THE SYLLABUS SAYS
- Examine the growth of environmental awareness as a consequence of these global interactions [that is, the increasing globalization of production, consumption and waste processing].
- Examine the role of one international civil society organization in fostering improved environmental management.
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS: IS IT INCREASING?
Following the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan in 2011, Germany committed to remove nuclear power from its own sources of energy by 2022. This was in part thanks to a massive public reaction against nuclear power. Is there a direct link between global interactions and environmental awareness?
YES
|
NO
|
To look at increasing environmental awareness, we therefore need to look at how it's measured, not just the overall belief that it is increasing.
MEASURING ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Environmental awareness can be measured in several ways. This is not an exhaustive list.
The ecoevaluator website discusses some further ways to measure environmental awareness. It cites figures such as 60% of people reading a newspaper will encounter a 'green' article; 30% of consumers are buying 'green' products more than they used to. However, the problem is that these are difficult to track over time. For this reason, one of the most secure ways to look at any increase in environmental awareness is through elections.
- Votes for single-issue environmental parties in local, national and pan-national elections
- Number of seats won by environmental parties in parliaments
- Initiatives undertaken by businesses to promote green activities
- Changes to government policy that promote green activities e.g. banning inefficient light bulbs
- Number of environmental organisations in civil society
- Membership of environmental organisations
- Income (donations) of environmental organisations
- Resolutions passed at the United Nations regarding green issues
The ecoevaluator website discusses some further ways to measure environmental awareness. It cites figures such as 60% of people reading a newspaper will encounter a 'green' article; 30% of consumers are buying 'green' products more than they used to. However, the problem is that these are difficult to track over time. For this reason, one of the most secure ways to look at any increase in environmental awareness is through elections.
measuring environmental awareness at the ballot box: elections to the european parliament
The European Union is a vast organisation with 28 member states (August 2015). One of the major pillars of the organisation is the European Parliament. This is a slightly different parliament to a typical nation-state, but it is elected by people across the EU. Though there are dozens of parties represented, most choose to belong to 'groups' in the parliament that represent a broad set of interests.
Environmental parties usually join the Greens / European Free Alliance, which promotes sustainability in the EU.
Environmental parties usually join the Greens / European Free Alliance, which promotes sustainability in the EU.