Mapping Environmental Controversies

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Mapping Environmental Controversies Mapping Environmental Controversies Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD5) OCAD University - Toronto, Canada John Tyndall 1850s identified the greenhouse effect in a laboratory (confirming John Fourier’s 1824 discovery) #RSD5 #SystemicDesign Svante Arrhenius 1890s calculated that emissions from human industry could cause a global warmi ng Guy S. Callendar 1930s found levels of carbon dioxide are climbing and raising global temperature No.1: The Climate Timeline 1960-2014 v.3 15 October 2014 1960 – 2014 timeline Roger Revelle 1950s Mapping Climate Communication Second IPCC report detects signature of demonstrated that C02 levels had Third IPCC report states that global Fourth IPCC report warns that serious effects Climate Change: International Energy Agency U.S. National Academy of Sciences conference human-caused greenhouse effect warming, warming, unprecedented since end of warming have become evident and that increased due to the use of fossil fuels Intergovernmental A Summary of the Science report warns of 6º warming . The Charney Report declares that serious warming is likely of last ice age, is "very likely," with the cost of reducing emissions would be far COP9 The Royal Society (UK) 2011 RIO+20 scientific ‘The Causes of Climate Change’ by the National Research Council in the coming century. possible severe surprises. Effective less than the damage they will cause if not in Boulder, USA -1965 predicts that doubling CO2 will lead to Panel on Climate end of debate among all but a few Milan reduced. US National Academy warns of Earth Charles Keeling 1960s 3ºC warming. USA - 1979 RIO COP4 scientists. April 2014 is the first measured C02 fluctuation in the events United Nations international Change (IPCC) Bueonos Aires 2003 political assaults on scientists 2010 highest ever yearly Summit month in human history with Nobel Peace Prize awarded 2010 average carbon dioxide atmosphere and annual maximum founded November 1988 st,1990 (FAR) nd,1995 (SAR) COP2 rd,2001 (TAR) COP11 th,2007(AR4) increase in global emissions - 5.9% 2013/14 (AR5) scientific conference at Villach 1 2 3 4 2012 5th, level in Earth’s atmosphere value steadily rising. The World Climate Conference Earth 1998 to Al Gore and the IPCC Austria, produces first scientific consensus on global warming Montreal COP18 at 400 ppm produces declaration and appeal to world to Geneva 2007 COP15 COP17 NOAA established prevent man-made changes in cliamte. 1985 First IPCC report says the COP3 2005 COP12 China overtakes USA COP16 Doha USA - 1970 Geneva 1979 Earth has been warming and Summit 1996 COP7 as world's largest CO2 Durban The World Conference on the Changing future warming seems likely. COP5 Nairobi Copenhagen Cancun COP20 COP1 Marrakech COP8 emitter 2007 2011 2012 Atmosphere: Implications for Security Kyoto Bonn COP6 COP10 2006 2010 Toronto meeting of climate scientists 1992 New Delhi Lima Berlin La Hague 2001 COP13 COP14 Copenhagen conference fails COP19 call for a 20% reduction of global CO2 1997 1999 2002 Buenos Aires Kyoto treaty goes into effect, signed by all major Nicholas Stern claims 2009 2014 emissions by the year 2005. June 1988 1995 2000 2004 industrial nations except US and Australia - 2005 Bali Poznan his report underestimated to negotiate binding agreements. Warsaw wide-spread US Environmental Protection Agency the gravity of climate change UK government US Republican Canadian UK government Obama political Stern 2008 dismantles the majority eliminates government makes dramatic cuts media coverage United Nations Framework deletes section on climate change 2007 100,000 people march in the streets Climate 2013 William Nierenberg’s report Climate Protection Act Canadian government creates the of Copenhagen and hold their own Sustainable the House Committee cuts over 2000 in the Environment from a report after the Bush administration’s Review Development on Global Warming scientific jobs Agency (1,700 jobs events for National Academy of Sciences claims directs EPA and State to prepare "junk science" Kyoto Protocol Representative Gleneagles People’s Climate Assembly, joined by Plan Lyndon Johnson 1972 United Nations Global Warming James Hansen Convention on Climate Change Climate Change Plan attempts to manipulate scientific consensus. Canadian The Stern Review on the Commission 2011 and silences lost) effects of climate change will be negligible policy options