Showing papers in "Global Environmental Change-human and Policy Dimensions in 1993"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compare two examples of state efforts to control valuable resources in Kenya and Indonesia and show that the maintenance of state control has led to a militarization of the resource "conservation" process.
Abstract: International environmental agreements assume that nation-states have the capacity, Internal legitimacy, and the will to manage resources within their territorial boundaries. Although many state agencies or factions may be interested in joining international conservation interests to preserve threatened resources and habitats, some state interests appropriate the ideology, legitimacy, and technology of conservation as a means of increasing or appropriating their control over valuable resources and recalcitrant populations. While international conservation groups may have no direct agenda for using violence to protect biological resources, their support of states which either lack the capacity to manage resources or intend to control ‘national’ resources at any price, contributes to the disenfranchisement of indigenous people with resource claims. This paper compares two examples of state efforts to control valuable resources in Kenya and Indonesia. In both cases, the maintenance of state control has led to a militarization of the resource ‘conservation’ process. International conservation interests either directly or indirectly legitimate the states' use of force in resource management.
675 citations
TL;DR: A biological and economic analysis of forest establishment and management options from 94 nations revealed that forestation, agroforestry, and silviculture could be employed to conserve and sequester one Petagram (Pg) of carbon annually over a 50-year period.
Abstract: Forests play a major role In Earth's carbon cycle through assimilation, storage, and emission of CO 2 . Establishment and management of boreal, temperate, and tropical forest and agroforest systems could potentially enhance sequestration of carbon in the terrestrial biosphere. A biological and economic analysis of forest establishment and management options from 94 nations revealed that forestation, agroforestry, and silviculture could be employed to conserve and sequester one Petagram (Pg) of carbon annually over a 50-year period. The marginal cost of implementing these options to sequester 55 Pg of carbon would be approximately $10/Mg.
97 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors set the development of this tragedy in its historical and political context, and analyse the social and ecological causes and consequences of the decline of the Aral Sea, focusing in particular on the dependence of several Central Asian republics on the water intensive monoculture of cotton.
Abstract: Since the early 1960s, the level of the Aral Sea has declined sharply and today it Is an ecological nightmare and socioeconomic tragedy The authors set the development of this tragedy in its historical and political context, and analyse the social and ecological causes and consequences of the decline of the Sea, focusing in particular on the dependence of several Central Asian republics on the water-Intensive monoculture of cotton They then offer evidence that many of the devastating impacts of excessive water diversions from the Sea were known at least as early as the 1960s, and discuss the reasons why this did not lead to an appropriate environmental strategy Finally, the prospects for halting the decline and restoring the Sea are examined in light of the serious political and economic constraints facing the newly independent republics and Russia itself They conclude that the most likely outcome is that the Aral Sea will continue to decline as a result of inaction
77 citations
TL;DR: The concept of carrying capacity provides a framework for integrating physical, socioeconomic, and environmental systems into planning for a sustainable environment as discussed by the authors, which can be used to promote economic activities which are consistent with a sustainable social and physical environment.
Abstract: Environmental degradation has accelerated in recent years because economic development activities have been inconsistent with a sustainable environment. In human ecology, the concept of ‘carrying capacity’ implies an optimum level of development and population size based on a complex of interacting factors — physical, institutional, social, and psychological. Development studies which have explicitly recognized carrying capacity have shown that this approach can be used to promote economic activities which are consistent with a sustainable social and physical environment. The concept of carrying capacity provides a framework for integrating physical, socioeconomic, and environmental systems into planning for a sustainable environment.
55 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an analysis tool was developed to simulate primary productivity and crop yields for both present and possible future climate conditions, where Southern Africa was delineated into 712 relatively homogeneous climate zones, each with specific climate, soil and vegetation response information.
