Maria Corea
Earth Day Essay
4/22/2017
Authority and Power: Government’s Integrative Role in Environmental Protection
Planet Earth has been breaking records for some time now; however, these are not the
kind worthy of any celebration. For instance, regarding climate change, National Geographic
reported that “the heat in 2016 broke the historic record set in 2015, which broke the one from
2014… Last year’s average global surface temperature was 1.69 degrees Farenheit warmer than
the 20th century average”. It goes without saying that these are not accomplishments, but rather,
are failures that represent missed opportunities to correct the great damage that has been done to
the environment. Despite local and individual efforts done to offer some remedy, these practices
alone are not enough to achieve effective strategies able to produce long-term solutions. This is
why, when it comes to protecting the environment, government is necessary. The National
Government has the authority to enforce environmental policies as solutions, and also has the
power to encourage responsible business practices and community involvement. Having both the
ultimate authority and power, the Government should play an instrumental role by creating
cohesive approaches with the ability to rectify decades of exploitation and destruction.
Notions such as “protect and secure our rights and freedom” seem popular in people’s
understanding of government. When the system has failed to protect them in some way, it feels
natural to demand justice. And, in the 1960s, Americans began to demand solutions to
environmental destruction. “Increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of industrial
growth, many environmentalists suggested that the government has a moral obligation to protect
the earth's fragile ecosystems. In response, a slew of laws were enacted to control pollution, such
as the 1963 Clean Air Act, the 1972 Clean Water Act, and the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act”
(Moffatt 2). Therefore, by creating laws that defended natural resources, the Government began
to protect and secure people’s right to a healthy environment. In order to save the planet from a
catastrophic future, it is clear that governmental action is fundamental.
It is important to highlight the fact that the government holds a unique role in this matter.
With the highest level of authority and power an institution can possess, the government has a
key role in implementing solutions for the present environmental crisis. These solutions often
involve environmental policies that can only be enforced by such authority. “We look to
government for such policies because environmental threats represent public or collective goods
problems that cannot be solved through private action alone. The costs may simply be too great
for private initiatives, and certain activities may require the legal authority or political legitimacy
that only government possess” (Kraft 9). Environmental policies convey different economic and
social repercussions that affect both corporate and individual behavior, by creating laws that
control issues such as toxic waste, or promoting practices such as recycling. Environmental
policies represent multifaceted concerns; and this is why government is the platform needed to
successfully execute them.
So far, the Government has attended this matter by creating different policies that
respond to specific issues regarding the protection of nature. “For example, the Endangered
Species Act focuses on species of flora and fauna that have been put at particular risk by the
activities of mankind over the years, and the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA")
requires that the federal government take into account the environmental impacts of the various
activities in which it becomes involved in connection with defense efforts, public works projects
and the like” (Falsgraf 3). These are just a couple of regulatory laws that address problems such
as the protection of endangered species, or federal intervention in the environment. But, taking
into account the extensive damage that has been done to planet Earth, there is more work to be
done. For instance, “[t]he oceans are absorbing most of the heat caused by our carbon emissions
and 30 percent of the carbon dioxide itself. Sea surface temperatures are at record highs. The
water has become 30 percent more acidic since the industrial revolution” (Barnett 66). Because
of the extent and magnitude of environmental problems, it is crucial to create and enforce
different policies that address particular issues, in order to react efficiently to each of them,
before it is too late.
This extensive environmental damage threatens the health of the world’s ecosystems,
thus creating the need of effective and responsible leaderships that can cultivate a culture of
consciousness towards the importance of taking care of the environment as a whole. The
National Park Service is proof of Government’s authority to design powerful approaches with
the intent of protecting nature. Different presidents have made use of their authority on behalf of
environmental protection, and among them, is Theodore Roosevelt. “Considered the
‘conservationist president’…after becoming president in 1901, Roosevelt used his authority to
protect wildlife and public lands by creating the United States Forest Service and establishing
150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national game preserves, 5 national parks, and 18
national monuments by enabling the 1906 American Antiquities Act” (National Park Service 5).
Through Roosevelt’s leadership and drive to protect the environment, valuable ecosystems were
protected, creating great environmental awareness through ecotourism. Americans are able to
witness this legacy today, when they visit these unique landmarks. This demonstrates how the
Government’s authority is pivotal to protect and conserve the environment.
