Study Week on a Modern Approach to the Protection of the Environment (eBook)

Front Cover 1
A Modern Approach to the Protection of the Environment 5
Copyright Page 6
Table of Contents 7
Foreword 11
List of Participants 13
Audience of the Holy Father 19
PART I: SCIENTIFIC PAPERS 25
CHAPTER 1. A MODERN APPROACH TO THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 27
PART II: ETHICS OF THE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND OF THE RESPECT OF THE ENVIRONMENT 31
CHAPTER 2. GLOBAL CRISES AND THE ENVIRONMENT 33
1 ) Introduction 33
2) The Emerging Counterpoints {and Cacophonies) of the 70s 34
3) The Hybrids Between "Zero Growth" and "Wild Development" 37
4) True or False Oppositions? 40
5) The Globalization Crises: Prevention and/or Adaptation? 42
6) "Convergent" Evolution of Ecology and Economy 49
7) Institutional Inadequacies and Administrative Traps 52
REFERENCES 61
DISCUSSION 67
CHAPTER 3. ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS 79
DISCUSSION 95
CHAPTER 4. ENVIRONMENTAL RISK IN THE PRODUCTION AND CONVERSION OF ENERGY AND THE PROBLEM OF SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY 103
1. Introduction 103
2. Environmental Effects and Risks 106
3. Energy and the Global Climate 109
4 .Energy, Deforestation and Desertification 112
5. The Problem of Nuclear Wastes 114
6. Nuclear Energy and the Problem of Social Acceptability 116
7. Conclusions 120
DISCUSSION 121
CHAPTER 5. ETHICS OF THE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND OF RESPECT OF THE ENVIRONMENT 129
1. - THE EMERGENCE OF THE DEMAND FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS 129
2. - SOME IDEAS FOR A REFLECTION ON THE HISTORY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MAN AND HIS ENVIRONMENT 131
3. - THE BASIS OF A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL CULTURE: FROM METHODOLOGICAL/ SCIENTIFIC REDUCTIONISM TO THE SYSTEMIC CULTURE OF THE ENVIRONMENT 133
4. - THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL BASIS FOR A NEW ENVIROMENTAL ETHICS: FROM AN EXISTENTIAL ATTITUDE OF DOMINATION/EXPLOITATION TO THE AWARENESS TOWARD THE REALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, TO A WISE ADMINISTRATION OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES 135
5. - A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW ETHICS AS THE BASIS OF BETTER RELATIONS BETWEEN MAN, NATURE AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT 139
A CONCLUSION 142
REFERENCES 144
DISCUSSION 147
PART III: STRATEGIES FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 153
CHAPTER 6. MANAGING TROPICAL RESOURCES: A CHALLENGE TO US ALL 155
THE SITUATION IN THE TROPICS 156
EXTINCTION 170
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? 171
CONCLUSIONS 179
REFERENCES 181
DISCUSSION 183
CHAPTER 7. EVALUATING STRESSES ON TEMPERATE FOREST ECOSYSTEMS 187
Introduction 187
Forest Clearing - Timber Harvest 188
AIR POLLUTION 191
Ozone 196
Acid Rain 196
Toxic Metals 205
Interaction Between Pollutants 206
International/Global Considerations 207
Global Climate Change 208
Conclusions 208
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 210
REFERENCES 211
DISCUSSION 215
CHAPTER 8. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN ARID ZONES 225
CONCLUSIONS 233
REFERENCES 235
DISCUSSION 237
CHAPTER 9. CONSERVATION OF MARGINAL LANDS 241
DEFINITION 241
LAND DEGRADATION 242
BASIC NEEDS AND CARRYING CAPACITY 248
ADAPTATIONS TO CONSTRAINTS 252
REHABILITATION AND CONSERVATION OF RESOURCES 254
REFERENCES 264
DISCUSSION 265
CHAPTER 10. DEGRADATION, PROTECTION AND RECOVERY OF LAKE ECOSYSTEMS 269
1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS 269
2. CAUSES OF LAKE DEGRADATION 271
3. LAKE PROTECTION AND RECOVERY 275
4. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 283
REFERENCES 290
CHAPTER 11. DE FLUVIORUM NATURA. ILLUSTRATA RHENI RHODANIQUE EXEMPLIS 293
1. Oxygen-Consuming Substances 296
2. The Heavy Metals 297
3. The Organic Micro Pollutants 298
4 . Plant Nutrients 299
5. Inorganic Salts 302
