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The Role of Science in Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection Decisionmaking

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Sustainable Development: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy

Part of the book series: Environmental Science and Technology Library ((ENST,volume 3))

Abstract

Those designing sustainable development implementation schemes will inevitably look to scientists to help them understand sustainable development problems. Scientists have already made important contributions to the understanding of many serious environmental problems, such as the causal relationship between certain synthetic chemicals and destruction of the ozone layer. If scientists had not identified the relationship between upper atmospheric ozone concentrations and releases of chloroflorocarbons, government decisionmakers would not have agreed to action limiting their production. However, although causes and effects of some environmental problems are understood well, others are not, such as the timing and magnitude of climate change caused by greenhouse gases. If global environmental problems are serious, there is an obvious and urgent need to increase scientific understanding of which human actions cause environmental degradation and how nations can proceed with needed development programs without causing further environmental damage.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, 04005, USA

    John Lemons

  2. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Bureau of Hazardous Sites and Superfund Enforcement, 400 Market St., Harrisburg, PA, 17101-2301, USA

    Donald A. Brown

Authors
  1. John Lemons
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  2. Donald A. Brown
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, USA

    John Lemons

  2. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Hazardous Sites and Superfund Enforcement, Harrisburg, PA, USA

    Donald A. Brown

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Lemons, J., Brown, D.A. (1995). The Role of Science in Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection Decisionmaking. In: Lemons, J., Brown, D.A. (eds) Sustainable Development: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy. Environmental Science and Technology Library, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8492-0_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8492-0_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4559-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-015-8492-0

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