The North-South inequality hurts both high-and low-income countries in many respects, both direct... more The North-South inequality hurts both high-and low-income countries in many respects, both directly and indirectly. At the same time, workers from low-income countries work just as hard as those from high-income countries but are often held in abject poverty by circumstances not of their own making. The question the study tries to find answers for is; why do hard-working individuals in both the North and the South bring home different levels of income, yielding big differences in per capita income globally and what can be done about it? Current pro-poor growth policies that include handouts, loans or relocating industries to the South cannot rid the world of inequality. The study argues that rich countries can and should prevent poor countries from sinking deeper into poverty if that does not call them to sacrifice anything of comparable moral importance. Data on DGP per capita and natural resources within countries is used to show, and explain two forms of inequality; income levels and natural resources and that every region has something valuable to offer towards maintaining the global economy. The South is endowed with surplus natural resources that the North needs and the North has high incomes that can be used to support development needs in the South. Institutional weaknesses aside, the most feasible framework to reducing global inequality is a pragmatic and moral approach to valuing the natural resources from the South on the same scale as financial development assistance from the North.
Disruptive development events have tested and will continue to test community resilience as peopl... more Disruptive development events have tested and will continue to test community resilience as people work to balance healthy living, economic growth, and environmental quality. Aspects of urbanization, if not designed and guided by healthy living strategies, convert natural areas into built environments, thus reducing the diversity of plant and animal species that are the foundation of resilience in communities. In this study, we attempted to answer the following question: What are the most effective ways to ensure that ongoing urbanization and climate change do not negatively affect ecological services and community resilience in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV)? The region is experiencing a high urban growth rate and is also one of the poorest regions in Texas. Thus, it has an inadequate capacity to prevent or mitigate climate change-related threats and take advantage of opportunities associated with urbanization. Using qualitative analysis, we consulted existing literature to identify r...
The early environmental conditions in many national parks fit the favorable description given to ... more The early environmental conditions in many national parks fit the favorable description given to Everglades National Park (ENP) at the time of its founding that the park’s wilderness and ecological resources were “superlative in value.” With the understanding that wilderness does not mean complete human exclusion, this study examines the possibilities, interests, and difficulties associated with establishing the historical superlative state of the park’s resources as a target for current restoration efforts. The focus is specifically on ENP, as the park’s existence was considered justified only if its superlative and pristine wilderness conditions could be retained in the future. Data were gathered from 18 historical documents obtained from the ENP museum and the online archives of the library shared by Florida International University and the University of Miami. The 1979 Master Plan, 2000 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and other literature provided planning information. Qualitative data analysis was performed using NVivo 11. The findings indicate that the current restoration targets are heavily influenced by shifting baseline syndrome and that outcomes fall short of no net loss of environmental resources. Therefore, the restoration targets not based on the region’s resources during the predrainage period are technically achievable but cannot produce a restored ecosystem in the long term. This study concludes that that planning initiatives should go beyond pollution reduction strategies to include historical conditions and acquisitions of conservation lands as targets for ongoing restoration efforts.
International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics
Policy adoption and implementation depend on a wide range of considerations that include the leve... more Policy adoption and implementation depend on a wide range of considerations that include the level of stakeholder participation and the choice of top-down or bottom-up approaches. The existence of a stakeholder participation platform is often seen as critical to facilitate both adoption and implementation of international treaties. However, it may not automatically lead to improved policy outcomes or legislative effectiveness. This study compares countries with and without stakeholder participation platforms for policy implementation and assesses whether there are differences in their management of biological resources. The study had two goals: (1) examining the adoption and implementation of public policies and legislation at national and local levels within countries; and (2) analyzing the differences between countries that have developed stakeholder participation platforms for sustainable forest management. Data were obtained from the Global Forest Resources Assessment Report 2015 of the Food and Agricultural Organization. Cross-tabulation and independent sample t test findings show strong relationships at higher levels of government between countries, but weak relationships at local levels. Significant differences are observed at all levels. These results shed light on the severe challenges that governments face in adopting global environmental policies and passing them down to local levels for implementation. The study concludes that although excellent policies and regulations may exist, they often do not lead to significantly better outcomes at all levels of government.
