Chapter 24 Flashcards
environmental policy
environmental laws, regulations, and programs that are designed, implemented, funded, and enforced by one or more government agencies
special-interest groups
each of these groups advocates passing laws, providing subsidies or tax breaks, or establishing regulations favorable to its cause, while attempting to weaken or repeal laws, subsidies, tax breaks, and regulations unfavorable to its position
the net energy principle
it is best to avoid the wide spread use of energy resources and technologies with low net energy yields, which cannot compete in the open marketplace without government subsides. Examples of energy alternatives with fairly low or negative net energy yields include nuclear power (considering the whole fuel cycle), tar sands, and shale oil, and hydrogen fuel and ethanol made from corn.
the prevention principle
whenever possible, make decisions that help to prevent a problem from occurring or becoming worse
the environmental justice principle
in the implementation of environmental policy, no group of people should bear an unfair share of the burden created by pollution, environmental degradation, or the execution of environmental laws
the precautionary principle
when substantial evidence indicates an activity threatens human health or the environment, take precautionary measures to prevent or reduce such harm, even if some of the cause-and-effect relationships are not well established, scientifically.
the polluter-pays policy
Develop regulations and use economic tools such as green taxes to ensure that polluters bear the costs of dealing with the pollutants and wastes they produce. This is an important way to include some of the harmful environmental and health effects of goods and services in their market prices in accordance with the full-cost pricing principle of sustainability
NGOs (give examples)
A non-governmental organization
