Environmental Uncertainty
What is The Problem?
What is the Problem?
-Sometimes it is easy to see, but other times it is less clearcut
-Smog and oil slicks
Global warming and the greenhouse effect
- the EPA is influenced by Congress in deciding what issues are the most pressing
What are the costs and benefits?
- the public often freaks out over the little things, making it hard for government officials and the EPA to focus on real issues
- Dramatic steps taken by the government can sometimes do more harm than good
-Sometimes it is easy to see, but other times it is less clearcut
-Smog and oil slicks
Global warming and the greenhouse effect
- the EPA is influenced by Congress in deciding what issues are the most pressing
What are the costs and benefits?
- the public often freaks out over the little things, making it hard for government officials and the EPA to focus on real issues
- Dramatic steps taken by the government can sometimes do more harm than good
Example: The 2010 Deep Water Horizon BP Oil Spill
The Goals
What are the goals?
Congress said to:
a) eliminate all pollutants entering our waterways by 1985
b) cut auto emissions by 90 percent within five years
c) eliminate smog in all cities
-All of these goals are many and all unrealistic
-Now people think they gave into industrial pressure
How do we try to achieve those goals?
-used to be zealous about command and control strategy
-now use incentives to replace some rules
Offsets- rule that company in an area with polluted air can offset its own pollution by reducing pollution from another source in the area
Bubble standard-total amount of air pollution that can come from a certain factory
Pollution allowances-reduction in pollution below that required by law can be used to cover a future plant expansion or sold to another company whose pollution emissions are above the legal requirements
-government has begun to learn from their mistakes
Congress said to:
a) eliminate all pollutants entering our waterways by 1985
b) cut auto emissions by 90 percent within five years
c) eliminate smog in all cities
-All of these goals are many and all unrealistic
-Now people think they gave into industrial pressure
How do we try to achieve those goals?
-used to be zealous about command and control strategy
-now use incentives to replace some rules
Offsets- rule that company in an area with polluted air can offset its own pollution by reducing pollution from another source in the area
Bubble standard-total amount of air pollution that can come from a certain factory
Pollution allowances-reduction in pollution below that required by law can be used to cover a future plant expansion or sold to another company whose pollution emissions are above the legal requirements
-government has begun to learn from their mistakes
The Results
The Results
-Although many think the environment has gotten worse, it has actually gotten better in some ways
-However, there is a huge cleanup job ahead of us that will take years.
-Although many think the environment has gotten worse, it has actually gotten better in some ways
-However, there is a huge cleanup job ahead of us that will take years.