Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Government Agencies That Protect The Environment

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How The Epa Enforces Laws

Kranji land clearing incident: Expert on how environmental impact assessments protect nature

To protect communities and the environment, the EPA works to enforce laws such as the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the National Environmental Education Act, and the Clean Water Act, some of which predate the formation of the agency itself.

The EPA is also responsible for the detection and prevention of environmental crimes, monitoring pollution levels, and setting standards for the handling of hazardous chemicals and waste. As part of its strategic plan, when violations occur, the EPA investigates and pursues action against violators.

Environmental offenses are categorized as civil or criminal. Civil offenses arise when environmental violations occur and no consideration is given to whether the offender knew of their transgression. Criminal offenses, which comprise most of what the EPA investigates, arise when a violation occurs and the offender knew that their action caused it. Because of the severity of charges and punishment, criminal convictions require proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Violators can be held civilly and/or criminally responsible, with punishments for civil offenses ranging from monetary fines to repairing environmental damage and punishments for criminal offenses ranging from monetary relief to imprisonment.

Why Should We Protect The Environment Well We Only Have One Earth So Lets Do Right By It

Unfortunately, humans have not been very good stewards of the Earth over the years. To protect the environment and preserve the planet for our children and future generations, we all need to take proactive steps toward cleaner living habits.

Most of the damage to our environment stems from consumption: what we consume, how much we consume and how often.

Whether its gas, food, clothing, cars, furniture, water, toys, electronics, knick-knacks or other goods, we are all consumers. The key is not to stop consuming, but to start being mindful of our consumption habits and how each purchase or action affects the ecosystem.

The good news is that its often not too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient to become more environmentally friendly. It can even be a fun challenge to implement among your family or coworkers. And though small changes at the individual level may seem trivial, just think how much cleaner the planet would be if everyone adopted even a few of the following behavior modifications.

Recent International Conventions Protocols & Treaties On Environment

Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

Basel Convention on the Control of Trans boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

Convention on Biological Diversity

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

United Nations Convention To Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought And / Or Desertification, particularly In Africa

International Plant Protection Convention

International Convention for the Preservation of Pollution of the Sea by Oil

Convention on the Continental Shelf

Convention on the high seas

International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil pollution Damage

International Convention Relating to intervention on the high seas in cases of oil pollutions casualties

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from the ships – 1973

Bio safety Protocol

Stockholm convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency has come under close scrutiny numerous times the agency is often overriden or completely ignored by the current White House administration. For example, recent reports confirming global warming as a human-caused phenomenon were met with the announcement that the White House would simply not open the EPAs emails containing that information. The EPA has, of late, not supported environmentalists concerns about such issues as plastic safety , water purity, animal cloning and genetic modification, and other issues, leading many to believe the EPA is controlled by special interests.

The Impact Of Environmental Policies

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Hiring Webinar  York College / CUNY

Data collected since the EPA began its work in the 1970s shows significant improvements in environmental quality. There has been a nationwide decline in virtually all air pollutants. However, in 1990, many Americans believed that still greater efforts to combat air pollution were needed. In response, Congress passed important amendments to the Clean Air Act that were signed into law by President George H. W. Bush. The legislation incorporated an innovative market-based system designed to secure a substantial reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions, which produce what is more commonly known as acid rain. This type of pollution is believed to cause serious damage to forests and lakes, particularly in the eastern part of the United States and Canada. In the years since, environmental policy has remained at the forefront of political discussion, especially as it relates to clean energy and climate change.

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Helping A Few Harming Many

Most of the damage the state does to our environment comes when it seeks to help a particular segment of the population at the expense of the rest. With concentrated benefits and diffused costs masquerading under the mask of the public good, these efforts have created many of the most egregious examples of abuse.

Ultimately, it is the states violation of property rights that leads to many of the environmental ills laid at the feet of private citizens and businesses. The greatest ecological disasters in the world have occurred in those countries where property rights did not exist. Through subsidies, regulations, zoning, and eminent domain, the state encourages behavior that increases pressures on the environment.

There is nothing inherently wrong with settling in Arizona, with building ones home on a seashore, or with constructing highways. But it is wrong to force others to share the costs of doing so. A persons right to his property is inviolable. Whenever the government encourages and sanctions policies that steal that propertywhether directly or indirectlyit acts immorally. In terms of environmental protection, the state is not exempt from the law of unintended consequences. Even when acting from good intentions, the government will cause problems where none existed or permit the continuation of problems that adherence to property rights would end.

General Principles And Philosophies

There are not laws as such, but general trends in environmental policy for business, guidance by industry regulators, change fueled by expectations from customers, or agreements between governments or good practice that are not legally binding but for the common good. They concern many aspects not already covered in previous sections.

