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By Sean Wilson/ SEI

EGS1003: Section on International Environmental Justice and the Climate Change Challenge Mary Lawhon ( marylawhon@gmail.com ). By Sean Wilson/ SEI. By Sean Wilson/ SEI. By Sean Wilson/ SEI.

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By Sean Wilson/ SEI

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  1. EGS1003: Section on International Environmental Justice and the Climate Change Challenge Mary Lawhon (marylawhon@gmail.com) By Sean Wilson/ SEI By Sean Wilson/ SEI By Sean Wilson/ SEI This work by Mary Lawhon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

  2. Environment- generally focused on concerns for ecology • Development- generally focused on concerns for economic growth, quality of life • Though some overlap around “brown” environmentalism

  3. Unsustainable definitions of development? (e.g. Smokestacks = progress = good) • Unrealistic expectations of environmentalists? By Sean Wilson/ SEI

  4. Blame environmental problems on the South: population, desertification, rainforest destruction… • Opposition from the South of environmental regulations • seen as neo-colonial • environmental protection as preventing/anti-development

  5. Growing recognition by South of limits • Capital formation • Skilled workforce • AND long-term availability of natural resources • Recognition of need for “efficient management of natural resources”

  6. “We have in the past been concerned about the impacts of economic growth upon the environment. We are now forced to concern ourselves with the impact of ecological stress… upon our economic prospects”(Bruntland Report 1987)

  7. “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Bruntland Report 1987)

  8. 1987 World Commission on Environment & Development (Brundtland Report) • 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment • 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development • 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development • Increasingly “sustainability” is replacing SD…

  9. “Agreement at Rio was achieved at some cost, in terms of the clarity of this concept” (McNeill, 2001) • What does it really mean? • Can it be used to evaluate options? • How to weight competing components: social, environment, economy? CAG consultants

  10. A more theoretically sound alternative, although also diverse views/definitions • Developed in Germany in 1980s • Primarily exists in Europe/Japan

  11. Environmental problems could be dealt with by government • Character of environmental problems was understood • End of pipe tech is adequate • Pollution control stands to BALANCE environmental and economic demands • Technology is a key cause of the problem

  12. Environmental problems can’t be dealt with by just the government • New coalitions • Changes in institutional structure of society, new forms of political intervention • Character of environmental problems is complex • End of pipe tech is not enough • Pollution control is good for BOTH environment and economy • Technology is a key solution to the problem

  13. Clean Environment is Good for Business • Eco Mod has “potential to break the political stalemate” • Environmental protection is a source of economic growth By Sean Wilson for SEI By Sean Wilson for SEI

  14. Happy, healthy workers are more productive • Green products are a new market • Pollution = Wasted resources • Cheaper to tackle problems now (ounce of prevention…) • Pollution clean ups, tech investments, included in GDP calculations • Value added to products

  15. Regulations • Proper incentives • Reconceptualisation by business & govt & society • North should transfer technology to South for environmental protection • Powerful public commitment to science • Strong environmental consciousness

  16. Ecological problems are rooted in social problems Inequality Greed Ignorance Racism Lack of freedom War Lack of options Capitalism Arrogance Power

  17. Changes relationships to market exchanges • Market grew from subservient to human needs to having needs of its own • Key to & measure of success becomes amoral “profit”

  18. Need to recognise heterogeneity of societies- some already have solutions in place • Change needed is more than just economic, but need for spiritual/attitude change • Need to question institutions • Empowerment/reduce inequality

  19. McNeill, J.R. 2001. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth Century World

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