Abstract: An analysis tool was developed to simulate primary productivity and crop yields for both present and possible future climate conditions. Southern Africa was delineated into 712 relatively homogeneous climate zones, each with specific climate, soil and vegetation response information. The primary productivity and crop yield models were linked with the climate zones via a cellbased agrohydrologlcal model, with the final output coordinated using a Geographic Information System. The results of this preliminary study show a large dependence of production and crop yield on the intra-seasonal and inter-annual variation of rainfall. The most Important conclusion from the study is the readiness of the developed tool and associated infrastructure for future analysis into social, technological and political responses to food security in southern Africa.
51 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors presented an analysis of CO 2 emissions in the Indian economy and examined the implications of alternative policies to reduce them by looking beyond the conventional approaches of looking at energy supply structure and end-uses of energy.
Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of CO 2 emissions in the Indian economy and examines the implications of alternative policies to reduce them. This analysis goes beyond the conventional approaches of looking at energy supply structure and end-uses of energy. Instead, it examines flows of energy in the economy of India through a 60-sector input-output mode). The authors show that direct emissions of CO 2 are highest in the electricity sector followed by iron and steel, road and air transport, and coal tar. If a similar analysis by final demand is carried out, incorporating both direct and indirect emissions, the highest emitting sector is construction, followed by food crops, road and air transport, and so on. This indicates that, in addition to energy efficiency, improving construction efficency could also lead to CO 2 savings (by using less energy-intensive materials or by making optimal use of them). It is also shown, by generating alternative energy policy scenarios, that if India saves energy from coal rather than from imported oil to reduce CO 2 emissions, then savings foregone are more than Rs 5634 million for only 10% of energy saving. Sectoral priorities also change. To save coal, the power sector, iron and steel, coal tar, etc will require attention. To save oil, transport, refinery and fertilizers will require attention. Similar arguments are made for substitution of coal by oil and gas. Additional costs of Rs 10 billion would be incurred for 10% substitution of coal by oil and gas as compared to the current policy of substituting oil and gas with coal. This article offers another Interpretation of the notion of ‘incremental costs’ though comparison of two alternative development strategies.
42 citations
TL;DR: The authors examines the legal, political, and bureaucratic means through which Indian environmental policy is made and asks why competing views of environment and development have been more successfully negotiated with respect to some issues than others.
Abstract: The debate on environmental protection within India shows striking parallels to the larger debate between North and South. An ecologically based causal paradigm, stressing overpopulation and non-sustainable resource use, is in conflict with a moral paradigm that attributes environmental degradation to the consumption patterns of the rich. Adherents of both causal models agree that sustainable development is the answer to India's environmental problems, but they interpret the concept in different ways. This article examines the legal, political, and bureaucratic means through which Indian environmental policy is made and asks why competing views of environment and development have been more successfully negotiated with respect to some issues than others.
37 citations
TL;DR: The European Community is the only supranational entity with legally constituted policy sovereignty over its member countries However, attempts to establish EC policy on global warming have coincided with intensifying conflict over moves to greater monetary and political union.
Abstract: The European Community is the only supranational entity with legally constituted policy sovereignty over its member countries However, attempts to establish EC policy on global warming have coincided with intensifying conflict over moves to greater monetary and political union The roles of The Netherlands, Germany, and the UK are contrasted in some detail, especially in relation to degrees of interventionism The study concludes that a proposed carbon tax is likely to be favoured as leaving the least footprint of central political authority However, the Community has also developed considerable informal sophistication to compensate for the formal limitations of its authority over member states This is influenced by a network of NGOs able to pursue policy aims at the local level
33 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors place ratification negotiations within the larger conceptual context of post-agreement negotiations, with the goal of understanding and explaining problems of treaty Implementation, and they find that delay in national ratification of environmental agreements is a chronic problem, but is worse for complex, multi-issue treaties.
