Characteristics of International Environmental Problems.pdf

1. Many of the international problems involve the use of common pool resources - air, water, ocean and forests – that are owned by no one nation.
2. The effects of the crises on people and the environment go beyond national boundaries. Impacts of issues like acid rain, ozone depletion, and air pollution are not just felt in the nations where the issues are frequently generated.
3. International Environmental Problems require international Cooperation to resolve them

1. ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES IN LEBANON
ENVI004-Lecture 3
Dr. Dalia El Badan
Associate Professor of Microbiology

2. International Environmental Problems:
1.Manyoftheinternationalproblemsinvolvetheuseof
commonpoolresources-air,water,oceanandforests–that
areownedbynoonenation.
2.Theeffectsofthecrisesonpeopleandtheenvironmentgo
beyondnationalboundaries.Impactsofissueslikeacidrain,
ozonedepletion,andairpollutionarenotjustfeltinthenations
wheretheissuesarefrequentlygenerated.
3.InternationalEnvironmentalProblemsrequireinternational
Cooperationtoresolvethem
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3. Factors Responsible for the Emergence of
the Environment as a Global Issue
1.The Multiplication and Deepening of Environmental
Problems.
Numerous environmental issues have arisen as a result of the
rapid growth in population and its impact on resource
exploitation. Deforestation, air pollution, acid rain, and oil spills
are just a few of the issues that are now commonplace.
Many people have suffered the effects of human activities on
the environment such as the impacts of toxic waste dumping at
Love Canal, New York and the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
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Toxic waste
dumping at
Love Canal,
New York

