Welcome

The Environmental Policy Paradox provides an introduction to the policy making process in the United States with regard to air, water, land use, agriculture, energy, and waste disposal, while introducing students to both global and international environmental issues and institutions.

The text explains why some environmental ideas shape policy while others do not, and illustrates that even when the best short- and long-term solutions to environmental problems are identified, the task of implementing these solutions is often left undone or is completed too late. Students are presented with a comprehensive history of the environmental movement paired with the most up-to-date account of environmental policy available today.

Learning Goals

•        Outline the environmental policymaking process in the United States and abroad.
•        Explain the challenges to implementing environmental policy.
•        Understand the history of the environmental movement.