Ecological challenges The global commons A commons is

Ecological challenges The global commons A commons is a shared resource that a group of people uses collectively. § Preserving our common ecosystem and assuring its continued use is a new imperative.

Ecological challenges (continued) Sustainable development n Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. n Protecting the environment will require economic development. n Economic development must be accomplished sustainably.

Ecological challenges (continued) Threats to the Earth’s ecosystem n Water resources n Fossil fuels n Arable land

Ecological challenges (continued) Forces of change n The population explosion n World poverty n Industrialization

Ecological challenges (continued) The limits to growth n The world resource base is essentially finite, or bounded. n The Earth’s rapid population growth, people’s rising expectations, and the rapid industrialization of less developed countries are heading for collision with a fixed barrier.

“Deciding How Much Global Warming Is Too Much” n Under first treaty (1994) addressing global warming, 193 countries, including U. S. , pledged to avoid “dangerous” human interference w/ climate n “Dangerous” n not defined Kyoto Protocol took effect 2/16/05, requiring participating industrialized countries to cut emissions n But targets and timetable negotiated w/ no agreement on what amount of cuts would lead to climatic stability n President Bush rejected Kyoto Pact in 2001 n Some experts say that by time clear evidence is at hand, calamity later in century will be unavoidable n Any consensus on climate risks will likely intensify pressure on Bush administration to shift from current opposition n Source: New York Times, 2/1/05

“Deep in the Sahara, BP Tries to Put Dent in Global Warming” n Given Kyoto Protocol, companies that will have to curb emissions in compliance w/ their countries’ caps scrambling to figure out how to do so wo/ killing bottom lines n Even in U. S. , companies looking for solution, figuring it’s only matter of time before they also face caps n BP and its partners in Algerian natural-gas processing plant injecting carbon dioxide back one mile underground (“geologic storage”) n Key question: will CO 2 stay underground or come burping back up out of earth? n Concept drawing interest because it could curb global warming more quickly than switching to alternative energy sources or cutting energy use n Source: Wall Street Journal, 2/4/05

“Nations Wince at Kyoto Reality” n Now gov’ts have to figure out how to divvy up responsibility for cuts among companies and consumers that produce emissions n Producing n political backlash E. g. , Canada pledged to cut emissions to 6% below 1990 level by 2012 n But its emissions are increasing 1. 5%/yr n If emissions continue to grow at current rate, Kyoto pledge will require cutting emissions to 35% below what they would have been in 2012 w/ no action n Source: Wall Street Journal, 2/16/05

“Senators Warm Up to Emissions Curbs” n Republican opposition to ‘greenhouse gas’ curbs is slowly easing, as concerns mount over damage from climate change n In Alaska, the two Republican senators say they are willing to reconsider carbon-dioxide regulation after voting against it two years ago n n Legislation proposed in Senate would require industry to reduce emissions to 2000 levels by 2010 n n According to recent report by GAO, melting sea and glacier ice has resulted in severe erosion and flooding problems in 86% of Alaska’s native villages President Bush is opposed to regulation Many politicians aren’t sure to what extent man-made carbon dioxide is contributing to climate change, some scientists dispute link n Source: Wall Street Journal, 2/22/05

World Business Council for Sustainable Development Goals: To encourage high standards of environmental management and to promote closer cooperation among businesses, governments, and other organizations concerned with sustainable development. n Called for businesses to manufacture and distribute products more efficiently, consider their lifelong impact, and recycle components. n Recommended revising systems of national accounting to include the costs of environmental damage, and pricing products to reflect their full environmental cost. n

Voluntary business initiatives Life cycle analysis Involves collecting information on the lifelong environmental impact of a product, from extraction of raw material to manufacturing to its distribution, use, and ultimate disposal. Industrial ecology Refers to designing factories and distribution systems as if they were self-contained ecosystems. Design for disassembly Means that products are designed so that at the end of their useful life they can be disassembled and recycled.

Sustainable Development n What does the principle of sustainable development mean when practiced at the level of an individual business? n Select a business with which you are familiar, determine what kinds of changes that business would need to make in order to operate sustainably. n Is it possible for a single business to operate sustainably, or does sustainable business require a coordinated effort by many companies, governments, and international agencies?