Human Values and

Environmental Problems

Unit - V
 Environment
• Descending from the Middle French
preposition environ “around,” environment , in its
most basic meaning, is “that which surrounds.”
• The environment consists of the air, water, land,
and all the conditions that surround living
organisms. It is important to note that all the
systems in the environment are interrelated such
as the interactions of animals and humans on the
ecosystems.
Our Environment
 Environmental Ethics
• Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that
studies the relation of human beings and the
environment and how ethics play a role in this.
• Environmental ethics believe that humans are
a part of society as well as other living
creatures, which includes plants and animals.
Thus, it is essential that every human being
respect and honor this and use morals and
ethics when dealing with these creatures.
 Cont’d
• Environmental ethics builds on scientific
understanding by bringing human values, moral
principles, and improved decision making into
conversation with science.
• Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the
anniversary of the birth of the modern
environmental movement in 1970.
• This is important because the ethics of the
environment are of major concern these days.
 Environmental Worldview
• Worldview is a collection of commonly shared
values, and therefore the term environmental
worldview can be defined as collective beliefs and
values that give people a sense of how the world
works, their role in the environment, and right and
wrong behavior toward the environment.
• There are two competing environmental worldviews:
Western worldview
Deep ecology worldview
 Western Worldview
• Western worldview, also known as the expansionist
worldview, is human-centered and utilitarian.
• The Western worldview also advocates the inherent rights
of individuals, accumulation of wealth, and unlimited
consumption of goods and services to provide material
comforts.
• According to the Western worldview, humans have a
primary obligation to humans and are therefore
responsible for managing natural resources to benefit
human society. Thus, any concerns about the environment
are derived from human interests.
 Deep Ecology Worldview
• The deep ecology worldview is a diverse set
of viewpoints that dates from the 1970s and is
based on the work of Arne Naess, a
Norwegian philosopher, and others, including
ecologist Bill Devall and philosopher George
Sessions.
 The principles of deep ecology, as
expressed by Naess in Ecology, Community
and Lifestyle (1989), include:
1. Both human and nonhuman life has intrinsic value.
The value of nonhuman life-forms is independent of the
usefulness they may have for narrow human purposes.
2. Richness and diversity of life-forms contribute to the
flourishing of human and nonhuman life on Earth.
3. Humans have no right to reduce this richness and
diversity except to satisfy vital needs.
4. Present human interference with the nonhuman
world is excessive, and the situation is rapidly
worsening.
 Cont’d
6. Significant change of life conditions for the better
requires changes in economic, technological, and
ideological structures.
7. The ideological change is mainly that of
appreciating life quality rather than adhering to a
high standard of living.
8. Those who subscribe to the foregoing points
have an obligation to participate in the attempt to
implement the necessary changes.
 Time is now
Think- which worldview needs to be adopt
For environment
For us
 Voluntary Simplicity
• Voluntary simplicity is a lifestyle choice that
minimizes the needless consumption of material
goods and the pursuit of wealth for its own sake. It
is sometimes referred to as "simple living," "the
simple life," or "downshifting.“
• People embrace voluntary simplicity to create less
complicated and more meaningful lives for
themselves and their families, and to reduce the
negative impact that unnecessary consumption can
have on the environment.
 Understanding Voluntary Simplicity

