Institutional Analysis:

Environment
Tandy Su

History
The environment existed even before humans roamed the earth.
According to the most popular religious belief, Christianity, God created
the heavens and the earth in 6 days (NIV Bible).

Perception from society

economic implications of environmental policy are often presented as
a job versus the environment tradeoff (Obach 83).
The lower class workers in the extracting and manufacturing industries
are burdened from the environmentalists movements to help preserve
the environment. They are burdened because they are losing their jobs
to save the environment.

Perception from environmentalists

Environmentalists asserts, environmental protection and the quality of
life it affords can attract clean industries (Obach 84).
Supporters of a clean and healthy environment firmly believes that it is
beneficial to the whole of society. They believe that it will attract more
industrial workers because of the healthy environment.

How it has changed over time

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth
Assessment Report (AR4) indicates that the global mean surface
temperature has risen by 0.7 degrees Celsius over the last 100 years
(Ning 3289).
Over a period of 100 years, the environment has increased in
temperature. This change in temperature is called Global Warming.
Global warming can affect our world such as spreading of disease,
earlier spring arrival, plant and animal range shifts and population
changes, coral reef bleaching, downpours, heavy snowfalls, flooding,
droughts and fires (Chen 763).

Causes of change
One of the contributing factors to global warming is CO2 (Carbon
Dioxide).
The global CO2 concentration is considered to be one of the most
important causes of global warming (Chen 763).
The origin of the massive amount of CO2 being emitted to the air is
mainly from the concentration of CO2 in air bubbles in the layered ice
cores drilled in Antarctica, and also from cities that emit CO2 into our
atmosphere (Chen 763).

Causes of change
Water pollution is another contributing factor to the change in our
environment. In an article titled, Plastic Pollution In The World's
Oceans: More Than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing Over 250,000
Tons Afloat At Sea written by Eriksen et al., they estimate a minimum
of 5.25 trillion pieces weighing at about 268,940 tons.
The ocean absorbs about a quarter of human-caused emissions of
carbon dioxide annually, thereby changing seawater chemistry and
decreasing pH (making seawater more acidic) (Oceans and the
Environment 3). This shows that CO2, although it is a gas, can pollute
the water.

How it has remained stable

There are numerous world wide organizations that help clean the
environment and also educate schools about the environment they are
currently living in.
For example, the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme)
aims to promote through these knowledge and skills the preservation,
conservation, and utilisation of the environment in a sustainable
manner for the present and future generations (Pradhan 46).

How I would improve the environment

Personally, I would improve the environment by participating in
environmental clean ups with an organization that willingly volunteers to
do so.
For example, I attend a church that annually contributes to the society.
I think it would be very beneficial if everyone would participate in any
organizations that helps the world become a cleaner and better place.

Major participants in the environment

There are several world wide organizations that exist today which helps
the environment :

Earth System Governance Project (ESGP)

Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

World Nature Organization (WNO)

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)

Participants roles
The participants roles are basically to help the environment become a
cleaner and safer place to live in with the help of many volunteers.
They are a non-profit organization that raises awareness about the
polluted environment and educates the world about the issues
concerning the environment which could affect the societys lives.

Is a pro-environment society good for

everyone?
A pro-environment society is not beneficial for everyone.
With a much cleaner environment, everyone would be able to live at
ease without worrying about contracting a health disease because of
pollution.
However, business men who are owners of companies that use natural
resources to produce gas for our cars are most likely going to lose their
company if everyone goes pro-environment.
Additionally, workers who are involved in industries such as timber may
have to find another career because timbering literally involves killing
the environment.

Conflict Analysis
In a conflict perspective, the environment contains problems that are
created by humans to obtain wealth or power, or to satisfy their own
interests. (New Perspectives 376).
Our economy is a source of conflict over matters of pollution or
conservation of the environment. It is a conflict between political
interests and environmental interests. Polluters do not have
consideration for those who are affected by pollution, but are only
interested in their own benefit. They believe that air and water are
infinite resources so it is not a problem to pollute them.

Functionalist Analysis
In a functionalist perspective, environmental problems are flaws of
modern living. (New Perspectives 375).
For example, modern agriculture utilizes fertilizers and pesticides which
are foreign to the natural environment. This results to pollution as the
chemicals are being drained into a river.

Works Cited
Eriksen, Marcus, et al. "Plastic Pollution In The World's Oceans: More Than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing Over
250,000 Tons Afloat At Sea." Plos ONE 9.12 (2014): 1-15. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
Ning, Liang, Emily E. Riddle, and Raymond S. Bradley. "Projected Changes In Climate Extremes Over The
Northeastern United States*." Journal Of Climate 28.8 (2015): 3289-3310. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
NIV Bible, New International Version. Seocho-gu: Agape Publishing Co., Ltd, 2014. Print.
Obach, Brian K. "Labor-Environmental Relations: An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Labor Unions And
Environmentalists." Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell) 83.1 (2002): 82-100. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
"Oceans And The Environment." Congressional Digest 93.7 (2014): 2-5. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Apr.
2015.
Pradhan, Mahesh. "Promoting Regional Cooperation On Environmental Education And Training In The Asia-Pacific:
The Role And Contributions Of The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)." International
Review For Environmental Strategies 4.1 (2003): 45-58. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
"New Perspectives on International Environmental Law." The Yale Law Journal 82.8 (1973): 1659-680. JSTOR. Web.
26 Apr. 2015.