However, authority is not the only element in this equation. Power is also necessary to
carry out these actions on behalf of the environment. And the Government holds the necessary
resources, both human and monetary, to execute long-term solutions to this environmental crisis.
It is a fact that a lot of this damage has been done as a result of decades of careless industrial
pollution, such as dumping toxic wastes into rivers. The only institution powerful enough to stop
these actions, and encourage corporate cooperation, is government. Although, nowadays,
businesses have slowly started to implement “green” practices due to social pressure, these are
not oriented toward long-term solutions. For instance, Renner et al explain:
Today’s business practices are too often driven by short-term considerations,
whereas truly sustainable development requires a long term approach.
Governments must therefore establish an ambitious and clear policy framework to
reward, support, and drive sustainable economic social activity, and be prepared
to confront those whose business practices continue to pose a serious threat to a
sustainable future. (41)
Government’s role is, therefore, crucial to ensure that businesses follow environmentally
responsible practices that can make up for years of damaging and neglectful pollution. And this
institution has the power to encourage business commitment on behalf of the protection of the
environment. Government’s power is valuable to this cause, as it permits this institution to act as
a regulator, a law-enforcer, and a manager capable of ensuring the environment’s protection.
In addition to regulations, environmental protection needs more reliable scientific
knowledge. And it is Government’s responsibility to promote solutions that react to scientific
evidence, acknowledging science as an ally, and not an enemy, regardless of what these data may
show. Government and science must work together in order to create actions that can save the
planet. Government should allocate economic resources to support scientific research, and create
opportunities to devise technological developments that can help come up with sustainable forms
of energy that can substitute fossil fuels, such is the case of solar and wind energy projects.
However, the protection of the environment needs actions from individuals, not just
corporations, or institutions; it needs the cooperation of all levels of society. The Government is
responsible of educating the public on the importance of environmental awareness. Individual
actions matter. The creation of the first environmental laws was ignited by the individual concern
that sparked in the 1960s. Government must, therefore, cultivate a culture of environmental
awareness through educational programs, so that people’s behavior adds up to the desired longterm results. On this matter, Steven Cohen points out that “[n]ot all environmental problems can
be addressed through the regulation of corporations…Some environmental policies involve
reaching individuals, educating them, influencing their values, and changing their behavior.
Solid waste reduction and recycling both require a change in individual behavior (39).
Individuals need to acknowledge their responsibility toward the protection of the environment.
Government must educate society on the effect that individual behaviors can have on the health
of the environment, so that people act, not en fear of being penalized, but with ecological
mindfulness shaped by cultural values.
Protecting the environment is a task that involves different levels of society. And only
government possesses the necessary authority and power to engage corporations, organizations,
and the public in this important matter, through policies that protect ecological reserves and
regulate corporate activities, and the cultivation of an environmental culture. Temperatures are
rising. Forests are disappearing. CO2 emissions are at record highs… Because of the multiple
damage that has been done, and the future dangerous repercussions on the environment, the
planet needs integrated actions. And government’s role as a lawmaker, regulator, and educator
should make this cooperation possible, and thus ensuring that future generations can enjoy of a
healthy environment.
Works Cited
Barmett, Cynthia. “Why It’s Important to Save Our Seas’ Pristine Places.” Official Journal of the
National Geographic. 231.2 (2017): 66. Washington, DC: National Geographic Partners,
LLC, 2017. Print.
Cohen, Steven. Understanding Environmental Policy. New York: Columbia University Press,
2006. Print.
Falsgraf, William W. “Environmental protection--the U.S. approach.” Canada-United States
Law Journal. 18.51 (1992): 51-51. Academic Search Elite. Web. 20 April 2017
Kraft, Michael E. Environmental Policy and Politics. Addison-Wesley Educational, 2001. Print.
Moffatt, Mike. “The Role of the U.S. Government in Environmental Protection.” ThoughtCo.
About, Inc, 27 March 2017. Web. 20 April 2017
Renner, Michael, Sean Sweeney, and Jill Kubit. Green Jobs: Working for People and the
Environment. Washington, DC: Worldwatch Institute, 2008. Print.
"Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the
Interior. Web. 22 Apr. 2017.
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