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ͻ The environmental problems we have
today are inextricably linked to our
consumerist society.


|
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ͻ How does our consumerism affect the
environment?
ͻ What are possible solutions to these
environmental problems?
ͻ Should man be responsible for the
environment?

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ͻ ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
ʹ Environmental protection: Two Arguments
ʹ Video: ˜

˜ 
ͻ RESPONSES and CRITIQUES
ʹ Conservation
ʹ Conventions
ʹ Commitment
|
The blunt truth about the politics of
climate change is that no country will
want to sacrifice its economy in order
to meet this challenge,
but all economies know that the only
sensible long term way of developing
is to do it on a sustainable basis.͟
| 
|
ͻ ECONOMIC
ʹ Costs !  to " # pollution than to
$ % it

ͻ ETHICAL
ʹ Ethically responsible for upsetting natural
ecological balance
ʹ Humans are technologically advanced and
intelligent species: have the ability to effect
change
|
|&|&&
'% ' "

ͻ Let͛s watch a video to start this lecture


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|

ͻ ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
ʹ Environmental protection: Two Arguments
ʹ Video: ˜

˜ 
ͻ RESPONSES and CRITIQUES
ʹ Conservation
ʹ Conventions
ʹ Commitment

(
"
|


Conservation, Conventions, Commitment


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|

ͻ ( %%'  biodiversity
ʹ Banning and making illegal the sale of certain
endangered animal species
ͻ  ') extraction of natural resources
ͻ The consumer conservation ethic is best
expressed by the 
 : 
#**
#*%' +
 |
,CONSERVATION
ͻ CORRUPTION
ʹ A problem that is endemic in many developing
countries.
ʹ Conservation efforts are paid only lip service;
government officials and major corporations profit
from the exploitation of natural resources and
people.
ʹ E.g. Sarawak, Borneo
 |
,CONSERVATION
ͻ Discrepancies and hypocrisy in various
conservation efforts
ʹ National Parks and Zoos may not be the
solution
- Space for biological sustainability
e.g. Passenger Pigeons
- Poaching e.g. Tigers
 
|
ͻ Addressing today͛s environmental challenges
is largely beyond the capacity of individual
countries. Only  %
"
 
' "%

' % "%' ""%' ')#--'' %.

ͻ Act as a "%"%*"
$ "%*
#"% "

-"''%"%  to promote the wise use and
sustainable development of the global
environment
 |
,
|
ü|(|
ͻ Participation in treaties and conventions are
optional
ʹ USA (world͛s largest polluter) has refused to ratify
the protocol
ͻ Execution of the treaty
ʹ Ratification
ʹ Enforcement
ͻ Hypocrisy of Developed Countries
ͻ Dilemma of Developing Countries
ʹ China, India not required to meet targets
|
|
ͻ  % "%' "
ʹ Carbon Credits
ʹ Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs)
 /

||
ͻ Not linked to governments or big
corporations
ͻ Ability to pursue agendas across
national boundaries
ͻ Specialised: One focused agenda
ͻ Examples of NGOs: Greenpeace,
Amazon Watch, World Wildlife
Fund, Alliance for Climate
Protection
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ͻ "%' "0" '"%' "
ʹ Setting Green͟ Initiatives: Singapore
ʹ Commercial corporations going green
and sustainable business models
ʹ Green Politics


(|
ͻ Environmentalism is now part of mainstream
politics in many democratic countries (mostly
European)
ʹ E.g. Green Party in Germany
ʹ In the late 1970s, environmentalists and peace
activists organized politically as |



 (!


).
ͻ Part of the coalition government: ability to effect
environmental policies
|
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ͻ 
'$'
#"$
ʹ Change of Lifestyles
ͻe.g. Australia, Europe; separating trash,
use of cloth bags for groceries
ʹ Reducing demand for products from
endangered species
 |
,COMMITMENT

ͻ Saving the environment is expensive,

long-term and often not a priority for
Governments
ͻ Attitudes and Lifestyles:
ʹ Singapore͛s Case Study
 |
,COMMITMENT
ͻ Green Washing
ʹ Commercial benefit in being seen as
environmental responsible
ͻ Consumerist society: a change in the way
we consume will reduce environmental
degradation
ʹ Requires a change in the economic system, the
mentality of a society that is centred on
capitalism and consumption
ʹ How possible is this?



|
ͻ The environmental problems we have
today are inextricably linked to our
consumerist society.


|
|
ͻ How does our consumerism affect the
environment?
ͻ What are possible solutions to these
environmental problems?