Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
when diverse interest sectors, which previously failed to engage with each other,
come together to confront a sustainability issue. Once the barriers are down (aided
by a skilled facilitator if necessary), people as diverse as commercial fi shers and
environmentalists can learn from each other and identify the real sustainability
problems (see, for example, the marine zoning plan in Box 1.2). When people are
well connected in groups and networks, and when their knowledge is sought and
incorporated during environmental management planning, it seems they are more
likely to retain a care-taking role in the long term (Pretty & Smith, 2004). At one
end of the scale of community participation, government agencies merely keep
people informed of plans, or consult by asking questions, but fail to concede to the
community a share in decision-making. At the other end of the scale, and better by
far, is full participation by the community in analysis, planning, implementing and
policing a management strategy for which they take ownership.
If an environmental problem occurs at too large a scale for local communities and
governments to solve, the sociopolitical machinations need to occur globally. Esti-
mates of future greenhouse gas emissions, the concentrations to be expected in the
atmosphere, and the resulting changes to global temperature vary considerably.
Some of this variation refl ects uncertainties in climate science. But the predicted
patterns of increase, and in some cases eventual decreases, depend on how fast the
human population continues to grow, where the population will peak, changing
attitudes to the use of energy sources, the technological advances that come to pass
and attitudes to the importance of ecosystem services. There is a profound sociopo-
litical dimension to all these things.
An analysis of four quite detailed sociopolitical scenarios in Table 1.2 explores
likely trends in climate change, pollution problems and the state of ecosystem serv-
ices. If there is little change in our sociopolitical outlook, the
order from strength
scenario may be our fate, with poor economic growth, degradation of all ecosystem
services and a large increase in global temperature. A more globally connected
society (
global orchestration
) could produce the highest economic growth and strong-
est improvement for the poorest people, but at the cost of many ecosystem services
and with the largest predicted temperature increase. The global outcome of a world
driven by local communities focusing on sound environmental management (
adapt-
ing mosaic
) will lead to the smallest economic growth, improvements to all ecosys-
tem services and an intermediate rise in global temperature. Finally, the
technogarden
scenario, with its environmentally sound but highly managed ecosystems, and cru-
cially with a climate change policy (stabilizing CO
2
at 550 ppm), leads to the smallest
rise in temperature, reduces nutrient pollution of waterways and improves ecosys-
tem services - except cultural ones, because so many ecosystems are managed and
relatively unnatural. Which of these, or other, scenarios comes to pass depends on
a wide range of sociopolitical factors.
Anyone wishing to make a difference to the fate of biodiversity will need to take
on board the diversity of perspectives in their community and internationally. To
encourage this broad perspective, and foster an approach that values the environ-
mental knowledge existing in all sectors of society, I use a particular device at the
beginning of each remaining chapter. Here you will encounter a viewpoint on an
environmental issue that may be alien to your own or, at least, that engenders a
more circumspect approach to the issue at hand. You may not agree with what the
'focal person' says, but what can you learn from them and how could you engage
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