7.5 Protecting the Global Environment                             Version 1.1 March 2012

 

 

 

Area governments – local councils, states, countries and agencies of the United Nations – must be the primary managers of the land, sea and air.

·         We all share the air.  Pollutants such as carbon dioxide and methane are generating a global green house effect which is warming the atmosphere, and causing more extreme weather events, such as storms, drought and floods.  All countries and all individuals must contribute to preserving the atmosphere and avoiding destructive climate change.

·         We all share the open seas.  Most countries in the world (except America) have accepted the Law of the Sea.  We need internationally enforceable law to control the economic exploitation of the sea (and the seabed), fisheries, and so on, to ensure they are equitable across world and to minimize adverse impacts on the environment and promote sustainable development.

·         The citizens of nation states share the sea shores and rivers within their boundaries.  Some of these are of world significance, such as the Great Barrier Reef, off north east Australia.  We need to preserve water quality.

·         Much land is privately owned or directly controlled by government agencies.  Some is “commons”, open to use by anyone. But regardless of ownership or control, we need to avoid polluting the land, depleting the soil, contaminating ground water and artesian basins. 

·         Farms, quarries, cities, roads and other land infrastructure must be controlled so that the uses are sustainable.

All organizations must support and promote environment protection for the benefit of all. 

·         We would not tolerate an organization that negligently kills people as part of their business.

·         If destruction of the environment or climate change leads to deaths in the future, we should nto tolerate any organisation that does nto use its best endeavors to avoid those outcomes.

We need to refine our economic system to minimize its impact on the environment.  For instance

·         Products must be developed to have longer life spans and  more uses, encouraged by such measures as increased rubbish disposal costs, and resource “rents” on raw materials;

·         The impact of any commercial activity on the environment can be minimized by regulating markets, for instance with carbon taxes or other pollution taxes;

·         Consumers must be educated to get real value for money, to avoid excessive consumption that does not lead to long term satisfaction.  Economic conservatives advocate a free market and personal choice.  We should educate people to make the best choices in their own interests.

·         We need to move to more intangible products that have less impact on the environment, to encourage internet based exchanges rather than physical transport of good and people, and recreational activities (perhaps such reading on a tablet computer or as computer games) that have less impact on the environment than others (such as four wheel driving or hunting).  We should encourage local team sports rather then mega spectacles with a large physical audience.

Area governments must be primarily responsible for protecting the environment because:

·         Between them they control the whole planet (except perhaps for the high seas);

·         Everyone is subject to the laws of some nation that has the right of universal coercion;

·         Everyone is obliged to contribute to environmental protection, by force if necessary;

·         National governments are the only organisations with the capability of controlling commercial corporations, and only the largest nations (such as Europe, America and China) can control the largest multinational corporations.