Reminder First exam March 13 th (Next Thursday) Revised Syllabus will be online by Thursday Extra Credit: 4 points on the mid-term exam if you attend research

Reminder

• First exam March 13th (Next Thursday)• Revised Syllabus will be online by Thursday• Extra Credit: 4 points on the mid-term exam if you

attend research seminar on WENDESDAY at 2pm• Study Guide available Thursday• Readings: Chapter 1, Layzer Reading, Ostrom

readings and Hardin Reading

4 extra exam points

School for the Environment SPRING 2014 – SEMINAR SERIES

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5th (tomorrow!) Small Science Auditorium, 1st Floor, Room 006

2:00 -3:30 PM

Dr. Mark Sorice, Virginia Tech University

“Changing Landowners, Changing Ecosystem? Land-Ownership Motivations as Drivers of Land

Cover Change”

Abstract: One of the most striking land-cover changes on rangelands worldwide over the past 150 years has been the proliferation of trees and shrubs at the expense of perennial grasses. This woody plant encroachment, which is fundamentally altering landscapes, can be traced to a variety of factors including historic overgrazing, reduction in the extent and frequency of fires, and increases in carbon dioxide. Woody plant encroachment is perpetuated and potentially exacerbated by the social forces that drive land management decisions. With urban and suburban residents increasingly attracted to rural areas for their natural and cultural amenities there is an increased heterogeneity in motivations for owning land. This may ultimately lead to a cultural shift in which the shared beliefs of lifestyle-oriented landowners dominate land management decisions. Consequently, questions exist about the potential effects of this shift on ecosystem structure and the sustainability of rural livelihoods. My research seeks to understand the social landscape and the potential role social drivers play in the context of a changing ecological landscape.

4 extra exam points

School for the Environment SPRING 2014 – SEMINAR SERIES

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5th (tomorrow!) Small Science Auditorium, 1st Floor, Room 006

2:00 -3:30 PM

Dr. Mark Sorice, Virginia Tech University

OK….Last Time….Keystone Pipeline

Phase 1: Completed 2010Phase 2: Completed 2011Phase 3: (Gulf Extension) opened in January 2014

Phase 4: Pending authorization. Obama rejected it in 2012 partially due to environmentalists and some congressional concerns

Pipeline ‘owned’ by Transcanada

Ecological Issues:Nebraska “Sandhills”

-National Natural Landmark-Minimal agricultural development has left native ecosystem largely intact

Issues:

Concerns: Oil spills, water contamination, continued reliance on fossil fuels, disruption of cultural land areas, eminent domain = All different

Decision-makers in Government

Judicial Executive Legislature

BranchAgencies

Appointed Heads of Departments

Civil servants

Contractors



BranchAgencies


Civil servants

Contractors

Elected



BranchAgencies


Civil servants

Contractors

Appointed



BranchAgencies


Civil servants

Contractors

Hired akabureaucrats

Actors outside Government


BranchAgencies


Civil servants

Contractors

Trans-Canada

Green-peace

Private land-owners

Tribes



BranchAgencies


Civil servants

Contractors

Trans-Canada

Green-peace

Private land-owners

Tribes



BranchAgencies


Civil servants

Contractors

Trans-Canada

Green-peace

Private land-owners

Tribes

Strategies and Tactics

• Strategies is the overall goal an NGO has when they try to influence policy

• Tactics are the specific ways in which NGOs go about trying to reach their goal (to make/inform policy)

• Which tactic an NGO chooses will be highly dependent on the organizational resources available to them!

Air Pollution

Air Pollution

Water Pollution

So if we agree there are problems, then why don’t we do something about it?

Environmental conflicts involve fighting about:

• the ways we perceive environmental problems

• the ways we define those problems through politics, and

• what we do about problems that we’ve defined (action)

Savannah River Site (nuclear fuel reprocessing)—environmental restoration of soil and groundwater

How do people change environmental conditions?

• change your individual behavior• economic action• use politics to:

-persuade organizations or individuals to change-get government to take action

How do people change environmental conditions?

