Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
based on 'non-equilibrium theory' lends itself to a new perspective that
sees pastoralists and other indigenous populations as being an integral
part of the environment. Most importantly, Quinn and Ockwell show
that these dif erent ecological and social paradigms have fundamental
implications for the policy discourses that are adopted and that dei ne
appropriate management strategies. Equilibrium theory was fundamental
to the policy discourse of people versus environment that has traditionally
dei ned colonial-inl uenced approaches to environmental management
in Africa. Non-equilibrium theory, on the other hand, supports a policy
discourse of people
and
environment, which sees the appropriate manage-
ment response to be inclusive of indigenous people and their knowledge.
Quinn and Ockwell's central argument is that if the ecological paradigms
that underpin policy discourses fail to recognize the reciprocal link
between the environment and society, the resulting management solutions
can only protect the environment at the expense of the livelihoods of poor
people, thus failing to achieve sustainable development.
The two following chapters by Vanessa Pérez-Cirera (Chapter 10) and
Deborah Kirby (Chapter 11) provide dif ering methodological perspec-
tives on the semi-arid environment discussed by Quinn and Ockwell.
Pérez-Cirera explores the application of game theory whereas Kirby illus-
trates the use of production function economics. Together, these chapters
provide detailed examples of the potential for dif erent approaches to
environmental decision-making.
The scale of environmental management changes to the macroeconomic
considerations of economic growth and the environment in Chapter 12
by Dalia El-Demellawy. Whilst environmental riches are associated with
either a complete absence of economic activity in pristine wilderness, or
low-level hunter-gatherer economies, it is perhaps wealthier countries that
can af ord to have both the technological benei ts of development and sus-
tainable environmental policies. Intermediate economies are characterized
by natural resource exploitation and pollution. This observation is formal-
ized in the 'environmental Kuznet's curve', which suggests that there is an
inverted 'U'-shaped curve of environmental degradation associated with
development. If this is the case, then the macroeconomic environmental
management solution is to enhance economic development to the point
where the whole planet is enjoying environmental sustainability. However,
as explained by El-Demellawy, reality is a bit more complicated.
The i nal chapter by Mahesh Poudyal and Jon Lovett (Chapter 13) deals
with a controversial issue that has created an environmental management
conundrum. Scientists are agreed that the release of greenhouse gases by
modern economic activity, in particular the burning of fossil fuels, has
resulted in global warming. The environmental ef ects of global warming