for climate change hearing in Congress First major global climate change treaty (1997) for Canada Joe Barton attacks government Economics of Climate Change 100s of U.N. delegates. President Obama releases message to Congress USA - 1983 USA - 1987 USA -1995 US House Passes 2011 scientists Conference on the Research Act (UNFCCC) established 1992 mandatory targets on greenhouse-gas emissions with view climate scientist withdraws claims that climate change is the Climate Action Plan Climate Summit on climate change - 1965 Senator James Inhofe, Chairman of Senate The Climate Change Act the "American Clean USA - 1980 testifies to Congress The principal negotiating forum for global climate to reduce emissions at least 5% below existing 1990 levels Michael Mann G8 from Kyoto "the greatest market failure the !!! including increased use of in New York in preperation Human Environment 23 June 1988 with twelves hearings in Senate and European Union adopts target Committee on the Environment and Public Works, UK government becomes the Energy and Security US house of Representatives votes 184-240 against accepting the following resolution: issues charged with the task of preventing "dangerous in the commitment period 2008 to 2012. Bush administration abandons Leak of Republican strategist Frank Luntz memo: world has ever seen". UK - 2006 renewable energy and carbon for COP 21 in Paris, 2015. the House on climate change during this period Berlin Mandate of a maximum 2°C rise in delivers an speech on the Senate floor where he first to set binding targets Act" (2009) - later “the scientific finding of the Environmental Protection Agency that climate change is occuring, anthropogenic interference with the climate system" US Senate rejects Kyoto in advance with the Kyoto Protocol and ousts ”make the lack of scientific certainty pollution restrictions for power September 2014 Stockholm calls for emission targets average global temperatures 911 a primary issue in the debate" describes climate change as a 'hoax'. to reduce emission defeated in Senate is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks to public heath and welfare” plants. June 25, 2013 from developed countries Byrd-Hagel resolution, in 95-0 unanimous vote. IPCC Chair Robert Watson 300% increase in climate change lobbyist in the USA (2005 - 2009) - with $90m expenditure 2008 The Copenhagen Accord April 2011 350 ppm in 1988 1996 2003 !!! !!! !!! !!! World Development Movement Friends of the Earth Bolivia’s chief climate negotiator !!! Tar Sands Action: 1,253 protestors CREDO Pledge of Resistance International Treaty to Protect 'Largest-ever' Third World Network Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) Buenos Aires Declaration on the 1st of many Climate Camps in the UK and then globally (2006) 350.org Global World People's Conference on Climate !!! climate science founded London 1970 founded. London 1971 Albuquerque Declaration WTO meeting in Seattle 1st Climate Justice Summit 2002 Bali Principles growth of the climate protests at !!! Angelica Navarro delivers speech arrested at the White House - 2011 Idle No More over 75,000 vow to commit civil the Sacred. Indigenous action climate-change founded. Malaysia 1984 founded 1989 !!! Ethical Dimension of Climate Change mass mobilization of the Day of Action by IEN sent to COP4 - 1998 shut down by activists 1999 in La Hague (2000) justice movement G8 Gleneagles Rising Tide North America Climate Justice Now! !!! on climate debt at the UN Change and the Rights of Mother Earth !!! Indigenous movement disobedience if the Keystone XL on tar sands extraction - 2013 march in NYC David Suzuki Foundation founded 1990 of Climate Justice (BADEDCC) launched at COP10 (2004) Transition Towns climate justice movement2009 Greenpeace Scotland 2005 founded, UK 2006 !!! + Europe founded (2006) founded in Bali (2007) 30,000 gather in Cochabamba, Bolivia - 2010 !!! Occupy movement - 2011 2012 pipeline is approved - 2013 attended by an climate justice World Wildlife Fund (WWF) founded. Vancouver 1970 To Really Save the Planet, Stop Going Green This Changes Everything: estimated 300k to founded Switzerland 1961 The Heat is On Billy Parish and others found Naomi Oreskes‘ paper in by Mike Tidwell rejecting green consumerism Capitalism vs. The Climate 400k people - and Time Magazine names Toyota introduces Prius Newsweek: "The Truth About UK Feed-in tarriffs for The Merchants of Doubt Climate for Cities Ross Gelbspan’s book describes fossil the Energy Action Coalition, Science on the