy radiated to outer space is changed through either natural or human influences
:question: What are causes of enhanced greenhouse effect
Important factors: amount of gas emitted and property of gas, length of time gas reside in the atosphere
:!: Global Warming potential: how much given mass of greenhouse gas contribute to global warming over a period of time compared to the same mass of CO2
:!: Milankovitch Cycle : periodic shift in earth's orbit and tilt, change distribution and intensity of sunlight reaching the earth. Explains natural change in Earth climate but unlikely to have very much impact on timescale of century.
:!: International Panel on Climate Change : IPCC, UN body for assessing science related to climate change, : :explode:1988 :explode:provide policymakers with regular assessment on climate change , impacts, future risks, options for adaptation and mitigation.
:question: What does IPCC do
Scientific body: review assess , no research
scientist contribute to work on voluntary basis
Never policy prescriptive
Policy relevant and policy neutral
Scientific information to inform
Climate Policy
:question: What are the key milestones for climate policy
:explode: 1990 IPCC first report
:explode: 1992 UNFCCC : goal stabilize emission at 1990 level "450 ppm and 2C increase"
:explode:1997 Kyoto Protocol developed : countries reduce GHG emission by 5.2% below 1990s, EU, US, CANADA, JAPAN
:explode: 2005 Kyoto in place : 152 countries, Canada Withdrawn
:question: what are the different countries stand on climate change for Kyoto
OPEC : oppose target and mitigation measure
Alliance of Small Island state : strong measures
G77 + China (developing) : common but differentiated responsibility , historical GHG contribution of the north
EU : binding target and integral burden sharing
JUSCANZ : maximum flexibility ( market based mech) , no firm targets
NGO, privates, various organization : no voting right and access to meeting, some influence.
:explode: 2009 Copenhagen : non binding emission reduction focusing on adaptation
:explode: 2015 Paris : Universal and binding, limit global temp to 2 above preindustrial level, review target every 5 years, mitigation and adaptation , increase role of gov, NGO, and private sector
:question: What are Canada's Challenges
:explode:Growing population :explode: extreme temperature :explode: large landmass economy :explode: based on natural resources :explode:share jurisdiction
:question: What's wrong with share jurisdiction ?
Authority over land and natural resource, power lies within province, and federal gov can regulate trade
:!: Pan Framework: 2016 Canada fulfill it's economy to reduce it's greenhouse gas by 30% below 2005 by 2030 and implement carbon tax
:question: What was wrong: different province have different interest and AB SK will pay more compare to BC and Quebec who have hydro eletricty. AB and ON makes up over 50% of emission
:question: What was conflict between climate and energy: Energy fuel economic growth, security of supply and Climate decrease fossil fuel, increase efficiency and renewable
:!: COP26 , conference under UNFCCC, countries return every 5 years for discuss from Paris.
:question: What is Canada's nationally determined contribution under Paris.
Reduce it's emission to net-zero by 2050 and 40% below 2005 level by 2030.
:question: What are some climate change policy intruments
Voluntary, Subsidies, Law (mandate increase efficiency), Carbon tax, cap and trade
:!: Carbon Tax : surcharge on fuel and tax on CO2, does not guarantee rent absolute reduction
:!: Cap and Trade: cap on emission and also transfer, gov decide who participate and number of permits
Environmental Health Policy
International Agreement
Basel Convention: Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste (1992)
UNEP international agreement to stop toxic waste trade: biomedical and healthcare, used lead acid batteries, used oil, PCB ( industry waste) , POP
Stockholm Convention: Persistent Organic Pollutants (2004)
UNEP to deal with POPs :!: POPs: chemical substances that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate, and pose risk causing adverse effect to human health and enviornment.
Agree to outlaw nine of dirty dozen chemicals and limit use of DDT and dioxin and furans.
Rotterdam Convention: Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (2004)
promote exchange of info and calls on exporter for labeling of hazardous chemical and safe handling and Information purchaser of restrictions
nations can decide to allow or ban chemicals listed in the treaty and exporting countries are obliged to make sure producer within their country comply
Strategic Approach to International Chemical Management (2002)
Voluntary international policy to ensure management of chemical world wide
:explode: Agreed at 2002 world summit on sustainable development :explode: goal by 2020, chemical produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impact on environment and human health
emphasis on chemical safety as sustainable development issue and recognition at highest political level
5 objectives: Risk Reduction, Improved Knowledge and information, Improved Governance, Increase capacity and technical cooperation , and reduce illegal international traffic
Canada
"Innocent until proven guilty" approach VS stated precautionary appraoch
23,000 chemicals and Health Canada identified 4000 of concern and Chemical Management plan tackles 500 most hazardous and 163 toxic substance listed under CEPA
:!: Chemical Management Plan: purpose to address approximately 200 - 500 chemicals as high priority for action based on use in Canada and potential to harm health and environment
Chemical can provide benefits but harmful effect if not properly managed
CMP to reduce risks f posed chemical to Canadian and environment
identifying 1550 priority chemicals out of 4000 in 2016
the Minister of Health and Environment Climate Change have committed to addressing chemicals by 2020
:!: Canadian Environmental Protection Act : pollution prevention and protection of the environment and human health in order to contribute to sustainable development
The minister of environment is : accountable to parliament for CEPA 1999
the minister of environment and health joint administer task of assessing and managing the risk with existing and new substances
The minister of health conduct research on role of substance in illness and health problems
Guiding Principals
Sustainable Development: meets the need of present without compromising the ability of future generation
Pollution prevention: the use of process, practices, materials, products and substance or energy that avoid or minimize creation of pollutants or waste and reduce overall risk to environment and human health
Virtual Elimination: releases into environment (persistent, bioaccumulative, non-naturally occurring) from human activity are reduced to extremely low levels.
:!: Precautionary Principle : Threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty will not postpone cost-effective measure to prevent environmental degradation
dusty to prevent harm and within our power to do so even when evidence is not in
action or policy has risk of causing harm, in absence of scientific consensus that it is harmful, the burden of proof that is not harmful fall on those taking action
:!: Toxic Reduction Act (ON) : to prevent pollution and protect human health and environment by reducing toxic substance and inform Ontarian about toxic substance
:!: Pollutant Release & Transfer Register (PRTRs) : developed after Union Carbide pesticides , resulted that recognition that public should have greater access too information about industrial pollutants released in their communities
:!: Commission for Environmental Cooperation : commitment that liberalization of trade and economic growth in North America that would be accompanied by effective cooperation and continuous improvement in the environmental protection provided by each country :explode: Established same time as NAFTA : :explode:PRTR track pollutants
:!: National Pollution Release Inventory : A Canadian database with information on annual releases of specific substances to environment from industrial and institutional sources