Abstract: The post-agreement period typically is characterized by negotiations between various stakeholders to reach mutually beneficial and acceptable means to achieve national implementation of, and compliance with, treaty provisions. National ratification of international environmental agreements is often the first subprocess of these ‘postagreement negotiations’. This article places ratification negotiations within the larger conceptual context of postagreement negotiations, with the goal of understanding and explaining problems of treaty Implementation. An empirical analysis reveals that delay in national ratification of environmental agreements is a chronic problem, but is worse for complex, multi-issue treaties. Strong public concern over local environmental issues, low quality of life, low national wealth, and low public research and development expenditures for environmental protection contribute to ratification delay. Ultimately, the authors are interested in identifying ways of improving the international negotiation process that initiated these later problems in implementation. Recommendations are offered in this regard.
16 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the possibility of declining take levels due to global climate change in the coming decades presents challenges to environmental policy makers concerned with choosing appropriate toxics clean-up methods and timing.
Abstract: Toxic sediments remediation represents a potentially long-term environmental programme in the Great Lakes Basin. The prospect of declining take levels due to global climate change in coming decades presents challenges to environmental policy makers concerned with choosing appropriate toxics clean-up methods and timing. It is important to integrate the possibility of declining Iake levels into Great Lakes toxic sediments remediation in order to ensure that long-term environmental policy is not in conflict with the potential regional hydrological impacts of climate change.
15 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss factors likely to affect Indonesia's participation in global climate change mitigation negotiations and conclude that, while the Indonesian government may be a vocal advocate for sustainable development, it has little ability to follow through on large-scale commitments to international efforts because of issues it faces at home.
Abstract: The author discusses factors likely to affect Indonesia's participation in global climate change mitigation negotiations. These include Indonesia's performance to date in the international arena and its track record for compliance with agreements; domestic challenges such as demographic pressures, economic growth, deforestation, and energy consumption; the institutional culture of the government; and the activities and limitations of the legal system, non-governmental organizations, and business. The author concludes that, while the Indonesian government may be a vocal advocate for ‘sustainable development’, it has little ability to follow through on large-scale commitments to international efforts because of issues it faces at home.
TL;DR: In this paper, the problems of defining and measuring aggregate greenhouse gas emissions for the UK are explored in this article, and the issue of the scope of national inventories will be critical in the allocation of national permits or in bilateral resource transfers for the purpose of greenhouse gas emission reduction.
Abstract: The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change sets desirable targets for the aggregate greenhouse gas emissions of the signatory parties. To comply with these aims, the parties must first agree on how to measure the emission levels to which they should return. The problems of defining and measuring aggregate greenhouse gas emissions for the UK are explored in this article. Emissions from anthropogenic sources such as energy can be relatively accurately measured, but less so those greenhouse gas fluxes associated with land use and other ‘natural’ phenomena. The issue of the scope of national inventories will be critical in the allocation of national permits or in bilateral resource transfers for the purpose of greenhouse gas emission reduction.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed the recent environmental policy development, in particular the Global Environment Facility, in the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Environment Programme and discussed the dynamics of the policymaking process from an actor's perspective.
Abstract: Global environmental problems have become a key concern of the international environmental policy agenda in the 1990s. The role of international development assistance organizations is crucial in helping developing countries respond to the new environmental challenges. This article reviews the recent environmental policy development, in particular the Global Environment Facility, in the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme. It discusses the dynamics of the policy-making process from an actor's perspective. It emphasizes how various social groups influence the policy-making process. It also analyses the roles played by governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations in policy development. In addition, a discussion of the response of the Chinese government to the Global Environment Facility is presented.
TL;DR: In this paper, the relative incentives to the Chinese have to change in their favour, especially in light of the fact that they have not used up their share of the global commons.
Abstract: If the industrialized countries take steps to reduce their emissions and contribute money and technology for developing countries to do their part, China will participate in an international global warming treaty. Without these measures, the Chinese are not going to push greenhouse gas reductions on their own because they have more pressing problems. If the world wants them to move on greenhouse gas reduction, the relative incentives to the Chinese have to change in their favour, especially in light of the fact that they have not used up their share of the global commons.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the implications of uncertainty for estimating inputs to atmospheric circulation models used to assess the magnitude of the nuclear winter phenomenon, and showed that the use of realistic models of the spatial distribution in place of more common uniform and stepfunction models introduces additional uncertainty into base term estimates.