scientific USA Today proclaim: The Inconvenient Truth Vanity Fair: by Naomi Klein 2014 marchs in cities First Earth Day 1970 The Endangered Earth' in Japan (1997) first mass- Denial" cover story, leads to less solar installations by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway started 1993 fuel industry organizing to prevent a organizing youth on climate issues consensus on climate change “The debate is over: the globe is warming” Academy Award winning documentary film The Green Issue around the world ecological modernization Man of the Year market electric hybrid car contrarian media outside Fox News approved - 2008 documents the climate contrarian movement mobilization
Recommended publications
  • Global Climate Coalition
    Log in Page Discussion Read View source View history Search SourceWatch HELP CMD SHINE A LIGHT ON What Is CMD? CORRUPTION! Donate Here ALEC Exposed Outsourcing America Thanks to a $50,000 challenge grant, your gift will be matched 1- Exposed Koch Exposed to-1, so every dollar you give today will go twice as far! FrackSwarm CoalSwarm NFIB Exposed GIVE TODAY! Fix the Debt State Policy Network Recent Changes Global Climate Coalition Random page The Global Climate Coalition (GCC) was one of the most outspoken How To and confrontational industry groups in the United States battling Learn more from the Sign Up to Edit Center for Media and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Prior to its disbanding in early Democracy's research Contact Us 2002, it collaborated extensively with a network that included industry on climate change. Help Write History Research Corporations trade associations, "property rights" groups affiliated with the anti- Edit an Article environmental Wise Use movement, and fringe groups such as Correct Errors This article is Sovereignty International, which believes that global warming is a plot to part of the Search Effectively enslave the world under a United Nations-led "world government." Center for Media Find FAQs & Democracy's Explore Our Index Contents spotlight on front groups and Blow the Whistle 1 Personnel corporate spin. Find the Home Page 2 History Other Info 3 Excerpts from the GCC web site 4 Funding About SourceWatch About PRWatch 5 Internal Documents Search Categories 6 Case Studies Random Article 7 Contact Information 8 Other SourceWatch Related Resources Other Policies 9 External links Ground Rules Disclaimers Copyright Info Personnel Ads Glenn Kelly, Executive Director Gail McDonald, President William O'Keefe, Chairman, an executive for the American Petroleum Institute Tools Frank Maisano, Media Contact, is a member of the Potomac Communications Group, whose other clients What links here include Con Edison, the Edison Electric Institute, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Media Locks in the New Narrative
    7. Influences on a changed story and the new normal: media locks in the new narrative It was the biggest, most powerful spin campaign in Australian media history—the strategy was to delay action on greenhouse gas emissions until ‘coal was ready’—with geo-sequestration (burying carbon gases) and tax support. Alan Tate, ABC environment reporter 1990s On 23 September 2013 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) program Media Watch explored a textbook example of why too many Australians and their politicians continue to stumble through a fog of confusion and doubt in regard to climate change. The case under the microscope typified irresponsible journalism. Media Watch host Paul Barry, with trademark irony, announced: ‘Yes it’s official at last … those stupid scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] got it wrong’, in their latest assessment report. He quoted 2GB breakfast jock Chris Smith from a week earlier saying the IPCC had ‘fessed up’ that its computers had drastically overestimated rising temperatures. ‘That’s a relief,’ said Barry, and how do we know this? ‘Because Chris Smith read it on the front page of last Monday’s Australian newspaper. When it comes to rubbishing the dangers of man-made global warming the shock jocks certainly know who they can trust.’ But wait. The Australian’s story by Environment Editor Graham Lloyd—‘We got it wrong on warming says IPCC’ was not original either. According to Media Watch, Lloyd appeared to have based his story on a News Limited sister publication from the United Kingdom. Said Barry: ‘He’d read all about it in the previous day’s Mail on Sunday,’ which had a story headlined ‘The great green con’.