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Chernobyl nuclear disaster

6. 2.Improvement in Scientific Research:
A more full understanding of a number of environmental
issues has been made possible by an increase in scientific
research on such issues.
The work of Rachel Carlson on DDTeducated the public
on the consequences of chemicals.
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7. How is DDT harming biodiversity?
◦DDTisanagriculturalpesticide.Highenough
quantitiesofDDTcandestroyhumans'vital
organsandleadtodeath.
◦ThisiswhytheUnitedStatesbannedtheuseof
DDTin1972;however,it'sstillusedinotherparts
oftheworld.
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8. DDT,ordichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane,isnot
watersolubleandharmsbiodiversitythroughthe
immediatedestructionofpestspeciesandthrough
long-termpoisoningofnativespeciesbyleachinginto
thewatersupply.
Additionally,itcanbuildupinthefattytissueof
animals,slowingpoisoningthemovertime.Whena
poisonedanimalbecomespreytootherspecies,those
speciesabsorbtheDDTintotheirfattytissues,
increasingtheconcentrationofthechemicaland
killingthemfaster.“Bioaccumulation”
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9. ◦Whenitbreaksdown,ittransformsintoDDEandDDD,the
latterofwhichislinkedtoweakenedeggshellsinbird
species,loweringtheirreproductiverates.
◦Ittakesaround15yearsforDDTtobreakdowninthe
environmenttothepointthatit'snolongerdangerous.
However,annualapplicationsofthechemicalhavean
accumulativeeffectontheenvironment.
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10. 3.Effective Dissemination of Information about
Environmental Disasters:
The development of radio and television, email and the
internet, book publishing, and air travel led to the
development of very effective methods for transmitting either
new environmental education materials (films, books, and
research) or environmental concerns occurring in far areas.
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11. 4.The Development of Local Environmental
Organizations
In responding to local environmental problems caused by
toxic waste dumping, citing of nuclear plants or the
preservation of plant and animal species, the campaigns of
local groups have galvanized into strong internal forces
that have made environmental problems an issue in local
politics and elections.
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12. 5.TheRiseofNationalandInternationalEnvironmental
Political(Green)Organizations:
Environmentalismhasbecomeadominantpoliticalforcein
manynations.
Environmentalismisamovementthataroseinresponseto
globalenvironmentalcrises.
Environmentalismarguesthat“alllivingthingsandthenatural
environmentshouldbeconsideredwhenmakingpolitical,
economic,andsocialdecisions”.
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13. Green Movements and Green Political
Parties(environmentalism)startedfirstinWestGermanyin
the1970’s,Greenpartieshavespreadallovertheworld
includingBrazil,CostaRica,Japan,Canada,SovietUnion,
UnitedStates,topressforsolutionstoglobalenvironmental
problems.
CandidatesfromGreenpartieshavebeenelectedinto
parliamentsinSwitzerland,(firstin1979)Finland,Belgium,
Portugal,WestGermany(1983),Luxembourg(1984)Austria
(1986)Italy(1987),Sweden(1988),andtheNetherlands
(1989).
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14. 6.Evolution in thinking about Relationships between
Economic Activity and the Environment.
With increased research on environmental issues and effective
dissemination of such research findings, the public and some
politicians have come to understand the relationship between
economic activities and environmental problems.
7.International Environmental Conferences:
The meeting of world leaders at international environmental
conferences have highlighted common environmental concerns
and galvanized local environmental groups into action.
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15. INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT:
1.1972 Stockholm’s Conference:World Leaders met inStockholm,
Sweden for the United Nations Conference on Human
Environment.The Stockholm Conference led to the establishment of
UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program ) to negotiate
environmental treaties among nations and to help implement them.
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16. 2.June 1992 Rio Conference on the Environment:the second United
Nations Conference on the Human Environment -known asthe Rio Earth
Summit-was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. More than100 heads of stateand
thousands of public officials andmore than 1,400 accredited Non-
governmental Organizations (NGO's)from 178 nations met to develop plans
for addressing environmental issues.
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19. International environmental agreements
◦1.KyotoProtocol:Thisagreement,adoptedin1997,commits
itspartiestoreducegreenhousegasemissions,basedonthe
premisethatglobalwarmingexistsandhuman-madeCO
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emissionshavecausedit.
◦2.ParisAgreement:Adoptedin2015,thislandmarkaccord
aimstolimitglobalwarmingtowellbelow2°C,preferablyto
1.5°C,comparedtopre-industriallevels.Itinvolvescommitments
fromallcountriestoreducetheiremissionsandenhancetheir
climateresilience.
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20. ◦3.ConventiononBiologicalDiversity(CBD):Thistreaty,
effectivesince1993,aimstoconservebiologicaldiversity,
promotesustainableuseofitscomponents,andensurefairand
equitablesharingofbenefitsarisingfromgeneticresources.
◦4.BaselConvention:Adoptedin1989,thisagreementcontrols
thetransboundarymovementsofhazardouswastesandtheir
disposal,aimingtoprotecthumanhealthandtheenvironment
fromtheadverseeffectsofhazardouswastes.
◦5.MontrealProtocol:This1987agreementaimstophaseout
theproductionandconsumptionofozone-depletingsubstances
toprotecttheearth'sozonelayer.
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21. Limitations On International Environmental
Agreements
1.International Environmental Treaties bind only those
states that agreeto comply with them.
2.Compliance with international treaties relies on the good
faith of the states involved, as there is no international
police force to enforce these agreements. Consequently,
there are generally no rewards or punishments to ensure
adherence.
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22. 3.ThePoliticsoflocalenvironmentalIssuesoftenConflictwith
thatofInternationalPoliticsontheEnvironment.
a)Inthelessdevelopedcountries
Lackofeducation,poverty,hunger,andinternalconflictsaffect
howpeopleunderstandandprioritizeenvironmentalissues.
b)Intherichcountries,
ThepowerfulCorporateManagerslobbyCongressandthe
SenatetopasslawsthatfavorIndustryagainsttheEnvironment
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23. 4.The environmental problems and solutions that leaders of
various countries choose to support or ignore depend upon
environmental politics within their countries.
For example, in 1992, George Bush's government did not
support many of the issues on the Environment raised at the
Rio Conference because the local Conservative Agenda
was pro-Industry and the President could not afford to
loose the Conservative Base during the coming presidential
election in the US.
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24. 5.Local events and internal politics compel leaders to commit to
different stands prior to such international conferences on the
environment. The countries often fail to reach agreements on such
pre-formulated principles without first seeking advice from home.
6.The rich and poor countries of the world do not agree on who
must take responsibility for causing the environmental problems we
face today, and how the cost of addressing the environmental
problems should be shared.
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