The Politics of the Environment in Singapore? Lessons from a "Strange" Case

2001 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel P. S. Goh
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Middle Class ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Environmental Politics ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Developmental States

AbstractSoutheast Asia has come under scholarly focus for the contradictions of rapid development and environmental protection, and the ensuing politics. Most give Singapore a miss because it is a "strange" case that does not fit into a region where affected local peoples, "middle class" activists and developmental states struggle over the exploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation. This paper claims that analysis of the "quiet" politics of environment in Singapore is instructive, and can correct the materialist bias evident in the understanding of Southeast Asian political economy/ecology. It argues that urban "middle class" environmental activism is a manifestation of resistance to enlarging systems of governance allied with capital. Environmentalism can be seen as a response against the encroachment of the system into the intimate living places of the lifeworld. This response is embedded within an international public sphere that enables environmental politics. These activists derive their motivation and political strength from public moral discursive actions. Environmentalism is a contemporary reflection of a fundamental sociological theme, the discontents' moral struggle for the good society, not necessarily reflecting parochial class interests.

Terraforming and Eco-Economics in the Mars Trilogy

2019 ◽  
pp. 78-111
Author(s):  
Robert Markley
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
State Violence ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Autopoietic Systems ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Ecological Stewardship ◽  
Default Assumption ◽  
Competing Populations

In Red Mars (1992), Green Mars (1993), and Blue Mars (1996), Robinson uses the speculative science of terraforming an alien world to explore the complex relationships between planetary ecology--the interlocking, autopoietic systems that allow life to flourish--and political economy, the distribution of scarce resources among competing populations and interests. At the center of the trilogy lies what Robinson calls “eco-economics,” his challenge to the default assumption that economics means the exploitation, degradation, and eventual exhaustion of natural resources. Terraforming transforms Mars over the course of the three novels and becomes a means to imagine the birth of a new planetary order that confronts head-on the obstacles to utopian progress: socioeconomic conflict, environmental degradation, racial and religious antagonisms, state violence, and corporate greed. As it undergoes its sea-change from red to green to blue, Mars offers its citizens (and the novels’ readers) a means to imagine a utopian future that replaces the politics of scarcity and desperation with hard-won forms of cooperation, ecological stewardship, democracy, and diversity.

Environmental History, Political Economy and Change: Frameworks and Tools for Research and Analysis

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 72-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronnie D. Lipschutz
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Policy Analysis ◽  
Social Organization ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental History ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
The World

This article addresses questions of method, focus and research strategy in environmental history and political economy for policy analysis and policy-making. While most environmental history is seen as having to do with landscapes past and how they got that way, environmental history can also have practical contemporary applications. By coming to understand the sources and origins of environmental degradation, and the patterns of social organization that led to them, we may be better positioned to foster environmental protection and conservation in ways that may resolve and/or support local efforts around the world. Such studies can help to address conflicts that arise over conservation policies, especially when these studies illuminate the origins and historical trajectories of places, and provide insights into ways of working with, rather than against, local cultures, knowledges, and social arrangements.

scholarly journals SPECIAL FEATURES OF MANAGEMENT OF THE COASTAL AREA DEVELOPMENT: FOREIGN EXPERIENCE

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 103-111
Author(s):  
E. S. Arumova ◽  
M. A. Bitarova
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Coastal Area ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Foreign Experience ◽  
Economic Nature

Due to their natural resources the coastal areas are one of the most populated and exploited places on earth. Economic activities are carried out in such areas most actively, as they have a special appeal for humans. The advantages of coastal areas provide an opportunity to implement a variety of economic activities, and also determine their potential for development. However, active economic activities in coastal areas, in most cases, contribute to environmental degradation and leads to depletion of natural resources, and as a result, may cause a loss of the capacity for sustainable development of coastal areas. In this regard, it is these territories that have the most acute environmental protection issues, as a result of man-induced impact on coastal areas. The given paper considers foreign experience of management of coastal areas development through an integrated approach which is the main vector of the territory development. The studied foreign experience revealed that an integrated approach to coastal area management as a tool for sustainable development can change the attitude of people to the environmental problem, as the balance between tourism and environmental protection promotes the conservation of natural resources. At present, problems arising from the rapid development of economic activities in coastal areas, faced by management structures at all levels require timely decisions based on the concept of sustainable development. In this study, the authors found out that one of the factors of sustainable development of coastal areas is an ecological and social development, which is seen as closely interrelated aspects, not as separate directions of sustainable development. Currently, you need to create a management system for coastal territories, based on continuous planning and monitoring with regard to the specific features and problems of natural, human and socio-economic nature of such areas.

scholarly journals Ekonomia środowiska - współczesna nauka z tradycjami

2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 329-340
Author(s):  
Violetta Korporowicz
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Environmental Economics ◽  
Economic Life ◽  
Invisible Hand ◽  
Economic Regulation ◽  
Economic Instruments ◽  
Economic Practice ◽  
Different Types

The fact that problems of environmental degradation and its protection are getting more important is caused among others by limitation in management efficiency. It forces us to look at economic processes with consideration of the output of such disciplines that say how one shall manage in a situation of limited natural resources. This discipline is without any doubt environmental protection. This science indicates methods and economic instruments that can be applied in economic practice necessary in environmental protection. It deals also with problems related to economic researches of implications of environmental policy. The same environmental economics that results from the neo-classical trend of economics looking at the market as an unfailing mechanism of economic regulation proves that the invisible hand of the market fails in case of environmental protection. That is why we shall apply different types of instruments especially these related to indirect regulation (including such economic instruments as taxes) that support actions related to the limitation of environmental degradation. It's worth also to add that recognition of methodological premises of this science supports not only the development of this discipline but first of all, it shows her applicable character. Practical usage of rules prepared by environmental economics shall be used by all participants of economic life beginning with consumers and finishing with producers and governing in order to keep not only current natural resources but first of all to take care after possible development of the next generations.