• Advocates of voluntary simplicity believe that

today's consumer culture too often
encourages people to think that they can buy
happiness or boost their social status with
expensive goods, luxury cars, and ever-larger
homes. Instead, some people choose to leave
the proverbial rat race and join the voluntary
simplicity movement.
Essential Values that Characterize Voluntary
Simplicity
• Appreciation of the interconnection and interdependence
of all the earth's inhabitants and systems.
• Personal authenticity, integrity, healthy autonomy, self-
reliance.
• Sufficiency, minimalism; anti-consumerism; deliberate
reduction of consumption, clutter, noise, social over-
commitment and superfluous ornamentation.
• Mindfulness/Spirituality. Practitioners of Voluntary
Simplicity value a consciously mindful and appreciative
approach to living.
 Essential Practices that Characterize
Voluntary Simplicity
• Deliberate reduction of material possessions and consumption,
reduction of clutter, unnecessary complexity, and conscious,
thoughtful decisions in favor of more environmentally sustainable
forms of transportation, food production, housing and entertainment.
• Holistic approach to personal health.
• Building strong, intimate, non-violent and compassionate relationships
with family, friends, and community and contribute to the personal
and common good.
• Developing spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical, interpersonal
and aesthetic potentials.
• Development of a conscious, intentional, deliberate approach to living
rather than unconscious impulsiveness.
 The following benefits typically accrue to
those who practice Voluntary Simplicity:
• Expanded range of choices and possibilities in one's
life.
• Strengthened family and community bonds and
increased cultural richness. Greater social harmony
and stronger communities.
• Reduced financial stress, worry, and indebtedness.
Increased financial security.
• Increased sense of richness and health in daily living.
Reduced stress and increased personal well-being.
• Progress toward environmental sustainability.
 Role of Human Value in Sustainability

• Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs

of the present without diminishing
opportunities for the future. Current concerns
for sustainability are supported by the facts
that everything of use to humans, including
the things essential to sustain human life on
earth must come from the earth, and beyond
self-sufficiency, must come by way of human
relationships or society.
 Cont’d
• The degradation of natural ecosystems,
depletion of natural resources, growing social
and economic inequity, and lingering global
economic recession are all facts that provide
strong evidence to support concerns for the
sustainability of human life on earth.
• Those who are concerned about the
unsustainability of human life on earth,
implicitly assume that humans have some
worthy or good purpose on earth or that
humanity is worth sustaining.
 Cont’d
• Finally, concerns for sustainability reflect a belief
that humans have a unique and specific
responsibility as stewards or caretakers of the earth.
Otherwise, there would be no reason to question
whether the pursuit of individual, economic well-
being diminishes the greater good of society and
threatens the future of humanity. None of these
assumptions can be proven using today's generally
accepted approach to science.
• Let us take an example-
• For instance, if we are committed to become healthy
in all aspect of our lives we are less likely to become
fat, more likely to eat quality food, and more likely to
exercise in ways that bring us joy. When it comes to
living green, intentions matter more than we realize
because how we define our values towards nature,
conservation, and sustainability can greatly impact
not only the quality of our own lives, but the quality
of life for all living species.
 Values are always the foundation of our policies and
procedures, and our human and environmental
values will directly dictate environmental and
sustainable outcomes.

Values and Sustainability, Lena Hakim

• Aligning our values with sustainable objectives
is no easy task and despite the thousands of
environmental organizations active in
conservation, litigation, education, and
fundraising, we are nowhere near conserving
resources for future generations or protecting
endangered wildlife.
• The solution to all our environmental
problems lies in the values and beliefs of our
global indigenous peoples and their deeply
spiritual relationship with our earth.
Values and Sustainability, Lena Hakim
 Think Ways to Save Environment and
DO now
• Every year people all over celebrate World
Environment Day, with plans in mind to save
earth and the environment. But sometimes we
need to ask ourselves “will we really execute our
plans?” The existence of nature is the proof of
our own existence and everybody appreciates
the existence of water, forest, animals, songbird,
flora, and fauna, but unfortunately, these can be
misused and end up being harmed.
 Human Values & Sustainability
→Role of human values in sustainability can be considered at
different levels like- sustainable cities and communities, effect
on life (land & water), climate change and so on.
 Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science,
productivity, social development and much more. At their best,
cities have enabled people to advance socially and
economically. With the number of people living within cities
projected to rise to 5 billion people by 2030, it’s important that
efficient urban planning and management practices are in
place to deal with the challenges brought by urbanization.
 Many challenges exist to maintaining cities in a way that
continues to create jobs and prosperity without straining land
and resources. Common urban challenges include congestion,
lack of funds to provide basic services, a shortage of adequate
housing, declining infrastructure and rising air pollution
within cities.
• Many challenges exist to maintaining cities in a way that
continues to create jobs and prosperity without
straining land and resources. Common urban challenges
include congestion, lack of funds to provide basic
services, a shortage of adequate housing, declining
infrastructure and rising air pollution within cities.
• 883 million people live in slums today and most them
are found in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia.
• The world’s cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth’s
land, but account for 60-80 per cent of energy
consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions.
• Rapid urbanization is exerting pressure on fresh water
supplies, sewage, the living environment, and public
health
Goals for Sustainable Cities and Communities