Accountability and Transparency: The need for transparency towards the public and stakeholders from those responsible is a growing expectation in the need to mitigate and treat environmental damage. We expect it from government and industry towards the populations who will be affected by it. UNEP states the need for protection of human rights on opinions and to seek and impart ideas. There is also a right of access to information in an appropriate manner and time from governments holding data that might concern the public over any aspect of environmental protection without making it prohibitively expensive to do so. There should also be effective judicial and proceedings against polluters and those responsible.

Cross-border responsibility: This is an international law obligation also set down by UNEP. It is defined as the obligation of governments to protect the environment within their borders and to do what it takes to prevent a nation’s activities from causing damaging to neighboring nations. It is seen as a potential limitation on the rights of sovereign states and therefore treated as a human rights issue.

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What Does The Environmental Protection Agency Do

The Environmental Protection Agency creates and enforces laws designed to protect the environment and human health. As part of their mission, they seek to ensure that Americans have a clean environment, including the air, water, and land they use and enjoy. In addition to creating and enforcing environmental laws, they provide education and guidance on protecting the environment, conduct research and development, issue grants to state programs, schools, and other non-profit organizations to further their mission, and more.

Future Proofing Our World

EPA Criminal Enforcement: Protecting People and the Environment

How do we future-proof our world for future generations to enjoy the same levels of prosperity and health that the rest of us have enjoyed for generations? The answer to that is to enact environmental laws that attempt to preserve and protect the status quo where they are beneficial and to tackle the harm and damage being done for long-term sustainability. This will apply to food and water security for everyone. Many of the refugee problems of this current decade are considered the result of environmental disasters. Even with the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, many point to erratic weather and climate has having been a forcing on the political instability .

Learn more about environmental law degrees.

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Natural Resources Defense Council

According to the official website: The Natural Resources Defense Council works to protect wildlife and wild places and to ensure a healthy environment for all life on earth. The NRDC combines hundreds of active lawyers with over 1.2 million members to create direct and legislative change. The focus is on preventing climate change and saving endangered species, among other goals.

Organizations That Protect The Environment

29 June 13

ahatma Gandhi once said that “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.” This statement seems to become more true every year, with what Al Gore describes in his book The Future as “unsustainable growth in consumption, pollution flows, and depletion of the planet’s strategic resources.”

President Obama is also addressing the environment, announcing at Georgetown University in late June 2013 a plan of executive actions to fight climate change.

With this in mind, we tell you about 10 organizations that are working to reverse this trend by protecting and conserving the environment. All 10 of these organizations have four-star ratings from Charity Navigator and at least $13.5 million in total annual expenses.

  • Conservation Fund
  • Conservation International
  • Earthjustice
  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Oceana
  • Rainforest Alliance
  • Sierra Club Foundation
  • Union of Concerned Scientists
  • World Resources Institute
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    Different Type Of Approaches To Environmental Protection

    There are different approaches to reduce the effect of various types of environmental degradation implied by the governments of numerous countries. Assessing the environmental impact, impact factor and formulating laws for other environmental aspect is done by various global agencies and environment improvement trust. So let us take a look at them.

    List Of All Resources

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

    To tackle climate change, we all need to do our part. Thats why the Government of Canada is taking action to help protect our environment.

    Were reducing plastic waste.

    Were making our homes and buildings more energy efficient.

    Were building a cleaner, greener economy.

    Find out how you can help leave a healthier environment for our kids and grandkids.

    A message from the Government of Canada.

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    World Business Council For Sustainable Development

    Interested in sustainable development? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development is the place to go online. This global association of 200 leading companies states: Our mission is to provide business leadership as a catalyst for change toward sustainable development, and to support the business license to operate, innovate and grow in a world increasingly shaped by sustainable development issues. The capitalists online environmental organization.

    Environmental Agencies And Organizations

    Image via aussiegall

    After learning about the best green blogs, eco tools and applications and environment focused social media sites and forums, get involved and sign up with one of the following green organizations. This list is certainly not comprehensive but does offer a well-rounded snapshot of some of the prominent, active, dynamic and notable environmental organizations currently working for many green causes, including wildlife preservation, land conservation and climate change prevention.

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    National Policy On Elephant Conservation 2006

    Widely knowing conflict of elephants enforced the government to implement this policy. This natural creature interconnected with Sri Lankas history, culture, religions, and even politics that it would be difficult to imagine the island without it. Therefore the present policy was developed to ensure the long-term survival of the elephant in the wild in Sri Lanka through the easing of the human-elephant conflict.

    Geological Survey And Mines Bureau

    Environmentalists Would Buy the Land They Want to Protect, If The Government Allowed It

    Geological Survey and Mines Bureau was established in 1993. It is mainly involved in promoting the conservation and management of the mineral resources of the country. It seeks to ensure that the mineral potential is realized for the benefit of the country and the minerals are extracted in an efficient, safe and environmentally sound way.