Criteria 303
REFERENCES 304
DISCUSSION 305
CHAPTER 12. MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS 315
INTRODUCTION 315
WHY ARE MOUNTAINS DIFFICULT TO STUDY? 323
UNCERTAINTY ON A HIMALAYAN SCALE 337
DISCUSSION 352
OTHER EXAMPLES OF MOUNTAIN MISDIRECTION 361
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 365
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 367
REFERENCES 368
DISCUSSION 373
CHAPTER 13. AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT 381
1. FERTILIZERS 382
2 . PESTICIDES 387
3. THE SOIL 398
4. THE VEGETATIONAL COVER 401
5. CONCLUSIONS 405
REFERENCES 406
DISCUSSION 409
CHAPTER 14. STRATEGIES FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN URBAN AREAS 417
1. Ecology: Protection of Nature and the Environment? 419
2. Ecology and Decision Making 421
3. Thinking in Systems 424
4. Development or Development Step? 426
5. Ecological Planning - The Sensitivity Model 429
DISCUSSION 437
CHAPTER 15. THE ROAD TO MONTREAL - AND BEYOND 441
DISCUSSION 453
PART IV: SYSTEM-WIDE APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 461
CHAPTER 16. PERSPECTIVES OF AIR POLLUTION IN EUROPE 463
INTRODUCTION 463
ECOSYSTEM IMPACTS 466
FUTURE PERSPECTIVES 475
NEW STRATEGIES 477
REFERENCES 478
DISCUSSION 479
CHAPTER 17. CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT 483
INTRODUCTION 483
THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM 484
CONSEQUENCES OF ANTHROPOGENIC EMISSIONS OF CHEMICALS 492
CONCLUSIONS 500
REFERENCES 502
CHAPTER 18. SYSTEM-WIDE APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT: THE MEDITERRANEAN 503
The Mediterranean Action Plan 504
The Barcelona Convention and Its Protocols 505
The Results 505
Supporting Measures 508
Critical Evaluation and Future Prospects 509
Conclusions 511
REFERENCES 512
DISCUSSION 513
CHAPTER 19. GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT 519
A) THE GLOBAL CLIMATE SYSTEM CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AS FOLLOWS 519
B ) CHANGES IN THE GLOBAL CLIMATE SYSTEM 524
C) PREDICTING CLIMATIC CHANGES 527
D) TOWARD THE FUTURE: CLIMATE AND MAN 528
REFERENCES 530
DISCUSSION 531
CHAPTER 20. DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE TROPICS 537
FRAGILE AFRICAN ECOLOGY 538
HEALTH IN THE TROPICS 543
PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT 545
REFERENCES 550
DISCUSSION 551
PART V: INSTRUMENTS 561
CHAPTER 21. ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT: SOME INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS 563
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICAMENT 563
POLICY IMPLICATIONS 570
CONCLUSION 575
REFERENCES 577
CHAPTER 22. TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE AND OF NEW INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES 579
Introduction 579
Conventional Publication of Scientific Results 580
Special Requirements of Environmental Issues 584
Knowledge-Based-Systems 585
Conflict Resolution 586
REFERENCES 588
CHAPTER 23.THE NEED FOR PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF EXPERTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 589
CULTURAL CHANGE 589
CONTENTS AND AGENCIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 592
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: DEMAND AND OFFER 593
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AS A SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINE AND AS A POINT OF VIEW 594
ACTIONS FOR THE PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 595
CONCLUSION 597
REFERENCES 598
DISCUSSION 603
CHAPTER 24. CONCLUSIONS AND FINAL CONSIDERATIONS 609
1. REGIONAL ISSUES 612
2 . GLOBAL ASPECTS 612
3. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 613
4. MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENTS 614
5. POVERTY 614
6. CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND THE PRESERVATION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE 615
7. ETHICAL AND EDUCATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 615
SUBJECT INDEX 617
AUTHOR'S INDEX 629