PSCI 3201 Environmental Policy 10/25/07

1
PSCI 3201 Environmental Policy10/25/07

• Evaluating the economics perspective
• Negative versus positive incentives
• Marketplace approaches versus command and control
• Economics versus ethics
• Science and environmental policy
• Communications framework
• Production of information
• Transfer of information

2
Tuesday, 30 October 2007Guest speakerDr.
Albert Bartlett,Emeritus Professor of
Physics,University of Colorado
3
Incentives

• Any factor (financial or other) that provides a
  motive for a particular course of action.
• Positive incentives rewards
• Negative rewards punishment

4
NEGATIVE INCENTIVE PROGRAM (mutual coercion)
Level of Consumption or Emissions
PENALTY (fine)
Incentive use as much as you can up to the limit
5
POSITIVE INCENTIVE PROGRAM (marketplace)
Level of Consumption or Emissions
REWARDS (savings) 0

Incentive use as little as possible to save
money
6
Command-and-controlKey criticisms from
Economists

1. Compliance schedule
2. Specified acceptable levels (standards)
3. Specified control technology
4. License, monitor, inspect, enforce
5. Discretion

7
Evaluating the Economic Approach to the
Environment
8
(No Transcript)
9
ECONOMICS versus ETHICS

• Dual personalities
• The individual as consumer, acting in self
  interest.
• The individual as citizen, holding a dialogue
  with others over the good society.

10
SCIENCEand ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
11
Science and Environmental Policy

• Using a communications framework to examine how
  scientific information is produced and
  transferred.

12

• Communications Framework
• Barriers to the production of information
• Barriers to the transfer of information