Lesson 1

Introduction to Environmental ethnics and

Sustainability

Lectured by:

Eng. Kingsley Amadi/ Eng. Koshy Vaidyan

(Department of Petroleum Engineering)
 Lesson Objectives

At the completion of the lesson, student should understanding;

▪ What is sustainable environment?

▪ What are major environmental problems?
▪ What are five ethical principles?
▪ What is environmental ethics?
▪ What are the ecological footprint affecting the earth
▪ What are ethical worldviews in environmental ethics?
 Sustainability
❑ Sustainability: the ability to be sustained,
supported, upheld, to maintain or support an activity
or process over the long term

❑ “Sustainability” is a development that meets the needs

of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.

❑ If an activity is said to be sustainable, it should be to

continue forever.
Figure 1.1: These parents—like Emily and
Michael in our fictional vision of a possible world
in 2060—are teaching their children about some
of the world’s environmental problems (left) and
helping them to enjoy the wonders of nature
(right). Their goal is to teach their children to care
for the earth in hopes of passing on a better
world to future generations.

Fig. 1-1a, p. 5
 Sustainable Environment
❑An Environment in which the essential qualities of life
are neither lessened nor depleted.

❑ Essential qualities of life:

➢Oxygen, Food, Water, Nutrients, Warmth, Shelter.

Unsustainable Environment
An Environment in which the essential qualities of
life are lessened or depleted.
What Are Four Scientific Principles of
Sustainability?
Nature has sustained itself for billions of years by using

• Solar energy,
• Biodiversity,
• Population regulation,
• and nutrient cycling –

lessons from nature that we can apply to our lifestyles

and economies.
Four Scientific Principles of
Sustainability
 Current Emphasis Sustainability Emphasis

Pollution cleanup Pollution prevention

Learning to Live Waste disposal

More Sustainably Waste prevention
(bury or burn)

Protecting species Protecting habitat

Environmental Environmental
degradation restoration

Increasing Less resource waste

resource use

Population growth Population stabilization

 1.2 How Are Our Ecological Footprints
Affecting the Earth?
As our ecological footprints grow, we are
depleting and degrading more of the earth’s
natural capital.
Ecological Footprints
• the impact of a person or community on the
environment, expressed as the amount of land required
to sustain their use of natural resources.
 What is “Ethics”?
Ethics is the study of what is “right” and what is “wrong”
in human behavior or character
Environment :
the surroundings or conditions in which a person,
animal, or plant lives or operates

Environmental ethics: The philosophical study of the

moral relationship of human beings to the environment and
its nonhuman contents.
 Five Ethical Principles
1. Respecting autonomy
2. Doing no harm
3. Benefiting others
4. Being just
5. Being faithful

Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics 11

 What is Moral

❑ Human action

❑ Behavior that differentiates intentions, decisions, and actions

between those that are good (right) or bad (wrong)

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
Difference Between Moral and Ethics

❑ Moral defines personal character, while ethics define

a social system in which those morals are applied.

❑ Ethics point to standards or codes of behavior

expected by the group to which the individuals
belong.

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Why to Study Ethics

❑ Moral Dilemmas (problems)

➢ Vagueness
➢ Conflicting
➢ Disagreement

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Environmental Ethics

❑ Environmental Ethics: Ethics which is related to

situations where facts about the environment are
concerned or,

❑ A group of beliefs, values and norms regarding how

humans should interact with environment.

❑ For example:
❑ Should we continue to clear cut forest for human
consumption?
❑ Should we continue to make gasoline powered vehicles?

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Environmental Ethics Principles
Every life form is unique, and has intrinsic value,
regardless of its apparent value to humans.

❑ We should have respect for nature.

❑ Everyone should take responsibility for his impact on

nature.

❑ We must plan for long term.

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Anthropocentrism

❑ A human-based ethic arguing that human possess

complete authority over decision about environment

❑ Priorities of well-being human

❑ States that natural resources are open to human

manipulation

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Biocentrism
❑ Focuses on the theory that all forms of life have and
inherent right to exist.

Note:
Biocentrism has some subgroups. E.g. some place greater
responsibility at protecting plant species rather than
animals.

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Ecocentrism

❑ Maintains that the earth itself has moral value and is to

be treated with respect from those living within it.

❑ State that the earth and its resources should be treated

as a community not commodity.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics

 For Example, which one of the
following value systems are correct?
 Difference Between Three Ethical Worldviews

❑ The major difference among environmental

worldviews is the emphasis they put on the role of
humans dealing with the environment.

❑ Some view that humans are the planet’s most important

species and should become managers of the earth.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics

 Environmental Attitude

❑ Human activity in terms of their relationship with

environment which splits in three different groups:

➢ Development
➢ Preservation
➢ Conservation

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Development

❑ An anthropocentric approach (inclined toward the benefit of

humans).

❑ Promotes human control over the world’s resources at the expense

of future generations.

❑ Example: Commuting (unsustainable use of cars)

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Preservation

❑ Ecocentric approach (nature-based)

❑ Calls for preservation of the world’s resources rather than

complete human consumption

❑ Example: Establishing natural parks and reserves

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
 Conservation

❑ Strikes a balance between the two aforementioned attitudes.

❑ Places great importance in human survival whilst taking into

account the need to manage the environment wisely.

❑ Example: the idea of “sustainable development”

(development which doesn’t hinder the prospect of future
generations)

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Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Ethics
International Conventions for sustainable Development
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is
to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does
not threaten their survival.( Kuwait Ratified in 2002)

CBD (the Convention on Biological Diversity) is an international legally-binding

treaty with three main goals: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of
biodiversity, and fair & equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of
genetic resources.

UN Earth Charter (2000): “1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has
value regardless of its worth to human beings”—which is one definition of
“intrinsic value.”
Natural Resources
Are
NONRENEWABLE
AND
RENEWABLE
 NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES

A nonrenewable resource is a natural resource

that cannot be re-made or re-grown at a scale
comparable to its consumption.
NUCLEAR ENERGY
Nuclear fission uses
uranium to create
energy.
Nuclear energy is a
nonrenewable
resource because
once the uranium is
used, it is gone!
 COAL, PETROLEUM, AND GAS

Coal, petroleum, and

natural gas are
considered
nonrenewable because
they can not be
replenished in a short
period of time. These are
called fossil fuels.
 RENEWABLE RESOURCES

Renewable resources are

natural resources that can
be replenished in a short
period of time.

● Solar ● Geothermal
● Wind ● Biomass
● Water
 SOLAR
Energy from the
sun.
 GEOTHERMAL
Energy from Earth’s heat.
 WIND
Energy from
the wind.
BIOMASS
Energy from
burning
organic or
living matter.
 WATER or
HYDROELECTRIC

Energy from
the flow of
water.
Natural Capital Degradation

Fig. 1-6,
 Major Environmental Problems
▪ Population growth
▪ Global warming
▪ Shrinking forest
▪ Depletion of Ozone Layer
▪ Acid rain
▪ Depletion of Species and Habitats
▪ Depletion of Fossil Fuels
▪ Environmental pollution