Excerpt
HOW do societies deal with the tough choices when people and the land no longer seem to be co-existing gracefully? Clearly, hard choices are needed in many places around the globe today, and harder ones will be needed in more places tomorrow.
With respect to the challenge this brings to political systems, I am heartened by some things that are happening today, but discouraged by others. In attempting to categorize the examples that come readily to mind, let me offer three basic ideas:
People all over the world are eager to become directly involved in solving environmental problems, but they are too seldom given a legitimate opportunity by governments or professionals.
We don't always gain political support for many solutions that seem technologically and economically feasible because technical solutions, particularly large, expensive ones, disempower people rather than empower them; moreover, large, technical solutions fail on a disturbingly regular basis.
Many solutions to serious environmental problems create as much political pain as …
Footnotes
R. Neil Sampson is executive vice-president of the American Forestry Association, 1516 P Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. This article is based on his presentation at SWCS s 46th annual meeting in Lexington, Kentucky.
- Copyright 1991 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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