    [Show full text]
  • Learning to Be Postmodern in an All Too Modern World Whatever Action
    University of Groningen Learning to Be Postmodern in an All Too Modern World Bargues-Pedreny, Pol; Schmidt, Jessica Published in: Global Society DOI: 10.1080/13600826.2018.1539952 IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2019 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Bargues-Pedreny, P., & Schmidt, J. (2019). Learning to Be Postmodern in an All Too Modern World: "Whatever Action" in International Climate Change Imaginaries. Global Society, 33(1), 45-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/13600826.2018.1539952 Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). The publication may also be distributed here under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license. More information can be found on the University of Groningen website: https://www.rug.nl/library/open-access/self-archiving-pure/taverne- amendment. Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum.
    [Show full text]
  • A Degrowth Response to an Ecomodernist Manifesto
    A Call to Look Past An Ecomodernist Manifesto: A Degrowth Critique Authors and Endorsers: Jeremy Caradonna, Iris Borowy, Tom Green, Peter A. Victor, Maurie Cohen, Andrew Gow, Anna Ignatyeva, Matthias Schmelzer, Philip Vergragt, Josefin Wangel, Jessica Dempsey, Robert Orzanna, Sylvia Lorek, Julian Axmann, Rob Duncan, Richard B. Norgaard, Halina S. Brown, Richard Heinberg One of the counties within the province of sustainable development is now called “ecomodernism,” and it has come to prominence over the past few years, in part because of the figures associated with it, including prominent environmental thinkers such as Ted Nordhaus, Michael Shellenberger, and Stewart Brand. The New York Times recently praised the ecomodernist message in an article called, misleadingly, “A Call to Look Past Sustainable Development.”i Why is the article’s title so misleading? For the simple reason that the figures within ecomodernism want cultural and economic change that is sustainable, just like the rest of us; they simply want to move the focus of development in a new direction, even though this “new” direction seems surprisingly and troublingly conventional at times. The New York Times article mentions a new statement of principles that the ecomodernists published this year. It is called An Ecomodernist Manifesto (2015) and is co-authored by eighteen leading lights of the sustainability movement, including Nordhaus, Shellenberger, and Brand, but also the physicist David Keith, the scientist, Nobel Prize Winner, and Indian economist Joyashree Roy, and
    [Show full text]
  • Global Warming? No, Natural, Predictable Climate Change - Forbes Page 1 of 6
    Global Warming? No, Natural, Predictable Climate Change - Forbes Page 1 of 6 Larry Bell, Contributor I write about climate, energy, environmental and space policy issues. OP/ED | 1/10/2012 @ 4:12PM | 3,332 views Global Warming? No, Natural, Predictable Climate Change An extensively peer-reviewed study published last December in the Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics indicates that observed climate changes since 1850 are linked to cyclical, predictable, naturally occurring events in Earth’s solar system with little or no help from us. The research was conducted by Nicola Scafetta, a scientist at Duke University and at the Active Cavity Radiometer Solar Irradiance Monitor Lab (ACRIM), which is associated with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. It takes issue with methodologies applied by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) using “general circulation climate models” (GCMs) that, by ignoring these important influences, are found to fail to reproduce the observed decadal and multi-decadal climatic cycles. As noted in