Fundamentals of ESS - 1.1 EVS

EVS

is a particular worldview or set of paradigms that shapes the way an individual, or group of people, perceive and evaluate environmental issues, influenced by culture, religious, socio-economic, political factors 

Ecosystem

A community and the physical environment with which it interacts

Social System

People, groups and institutions that work together, forming distinct patterns and relationships that define the society

Ecocentric

• Puts ecology and nature as central to humanity / prioritizes biorights

• Emphasises a less materialistic approach to life/ encourages self restrain in human behavious

• Encourages community action

• Emphasises the importance of education

Anthropocentric:

• argues that humans must sustainably manage the global system

• This might be through the use of taxes, environmental regulations and legislation

• Debate would be encouraged to reach a consensual, pragmatic approach to solving environmental problems

Technocentric:

• Assumes (all) environmental issues can be resolved through the use of technology

• Believes there can be unlimited economic growth

 

Ecocentrism Advantages

• Reuses materials - more sustainable

• Minimises environmental impact by encouraging restraint

• Better for long-term human wellbeing

• No need to wait for technology to develop

Ecocentrism Disadvantages

• Conservation can be expensive with no obvious or quick economic return

• Many countries are still developing economically and argue they should be allowed to continue

• Difficult to change individual attitudes

Technocentrism advantages

• Provides solutions so people are not inconvenienced

• Allows social and economic progress

Technocentrism disadvantages

• Allows even greater rates of resource consumption

• May give rise to further environmental problems 

• High cost

• Humans increasingly disconnected from nature

Society 

An arbitrary group of individuals who share some common characteristic such as geographical location, cultural background, historical timeframe, religious perspective, value system and so on 

Intrinsic value

the inherent worth of nature, living organisms, or ecosystems, independent of their usefulness, economic value, or benefit to humans

James Lovelock

• Proposed the Gaia hypothesis - Earth is self-regulatory system

• Encouraged the use of nuclear power

• Warned that humanity has the power to upset the balance of Earth

Greta Thunberg

• Climate action 

• Led global youth strikes for climate action, raising awareness and challenging political leaders

• Inspired millions worldwide to join climate activism, urging policymakers to take urgent climate action

Rachel Carson

• 1962

• Silent spring

• Outlined the harmful effects of the pesticide DDT passing along food chains to top predators

• Led to widespread concern about the dangers of pesticide use and increased awereness of environmental pollution 

An Inconvenient Truth

• Media 2006

• A documentary film of former US Vice President AI Gore giving a lecture on climate change and its consequences

• The film got extensive publicity, reaching a huge worldwide audience and triggering a major shift in public opinion in the USA

Chernobyl nuclear meltdown, Soviet Ukraine

• 1986

• Nuclear reactor 4 exploded - radioactive fallout covered large areas of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia - 336 000 people had to be evacuated and cancer incidence increased in surrounding areas

• Loss of faith in nuclear power (nuclear fission)

• Loss of investment

• Used a lot less as a result, we remained reliant on fossil fuels - releases CO2, contributing to climate change

Discovery about the increased CO2

• Ocean acidification

• Increased levels of CO2 = decreased pH levels in the ocean = coral bleaching

• concerns about marine ecosystem health and biodiversity