• change your individual behavior• economic action• use politics to:

-persuade organizations or individuals to change-get government to take action

How do you guys change someone’s behavior or get them to do what you want them to?

Today

• Overview of “values into policy” discussion• Overview of the phases of “environmentalism”• Introduction to Actors in Environmental Policy• Governmental Actors• Non-governmental Actors

• Structures of Government (probably Thurs)

Next Tuesday

• Managing common-pool resources (aka tragedy of the commons)

Layzer Reading

2 Part Argument:(1) Environmental Conflict is almost always concern fundamental differences in values(2) The way problems are defined and solutions are depicted plays a central role in shaping how those values are translated into policies

Values into Policy

• People think that humans “ought” to interact with the environment in different ways • Influenced by beliefs

Values into Policy

• People think that humans “ought” to interact with the environment in different ways • Influenced by beliefs• However, use terms of science, economics, and risk to

frame their arguments.

Values into Policy

• People think that humans “ought” to interact with the environment in different ways • Influenced by beliefs• However, use terms of science, economics, and risk to

frame their arguments. • 2 Basic camps: Environmentalists versus Cornucopians

Reminder

• Exam next Thursday• Study guide posted on the wiki• Review (Tues?)

Environmentalists

• Earliest Form: Late 18th/Early 19th Century• Preservation: seeks to maintain the inherent beauty

and function of natural systems• Examples: George Caitlin, Theoreau, Muir

Environmentalists

• Second Form: Turn of the 20th Century• Conservation: managing natural resources without

waste.• Examples: Gifford Pinchot (USFS)

Environmentalists

• Third Form: After WWII• Humans as part of ecosystems: Fighting against loss of

ecosystem and human health: Seeking balance and viewing human/nature interaction as a complex system and there are limits to growth.

• Examples: Aldo Leopold, Donella Meadows

Environmentalists

1776 2014

-----------------Preservationists--------------------------------------------------------------

1850 1950

--------- --Conservationists-----------------------------------------

-- - Environmental Health

What is happening in the US during this time in terms of (1) events and (2) knowledge?

Cornucopians

• Value economic growth: there are/will be technological solutions to resource problems.

• Regulatory policies will limit economic growth and productivity

• Examples: Julian Simon and Herman Kahn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV_38mQ1iG4

Cornucopians

• Value on individual liberty (to do what one wishes without interference)

• Assign property rights to the world’s resources and let the market dictate allocation

To Influence Environmental Policy

• Convince others of your view• Simplifying complex realities and “framing”• Defining “heroes” and “villans”• Drawing attention to some elements and minimizing

others• Translate scientific explanations into causal stories



BranchAgencies


Civil servants

Contractors

Trans-Canada

Green-peace

Private land-owners

Tribes

Environmentalists

Cornucopians

http://co2isgreen.org/default.aspx/MenuItemID/138/MenuGroup/Home.htm

So Far…

• We have environmental policies b/c people generally believe that we should take care of the environment and environmental problems exist.

So Far…


• However, conflict arises based on who and how these problems are perceived, defined, and what solutions are suggested.

So Far…


• However, conflict arises based on who and how these problems are perceived, defined, and what solutions are suggested.

• People involved in these conflicts: environmentalists and cornucopians.

Making public policy

U.S. Capitol

Source--Architect of the Capitol

Steps in policy making

1. Agenda-setting2. Policy formation3. Policy adoption4. Policy implementation5. (Policy evaluation)

(Vaughn textbook--adapted from James Anderson)




Making policy—first step is “agenda setting”

• Media agenda: is issue reported?

Slow Story vs. Sudden Events

Occupy Wall Street

Occupy Wall Street

"I think it expresses the frustrations the American people feel, that we had the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, huge collateral damage all throughout the country ... and yet you're still seeing some of the same folks who acted irresponsibly trying to fight efforts to crack down on the abusive practices that

got us into this in the first place. Barak Obama Oct 6th 2011.

Three Mile Island

Implications for Energy Policy

Example: Terry Shivo

• 1990-2005 ongoing battle• Husband wanted to remove

her from life support. Terry’s parents objected

• Battle ensued in the courts (2001 onward)

• Media covered it extensively • GW Bush signed federal

legislation to keep her alive.• Federal courts upheld

original decision (died 2005)




Middle steps—how a bill becomes a law

AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI




How can gov’t make you do something?


