Environmental Policy Perspectives, Tragedy of the Commons, and Policy Cycle

Dominant social paradigm

Puts the human above nature

Scientist perspective on policy making

Need science and engineering to solve problems, policy should be decided by experts based on objective science info

Economist perspective on policy making

Make people 'pay full cost' of actions/ avoid regulations that cost more than their benefits

Philosopher perspective on policy making

Lack of environmental values/knowledge / dominant social paradigm / need to promote environmental values/awareness/education

Lawyer perspective on policy making

People only change behavior if required to / need for stronger rules

Policymaker perspective on policy making

Balance of scientist, economist, philosopher, and lawyer approaches / what is politically possible and environmentally effective

Thomas Malthus

Population theory - population grows at an exponential rate

Neo-malthusian

Paul Ehrlich, Donella Meadows and Lester Brown endorse idea about risks of exponential growth on a finite planet

Limits to growth

Early argument of threat of exponential growth

Planetary Boundaries

Nine critical biophysical processes that regulate the stability and resilience of earth systems, establishing scientifically-based limits for human activities to prevent irreversible environmental change and maintain a safe operating space for humanity

Cornucopianism

No limits to growth, human ingenuity will ensure continued abundance

Julian Simon

Cornucopianism leader, economist and the original environmental skeptic

I = PAT

Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology, used for calculating environmental impact

Demogeographic Transition

Model describing how a country's population changes from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates, leading to a stabilization or decline in population growth as it industrialized and develops economically

Override vs Collaboration

Overrides are typically used in specific or exceptional circumstances, while collaboration is a systematic approach for developing more effective and legitimate policies

Paradox of Environmentalism

The more you advocate for the environment the more harm you cause

Guns and Guards approach

Belief that conservation requires removing local residents by force and continuing to exclude them with armed forces

Environmental Problems: not improving

Indoor air quality, Climate change, Biodiversity, Toxics, Solid and hazardous waste, Drinking water

Environmental problems: signs of improvement

Surface water quality, Outdoor air quality, Acid rain, Stratospheric ozone depletion

Garret Hardin

Tragedy of the Commons, says people will act in self-interest and that technology just postpones the problem by expanding the resource base

Tragedy of the Commons

The idea that individuals acting in their own self interest will ultimately deplete a shared, unregulated resource, leading to its destruction for everyone

Prisoner's Dilemma

Game theory where two rational individuals, acting in their own self-interest, will ultimately choose to betray each other, leading to a worse outcome for both if they had cooperated

Elinor Ostrom

Nobel Prize winner, political scientist

Ostrom's Theory

Theory of the TOC, communities can successfully self-organize to sustainably manage common pool resources without resorting to state control or privatization

Conditions for avoiding tragedy of commons

Large benefits from cooperation, Low costs for enforcing limited use

Common pool resource

Resources that are difficult to exclude people from using, and where one person's use diminishes the availability of the resource for others

Open access resource

Bounded rationality, goals are unclear, limited solutions, and incomplete information

Policy cycle (and its stage)

Agenda setting - defining the problem, Formulation - Create possible solutions to the problem, Legitimation - approving a solution, Implementation - Putting solution into action, Evaluation - Did the solution work?

Change

Modify the policy

Incrementalism

Policy changes tend to be gradual and should be gradual.

Multiple Streams Theory

A framework that includes problems, solutions, and politics as streams that influence policy change.

Policy entrepreneur

An elected official or private individual that works in a problem or solutions stream.

Organization is the mobilization of bias

Some issues are organized into politics and some issues are organized out of politics.

Unofficial actors

Interest groups, media, and experts that influence policy.

Official actors

The three branches of government involved in policy making: Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary.

Legislature

Makes the laws.

Executive

Writes regulation and handles enforcement.

Judiciary

Interprets the law.

Chevron deference

Principle from a 1984 case saying courts should defer to agencies if they make 'reasonable' interpretations of statutes.

Avoiding the tragedy of the commons

Establishing rules and regulations, privatizing the resource, or facilitating collective action and community-based self-governance.

Bounded rationality

A policy theory that is incomplete, limited, and unclear, with unclear goals and limited solutions.

Advantages of scientist perspective

Need science and engineering to solve problems.

Advantages of economist perspective

Make people pay full cost of actions.

Advantages of philosopher perspective

Public education and local collaboration.

Advantages of lawyer perspective

Change people's behavior.

Advantages of policymaker perspective

What's possible and environmentally effective.

Disadvantages of scientist perspective

May neglect local input/nonexpert input/indigenous knowledge.

Disadvantages of economist perspective

Ignores variation in alternatives, too complex.

Disadvantages of philosopher perspective

People may lack options to behave according to their environmental view.

Disadvantages of lawyer perspective

Rare to get 100% obedience; enforcement can be costly and ineffective.

Disadvantages of policymaker perspective

Deal with public misunderstanding of issues.