Background Discussion of Env

Question 1

Consequences of Climate Change

Answer 1

• increased flooding (changes in weather patterns as well as sea level rise)
• destruction of species and habitat (impacts on ecosystems)
• droughts
• extreme heat
• broader implications for individuals and communities (displacement, war, resource scarcity)
• island nations - at risk of losing entire territories

Question 2

Ozone Layer Depletion

Answer 2

• chemicals interact with stratospheric ozone -> we lose the layer + wind up with “holes” -> lose protection from UV rays -> impacts for both humans + plants + animals

Question 3

Biodiversity Crisis

Answer 3

• human consumption - generally a major a major cause of concern for species
• habitat destruction + degradation
• pollution + climate change also impact species

Question 4

Complexity of Humanity Place in the Environment

Answer 4

• we are part of nature but there are ways in which we’re distinct (human modification of the environment + capacity to try and change things)
• concept that nature is always changing + there’s really nothing that hasn’t been affected by humans, BUT doesn’t mean certain changes aren’t harmful

Question 5

Debate Over Change + Human Impacts

Answer 5

• env law involves underlying value judgments of what we think is harmful + what we should try to protect
• on some level, there isn’t really an ecological baseline across generations, regardless of what we do, BUT we can often compare speed + scale of change + evaluate harm (inevitability of change doesn’t mean certain human-caused changes aren’t harmful)

Question 6

Access to Freshwater

Answer 6

• regional vs. global dimensions
• Prof pointed out this encompasses issues in developing countries as well as issues like Flint, Michigan crisis

Question 7

Ecosystem Services

Answer 7

• notion of value we get from ecosystem integrity
• way to explain concept that there’s a financial cost to losing certain ecosystems
• brings environment into the marketplace - useful on some level b/c it’s a way to get attention from those who might not otherwise pay attention
• BUT difficulty of putting a $ value on ecosystems + concern over commodification of the environment

Question 8

Intersection Between Domestic + Int Policy

Answer 8

• int env law discusses states’ obs to each other, but wrt problems that span boundaries + require changing behavior at multiple levels