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Is it possible to protect the environment when many countries require increasing amounts of energy to progress?

(2007 A-levels, Qn10)

PREPARATION
AND INTRODUCTION

Q = Is it possible ?
Yes, (under what conditions?) No, (under what conditions?) T: environmental protection vs progress What is the assumption in the qn? Is there a contest between the 2 at all? K = increasing demand gets greater and greater : why?

INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC WORDS


What is the meaning of progress? Traditional assessment : Economic progress Gross Domestic Product
market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a year. Specifically, it is the sum of consumption, investment, government spending and exports, minus imports, in one year.

INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC WORDS


What is the implication of this technical definition of progress?

*** If progress is defined as growth that stems from the production and consumption of goods, then societies and governments will drive up energy use for the sake of that growth

INTERPRETATION OF KEY WORD What about the key word increasing? The rising demand for energy comes from :
Increasing affluence Increasing technology Throwaway society Rising expectation

INCOME RISES = ENERGY USE RISES

INTERPRETATION OF TOPIC WORDS


What does it mean to protect the environment?

Reduce pollution
Reduce the depletion of natural resources

* Consume less affect economic progress * Look for other/new alternatives * Renew resources maintain economic progress while causing less damage

Questioning the assumption in the Qn Can protecting the environment and achieving progress co-exist?

If yes, then why/how?


If no, then why?
(dualism)

Can protecting the environment and achieving progress co-exist? If yes, then why/how?
(a) DEVELOP TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES (b) IMPLEMENT VARIOUS LEVELS OF EFFORT (c) BROADEN THE MEANING OF PROGRESS

Can protecting the environment and achieving progress co-exist?

If no, then why?


(i) NOT ENOUGH TECHNOLOGY

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / MORAL COURAGE


(iii) NOT ENOUGH TIME

PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT

(a) DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES


Alternative energy sources Nuclear power
Nuclear power plants emit less than one hundreth the greenhouse gases of coal or gas fired power stations. A single kilogram of uranium can produce more energy than 200 barrels of oil

(a) DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES


Alternative energy (renewable) sources Hydropower, wind, wave power etc Solar energy
Generate electricity for many uses lighting, heating, horticulture High potential : The amount of solar energy reaching the surface of the planet is so vast that in one year it is about TWICE as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earth's non-renewable resources

(a) DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES


Begin an energy race (case study : China) In 2009 it invested $35 billion in clean energy technologies (US : $19 billion) created 1.2 million renewable and sustainable energy jobs. starting to export its clean energy technologies to the rest of the world, including to the United States.

(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF EFFORTS


Governments

Legislate

Incentivise
Educate

Guide consumer and corporate behaviour

Cooperate (with other governments and international organisations)

(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF EFFORTS


The Singapore government

Legislates
Mandatory energy labelling of electrical appliances limits for waste disposal, gas emissions licences e.g for hazardous subtances

The Singapore government

(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF EFFORTS


EASe (Energy Efficiency Assistance Scheme) 50% subsidy of appraisal cost GREET (Grant for Energy Efficient Technologies up to $2million for energy saving installations Green Vehicle Rebate

Incentivises

(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF EFFORTS


The Singapore government

Educates
Guidelines and handbooks Environmental training for businesses (Corporate Environment Champions Programme) Educational programmes for schools and the public (Semakau Island tour, Youth Environment Envoy etc)

(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF EFFORT


Ecotourism e.g. The use of geothermal energy in Iceland for power and tourism e.g. ecotravel in many countries (Indonesia, Australia etc.)
Drawbacks?

(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF EFFORT


Governments cooperate - Recognise that environmental degradation is
a transnational problem

e.g. EU Climate Policy


25-40% cut in greenhouse gases by 2020 and at least 80% by 2050, compared with 1990 levels a binding target of a 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020 and specific interim targets a European Climate Fund + incentives

(b) VARIOUS LEVELS OF EFFORT


Carbon trading, carbon credits
One carbon credit = one ton of C02 or equivalent greenhouse gas Emissions are capped, so buy and sell carbon credits to meet development requirements Drawbacks?

(c) BROADEN THE MEANING OF PROGRESS


SOCIAL PROGRESS, MORAL PROGRESS Conserve in order for progress to be sustainable Dont be rapacious, avaricious have insatiable desire to consume, take more than needed

On the other hand,


we face challenges in trying to reconcile our need to progress and our need to protect the Earth.

(i) NO TECHNOLOGY
WHY ? NOT ENOUGH $$$ ! poor nations debt-ridden already (Ethiopias $10 billion debt ; 45% of export earnings used to clear debt each year) vs richer countries esp. with reserves (China has trillions of US dollars in reserves)

(i) NO TECHNOLOGY
WHY ? NOT ENOUGH SHARING ! * Knowledge and skills = advantage

* Why lose this advantage to economic competitors ?


* Clean energy race has been likened to the space race

(i) NO TECHNOLOGY
SO? Poor countries fall further and further behind Need more and more of the environmentally damaging energy sources to catch up

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / COURAGE


As long as the measurement of progress is tied to consumption & production, energy demands will remain high
E.g. Bhutan (Gross National Happiness) E.g. Genuine Progress Indicator (proposed by public policy organisation called Redefining Progress)

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / COURAGE


More about GPI : POLLUTION The GPI subtracts the costs of pollution as measured by damage to human health and the environment. (GDP excludes)

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / COURAGE


More about GPI : RESOURCE DEPLETION The GPI treats the loss of future availability of resources such as wetlands, farmland, and minerals as a current cost when these resources are depleted or degraded. (GDP excludes)

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / COURAGE


More about GPI : DEFENSIVE EXPENDITURES E.g. pollution control devices, medical services) are treated as costs in the GPI. (more of these are bad for progress) GDP treats as consumption, government spending or investment (shows progress)

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / COURAGE


Between First World and Third World countries If the First World exploit nature to progress, then why cant the Third World? (Moral hypocrisy)

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / COURAGE


Amongst First World

countries neverending competition

(ii) NOT ENOUGH WILL / COURAGE


At the individual / social level more modernity, more success, more consumption bigger ecological footprint
Do we care to see it any other way?

(ii) NOT ENOUGH TIME


Science takes time to be accessible to all and be cost effective for all Until then, current methods will prevail to prevent stagnation, unemployment etc. Current (pollutive) energy sources are needed to pursue the development of environmentallyfriendly products or projects

Technology Advanced Nuclear Coal

Cost (USD/MWh) 67 74-88

Gas
Geothermal Hydropower Wind power Solar Biomass Fuel Cell

313-346
67 48-86 60 116-312 47-117 86-111

Wave power

611

CONCLUSION

IN CONCLUSION

SUMMARY OF KEY Progress, as it is presently IDEAS understood, does require

increasing amounts of energy. Balancing progress and environmental protection is a huge challenge that can be surmountable by harnessing green technology and sharing it.

IN CONCLUSION
While technology is key, INSIGHT we also need to include past present future sustainability in our definition of progress. direct indirect This entails : a change in short term long term expectations conservation even it means consuming less social justice

How are these questions similar?

Is it is possible to nurture a sense of belonging to ones country when the prospects of going abroad are so attractive? Should we invest in expensive medical research when only few can afford it ? Should the government invest in the arts in times of economic hardship ? Should the state be concerned with what happens in other countries when it faces many challenges of its own?

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