Module 6: Environmental Policy & Sustainable Development (PDF)

Module 6 Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development  Policy a set of guidelines or rules that guide decisions and actions to achieve a specific goal Environmental Policy the commitment of an organization to the laws, regulations, and other policy...

Module 6 Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development  Policy a set of guidelines or rules that guide decisions and actions to achieve a specific goal Environmental Policy the commitment of an organization to the laws, regulations, and other policy mechanisms concerning environmental issues. Cyclic Nature of Policy Making Major Philippine Environmental Laws  Major Philippine Environmental Laws  Major Philippine Environmental Laws  Major Philippine Environmental Laws  The Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001 (R.A. 9147) protects wildlife. This law aims to conserve and protect the country’s wildlife resources and their habitats, appropriating funds for promoting ecological balance and enhancing biological diversity. Further, it focuses on the regulation of the collection and trade of wildlife. It also strives to pursue, with due regard to the national interest, the Philippine commitment to international conventions, protection of wildlife and their habitats, and the initiation or support of scientific studies on the conservation of biological diversity Major Philippine Environmental Laws  The Toxic Substances, Hazardous, and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990 (R.A. 6969) addresses hazardous sites. The law aims to regulate or prohibit the importation, manufacture, processing, sale, distribution, use, and disposal of chemical substances and mixtures that present an unreasonable risk to human health. It likewise prohibits the entry, even in transit, of hazardous and nuclear wastes and their disposal into the Philippine territorial limits for whatever purpose; and to provide advancement and facilitate research and studies on toxic chemicals. Major Philippine Environmental Laws  The Environment Impact Assessment System was established in 1978 with the enactment of Presidential Decree No. 1586, otherwise known as the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which facilitates the attainment and maintenance of rational and orderly balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection (https://emb.gov.ph/mandates- functions/). Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a planning and management tool that will support the government, decision- makers, and the affected community. The proponents address the negative consequences or risks of the environment. The process assures the implementation of environment- friendly projects. Major Philippine Environmental Laws  The National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992 (R.A. 7586) as amended by the Republic Act No. 11038, otherwise known as the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas Systems Act of 2018, an act is declaring protected areas and providing for their management, and other purposes. Major Philippine Environmental Laws  The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 (R.A. 8550), an Act providing for the development, management, and conservation of the fisheries and aquatic resources, integrating all laws pertaining to that, and other purposes.  Rainforestation is a community-based forest restoration strategy that utilizes native tree species for forest ecosystem rehabilitation and other land-use management objectives. It was conceptualized and scientifically studied in 1991 and field tested in 1995 by the Visayas State University under the financial support of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation. Rainforestation farming Lanzones Leyte, Philippines VSU Demo Site Barangay Marcos Site  Cienda site March 1996 March 2006 November 2013 Courtesy of VSU  Catmon Site May Courtesy of VSU Liptong Woodland Bacong, Negros Oriental Year 1 (July 2005) Year 10 (July 2015) At Present At Present Rainforestation Why does rainforestation take the approach that it does?: Low levels of natural regeneration Forest areas tend to be quite far away Importance of dipterocarps: ecologically and economically important wind-dispersed trees (highly endangered) Not limited to dipterocarps since many important native species from all reproductive guilds. Need for active community engagement Management goal can vary but typically a strong economic component Version 4 corner only Concluding Remarks There are many different ways to conduct forest restoration. The approach chosen should vary depending on local, ecological site conditions: sources of forest regeneration, availability of seed-dispersing animals, surrounding landscape matrix, dominant dispersal mechanism, rarity of important species, risk of fire These technical considerations, however, can not be divorced from a variety of social factors including: ability to stop disturbance and exclude outsiders, community willingness to participate, land tenure, need for direct economic benefits and how those benefits are shared, availability of resources for the project, etc. Rainforestation encompasses an array of techniques for addressing a variety of ecological and social circumstances, so be sure to understand when different approaches are appropriate….  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Seventeen international development goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 at New York City as a replacement for the Millennium Development Goals. A universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.