FINAL Flashcards
What is the core concern of the Brundtland definition of sustainable development?
The core concern is that we are able to provide the present generation with the resources it needs by not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
The Rio+20 conference of 2012 recognized three pillars of sustainable development. What are they?
economic, social, and environmental
If the US were to adopt a sustainable development strategy, what broad objectives and what specific goals could this entail? (Give a few concrete examples, compare the Environmental Performance Index and the German National Sustainable Development slide of week 10, and my article on the “Meaning of sustainable development”)?
The German national Sustainable Development Report has specific goals and strategies for a sustainable development while the environmental Performance Index ranks countries’ performance on high-priority environmental issues in two areas: protection of human health and protection of ecosystems. If the US were to adopt a sustainable development strategy, a goal would be to set in motion a process that would examine the role that trade and financing should play in encouraging states to green their economies. In order to get funding, there would have to be an introduction of a tax on financial transactions that would have to be pursued further. In addition, Substantively Sustainable Development Goals would build on the Millennium Development Goals, but cover the environmental dimension more explicitly.
a) What does it mean if the Delta Smelt goes extinct in the Sacramento Delta, discuss with reference to Kay on the Delta Smelt (possibly Vogel, “end of nature”, and Soule “New Conservationism”)?
The Delta Smelt is a fish that is disappearing at an alarming rate due to the drought. Although we may not want to admit it, humans have had a lot to do with the drought and we are to blame for this fish along with many different troubles that are to come. Vogel mentions how nature is something that can not be messed with, however, since humans have caused the drought we are affecting the ecosystem causing many changes to nature. Soule mentions how the new conservationist tend to protect species becauase they see them as a benefit to humans to use as a resource, which is true. Humans try to change nature in order to provide resources for them.
Why or why not should the Delta Smelt be seen as an indicator species;
The Delta Smelt should be seen as an indicator species because it only lives for a year and it can show some of the many ecological problems that are caused by the many systems of dams. In addition it used to be very common and now its rare to find and the same pattern is occuring with other fishes.
how much effort should be spent to save the Delta Smelt and at what costs? Address the long-term costs and benefits – as you see it - of further restricting water diversion to the Central Valley in the coming years? (How much of the Central Valley’s water problem is related to attempting to save the Delta Smelt?)
Many water providers and farm groups argue that it is ridicoulous to reduce water use from humans to save these fishes. However, it was found that due to the different water projects, it jeopardizes the fish and its habitat. The big issue has been balancing the amount of freshwater outflow through the delta versus exports and upstream water diversions.
The journal Nature invited four experts to briefly assess the Endangered Species Act at 40 (on only 2 pages). A) identify the key arguments of at least two of the four experts that you find most interesting;
Wando mentions that the ESA has helped save many animals that have become extinct however it causes many regulators to wait until animals are at the brink of extinction and also counts all species as having equal value which causes counterproductive cycles of support and endangerment. Therefore, Wadno believes that each case should have its own rules based on the value society places on the species, either for the part it plays in a natural community, or because of the place it holds in people’s hearts and lives. Another arguement that is made by another expert is that there should be clarificatin when talking about a specie’s extinction risk. There are many lawsuits brought by individuals or interest groups hoping to alter legal protection for particular species. This then leaves those groups with less resources to help those species. I believe that it is our job as humans to try and save endangered species because some are neccessary and provide resources to the world and also becuase we are to blame that they are going extinct in such an alarmy rate.
What is your personal view on how (for what reasons and at what costs) the US should conserve particular species from going extinct in the future in the US. Should we help developing countries do the same and if so, what steps could this entail?
Soule mentions the new conservationist view that we should first help out those in poverty and by helping them economically it will eventually hinder a spark in them to help out nature, but I agree with Soule that this appraoch does not seem like the best. There is no evidence to support it and is used more for the benefit of humans rather than nature. I agree with Barbier that in order to help nature we need to invest in it. However, we need to figure out how much of the total capital stock to use to increase current economic activites and how much to save for future generations. In addition I believe we should improve our managment of natural reousrces, pollution, and enviroemntal degradation. I believe that before helping devoloping countries we should first figure out how to sustain our enviromental and once we figure that out help developing contries do the same.
How does the Endangered Species Act (ESA) work. (a) What is its key objective?
The Endangered Species Act is used as a tool to restrict private land use in order to protect endangered species. It also protects animals by not allowing them to be taken out of their original habitat and mandates the development of recovery plans in areas where habitats are critical.
name two court cases that helped define the legal reach of the act,
Throught the years there has been different court cases, two of these have been the Snail darter which were small endangered fish which ended the construction of a dam. Another case was the Palila where in 1979 court decision finds that habitat alteration by the State of Hawaii violates ESA.
why is the listing of species as endangered such a politically controversial issue (see also Burgess)?
This has been politically conterversial because it creates an incentive to clear land of any species that might eventually get listed. There for people who are advocating for ESA and want animals protected want to do whatever they can to protect the species but if the US government trys to purchase all private lansd that are inhibited by memebrs of endangered species it can cause people to sacrifice their economic support therefore there needs to be a balance to help endaganered species but also to not put private owners in any economic burden.
What are the basic propositions of a rational choice approach?
he rational choice approach is that humans tend to act rationally according to their self-interest. Therefore they will agree on things that will ultimately benefit them. Therefore, if there is a smaller individual gain and their is a higher cost of doing something, it is less likely that people will voluntarily contribute to do it to maintain the public good. The costs don’t specifically have to be monetary but usually in form of lost convenience.
What are the basic propositions of a constructivist approach?
The constructivist approach is based on our perception of enviromental and social problems and solutions due to clusters of beliefs, values and ideals that ifnleunce our view on the world.
Discuss the merits and draw-backs of both approaches.
rational and constructivist
The positive aspect of the rational choice theory is that we act rationally in our best interest and we have the information needed to make a rational choice. However, we do not always act rationally, we’d rather satsifze rather than optimize, and we base decisions on aesthietic considerations and ethical and moral values. A drawback on the constructivist approach is that due to beliefs that people have engraved in their brains it may be hard or them to incorparate new information and change their views on things.
Environmental issues present particular public policy challenges. (a) Identify two, three key reasons why this is the case, with reference to some of the concepts and theoretical propositions discussed in the early weeks of the class.
- visabiltiy: since peple don’t see the problems occuring they do not believe it is happening.
- uncertainty:difficult to establish the different cause and effect relationships between pollution, environmental degradation, and human health impacts.
- Shifting benchmarks: we get used to the situations and just assume it is normal.
