Environmental challenges, such as the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, raise questions about ethics, economics, and policy.
Key questions include:
Who is affected?
Who is to blame?
What actions should be taken?
How could the issue have been avoided?
How can individuals contribute to the solution?
Our decisions are influenced by ethical considerations, economic understanding, and governmental functioning.
Definition of Ethics
A set of moral principles guiding behavior, merging beliefs and values to drive action.
Environmental decisions encompass ethical implications beyond individual actions.
Duties and Rights
Deontological Ethics:
Evaluates actions based on established rules of right and wrong.
Emphasizes the protection of rights and the fulfillment of duties.
The UN’s 2000 Earth Charter:
Stresses the intrinsic value of all life forms, asserting that all have worth irrespective of human usefulness.
Core pillars: Respect for the community, ecological integrity, justice, democracy, and peace.
Utilitarianism
Defines right actions as those yielding the greatest good for the most people.
Right or wrong is determined by assessing good vs. bad outcomes.
Conflicts may arise regarding the definition of outcomes and impacts on various stakeholders, including future generations.
Economic Exchange
Goods are consumed through various exchanges entailing extraction, processing, and distribution.
Economic decisions have both positive and negative environmental consequences.
Supply and Demand
Central to market economies:
Demand: Willingness and ability of consumers to purchase goods.
Supply: Availability of goods for purchase.
Government Influence on Markets
Adam Smith's 'invisible hand' concept suggests self-regulating markets.
Government can intervene by setting prices, regulating goods, and collecting taxes, prompting political debate.
Innovation Driven by Scarcity
Scarcity spurs innovation in technology to meet demand for limited resources (e.g., oil, natural gas).
Enhanced efficiency can result in greater consumption contrary to initial goals.
Jevons Paradox
Increased efficiency can reduce prices, consequently boosting demand.
Case study: The steam engine led to increased coal extraction and industrial applications.
Externalities
Costs unaccounted for in market transactions:
Negative externalities result when the true costs of products (health harms, pollution) are not reflected in their prices.
Tragedy of the Commons
Overexploitation and degradation of commonly held resources due to lack of limitations.
Solutions include government regulation, protected areas, and community management.
Positive Externalities and Public Goods
Ecosystem services provide unmeasured benefits like clean water and air.
Markets typically underproduce these benefits, necessitating government action to ensure their supply.
Valuing Nature
Economists attempt to assess the value of natural goods/services that lack clear market pricing, focusing on ecosystem services.
Impact of Policy
Government policies influence daily life in areas such as safety standards and environmental regulations.
Definition of Policy
Authoritative decisions guiding behavior through laws and regulations aimed at specific goals.
The Political Process
Politics involves decision-making processes with conflicting interests leading to policies being crafted and implemented.
Stages include problem identification, crafting, approval, implementation, and evaluation.
U.S. Environmental Policy Overview
Focuses on natural resource management and pollution regulation.
Key acts established during the 1960s and 1970s shaped federal environmental action, including the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.
State and Local Policies
States and local governments can set regulations independently, meeting or exceeding federal standards.
Global Environmental Politics
Collaboration among nations is necessary for addressing cross-border environmental issues through intergovernmental organizations (e.g., United Nations).
Exercise Economic Power
Small, daily choices can lead to significant impacts (e.g., choosing local, environmentally friendly products).
Influence Public Policy
Engage politically by voting, supporting candidates, or running for office.
Engage with Elected Officials
Communication through letters, calls, town hall meetings, and public-comment opportunities can influence policy.