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The art of life is a constant

re-adjustment to our surroundings.
Chinese proverb

Read the text and do the tasks that follow:

Ten Principles of New Environmentalism

The new environmentalism characterized by greater precision in factoring
environmental costs and benefits into policy making puts local people at the centre of
the environmental strategies, diagnoses and addresses behavioural causes of
environmental damage, and recognizes the political dimensions of environmental reform.
Ten principles characterize the new environmentalism in force today:
Principle 1: Set priorities carefully
The seriousness of environmental problems and the scarcity of financial resources have
required tough prioritisation and phasing of remedial actions. Broad, shallow and
expensive approaches have to be avoided, with serious priority-setting exercises
grounded in proven studies and analyses.
Principle 2: Make every dollar count
Unnecessary expensive environmental policies, based on high-cost approaches
traditionally used in industrial countries, have to be avoided. There is a need for a new
emphasis on cost-effectiveness, allowing for much more to be achieved with limited
resources. It requires a multidisciplinary approach one that calls for environmental
specialists and economists to work together to identify to lowest-cost methods of
addressing key environmental problems.
Principle 3: Harness win-win opportunities
Some gains in the environment will involve costs and trade-offs. Others can be achieved
as by-products of policies designed to improve efficiency and reduce poverty. Reducing
subsidies on the use of natural resources, clarifying and reallocating property rights, are
examples of win-win policies, which are expected to have beneficial impacts on the
environment, particularly given the scarcity of resources devoted to solving
environmental problems.
Principle 4: Use market instruments where feasible
Market-based incentives to reduce environmental damage are best in principle and often
in practice as well. They contrast with traditional command-and-control and technologydriven regulations that have been the norm until recently. Innovative approaches
involving emissions and effluent charges, harvesting permits, market-based extraction
charges and tradable permits are some examples.
Principle 5: Economize on administrative and regulatory capacity

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In many countries, administrative and enforcement capacity is usually weak. They
recognize that they cannot adopt highly enforcement-intensive approaches and
therefore emphasize on self-forcing policies and other instruments (such as taxes, bans,
fees, etc) with less intervention. This approach has also provided increased roles for
NGOs and community groups.
Principle 6: Work with the private sector, not against it
Recognizing their limited regulatory capacity and the need for accelerated private
investment, many governments are switching from a control-dominated attitude towards
the private sector to one that involves dialogue and negotiated, monitorable programmes.
Self-enforcement, independent certification schemes (for example the ISO14000) are
now playing a much larger role.
Principle 7: Involve citizens thoroughly
When a countrys environmental problems are addressed, the chances of success are
greatly enhanced if local citizens are involved. Such involvement is needed for four
reasons:
1. Local citizens are often better able than governments to identify the priorities
for action
2. Members of local communities often know about cost-effective solutions that
are not available to governments
3. The motivation and commitment of communities are often what sees an
environmental project through o its completion
4. It helps constituencies for change as a counterweight to vested interests
Principle 8: Invest in partnerships that work
Often, the most effective way with environmental issues is when the stakeholders work
in partnership. NGO involvement in priority-setting exercises and tripartite relationships
(the government, the private sector and the community organizations) are becoming
increasingly common. The value of such partnerships stems from not only the different
perspectives and skills that brought to the table, but also the necessity of carrying out
concerted actions to address environmental issues.
Principle 9: Remember that management is more important than technology
The old-fashioned, technology-driven approach to the environment is giving way to
a recognition of the crucial role of good management. Improved management
practices are always a complement to, and sometimes a substitute for, investment in
equipment.
Principle 10: Incorporate the environment from the start
When it comes to protecting the environment, prevention is much cheaper and more
effective than cure. Most countries now seek to assess and mitigate potential damage

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from new infrastructural investment. Efforts to move such concerns upstream in the
project cycle to factor environmental concerns into sectoral strategies, are underway.
(Abstracted from: Steer, Andrew, Ten Principles of the New Environmentalism,
Finance and Development, December 1996, p.4-7)

1. Answer the following questions according to the information

provided by the text:
a) What kinds of actions have to be avoided whenever elaborating an environmental
strategy?
b) Define cost-effectiveness.
c) Enumerate some of the methods through which environmental issues can be
efficiently ameliorated.
d) What are the innovative approaches contrasting with the rigid regulations dominating
environmental policies until recently?
e) Why has the role of the NGOs and the community groups increased so much these
days?
f) Which direction has the governmental attitude towards the private sector taken?
g) What are the reasons for which the citizens involvement is crucial when it comes to
the environment?
h) Where does the value of tripartite relationships derive from?
i) Which one is more important: management or technology? Why?
2. Debate upon:
a) What can you say about the environmental policy of your country? Does it have any
point in common with the ten principles displayed above? Draw a short comparison
(20 lines).
b) Which of the ten principles do you find the easiest to put into practice? Give
arguments.(10 lines)
c) You are a member of the local Council. Try to persuade your colleagues about the
necessity of larger investments in environmental strategies.(10 lines)
d) If you were to add an extra principle to those already presented, what would this be?

3. Translate into English:

a) Poluarea aerului este foarte duntoare pentru sntate.
b) Stratul de ozon se rarefiaz din ce n ce mai mult i se afl la o prea mare nlime de
pmnt, mai ales n centrele urbane.
c) Impactul creat de schimbrile de climat asupra comunitilor urbane este greu de
prevzut.
d) S-au ncercat tot felul de soluii pentru reducerea nivelului de poluare, mai ales cel
cauzat de automobile.

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e) Limitele admise ale nivelului de poluare sonor n cazul automobilelor sunt din ce n
ce mai sczute.
4. Explain the differences in meaning in the following pairs of
sentences:
a) The environmentalist is presenting his development and treatment strategy in front of
the local Council.
Every year the environmentalist presents his development and treatment strategy in
front of the local Council.
b) Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius.
Water is freezing this week due to harsh weather conditions.
c) Once in the groundwater, bacteria easily pollute domestic well water.
Under the present circumstances, bacteria are more and more polluting domestic well
water.