Abstract: inherent in models of the nuclear winter phenomenon, with specific reference to the nuclear winter base term. The ‘base term’ refers to the amount of smoke injected into the atmosphere from fires ignited in a hypothetical nuclear exchange. The author examines the implications of uncertainty for estimating inputs to atmospheric circulation models used to assess the magnitude of the nuclear winter phenomenon. This is achieved through a set of experiments designed to assess the effects of variations in the spatial distribution of combustible materials on the dynamics of large urban fires. These experiments are based on an urban fire model applied to a dataset depicting the spatial distribution of combustible materials in urban areas, as derived from air photo interpretation techniques. Results indicate that the use of realistic models of the spatial distribution in place of the more common uniform and stepfunction models introduces additional uncertainty into base term estimates, due to an increase in variability in the amount of material available for ignition and an enhanced capability for fire spread in a spatially heterogeneous environment. This study shows that, paradoxically, the incorporation of more detailed information into nuclear winter base term models may introduce additional uncertainty into model outputs.
TL;DR: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) completed its first round of assessments of the science, impacts and response to climate change in 1990 In 1992, the IPCC pulled together updates to the first round reports (J Houghton, GJ Jenkins and JJ Ephraums, eds, Climate Change: The IPCC Scientific Assessment, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990; WJ McG Tegart, GW Sheldon and DC Griffiths as discussed by the authors ).
Abstract: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) completed its first round of assessments of the science, impacts and response to climate change in 1990 In 1992, the IPCC pulled together updates to the first round of reports (J Houghton, GJ Jenkins and JJ Ephraums, eds, Climate Change: The IPCC Scientific Assessment, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1990; WJ McG Tegart, GW Sheldon and DC Griffiths, eds, Climate Change: The IPCC Impacts Assessment, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1990) At the same time, the literature on the potential impacts of climate change has expanded enormously Four volumes are reviewed here
TL;DR: In this article, Lofstedt reviewed four books on the threats of global warming and the most desirable responses to the threat of Global Warming are vigorous development and widespread adoption of measures to increase energy efficiency This objective predates policy recommendations to limit greenhouse gas emissions, but has been renewed emphasis in recent years.
Abstract: Clearly, among the most desirable responses to the threat of global warming are vigorous development and widespread adoption of measures to increase energy efficiency This objective predates policy recommendations to limit greenhouse gas emissions, but has been given renewed emphasis in recent years However, world energy projections show increased levels of energy use and reducing carbon dioxide emissions may be problematic Ragnar Lofstedt reviews four books on these themes
TL;DR: The lack of a well established national infrastructure to monitor the process closely puts the implementation plan at risk as mentioned in this paper, and the establishment of a National Task Group Office and investment in education and training are also necessary tools to patch some of the holes.
Abstract: Montreal Protocol implementation programmes are not as straightforward a task in developing countries as it may seem to the developed world. The market is the driving force in Brazil and the country is under pressure to follow the pace of the developed countries despite the grace period allowed. The lack of a well established national infrastructure to monitor the process closely puts the implementation plan at risk. Leadership and contact points are not well defined for those seeking information and the financial support available from the Multilateral Fund. Regulatory agencies have neither the regulations nor the action programmes to ensure enforcement. The establishment of a National Task Group Office and investment in education and training are also necessary tools to patch some of the ‘holes’.
TL;DR: In this paper, a composite environmental index for individual nations has been proposed, based on a recent exception by extending its methodology to the international realm and, conceptually, by exploring the ways In which "who is commenting on whom" affects the form of such indices.
Abstract: Attempts to produce composite environmental indices for individual nations have been few and far between. This paper builds on a recent exception by extending its methodology to the international realm and, conceptually, by exploring the ways In which ‘who is commenting on whom’ affects the form of such indices. Data from an international survey of environmental attitudes from Louis Harris and Associates forms the database for some tentative experiments In applying these ideas empirically.