unit1b introenvscie

Introduction to Introduction to Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science

Western Land Ethics, Science & Western Land Ethics, Science & Environmental PolicyEnvironmental Policy

THE ROLE OF LAND THE ROLE OF LAND ETHICS & ETHICS & ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICYPOLICY

Three categories of ethical perspectives on the environment and environmental management strategies

AnthropocentrismAnthropocentrism

Human-centeredHuman-centered Costs and benefits of actions Costs and benefits of actions

measured according to impact on measured according to impact on humanshumans

Utilitarian conservationUtilitarian conservation Policy saves resources “for the Policy saves resources “for the

greatest good, for the greatest greatest good, for the greatest number, for the longest time”number, for the longest time”

Gifford Pinchot (1865-1946)Gifford Pinchot (1865-1946)

Biocentric PreservationBiocentric Preservation

Life-centered; all life has valueLife-centered; all life has value Policies save resources and Policies save resources and

organisms because of the organisms because of the fundamental right of other fundamental right of other organisms to exist and to pursue organisms to exist and to pursue their own interests.their own interests.

Also called preservation ethicAlso called preservation ethic John Muir (1838-1914)John Muir (1838-1914)

Ecocentric PreservationEcocentric Preservation Actions measured on basis of Actions measured on basis of

benefit or harm to whole benefit or harm to whole ecological systemsecological systems includes non-living & living includes non-living & living

elementselements Well-being of an individual Well-being of an individual

organisms less important than organisms less important than well-being of larger ecosystemwell-being of larger ecosystem

Aldo Leopold (1887-1949)Aldo Leopold (1887-1949)

Aldo Leopold “The Land Ethic”Aldo Leopold “The Land Ethic”From his 1949 Essay:

“All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts….The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land…A land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it…It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such.”

ROLE OF SCIENCE IN ROLE OF SCIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICYPOLICY

A model for addressing A model for addressing environmental problems environmental problems (Raven and Berg, 2004)(Raven and Berg, 2004)

Scientific assessmentScientific assessment Risk analysisRisk analysis Public education and Public education and

involvementinvolvement Political actionPolitical action EvaluationEvaluation

A model for addressing A model for addressing environmental problems environmental problems (Raven and Berg, 2004)(Raven and Berg, 2004)

Scientific assessment - Scientific assessment - define define the problem, design experiments, the problem, design experiments, collect data, evaluate results, collect data, evaluate results, develop a modeldevelop a model

Risk analysisRisk analysis Public education & involvementPublic education & involvement Political actionPolitical action EvaluationEvaluation

A model for addressing A model for addressing environmental problems environmental problems (Raven and Berg, 2004)(Raven and Berg, 2004)

Scientific assessmentScientific assessment Risk analysis – Risk analysis – Analyze the Analyze the

potential effects of intervention, potential effects of intervention, consider remediation optionsconsider remediation options

Public education and involvementPublic education and involvement Political actionPolitical action EvaluationEvaluation

A model for addressing A model for addressing environmental problems environmental problems (Raven and Berg, 2004)(Raven and Berg, 2004)

Scientific assessmentScientific assessment Risk analysisRisk analysis Public education and involvement Public education and involvement

– – inform the public, explain the inform the public, explain the problem, present alternatives for problem, present alternatives for action, reveal probable costs and action, reveal probable costs and results of each choiceresults of each choice

Political actionPolitical action EvaluationEvaluation

A model for addressing A model for addressing environmental problems environmental problems (Raven and Berg, 2004)(Raven and Berg, 2004) Scientific assessmentScientific assessment Risk analysisRisk analysis Public education and involvementPublic education and involvement Political action – Political action – the affected the affected

parties, through their elected parties, through their elected officials, select a course of action, officials, select a course of action, differences of opinion may result differences of opinion may result from economic or social from economic or social considerationsconsiderations

EvaluationEvaluation

A model for addressing A model for addressing environmental problems environmental problems (Raven and Berg, 2004)(Raven and Berg, 2004) Scientific assessmentScientific assessment Risk analysisRisk analysis Public education and involvementPublic education and involvement Political actionPolitical action Evaluation – Evaluation – results of any action results of any action

should be carefully monitored, to see should be carefully monitored, to see if the environmental problem is being if the environmental problem is being addressed and to improve the initial addressed and to improve the initial assessment and modeling of the assessment and modeling of the problem.problem.

A model for addressing A model for addressing environmental problems environmental problems (Raven and Berg, 2004)(Raven and Berg, 2004)

Scientific assessment Scientific assessment Risk analysisRisk analysis Public education and Public education and

involvementinvolvement Political actionPolitical action EvaluationEvaluation

Realistically…Realistically…

This model is an idealized This model is an idealized approach to systematically approach to systematically addressing environmental addressing environmental problems.problems.

It is rarely so systematic due to It is rarely so systematic due to very complex problems, large very complex problems, large scale, high costs, less obvious scale, high costs, less obvious benefitsbenefits

Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?

““Now in order to answer the Now in order to answer the question, ‘Where do we go from question, ‘Where do we go from here?’ which is our theme, we here?’ which is our theme, we must first honestly recognize must first honestly recognize where we are now.”where we are now.”

Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King

Global Scientific AssessmentGlobal Scientific Assessment

In 2005, over 2,000 scientists from over 100 In 2005, over 2,000 scientists from over 100 nations completed the “Millennium Ecosystem nations completed the “Millennium Ecosystem Assessment,” a comprehensive scientific Assessment,” a comprehensive scientific assessment of the present conditions of the assessment of the present conditions of the world’s ecological systems and their ability to world’s ecological systems and their ability to continue supporting our civilization.continue supporting our civilization.

(Withgott and Brennan, 2007)

(Withgott and Brennan, 2007)