Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Due to the large number of concerns that the general public has regarding
environmental risks, the general public demands that more information be broadcast
to them, on a more regular basis. How relevant is this technically-sounding
information which is published and then distributed to the general public, especially
when it does not include any of the elements used to examine the different
hypotheses that exist on pollution management? GISs raise the issue of the regional
management of the complex non-spatial system known as air quality. The fact that it
is impossible to spatialize measurements that show the amount of pollution an
individual has been exposed to questions the relevance of the spatial tools that are
used. Would it not be more useful to have tools that highlight other fields rather than
geographical areas that are affected by different types of pollution? For example, the
tools could provide information on the amount of pollution farmers are exposed to
and how this affects their health, whenever they are exposed to different levels of
pesticides.
The field of atmospheric pollution is continually evolving. Information
published by the AASQA needs to be made more complete by adding information
that relates to the quality of air inside buildings and to the monitoring of greenhouse
gases. As Richert's report suggests [RIC 07] the information available needs to be
able to evolve over time. Should different factors that are associated with air quality
be included in this information? Is the LAURE law, which was introduced in 1996,
changing and evolving into smaller atmospheric environments?
The increased focus on the individual, as is the case with measuring the amount
of pollution an individual is exposed to, increases the uncertainty that exists as far as
spatial pollution measurements are concerned [CHA 07]. Is it not the case nowadays
that we are experiencing a revival of environmental health policies introduced to
protect the individual from the harmful pollutants present in the air? This notion of
protecting the individual involves a greater focus on the toxicity of the polluting
products rather than focusing on pollution emissions, which are under control in
developed countries. People who move from one area to another will also become
increasingly responsible for their own health, rather than their health being the
responsibility of a particular region.
6.6. Bibliography
[BEC 03]
B
ECK
U.
La Société du risque - Sur la voie d'une autre modernité
,
Flammarion, Champs, 2003.
[BOU 02] B
OUTARIC
F.,
L
ASCOUMES
P.,
R
UMPALA
Y.,
V
AZEILLES
I.,
L'obligation
d'information, instrument d'action publique. Surveillance et délibération dans la lutte
contre la pollution atmosphérique
, Paris, CEVIPOF, 2002.
[CAL 05] C
ALLON
M.,
L
ASCOUMES
P.,
B
ARTHE
Y.,
“Les citoyens ordinaires: une menace?”,
Problèmes politiques et sociaux
, no. 912, 2005.