The Mara River in East Africa is currently experiencing poor water quality and increased fluctuat... more The Mara River in East Africa is currently experiencing poor water quality and increased fluctuations in seasonal flow. This study investigated technically effective and economically viable Best Management Practices for adoption in the Mara River Basin of Kenya that can stop further water resources degradation. A survey of 155 farmers was conducted in the upper catchment of the Kenyan side of the river basin. Farmers provided their assessment of BMPs that would best suit their farm in terms of water quality improvement, economic feasibility, and technical suitability. Cost data on different practices from farmers and published literature was collected. The results indicated that erosion control structures and runoff management practices were most suitable for adoption. The study estimated the total area that would be improved to restore water quality and reduce further water resources degradation. Farmers were found to incur losses from adopting new practices and would therefore require monetary support. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER
The North-South inequality hurts both high-and low-income countries in many respects, both direct... more The North-South inequality hurts both high-and low-income countries in many respects, both directly and indirectly. At the same time, workers from low-income countries work just as hard as those from high-income countries but are often held in abject poverty by circumstances not of their own making. The question the study tries to find answers for is; why do hard-working individuals in both the North and the South bring home different levels of income, yielding big differences in per capita income globally and what can be done about it? Current pro-poor growth policies that include handouts, loans or relocating industries to the South cannot rid the world of inequality. The study argues that rich countries can and should prevent poor countries from sinking deeper into poverty if that does not call them to sacrifice anything of comparable moral importance. Data on DGP per capita and natural resources within countries is used to show, and explain two forms of inequality; income levels and natural resources and that every region has something valuable to offer towards maintaining the global economy. The South is endowed with surplus natural resources that the North needs and the North has high incomes that can be used to support development needs in the South. Institutional weaknesses aside, the most feasible framework to reducing global inequality is a pragmatic and moral approach to valuing the natural resources from the South on the same scale as financial development assistance from the North.
Disruptive development events have tested and will continue to test community resilience as peopl... more Disruptive development events have tested and will continue to test community resilience as people work to balance healthy living, economic growth, and environmental quality. Aspects of urbanization, if not designed and guided by healthy living strategies, convert natural areas into built environments, thus reducing the diversity of plant and animal species that are the foundation of resilience in communities. In this study, we attempted to answer the following question: What are the most effective ways to ensure that ongoing urbanization and climate change do not negatively affect ecological services and community resilience in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV)? The region is experiencing a high urban growth rate and is also one of the poorest regions in Texas. Thus, it has an inadequate capacity to prevent or mitigate climate change-related threats and take advantage of opportunities associated with urbanization. Using qualitative analysis, we consulted existing literature to identify r...
The early environmental conditions in many national parks fit the favorable description given to ... more The early environmental conditions in many national parks fit the favorable description given to Everglades National Park (ENP) at the time of its founding that the park’s wilderness and ecological resources were “superlative in value.” With the understanding that wilderness does not mean complete human exclusion, this study examines the possibilities, interests, and difficulties associated with establishing the historical superlative state of the park’s resources as a target for current restoration efforts. The focus is specifically on ENP, as the park’s existence was considered justified only if its superlative and pristine wilderness conditions could be retained in the future. Data were gathered from 18 historical documents obtained from the ENP museum and the online archives of the library shared by Florida International University and the University of Miami. The 1979 Master Plan, 2000 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and other literature provided planning information. Qualitative data analysis was performed using NVivo 11. The findings indicate that the current restoration targets are heavily influenced by shifting baseline syndrome and that outcomes fall short of no net loss of environmental resources. Therefore, the restoration targets not based on the region’s resources during the predrainage period are technically achievable but cannot produce a restored ecosystem in the long term. This study concludes that that planning initiatives should go beyond pollution reduction strategies to include historical conditions and acquisitions of conservation lands as targets for ongoing restoration efforts.
International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics
Policy adoption and implementation depend on a wide range of considerations that include the leve... more Policy adoption and implementation depend on a wide range of considerations that include the level of stakeholder participation and the choice of top-down or bottom-up approaches. The existence of a stakeholder participation platform is often seen as critical to facilitate both adoption and implementation of international treaties. However, it may not automatically lead to improved policy outcomes or legislative effectiveness. This study compares countries with and without stakeholder participation platforms for policy implementation and assesses whether there are differences in their management of biological resources. The study had two goals: (1) examining the adoption and implementation of public policies and legislation at national and local levels within countries; and (2) analyzing the differences between countries that have developed stakeholder participation platforms for sustainable forest management. Data were obtained from the Global Forest Resources Assessment Report 2015 of the Food and Agricultural Organization. Cross-tabulation and independent sample t test findings show strong relationships at higher levels of government between countries, but weak relationships at local levels. Significant differences are observed at all levels. These results shed light on the severe challenges that governments face in adopting global environmental policies and passing them down to local levels for implementation. The study concludes that although excellent policies and regulations may exist, they often do not lead to significantly better outcomes at all levels of government.
The Mara River in East Africa is currently experiencing poor water quality and increased fluctuat... more The Mara River in East Africa is currently experiencing poor water quality and increased fluctuations in seasonal flow. This study investigated technically effective and economically viable Best Management Practices for adoption in the Mara River Basin of Kenya that can stop further water resources degradation. A survey of 155 farmers was conducted in the upper catchment of the Kenyan side of the river basin. Farmers provided their assessment of BMPs that would best suit their farm in terms of water quality improvement, economic feasibility, and technical suitability. Cost data on different practices from farmers and published literature was collected. The results indicated that erosion control structures and runoff management practices were most suitable for adoption. The study estimated the total area that would be improved to restore water quality and reduce further water resources degradation. Farmers were found to incur losses from adopting new practices and would therefore require monetary support. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER
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