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Beder S.. Environmental Principles and Policies: An Interdisciplinary Approach. UNSW Press,2006. � 312 p.. 2006

This book discusses six major principles of relevance to environmental issues and uses them to evaluate a set of environmental policies. The principles chosen include three that are specific to environmental matters - ecological sustainability, the polluter pays principle and the precautionary principle - and three more that have wider social applica�tion - equity, human rights and public participation. While these six principles are by no means comprehensive, and different scholars, policy analysts and environmental groups have recommended others as also relevant to environmental policies, they were selected because they were developed over the past half century and have the broadest acceptance around the world. Each has, to varying degrees, been incorporated into international treaties and national law. While these six principles can and should be used to evaluate all environmental policies, this book focuses on one set of policies. This set of policies forms the new wave of economic instruments and market-ori�ented environmental policies that seek to utilise economic incentives and market forces in protecting the environment. These economics-based policies are being progressively applied at the national and international level, and have been embraced by business, government and many envi�ronmental groups. The following brief historical context should be useful in better understanding the political significance of the principles and environ�mental policies around which this book has been written.

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PART I ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PRINCIPLES

THE SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLE

The idea that Earth has unlimited capacity to provide for human desires and absorb human wastes was undermined when the first pictures of the planet from outer space were published.

LIMITS TO GROWTH

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE 1980s

CARRYING CAPACITY

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

CONTINUING DEBATE

THE POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE

In the past, companies which have polluted have not paid the cost of that pollution.

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

International acceptance

Defining pollution

Defining the polluter

FUNCTIONS OF THE POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE

EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY

THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

Although uncertainties about the consequences of human behaviour have always existed, they have become more significant in recent times because of the growing scope, complexity and hazardous consequences of human activities.

SHIFTING THE BURDEN OF PROOF

NATURE OF THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

THREAT TO DESIRED LEVEL OF PROTECTION

SCIENTIFIC UNCERTAINTY

MEASURES TO BE TAKEN

PART II SOCIAL PRINCIPLES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

THE EQUITY PRINCIPLE

Equity implies a need for fairness in the distribution of gains and losses, and the entitlement of everyone to an acceptable quality and standard of living.

Intragenerational equity

Intergenerational equity

WHAT SHOULD BE SUSTAINED?

HUMAN RIGHTS PRINCIPLES

Human rights are entitlements based on morality, justice and fairness which, collectively, the nations of the world have agreed all people ought to have.

ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

ENVIRONMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS

THE PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLE

Human rights include the right of individual citizens and groups to par�ticipate in shaping the decisions and policies that affect them.

THE RIGHT TO KNOW

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

PART III ECONOMIC METHODS OF ENVIRONMENTAL VALUATION

MEASURING ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE

A central theme of sustainable development is the integration of eco�nomic, social and environmental concerns.

NATIONAL ACCOUNTS

COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS

ENVIRONMENTAL VALUATION IN PRACTICE

IS MONETARY VALUATION PRINCIPLED?

THE PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLE

THE EQUITY PRINCIPLE

HUMAN RIGHTS PRINCIPLES

THE SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLE

THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

PART IV ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS FOR POLLUTION CONTROL

PRICES AND POLLUTION RIGHTS

When individuals or firms make decisions about production, consump�tion and investment, they generally consider only their own costs and benefits, not the environmental or social consequences (externalities).

PRICE-BASED MEASURES

Tradeable pollution rights

GLOBAL WARMING MEASURES

10 THE SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLE AND ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS

In most cases economic instruments aim to maximise economic effi�ciency rather than environmental protection.

SETTING THE BASELINE OR CAP

PHONEY REDUCTIONS

MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT

PERPETUATING BAD PRACTICES

11 THE POLLUTER PAYS AND PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLES APPLIED

THE POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE

THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

12 RIGHTS, EQUITY AND PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLES APPLIED

HUMAN RIGHTS PRINCIPLES

THE EQUITY PRINCIPLE

THE PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLE

PART V MARKETS FOR CONSERVATION

13 QUOTAS, TRADES, OFFSETS AND BANKS

Market proponents argue that people are more likely to take care of what they own personally, and that commonly owned goods would be better looked after if they were in private hands: 'people who litter in public parks and public thoroughfares do not, in general, dump trash in their own back yards' (Seneca amp; Taussig 1984: 85).

TRADEABLE FISHING RIGHTS

SALINITY TRADING AND OFFSETS

MITIGATION BANKING

14 THE SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLE AND CONSERVATION MARKETS

FISHERIES TRADING

WATER ALLOWANCE TRADING

MITIGATION BANKING

15 THE EQUITY, PARTICIPATION AND PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLES APPLIED

THE EQUITY PRINCIPLE AND TRADEABLE FISHING QUOTAS

THE EQUITY PRINCIPLE AND WATER TRADING

THE PARTICIPATION PRINCIPLE

THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

Books and textbooks on the discipline General ecology:

- General ecology -

- Conflictology - Ecology - Economy - Finance - History - Law - Medicine - Philosophy - Religious studies -

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