the paper, the IPCC models also fail to incorporate climate modulating effects of solar changes such as cloud-forming influences of cosmic rays throughout periods of reduced sunspot activity. More clouds tend to make conditions cooler, while fewer often cause warming. At least 50-70% of observed 20th century warming might be associated with increased solar activity witnessed since the “Maunder Minimum” of the last 17th century. http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrybell/2012/01/10/global-warming-no-natural-predictable-c... 1/13/2012 Global Warming? No, Natural, Predictable Climate Change - Forbes Page 2 of 6 Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Climate Coalition Primer on Climate Change Science
    ~ ~ Chairman F.SOHWAB Poraohe TECH-96-29 1st Viae C".lrrn.n C. MAZZA 1/18/96 Hyundal 2nd Vic. Ohalrrnan C. SMITH Toyota P S_cret.ry C. HELFMAN TO: AIAM Technical Committee BMW Treasurer .,J.AMESTOY Mazda FROM: Gregory J. Dana Vice President and Technical Director BMW c ••woo Flat RE: GLOBAL CLIMATE COALITION-(GCC)· Primer on Honda Hyundal Climate Change Science· Final Draft lauzu Kia , Land Rover Enclosed is a primer on global climate change science developed by the Mazda Mlt8ublehl GCC. If any members have any comments on this or other GCC NIB.an documents that are mailed out, please provide me with your comments to Peugeot forward to the GCC. Poreche Renault RolI&-Aoyoe S ••b GJD:ljf ""al'"u .z.ukl Toyota VOlkswagen Volvo President P. HUTOHINSON ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS. INC. 1001 19TH ST. NORTH. SUITE 1200 • ARLINGTON, VA 22209. TELEPHONE 703.525.7788. FAX 703.525.8817 AIAM-050771 Mobil Oil Corporation ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY DEPARTh4ENT P.O. BOX1031 PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08543-1031 December 21, 1995 'To; Members ofGCC-STAC Attached is what I hope is the final draft ofthe primer onglobal climate change science we have been working on for the past few months. It has been revised to more directly address recent statements from IPCC Working Group I and to reflect comments from John Kinsman and Howard Feldman. We will be discussing this draft at the January 18th STAC meeting. Ifyou are coming to that meeting, please bring any additional comments on the draft with you. Ifyou have comments but are unable to attend the meeting, please fax them to Eric Holdsworth at the GeC office.
    [Show full text]
  • GEOPOETICS in the ANTHROPOCENE by Eric Magrane
    Creative Geographies and Environments: Geopoetics in the Anthropocene Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Magrane, Eric Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 28/09/2021 00:18:37 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/624580 CREATIVE GEOGRAPHIES AND ENVIRONMENTS: GEOPOETICS IN THE ANTHROPOCENE by Eric Magrane ____________________________ Copyright © Eric Magrane 2017 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY AND DEVELOPMENT In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2017 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Eric Magrane, titled Creative Geographies and Environments: Geopoetics in the Anthropocene, and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ___________________________________________________Date: 4/11/2017 Sallie Marston ___________________________________________________Date: 4/11/2017 Diana Liverman ___________________________________________________Date: 4/11/2017 John Paul Jones III ___________________________________________________Date: 4/11/2017 Alison Hawthorne Deming ___________________________________________________Date: 4/11/2017 Harriet Hawkins Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement.
    [Show full text]
  • Exxon Mobile and British Petroleum: a Tale of Two Companies Or Just Business As Usual?