Positive Incentives: tax-breaks, subsidies, awards, etc.


Positive Incentives: tax-breaks, subsidies, awards, etc.

Negative Incentives: taxes, imprisonment, fines



BranchAgencies


Civil servants

Contractors




Policy Evaluation?

Florida In Miami, it is illegal for a man to wear any kind of strapless gown. Unmarried women who parachute on Sundays may be jailed. In Sarasota, it is illegal to sing while wearing a bathing suit. IllinoisIn Chicago, people who are diseased, maimed, mutilated, or deformed

to the point of being ``an unsightly or disgusting object'' are banned from going out in public.

In Chicago, it is illegal to fish in one's pajamas. In Chicago, it is illegal to take a French poodle to the opera. According to state law, it is illegal to speak English. The officially

recognized language is "American". In Guernee, it is illegal for women weighing more than 200 pounds to

ride horses in shorts.

The 3 branches (national level)

BureaucracyBureaucracy

Legislative branch

• Agenda-settingAgenda-setting

• Writes laws (statutes)

Founders wanted power closest to the people, so• policy guidance• & taxation especially

Mostly controlled by elected officials in legislatures

Legislative bodies

• U.S. CongressSenate (100 members)House of Representatives (435)

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts House and Senate

• Municipal (City) Councils Local elected officials to city councils

Problems with legislatures controlling environmental policy

• environment is seldom voters’ top concern• legislators must think about re-election• may become biased toward moneyed interests

(campaign $)• little reward in writing long-term policies

• few legislators are scientists or policy experts

Executive branch

CHIEF EXECUTIVE--elected -federal: president-state: governor-local: county executive, mayor

Two functions:a) agenda-settingagenda-setting

“the president proposes, Congress disposes”

b) oversees the bureaucracy

Executive branch

EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCIES--the bureaucracy, implementsimplements laws--Federal: Environmental Protection Agency, Dept. of

Interior, USDA--State: DEP--Local: planning commissions, environmental commissions

Who works in the executive branch?

• Elected officials (political)

Inside agencies (bureaucracies):• Appointed officials (political)• Bureaucrats (nonpolitical)• Civil servants or other staff; hired for skills

• [Contractors (nonpolitical)]

Judiciary: U.S. Supreme Court

How courts affect policy:courts react

• Political players may file lawsuits (sue) to affect law enforcement

• In deciding suits, courts may rule against (check) decisions of executive or legislature

Checks and Balances

To prevent the rise of a tyrant—no King in the U.S.

Federalist system:Power is shared by local, state and federal levels of gov’t

Examples of checks

• Chief executive: veto legislation

• Legislature: refuse to pass chief executive’s proposals; override veto; fund or starve bureaucracies (e.g. NOAA, USDA)

• Courts: rule against other branches

• Legislature: pass new statutes to overturn (some) court decisions

Topic—How people organize outside the state

• Social movements

• Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)—voluntary groups, nonprofits, “the third sector”

• General business firms

• Lobby consulting organizations, public relations firms

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) often act politically

• political parties• labor unions• industry associations• charitable foundations• service groups• issue advocacy groups

Social movements always seek change

Japanese whalers ram Greenpeace ship, Jan. 2006

LABOR UNION

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

Charitable foundation

Service organizations

Issue advocacy organizations

The organization promotes pro-business and free-market positions and is widely perceived as conservative

Businesses often act politically

Lobby, nickname “Big Pharma”

Lobby for manufacturers

Topic—Group characteristics and resources (examples)

• Radical, moderate, or conservative• Large or small• Focused or diverse activities• Rely on money, expertise, or people power

Actors Outside of Gov’t (according to Layzer)

• Advocacy Groups:• Environmentalists • Cornucopians

• Experts• Media

Documents

Reminder First exam March 13 th (Next Thursday) Revised Syllabus will be online by Thursday Extra Credit: 4 points on the mid-term exam if you attend research