Topic 1: Foundations of environmental
Systems and Societies
1.1 Environmental Value System
Watch the video
Man vs Earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrzbRZn5Ed4
Briefly. Comment how this video made you feel
Significant ideas:
● There is a wide spectrum of environmental value system
each with their own premises and implications
● Historical events, among other influences, affect the
development of environmental values systems and
environmental movements.
- Environment -
1. the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant
lives or operates.
2. the natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area,
especially as affected by human activity.
What is a system?
● A set of connected things or interrelated
parts working together to make a complex
whole
- Society -
An arbitrary group of individuals who share some common characteristics:
Geographical location
Cultural background
Historical time frame
Religious perspective
Value system
3 types of systems
- Environmental Value System -
What is it?
This is the “world view” or a set of paradigms that shape the way individuals
and groups approach environmental issues.
It can be viewed as a system as there as inputs and outputs that influence it.
ECOCENTRIC PERSPECTIVES
Integrates social, spiritual and environmental dimension into a holistic idea.
Nature and ecology are central to humanity.
“Humankind has not woven the web
of life. We are but one thread
within it. Whatever we do to the
web, we do to ourselves. All things
are bound together. All things
connect.” Chief Seattle, 1855
Chief Seattle (c. 1786 – June 7,
1866) was a Native American chief
of the Suquamish and Duwamish
Tribe.
ANTHROPOCENTRIC PERSPECTIVES
This perspective argue that humans must sustainably manage the global system. This
might be through the use of taxes, environmental regulation and legislation.
This perspective encourages a pragmatic approach to solving environmental issues.
Those believing in this perspective are unlikely to see a problem with current economic
growth that cannot be resolved by legal means or political agreement.
TECHNOCENTRIC PERSPECTIVES
Technological developments can provide solutions to environmental problems.
This is a consequence of a largely optimistic view of role humans can play in improving the lot of
humanity.
“Necessity is the mother of invention” proverb - Plato?
meaning Difficult situations inspire ingenious solutions
Cornucopian Perspective – Optimistic perspective
Humans have always found a way out of difficulties in the past.
New resources and technologies will solve any environmental problems as they are encountered.
Cornucopian – from latin word cornucopia, meaning abundance
Malthusian Perspective – Pessimistic perspective
The exponential population growth will lead to famine and disease
Malthusian – from Thomas Malthus, English cleric and scholar, born in 1766 in Westcott, UK
Human population growth can be seen either positively or negatively. If you view
population growth positively, then you adopt the Cornucopian viewpoint while if
you view population growth negatively and associate this growth with problems,
then you essentially adopt the Malthusian perspective.
How do you think will be our future?
Why would population started to
grow exponentially from 1950? (think
about historical events)
Environmental movement
● Significant historical influences on the development
of the environmental movement have come from
literature, the media, major environmental disasters,
international agreements and technological
developments.
Modern Environmental
Movement started in the
1960’s
Who is involved in the
Environmental movement?
● Environmental pressure groups
● Corporate businesses
● Governments
● Intergovernmental bodies
● Influential individuals (like Al Gore)
The Vanishing Face of Gaia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg7Jt_Yzl1o
The Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty (an agreement under international law).
It was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997 and it entered into force on 16
February 2005.
The Kyoto Protocol extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits State Parties to reduce greenhouse gases
emissions, based on the premise that global warming exists and man-made CO2
emissions have caused it.
There are currently 192 parties (Canada withdrew effective December 2012) to the
Protocol.
Adopted in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan –
in force from 2005
Annex A 2008-2012
Annex B from 2012
Bhopal disaster (1984)
The Bhopal disaster was a gas leak incident in India, considered the world's worst
industrial disaster.
It occurred on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL)
pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Over 500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other chemicals.
The toxic substance made its way into and around the shanty towns located near the
plant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH5LPwdVnqI
History of the Environmental
Movement Activity
● Founding of IUCN
● Minamata
● Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring
Published
● Bhopal
● Whaling (save the whale)
● Gaia Hypothesis
● Chernobyl
● Kyoto
● Include Population increases (1st
billion, 2nd billion, and so on)
Tell me what these are, when
they occurred, and why they are
significant to the modern
environmental movement.
