2. WHAT IS POLLUTER PRINCIPLE
The polluter pays principle basically means that the producer of goods
should producer of goods should be responsible for the cost of preventing
any pollution caused as well as remedy and damages so caused. It will
include all full environmental costs that is cost of pollution or any other harm
caused to the ecology and not just those which is just tangible costs.
Polluter or environmental violators will not willingly pay for the clean up of
the environment, even though they are guilty of spoiling it. Therefore
government takes to force polluters to pay for their environmental damages.
Though;
1. Direct command and control methods.
2. Market controls, i.e internalising the external costs of the pollution, and
making polluter pay for it.
3. NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS
• RIVIAL GOODS:
If one person uses an economic good,
then the same good is not available in
the shop or market for others eg. If
you buy a T.V and take it away, then
the number of TVs in the shop will
reduced by one.
Environmental goods are also rival. If
factory pollutes a lake, it affects
fishermen fishing in the lake.
• EXTERNAITY
The person using the economic goods
gets benefits and pay the cost. E.g.
you pay for a T.V set, and enjoy
programmes on it.
Environmental goods: the cost or
benefits pay are not borne by those
who use it. E.g. you buy a car emits
air pollution, but you don’t pay for
the air that you are using up. But
people on the road pay for treatment
of asthma, and other lungs diseases
that your pollution has caused.
4. WHO PAYS THE COSTS
• Since environmental goods cause external disbenifits, the question is who
should pay or bear the cost of environment degradation.
• It is unfair to make victims of environmental disasters pay for the cost of
controlling and cleaning the environment.
• The polluters pay for the damages he is causing to the environment.
5. HISTORICAL BACKGROUD ON THE PRINCIPLE OF
POLLUTER PAYS
During 1970 the whole world started realiseing about such a bad condition on
environmental issues. The united nations economic commissions for Europe,
during a panel discussion in 1971 concluded that the total environment
expenditure required for improvement of the environment of the environment
was overestimated but could be reduce by increased environmental
awaerness and control.
In 1972 the organization, for economic cooperation and development adopted
the polluter pays principle as a method for pollution cost allocation, including
for accident pollution. This principle was discssued during the 1972 Paris
summit.
It was EU which tool the lead in promoting when in 1974, it made it
mandatory that this principle be uniform applied to all its member states.
18. Summary
• Define your challenges
– Technological as well as personal
• Set realistic expectation
– Mastery is not achieved overnight
• Keep your eye on the goal
– Mentorship programs
19. Resources
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• <Additional reading material text here>
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• This slide deck and related resources:
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