chapter 1_introduction to ems

7/30/2019 Chapter 1_Introduction to EMS

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CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION TOENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTAND SUSTAINABILITY

(BPP 2613)


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INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT (EM)

DEFINITION:

Management and control of the environment and natural

resources systems

To ensure the sustainability of development efforts over a

long-term basis (Science and Technology Dictionaries & Glossaries)

Process of allocating natural and artificial resources

To make optimum use of the environment in satisfying basic

human needs at the minimum, and more if possible, on a

sustainable basis.


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Control of all humans activities which have a significant impacts

on the environment

Seeking the best practicable environmental opinion to promote

sustainable development

Generic description of a process undertaken by system oriented

professionals with natural science, social science, or lesscommonly, an engineering, law, or design background, tackling

problems of the human altered environment on an

interdisciplinary basis from quantitative and/or futuristic viewpoint

Optimum balance of natural resources uses, and decide where

that lies, using planning and administrative skills to reach it


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SCOPE:

(1) Identify goals: have no clear idea of what it needs

(2) Establish whether these can be met

(3) Develop and implement the means to do what it seems possible.

(2) (3): to coordinate development; interface with ecology, laws,

politics, people etc.

- Desirable for development to be managed

- Co-ordinate at all level; regional, national & international.


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FOR EM

Identify needs/goals, determine problems

Develop on going management

Draw up plan

Determine appropriate action

Implementation (evaluate success)

Evaluate and adjust management

Future environmental management

InfoInfo


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EVOLUTION OF EM

1750s : civilization

1840s 1980s : reduction of poverty, environmentalism

Early 1930s : comprehensive regional planning andmanagement; establishment of river basin

Late 1960s and early 1970s : limited efforts to ensure natural

resources exploitation was integrated with social andeconomic development

1987: development needed the effective EM


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MOTIVATION OF EM

There are a wide range of bodies and professionals involved

in environmental management: government agencies,

international bodies and aid organisations (e.g. the UNEP,

FAO, World Bank, USAID), research institutes (e.g. the

Worldwatch Institute, IIED), NGOs (e.g. WWF, IUCN,

Friends of the Earth; the public).

Pragmatic reasons

Desire to save cost

Compliance

Shift in ethics

Macroeconomics


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EVOLUTIONARY TREE OF EM

Environmental law

Green business

Impact, risk and hazard management

Total quality management

Management

Environmental standards

Eco-auditing

Environmental management system


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OPPORTUNITIES OF EM

PROBLEMS:

an unproven threat

transboundary or global challenges

problems demanding rapid decisions

increasing exchange of information with NGOs


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OPPORTUNITIES:

Pragmatic reasons

Desire to save costs

Compliance

Shift in ethics

Macro-economics


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NATURE OF EM

Approach to environmental stewardship which integrates

ecology, policy making, planning and social development.

Prevention and resolution of environmental problems;

Establishing limits;

Establishing and nurturing institutions that effectively support

environmental

Research, monitoring and management;

Warning of threats and identifying opportunities;

Sustaining and, if possible improving, existing resources;

Where possible improvingqualityoflife;

Identifying new technology or policies that are useful.


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EM CHALLENGES

The need to be adaptable and to seek to reduce humanvulnerability

- rapidly increasing human population.

The need to be multidisciplinary and integrative

- deal with humans and natural processes.

Problems need attention and allow little time for solution

Desirability that planning horizons stretch further into the

future than has been usual practice.

Two temporal challenges:


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ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

Technocratic environmental ethics

= resource-exploitative, growth-oriented

Managerial environmental ethics

= resource-conservationist, oriented to sustainable growth

Communalist environmental ethics

= resource-preservationist, oriented to limited or zero growth

Bioethicist or deep ecology environmental ethics

= extreme preservationist, antigrowth.


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CLASS ACTIVITY (Discuss in group)

Identify the five functions of

environmental manager

Explain your interest towardenvironment

chapter 1_introduction to ems

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