ENVIRONMENT:Dark Greens and Light Greens, Environmental policy instruments

<< SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION:Social responsibility, Curriculum content

HDI AND GENDER SENSITIVITY:Gender Empowerment Measure >>

Human Resource Development (HRM-627)

Lesson 32

ENVIRONMENT

Environmentalism is a concern for the preservation, restoration, or improvement of the natural environment,

such as the conservation of natural resources, prevention of pollution, and certain land use actions. It often

supports the struggles of indigenous peoples against the spread of globalization to their way of life, which is

seen as less harmful to the environment. The study of practical environmentalism is split into two positions:

the mainstream `anthropocentric' or hierarchic, and the more radical `ecocentric' or egalitarian.

The term environmentalism is associated with other modern terms such as greening, environmental management, resource

efficiency and waste minimization, and environmental responsibility, ethics and justice.

Environmental movement

The Environmental movement (a term that sometimes includes the conservation and green movements) is a

diverse scientific, social, and political movement. In general terms, environmentalists advocate the sustainable

management of resources, and the protection (and restoration, when necessary) of the natural environment

through changes in public policy and individual behavior. In its recognition of humanity as a participant in

ecosystems, the movement is centered around ecology, health, and human rights. Additionally, throughout

history, the movement has been incorporated into religion. The movement is represented by a range of

organizations, from the large to grassroots, but a younger demographic than is common in other social

movements (see green seniors). Due to its large membership, varying and strong beliefs, the movement is not

entirely united.

Popular environmentalism

Environmentalist action has recently led to the development of a new subculture. It is mainly composed of the

educated upper-class. These environmentally conscious types take special pride in their sustainable

consumption patterns, shopping at grocery stores that trumpet earth-friendliness (such as Whole Foods

Market) and buying organic products.

Some environmentalists complain that this group of elites is shopping under the banner of environmentalism

without espousing any of its true ideals. Because organic and sustainable products are often more expensive,

purchasing them has become a mark of wealth. In another form of pretension, the young and single have gone

so far as to even begin labeling themselves 'ecosexual'. Closely akin to the concept of the suave metrosexual,

the ecosexual seeks out mates who share their environmentalist ideals. Thus, environmentalism is not just

about nature anymore-- it's about social connections.

It is argued that this new trend has taken the focus away from the real problems 'true' environmentalists hope

to solve: consumer items offer a deceptively easy, feel-good way to both save the world and one's reputation

simultaneously. Yet, others who espouse the idea that people can effectively 'vote with their dollar' argue that

this new subculture is aiding the environmental cause. By purchasing sustainable products, they are promoting

sustainable business that will be beneficial to the environment, even if the consumers have extraneous purposes

for supporting them.

Dark Greens and Light Greens

Environmentalists are sometimes split up into two groups, Dark and Light Greens. Light Greens are the more

popular and more visible part of the environmental movement, which includes the more famous and public

environmental groups such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Sierra Club. Light Greens do not

follow environmentalism as a distinct political ideology, but rather seek greater environmental emphasis within

existing ideologies such as Conservatism, Socialism or Liberalism.

Dark Greens are much more radical than light greens; they tend to believe that all the current political

ideologies (that are referred to as industrialism) are corrupt and naturally lead to environmental degradation as

they do not view mankind as part of the environment but rather as a higher form of life with the right to take

what it wants from the environment. Dark Greens claim that this is caused by the emphasis on growth that

exists within all existing ideologies referred to a `growth mania'. The dark green brand of environmentalism is

associated with ideas of Deep Ecology, Post-materialism, Holism, the Gaia Theory of James Lovelock and the

work of Fritjof Capra. The division between light and dark greens was visible in the fighting between Fundi and

Realo factions of the German Green Party.]

118

Human Resource Development (HRM-627)

Environmental organizations and conferences

Environmental organizations can be global, regional, national or local; they can be government-run or private

(NGO). Several environmental organizations, among them the Natural Resources Defense Council and the

Environmental Defense Fund, specialize in bringing lawsuits. Other environmentalist groups, such as the

National Wildlife Federation, World Wide Fund for Nature, Friends of the Earth, the Nature Conservancy, and

the Wilderness Society, disseminate information, participate in public hearings, lobby, stage demonstrations,

and purchase land for preservation. Smaller groups, including Wildlife Conservation International, conduct

research on endangered species and ecosystems. More radical organizations, such as Greenpeace, Earth First!,

and the Earth Liberation Front, have more directly opposed actions they regard as environmentally harmful.

While Greenpeace is devoted to nonviolent confrontation, the underground Earth Liberation Front engages in

the clandestine destruction of property, the release of caged or penned animals, and other acts of sabotage.

On an international level, concern for the environment was the subject of a UN conference in Stockholm in

1972, attended by 114 nations. Out of this meeting developed UNEP (United Nations Environment

Programme) and the follow-up United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. Other

international organizations in support of environmental policies development include the Commission for

Environmental Cooperation (NAFTA), the European Environment Agency (EEA), and the Intergovernmental

Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Environmental policy is any (course of) action deliberately taken (or not taken) to manage human activities

with a view to prevent, reduce or mitigate harmful effects on nature and natural resources, and ensuring that

man-made changes to the environment do not have harmful effects on humans.

It is useful to consider that Environmental Policy comprises two major terms: environment and policy.

Environment refers to a broad concept consisting of three main dimensions: i.e. an ecological (ecosystems)

dimension, a social (quality of life) dimension and an economic (resource management) dimension. Policy can

be defined as a "course of action or principle adopted or proposed by a government, party, business or

individual". Thus, environmental policy focuses on problems arising from human impact on the environment,

which retroacts onto human society by having a (negative) impact on human values such as good health or the

'clean and green' environment.

Environmental issues generally addressed by environmental policy include (but are not limited to) air and water

pollution, waste management, ecosystem management, biodiversity protection, and the protection of natural

resources, wildlife and endangered species.

Environmental policy instruments

Environmental policy instruments are tools used by governments to implement their environmental policies.

Governments may use a number of different types of instruments. For example, economic incentives and

market-based instruments such as taxes and tax exemptions, tradable permits, and fees can be very effective to

encourage compliance with environmental policy.

Voluntary measures, such as bilateral agreements negotiated between the government and private firms and

commitments made by firms independent of government pressure, are other instruments used in

environmental policy. Another instrument is the implementation of greener public purchasing programmes.

Often, several instruments are combined in an instrument mix formulated to address a certain environmental

problem. Since environmental issues often have many different aspects, several policy instruments may be

needed to adequately address each one.

Furthermore, instrument mixes may allow firms greater flexibility in finding ways to comply with government

policy while reducing the uncertainty in the cost of doing so. However, instrument mixes must be carefully

formulated so that the individual measures within them do not undermine each other or create a rigid and cost-

ineffective compliance framework. Also, overlapping instruments lead to unnecessary administrative costs,

making implementation of environmental policies more costly than necessary In order to help governments

realize their environmental policy goals, the OECD Environment Directorate studies and collects data on the

efficiency of the environmental instruments governments use to achieve their goals as well as their

consequences for other policies.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism

119

Table of Contents: