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As the world faces an unprecedented environmental crisis, it’s more important than ever to understand the principles that guide environmental decision-making. The environment principles are not just academic concepts, they also shape the way we interact with planet Earth.
From the Precautionary Principle to the Principle of Biodiversity Conservation, these guiding principles help us towards a sustainable future for ourselves and future generations.
But why should we care? Because the state of the environment impacts every aspect of our lives, from the air we breathe to the water we drink. It’s not just a matter of preserving natural beauty; it’s a matter of survival, and the environment principles matter.
The environment principles are essential for the good of the planet. These are the most important:
- The Precautionary Principle
- The Polluter Pays Principle
- The Principle of Sustainable Development
- The Principle of Integration
- The Principle of Public Participation
- The Principle of Inter- and Intra-generational Equity
- The Principle of Biodiversity Conservation
- And the Principle of Environmental Governance
So, let us explore these most important environment principles, what they mean, and how we can apply them to create a better world for ourselves and future generations.
The Precautionary Principle
The Precautionary Principle is a principle that states if there is a possibility that an action or policy could cause harm to the public or the environment, in the absence of scientific agreement, the burden of proof falls on those who propose the action or policy.
As a rule, a principle has the benefit of including theoretical explanations and fundamentals of law, which help lawmakers make decisions. This means a principle, when included in a piece of legislation, can direct how rules in the legislation should be applied in specific circumstances.
The earliest example of the Precautionary Principle relating to environmental law was 1985 during the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. That convention and the 1987 convention for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer were quoted as,
Taking precautionary measures to control equitably total global emissions of substances that deplete it.
Both conventions were effective multilateral environmental agreements.
When it comes to invasive species that could cause harm to new environments and negatively impact native species, it is best to be precautionary. We should not introduce invasive species to new habitats without strong evidence they will not do harm.
Without that proof, the principle would be to stop the introduction of invasive species completely.
The Polluter Pays Principle
The Polluter Pays Principle is a principle that states that those who create pollution should bear the costs of managing it and cleaning it up, rather than passing those costs on to society. Therefore, of all the environment principles, the polluter pays is the one that holds us all accountable.
A common example of this in action is greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions contribute to over 4.2 million annual deaths globally. The World Health Organisation and select federal governments have applied a carbon tax to polluters.
This offsets the funds necessary to medically offset the health detriments caused by these gases, and forces emitters to internalise the cost of their own pollution. The carbon tax is typically based on desired global actions, such as accomplishing net zero by 2050. By following this target consistent approach, the assigned financial incentive hopes to reduce overall emissions worldwide.
The World Health Organisation strives for a uniform carbon tax that is the same across all countries.
The Principle of Sustainable Development
The Principle of Sustainable Development is a principle that seeks to balance economic development with environmental protection, ensuring that our actions today do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Environmental studies have shown that the environmental concerns of developed countries are mainly due to industrial and technological development, whereas undeveloped countries have environmental problems largely due to widespread poverty, overpopulation, and illiteracy.
To combat this, the Principle of Sustainable Development focuses on two basic needs.
- The need for socioeconomic development, and
- the need for limitations imposed on the environment’s ability to cope with both present and future growth requirements.
Its objectives are threefold:
- Maintain the production of goods and services for the development of any given area.
- Conserve and maintain natural resources, including local habitats and biological integrity.
- And enhance the quality of life by focusing on the equitable distribution of wealth and material resources.
To achieve these environmental and societal objectives, the principle orbits around sustainable growth initiatives that can be passed from generation to generation. This includes creating jobs out of the demand for green initiatives, like workers in recycling plants or beach clean-up crews. It also extends to preserving an area’s natural resources so that it remains hospitable for generations to come.
The Principle of Integration
The Principle of Integration is defined as a principle that demands environmental protection is integrated into other areas of policy. As such, this spreads the responsibility of maintaining environmental well-being to all government departments, rather than just one.
The goal of this principle is to keep all regulators accountable and build a functioning society based on environmental protection without sacrificing economic growth.
Areas of integration include, but are not limited to:
- Agriculture
- Policy
- Employment
- Energy
- Enterprise
- Fisheries
- Internet
- Market
- Research
- Trade
- External Relations
- Transport
- And economic affairs
An example of the Principle of Integration is in the Lisbon Strategy, in which the European Union committed to executing economic, social, and environmental rejuvenation across Europe. This strategy orbited around fostering a stronger economy that drove job creation together with social and environmental policies that guaranteed sustainable development long-term.
The Principle of Public Participation
The environment principles would mean nothing if we were not all involved in environmental protection. The Principle of Public Participation is a principle that calls for the involvement of citizens and stakeholders in decision-making. The processes are related to the environment, promoting democracy and accountability.
Officially, public participation relating to environmental policies is open to natural and legal persons and organisations. They are welcome to engage in the preparation, modification, and/or review of plans or programmes relating to environmental policies.
It positively impacts the democracy of decision-making in environmental matters and bolsters the legitimacy of environmental decisions, making it so people and associations across the board are more willing to adhere to, implement, and enforce said policies in their day-to-day lives.
Public participation was first recognised as an irreplaceable international environmental law principle in 1992 through the publication of the Rio Declaration. (Abstract):
Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens at the relevant level.
At the national level, everyone shall have access to information concerning the environment that is held by public authorities. This includes information on hazardous materials and activities in their communities. It also includes the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes.
States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making information widely available. Effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy, shall be provided.
Rio Declaration
The Principle of Inter- and Intra- generational Equity
Like the Principle of Sustainable Development, the Principle of Inter- and Intra-generational Equity represents the objective of preserving the world’s natural resources and environment for the benefit of future generations.
It is one of the most debated principles. Some of its fiercest opposition argues, protecting future generations from climate impacts through firm mitigation efforts, is done at the cost of improving the welfare of the present generation. And in particular those living in poverty for whom resources are urgently required.
Common questions like – Is it fair to ask people to cut back on their energy consumption in order to benefit the next generation? – may raise eyebrows. However, it’s undeniable that this principle is crucial for the betterment of environmental policies.
Take Papua New Guinea, where 95% of its palm oil is defined as sustainable. Being a global leader in premium palm oil production triggered an influx of unsustainable palm oil companies. This resulted in excessive logging which put people who live on the land at risk of ending up with no resources of their own.
So, the Principle of Inter- and Intra-generational Equity works to strike a balance between profitability and sustainability.
The Principle of Biodiversity Conservation
The Principle of Biodiversity Conservation is a principle that emphasises the importance of preserving the planet’s biological diversity. It recognises all living things are interconnected and dependent on each other for survival.
This principle has three core objectives:
- Preserving the diversity of species.
- Using sustainability practices for the good of individual species and the ecosystem.
- Maintaining life-supporting systems and essential ecological processes.
It strives to achieve these objectives through a blend of in-situ and ex-situ conservation. In-situ pertains to biodiversity conservation within their natural habitats, as seen in examples like national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Ex-situ conservation refers to the conservation of biodiversity via breeding and endangered species artificial ecosystems, such as zoos and aquariums.
Year after year, biodiversity is being whittled away by the over-exploitation of resources, climate change, pollution, invasive species, infection, and more. However, over 238,000 protected areas have been established globally. More are being added in the fight against ecosystem loss.
The Principle of Environmental Governance
The Principle of Environmental Governance centres around governing environmental policies in a way that is participatory, transparent, responsive, consensus-oriented, inclusive, effective, efficient, and, above all, accountable.
In action, it consists of an interconnected system of laws, normalities, rules, and policies that dictate how board members of environmental regulatory bodies manage and oversee affairs–political, social, and economic. It incorporates all levels of government, business, and civil society.
This principle considers natural resources as global public goods that are non-competitive. And the goal is to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from them. It targets efforts to attain:
- a breathable atmosphere for all,
- a stable climate in which natural disasters and temperature swings are rare, and
- a rich and varied biodiversity.
“Public goods” under this principle are:
- Water,
- Air,
- Land, and
- natural resources stemming from all 3 (such as rainwater, agriculture, and clean air).
The Principle of Environmental Governance is actioned through national policies, local decision-making, and international accords.
This was showcased through the National Democratic Institute, which works in several areas to ensure that citizens and governments join together to enact positive environmental change.
In Nepal, the NDI strengthened democratic political processes. And it supported environmental resilience by fostering relationships between local communities. The National Parliament of Nepal, and the national government collaborated on the devastating environmental impacts of Nepal’s annual floods.
By working closely with environmental experts, local communities identified deforestation as the main driver of flooding. From there, the NDI worked with these communities on a proposal, and engaged local parliamentary representatives. They passed related legislation and mandated the national government to execute policies to protect against deforestation across Nepal in order to mitigate the floods.
Final Thoughts
We must keep reminding ourselves of the importance of environmental principles. From the Precautionary Principle to the Principle of Environmental Governance, these principles provide us with a framework to ensure we can live sustainably.
But we must not forget it’s not just up to governments and policymakers to apply these principles. We must all take responsibility for our impact on environments and make choices that prioritise sustainability. Whether it’s reducing our plastic consumption, supporting renewable energy, or advocating environmental policies, we all have a part to play in preserving the planet.
So, let’s be inspired to take action, knowing that our individual efforts can make a difference. Let’s be the change we want to see in the world and work towards a future where the environment is respected and protected.
The environmental principles are not just a set of rules, but a call to action for all of us to create a sustainable and thriving world.