    Exxon Mobile and British Petroleum: A tale of two companies or just business as usual? NRE 501: Climate Change—A Move to Action April 23, 2008 SUSAN LORENZ MARK RABINSKY JEN WURTZEL Executive Summary Heavy global fossil fuel reliance combined with high oil prices and a dwindling supply is creating complex political, environmental and social issues. Growing awareness of climate change impacts is initiating climate planning and action for many governments and organizations. The oil industry has a unique position in addressing climate change, as oil when combusted in the use phase by consumers, emits significant GHGs. Responses to this global issue vary between many of the large, multi- national oil companies. This analysis will focus on the climate responses of two of these organizations, British Petroleum (BP), and Exxon Mobil (Exxon) that in comparison to other oil companies have distinct and changing positions on climate change. BP is considered the first oil company to publicly acknowledge climate change, and has a record for precautionary action that stretches back to 1997.1 BP has utilized this position on climate change to re-brand the organization with a new slogan, ‘Beyond Petroleum,’ which is focusing on alternative fuels and other types of renewable energy development. Exxon recognizes that there is scientific evidence for a warming earth. Exxon also communicates that climate science is complex and uncertain but associated risks could prove to be significant for humans and ecosystems.2 Precautionary action may make sense, but in developing and implementing strategies that reduce GHGs, the central importance of energy to the global economy needs to be a component.3 The following analysis will look at climate change impacts of the oil sector, the research focus areas of BP and Exxon, the rhetoric used by both companies in addressing climate change, stakeholder influences and will also provide recommendations on addressing climate change for the oil industry.
    [Show full text]
  • Greenhouse Gangsters Vs. Climate Justice in Bulk and Distribute It Through Your Community, Activist Networks, Co-Workers and Friends
    Greenhouse Gangsters Published by TRAC Transnational Resource vs. Climate Justice and Action Center Greenhouse Gangsters* vs. Climate Justice Contents 1 Introduction: Oil’s Injustices • Defining Climate Justice 6 Part 1: The Most Powerful Industry on Earth • Size Matters • Getting Their Way • Oil, Globalization and Climate Change 11 Part 2: The Corporate Response: The Five “Ds”: Deny, Delay, Divide, Dump, Dupe 22 Part 3: A Platform for Climate Justice • Remove the Causes of Global Warming • Oppose the Destructive Impacts of Oil Locally and Globally • Forge Just Solutions Between and Within Nations • Reverse Corporate-led, Fossil Fuel-Based Globalization. Sidebars 3 What is Climate Justice? 4-5 The Basics: What is Climate Change? 8 Other Corporate Climate Culprits—Car, Coal, Utilities 17 Global Warming and Global Equity 19 The World Bank’s Climate Hypocrisy 21 Hydrocarbons and Human Rights 24 No New Exploration 27 End Notes *The American Heritage Dictionary definition of gangster is “an organized group of criminals.” The history of big oil’s collusion, price fixing, transfer pricing, environmental crimes, complicity in human rights violations and most recently, concerted efforts to undermine initiatives to address global warming, effectively stealing our children’s future, eminently qualifies them as such. Written by Kenny Bruno, Joshua Karliner and Published by TRAC—Transnational Resource & Action Center China Brotsky Transnational Resource and Action Center PO Box 29344 Kenny Bruno is a Research Associate with TRAC. San Francisco, CA 94129-0344 USA He also works with Earthrights International Tel: (415) 561-6568 e-mail: [email protected] (ERI), on human rights and environment issues. Kenny worked with Greenpeace for more than TRAC works to build global links for human twelve years on a variety of domestic and interna- rights, environmental justice and democratic tional toxics issues.
