Environmental Policy

The environment that we live in today is constantly changing. Natural and unnatural causes affect our short and long term experience of living. We live in our environment and it has been proven that we must take care of it (i.e. not extinguishing our resources or over polluting) in order to survive. We exist in the natural chain that is our ecosystem. Therefore, environmental policy is a very important in the bureaucracy of our government.

Environmental policy is also one of the hardest policies to establish a permanent or clear solution that works in favor of everyone. Everyone is affected by the environment because we live in our surroundings –our environment. More importantly, it affects our businesses. There is the business of agriculture, corporations or companies that sell the food, and consumers. Thus, interest group politics comes into play. Delegates in congress that sit on various committees usually must appease their clients to maintain potential voters. Usually, in interest politics two equally influential groups conflict leading to a compromise. Then, there is majoritarian politics involving a congressional vote on the issue. Due to the increased awareness of environmental issues the popularity has, as well, increased, which would place delegates in a horrible position if they were to be on the wrong side of a passed environmental bill. Finally, there is entrepreneurial politics. This consists of a large corporation suing the government or a committee. Overall, there is no real resolve in environmental policy just gradual reductions and mutual agreements on conditional terms; ergo there is no concise identification of environmental problems.

The aim of any environmental policy is to identify a concrete problem and have a clear plan, but that is not always the case. Science plays a key role in politics and vice-versa. But the issue, such as global warming, is one that is skeptical amongst scientist, which would be skeptical amongst politicians. If science does not have a translucent perspective on the problem, then how could politicians rally for a complete solution? There will be conflicting beliefs and sides. But there is certainty in environmental policy.

The only solution is the public’s willingness to change. People rally for the environment to be salvaged for years to come, but they do not want to give up their lifestyles. For example, gas companies hike gas taxes to discourage driving and decrease air pollution, but there is only profit to gain for them and money for us to lose.