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    The Founding Of The Environmental Protection Agency

    In December 1970, environmentalists achieved a major goal with the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through an executive order signed by then-president Richard Nixon. The creation of the EPA brought together several federal programs charged with protecting the environment into a single government agency. The EPA was founded with the goal of protecting human health and the environment by enforcing regulations passed by Congress.

    Take Decisive Action To Advance Environmental Justice And Civil Rights: Achieve Tangible Progress For Historically Overburdened And Underserved Communities And Ensure The Fair Treatment And Meaningful Involvement Of All People Regardless Of Race Color National Origin Or Income In Developing And Implementing Environmental Laws Regulations And Policies

    View Objectives

    • Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels: Empower and build capacity of underserved and overburdened communities to protect human health and the environment
    • Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights into EPAs Programs, Policies, and Activities: Integrate environmental justice and civil rights in all of the Agencys work to maximize benefits and minimize impacts to underserved and overburdened communities
    • Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement in Communities with Environmental Justice Concerns: Strengthen enforcement of and compliance with civil rights laws to address the legacy of pollution in overburdened communities

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    Role Of Government And The Problems Faced In Protecting Our Environment

    Management of environment is possible only through concerted efforts of all the components of society such as government and non-governmental organization, industrialists, agriculturists, voluntary social welfare organizations as well as the general public.

    The final controlling authority in most of the issues related to environmental management is the government itself. For example, most of the forest areas are owned by the government, only the government can build dams, roads, railways, etc. industrial or any other related activity cannot start without the approval of the government.

    Similarly, government is directly or indirectly responsible for meeting the costs of floods, droughts, epidemics, and other environmental disasters.

    Therefore, the government has to apply various checks and controls so that the environment is managed properly.

    However, the management of environment cannot be successful until and unless everybody takes interest in it. It is difficult for the government to directly involve the masses in general. Here the role of non-governmental agencies becomes vital. They do not have to follow the formalities, which a government department has to do.

    Further, they have the additional advantage of being in direct contact with the masses. Let us took at these aspects in a little more detail.

    1) Role of Government and the Problems Faced

    2) Role of Non-Governmental Agencies and the Problems Faced.

    Ensure Safety Of Chemicals For People And The Environment: Increase The Safety Of Chemicals And Pesticides And Prevent Pollution At The Source

    Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

    View Objectives

    • Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety: Protect the health of families, communities, and ecosystems from the risks posed by chemicals and pesticides
    • Promote Pollution Prevention: Encourage the adoption of pollution prevention and other stewardship practices that conserve natural resources, mitigate climate change, and promote environmental sustainability

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    The National Policy On Wild Life Conservation 2000

    The policy urge the commitment of the government to conserve wildlife resources through promoting conservation, maintaining ecological processes and life sustaining systems, managing genetic diversity and ensuring sustainable utilization and sharing of equitable benefits arising from biodiversity. It emphasis the need for effective protected area management with the participation of local communities.

    Responsibilities Of The Epa

    The EPA sets and enforces tolerable limits of pollution, and it establishes timetables to bring polluters into line with standards, an important aspect of its work since most of these requirements are recent and industries must be given reasonable time, often several years, to conform to new standards. The EPA also has the authority to coordinate and support the research and anti-pollution efforts of state and local governments, private and public groups, and educational institutions. Furthermore, regional EPA offices have the power to develop, propose, and implement approved regional programs for comprehensive environmental protection. While the EPA delegates some responsibilities such as monitoring and enforcement to state governments, it retains the authority to enforce policies through fines, sanctions, and other measures granted by the federal government.

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    List Of Environmental Organizations

    An environmental organization is an organization coming out of the conservation or environmental movementsthat seeks to protect, analyse or monitor the environment against misuse or degradationfrom human forces.

    In this sense the environment may refer to the biophysical environment or the natural environment. The organization may be a charity, a trust, a non-governmental organization, a governmental organization or an intergovernmental organization. Environmental organizations can be global, national, regional or local. Some environmental issues that environmental organizations focus on include pollution, plastic pollution, waste, resource depletion, human overpopulation and climate change.

    Safeguard And Revitalize Communities: Restore Land To Safe And Productive Uses To Improve Communities And Protect Public Health

    GLOBAL RECYCLING DAY: Lagos State Government Advocates Clean Environmental Practices from Citizens

    View Objectives

    • Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities: Clean up and restore contaminated sites to protect human health and the environment and build vibrant communities, especially in underserved and overburdened areas
    • Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination: Prevent environmental pollution by preventing releases, reducing waste, increasing materials recovery and recycling, and ensuring sustainable materials management practices
    • Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies: Prevent, prepare, and respond to environmental emergencies and support other agencies on nationally significant incidents, working with Tribes, states, and local planning and response organizations

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