    [Show full text]
  • THE LEIPZIG DECLARATION on GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE (2005, Revised)
    Climate Change White Paper June 22, 2010 Appendix A Leipzig Declaration The Leipzig Declaration was originally published in 1996, and revised in 2005. The 2005 text is provided below. More information can be found at: http://www.sepp.org/policy%20declarations/LDrevised.html THE LEIPZIG DECLARATION ON GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE (2005, revised) As independent scientists researching atmospheric and climate problems, we -- along with many of our fellow citizens -– are apprehensive about the Climate Treaty conference scheduled for Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997. This gathering of politicians from some 160 signatory nations aims to impose -- on citizens of the industrialized nations, but not on others -- a system of global environmental regulations that include quotas and punitive taxes on energy fuels. Fossil fuels provide today's principal energy source, and energy is essential for all economic growth. Stabilizing atmospheric carbon dioxide -- the announced goal of the Climate Treaty -- would require that fuel use be cut by as much as 60 to 80 percent -- worldwide! In a world in which poverty is the greatest social pollutant, any restriction on energy use that inhibits economic growth should be viewed with caution. We understand the motivation to eliminate what are perceived to be the driving forces behind a potential climate change; but we believe the emerging Kyoto protocol -- to curtail carbon dioxide emissions from only part of the world community -- is dangerously simplistic, quite ineffective, and economically destructive to jobs and standards-of-living. More to the point, we consider the scientific basis of the 1992 Global Climate Treaty to be flawed and its goal to be unrealistic.
    [Show full text]
  • Pope Francis, Laudato Si', and U.S. Environmentalism
    William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review Volume 42 (2017-2018) Issue 1 Article 2 November 2017 Pope Francis, Laudato Si', and U.S. Environmentalism Jonathan Z. Cannon Stephen Cushman Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmelpr Part of the Environmental Law Commons, Environmental Policy Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, and the Sustainability Commons Repository Citation Jonathan Z. Cannon and Stephen Cushman, Pope Francis, Laudato Si', and U.S. Environmentalism, 42 Wm. & Mary Envtl. L. & Pol'y Rev. 1 (2017), https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmelpr/vol42/iss1/2 Copyright c 2017 by the authors. This article is brought to you by the William & Mary Law School Scholarship Repository. https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmelpr POPE FRANCIS, LAUDATO SI’, AND U.S. ENVIRONMENTALISM JONATHAN Z. CANNON* & STEPHEN CUSHMAN** Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home (2015) is an ecclesiastical declaration of interdependence between humans and the rest of nature.1 Having taken the name Francis when he was elected Pope in March 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires chose to align himself with the saint he described as “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects cre- ation.”2 Two years later he issued Laudato Si’, the title of which is taken from Saint Francis’s “Canticle of the Sun.”3 Throughout the encyclical, Pope Francis emphasizes ecological interconnectedness, a staple of con- temporary environmentalist thought, but his concept of interconnectedness generously includes the equity and cohesion of human society as well as the health of natural systems.
    [Show full text]
  • Deliberation and the Promise of a Deeply Democratic Sustainability Transition
    sustainability Review Deliberation and the Promise of a Deeply Democratic Sustainability Transition Michael B. Wironen 1,2,* , Robert V. Bartlett 2,3 and Jon D. Erickson 1,2,* 1 Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA 2 Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA; [email protected] 3 Department of Political Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA * Correspondence: [email protected] (M.B.W.); [email protected] (J.D.E.) Received: 21 December 2018; Accepted: 11 February 2019; Published: 16 February 2019 Abstract: Ecological economics arose as a normative transdiscipline aiming to generate knowledge and tools to help transition the economy toward a scale which is sustainable within the bounds of the earth system. Yet it remains unclear in practice how to legitimize its explicitly normative agenda. One potential means for legitimation can be found in deliberative social and political theory. We review how deliberative theory has informed ecological economics, pointing to three uses: first, to support valuation of non-market goods and services; second, to inform environmental decision-making more broadly; third, to ground alternative theories of development and wellbeing. We argue that deliberation has been used as problem-solving theory, but that its more radical implications have rarely been embraced. Embracing a deliberative foundation for ecological economics raises questions about the compatibility of deeply democratic practice and the normative discourses arguing for a sustainability transition. We highlight three potential mechanisms by which deliberation may contribute to a sustainability transition: preference formation; normative evaluation; and legitimation.
    [Show full text]