Methods and Capacities for Institutional Policy Making in Environmental Governance

2020 ◽  
pp. 18-33
Author(s):  
Mononita Kundu Das
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Interest Groups ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental Regulation ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Environmental Governance ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Institutional Policy ◽  
Global Environmental

Environmental governance is the range of rules, practices and institutions related to the management of the environment in its different forms ranging from conservation, protection and exploitation of natural resources. It also indicates all the processes and institutions, both formal and informal, that encompasses the standards, values, behaviour, and organizing mechanisms used by citizens, organizations and social movements as well as the different interest groups as a basis for linking up their interests, defending their differences, and exercising their rights and obligations in terms of accessing and using natural resources. Globally environmental governance is deciphered as the sum of organizations, policy instruments, financing mechanisms, rules, procedures, and norms that regulate the processes of global environmental protection. The need for environmental regulation is the result of identification of factors resulting in environmental degradation.

scholarly journals Environmental economics – a modern science with traditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 235-242
Author(s):  
Violetta Korporowicz
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Environmental Economics ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Economic Life ◽  
Invisible Hand ◽  
Economic Regulation ◽  
Economic Instruments ◽  
Economic Practice

The fact that problems of environmental degradation and its protection are gaining importance is caused, among others, by limitations in management efficiency. It forces us to look at economic processes with consideration of output of such disciplines that indicate how one should manage in a situation of reduced availability of natural resources. Such discipline, without any doubts, is environmental protection. This science indicates methods and economic instruments that can be applied in economic practice necessary for environmental protection. It deals also with problems related to economic studies of implications of environmental policies. At the same environmental economics that results from neoclassical trend of economics looking at the market as unfailing mechanism of economic regulation proves that invisible hand of market fails in case of environmental protection. That is why we should apply different types of instruments especially these related to indirect regulation (including such economic instruments as taxes) that support actions related to limitation of environmental degradation. It is worth also to add that recognition of methodological premises of this science supports not only development of this discipline but first of all it shows that it is applicable. The principles developed by environmental economics should be applied in practice by all participants of economic life from consumers and to producers and governments in order to keep not only current natural resources but most importantly ensure the development opportunities for next generations.

Political Ecology

Geography ◽  
2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Brannstrom
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Political Ecology ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Multiscale Analysis ◽  
Environmental Politics ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Cultural Ecology ◽  
Human Environment ◽  
Resource Governance ◽  
Research Areas

Political ecology emerged in the 1980s within the field of geography from cultural ecology and development studies traditions. Initially phrased by Piers Blaikie, an expert in rural development and resource governance, as the multiscale analysis of environmental degradation from a political economy perspective, political ecology rejected neo-Malthusian explanations of human impacts on the environment. Instead, the subfield understands environmental change as a result of power relations, which cause highly variable access to resources. Debate exists on whether political ecologists created a theory of human–environment interactions or whether they established a research framework. Moreover, scholars have debated whether political ecology is sufficiently “political” or “ecological.” In the late 1990s and early 2000s, political ecology fragmented into several subareas that have since developed into vigorous research areas. Political ecologists share affinity with several groups of scholars, including anthropologists who self-identify as political ecologists, economic geographers interested in resources and commodities, political geographers interested in environmental politics, and scholars specializing in cultural ecology and environmental justice.

The public and the private: reconfiguring the interrelationship during a civil act

2019 ◽  
pp. 53-69
Author(s):  
Natalia Kostenko
Keyword(s):  
Public Sphere ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Bare Life ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Public Sphere

The subject matter of research interest here is the movement of sociological reflection concerning the interplay of public and private realms in social, political and individual life. The focus is on the boundary constructs embodying publicity, which are, first of all, classical models of the space of appearance for free citizens of the polis (H. Arendt) and the public sphere organised by communicative rationality (Ju. Habermas). Alternative patterns are present in modern ideas pertaining to the significance of biological component in public space in the context of biopolitics (M. Foucault), “inclusive exclusion of bare life” (G. Agamben), as well as performativity of corporeal and linguistic experience related to the right to participate in civil acts such as popular assembly (J. Butler), where the established distinctions between the public and the private are levelled, and the interrelationship of these two realms becomes reconfigured. Once the new media have come into play, both the structure and nature of the public sphere becomes modified. What assumes a decisive role is people’s physical interaction with online communication gadgets, which instantly connect information networks along various trajectories. However, the rapid development of information technology produces particular risks related to the control of communications industry, leaving both public and private realms unprotected and deforming them. This also urges us to rethink the issue of congruence of the two ideas such as transparency of societies and security.

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