Perspectives on the Environment

Environmental politics and policy are multidimensional in nature. Science plays a key role in shaping environmental policy, but its value is compromised by scientific uncertainties and by differences in the logic of science and policy. Efforts to develop environmental policies that are economically efficient are compromised by the difficulties of accurately calculating the costs and benefits of action and inaction. The choices made by businesses and consumers help shape environmental policy, but their interests are often at odds with those of the environment. The human relationship with nature raises many troubling ethical, moral, and religious questions, few of which have been answered. Environment problems become a security concern when there is a mismatch between the supply of natural resources and the human demand for those resources. Barry Commoner’s idea that everything is connected is reflected in the multidimensional nature of environmental politics and policy. Since the environment consists of our entire physical surroundings, it should come as no surprise to find that environmental matters can be related to almost all other facets of human action, and that they can be approached from multiple perspectives (see Cohen, 2014: 3–4, 12).