• By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and

affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
• By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and
sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety,
notably by expanding public transport, with special
attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations,
women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
• By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and
capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human
settlement planning and management in all countries
• Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s
cultural and natural heritage
• By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental
impact of cities, including by paying special attention to
air quality and municipal and other waste management
• Support positive economic, social and environmental
links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by
strengthening national and regional development
planning
• Support least developed countries, including through
financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable
and resilient buildings utilizing local materials
 Life on Land and Water
• Forests are home to more than 80 per cent of all terrestrial species of animals,
plants and insects.
• Between 2010 and 2015, the world lost 3.3 million hectares of forest areas. Poor
rural women depend on common pool resources and are especially affected by
their depletion.
• 2.6 billion people depend directly on agriculture, but 52 per cent of the land used
for agriculture is moderately or severely affected by soil degradation.
• Illicit poaching and trafficking of wildlife continues to thwart conservation efforts,
with nearly 7,000 species of animals and plants reported in illegal trade involving
120 countries.
• Illicit poaching and trafficking of wildlife continues to thwart conservation efforts,
with nearly 7,000 species of animals and plants reported in illegal trade involving
120 countries.
• As many as 80 per cent of people living in rural areas in developing countries rely o
n traditional plant-­‐based medicines for basic healthcare.
• Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface, contain 97
per cent of the Earth’s water, and represent 99 per cent of the
living space on the planet by volume.
• Oceans contain nearly 200,000 identified species, but actual
numbers may lie in the millions.
• Oceans absorb about 30 per cent of carbon dioxide produced by
humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.
• Marine fisheries directly or indirectly employ over 200 million
people.
• Open Ocean sites show current levels of acidity have increased
by 26 per cent since the start of the Industrial Revolution.
• Coastal waters are deteriorating due to pollution and
eutrophication. Without concerted efforts, coastal
eutrophication is expected to increase in 20 percent of large
marine ecosystems by 2050.
 Targets- To protect Life
• By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types
of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially
increase afforestation and reforestation globally
• By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their
biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are
essential for sustainable development
• Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural
habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the
extinction of threatened species
• Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora
and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
• By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local
planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
• By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of
all kinds, in particular from land-based activities
• Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification,
including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
• Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and
transfer marine technology, taking into account the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and
Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to
improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of
marine biodiversity to the development of developing
countries, in particular small island developing States and
least developed countries
• Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and
their resources by implementing international law as reflected
in UNCLOS, which provides the legal framework for the
conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their
resources
 Climate Action
• Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is
disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people,
communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow.
Weather patterns are changing, sea levels are rising, weather events are
becoming more extreme and greenhouse gas emissions are now at their
highest levels in history. Without action, the world’s average surface
temperature is likely to surpass 3 degrees centigrade this century. The
poorest and most vulnerable people are being affected the most.
• From 1880 to 2012, average global temperature increased by 0.85°C. To
put this into perspective, for each 1 degree of temperature increase, grain
yields decline by about 5 per cent. Maize, wheat and other major crops
have experienced significant yield reductions at the global level of 40
megatons per year between 1981 and 2002 due to a warmer climate.
• Oceans have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished and
sea level has risen. From 1901 to 2010, the global average sea level rose
by 19 cm as oceans expanded due to warming and ice melted. 
• Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) have increased by almost 50 per
cent since 1990
 Goals- prevent major climate changes
•  Integrate climate change measures into national policies,
strategies and planning
• Improve education, awareness-raising and human and
institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation,
impact reduction and early warning
• Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country
parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by
2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing
countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and
transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the
Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible