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EGS1003: Section on International Environmental Justice and the Climate
Change Challenge
Mary Lawhon ([email protected])
This work by Mary Lawhon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Environment- generally focused on concerns
for ecology
Development- generally focused on concerns
for economic growth, quality of life
Though some overlap around “brown”
environmentalism


Unsustainable definitions of
development? (e.g. Smokestacks =
progress = good)
Unrealistic expectations of
environmentalists?
By Sean Wilson/ SEI
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/antidevelopment
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”
“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)

“Development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs” (Bruntland Report 1987)
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…

“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
A more theoretically sound alternative,
although also diverse views/definitions
Developed in Germany in 1980s
Primarily exists in Europe/Japan
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
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
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
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
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
Ecological problems are rooted in social
problems
Inequality
Ignorance
War
Racism
Greed
Lack of freedom
Lack of options
Capitalism
Arrogance
Power
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”
Need to recognise heterogeneity of societiessome 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
McNeill, J.R. 2001. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth
Century World