Q 2: Sustainable Development Flashcards
DDE AND DDD
Breakdown of DDT:
DDE=
.Aerobic
.Animals
.needs oxygen
DDD=
.Anaerobic
.sediments
.no oxygen
___ causes problems in eggs of birds like Bald Eagles and other bird species
DDE
DDT brought about Rachel Carson’s book ____
Silent Spring
Bought us the US-EPA
Demonstrated the importance of communicating science to a lay audience
Although trained in natural science she was a writer from a young age
Her first job with the US govt. was to prepare brochures and literature for the public
Why was DDT banned?
Banned for use in US, Canada and Europe in ____;
Production banned in US in _____.
In ____ authority over pesticides was transferred from the Department of Agriculture to the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In April ____, after seven months of testimony, Judge Edmund Sweeney stated that “DDT is not a carcinogenic hazard to man.
It was known that DDT caused ecological effects since the early to mid 1960s
In 1971, it was reported that DDT was a human carcinogen
Banned for use in US, Canada and Europe in 1973;
Production banned in US in 1976
In 1971 authority over pesticides was transferred from the Department of Agriculture to the newly formed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In April 1972, after seven months of testimony, Judge Edmund Sweeney stated that “DDT is not a carcinogenic hazard to man. . . . The uses of DDT under the regulations involved here do not have a deleterious effect on freshwater fish, estuarine organisms, wild birds, or other wildlife. . . . The evidence in this proceeding supports the conclusion that there is a present need for the essential uses of DDT.”
Two months later EPA head William Ruckelshaus—who had never attended a single day’s session in the seven months of EPA hearings, and who admittedly had not even read the transcript of the hearings— overturned Judge Sweeney’s decision. Ruckelshaus declared that DDT was a “potential human carcinogen” and banned it for virtually all uses.
This was almost purely a political decision
Ruskelshaus was later (1973) FBI director and Attorney General – he was not a scientist he was a an administrator
Science and Facts – will contribute but not carry the day
The UN and DDT
The United nations would like to see DDT eliminated (See UNEP report) but another part of the UN (WHO) also sees DDT as the only currently cost effective means of controlling malaria ?? How can the same agency support two different views ?
Chemicals in the Environment
Humanity is now in a situation where it is very unlikely we would be able to feed everyone without the use of chemicals
We have grown ‘comfortable’ with the use of some chemicals without necessarily understanding the full implications
We know some chemicals cause damage to the environment and people
Can we use chemicals safely and sustainably in the environment ??
WCED report called ____ introducing the concept of Sustainable Development in the year ____.
A new kind of growth…other then Economic
“Our common Future”
1987
SD came to be formulated as a different kind of growth, one that is not harmful to the environment and brings wealth to people all over the world;
In this meaning sustainable development is about conservation rather than preservation.
Sustainable development defined?
2 concepts
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:
The concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the worlds poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and
The ideas of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.”
3 Pillars of sustainability
Economic, Social, Environmental
Tools for sustainable Use of Chemicals= 6
Indicators
Precautionary Principle
Cleaner Production
Industrial Ecology
Green Accounting
Risk and Life Cycle
Assessments
3-Nested-Dependencies Model(Holistic look)
______>_______>________
Environmental> Society>
Economic
Indicators = 2 types of indicators
Environmental indicators:
State – air, water, land
Pressure – energy use, disposal
Response – societies response to pressures
Sustainability indicators:
Environment – air, water, land
Resource use – energy, wastes, water
Society/culture – abuse, diversity, volunteerism
Precautionary Principle
Translations and Overstating
Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.
Translation: “If environmental harm is suspected/possible then we do not need to wait until we are scientifically certain that damage will result before taking action to prevent it”
Overstated:
“An activity must be proved safe before it can be used”
(nothing can ever be proved safe – risk assessment)
Overstatement can prevent scientific evaluation of whether the activity is justified on a cost/benefit basis and whether measures to prevent impacts can be found.
Principle 15 of the June 1992 Rio Declaration*.
It calls for a reduction of all inputs to the environment
Principle ___ of June ____ in ____. Called for a reduction of all inputs to the environment.
15, 1992, Rio
Overstatement
Utilizing definitions completely out of context or ability.
Ex: Rio Declaration interpretations
