GEOG 302 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Precautionary Principle, Ecotax, Nimby

• School: McGill University
• Department: Geography
• Course: GEOG 302
• Professor: Peter E.Caines

Document Summary

Hould (cid:449)e thi(cid:374)k of a(cid:374)th(cid:396)opo(cid:272)e(cid:374)t(cid:396)i(cid:272)all(cid:455) (cid:858)(cid:395)ualit(cid:455) of life(cid:859) goals, o(cid:396) e(cid:272)o(cid:272)e(cid:374)t(cid:396)i(cid:272) goals (using attributes of biophysical systems?) We (western society) are often driven by jobs and economy and rarely think of environmental degradation. Environmental problems are fully integrated in system processes. These processes cannot be simplified for convenience, stopped, or isolated. O(cid:272)(cid:272)a(cid:373)"s razor: al(cid:449)ays go (cid:449)ith the si(cid:373)plest ter(cid:373)s (cid:894)parsi(cid:373)o(cid:374)y(cid:895) We need to recognize the complexity of systems, especially given our tendency for disaggregation and reductionism. However we often go for the simplest solution (given multiple hypotheses) even if it is not right. Recall the tools (1-6) used for envr mgmt. So far the case studies ha(cid:448)e illust(cid:396)ated (cid:271)oth (cid:862)pa(cid:396)t (cid:1005) f(cid:396)a(cid:373)e(cid:449)o(cid:396)ks of a(cid:374)al(cid:455)sis(cid:863) a(cid:374)d (cid:862)pa(cid:396)t (cid:1006) (cid:373)odels of (cid:373)a(cid:374)age(cid:373)e(cid:374)t(cid:863) What is the unit of viability: basic ecological paradigms (nutrient cycling, energy flow) Is there a fool proof method of accounting or conservation: lots of complexity- the way we make models vs real challenges in monitoring.