Polluter pays principle
Polluter Pays Principle (pronunciation: puh-loo-ter peyz prin-suh-puhl) is an environmental policy principle which requires that the costs of pollution be borne by those who cause it. In essence, the Polluter Pays Principle is the commonly accepted practice that those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it to prevent damage to human health or the environment.
Etymology
The term "Polluter Pays Principle" originated from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guiding Principles concerning International Economic Aspects of Environmental policies in 1972. The principle is designed to deter people from polluting by making it less expensive for them to behave in an environmentally responsible way.
Related Terms
- Environmental Policy: The commitment of an organization or government to the laws, regulations, and other policy mechanisms concerning environmental issues.
- OECD: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, an international organization that works to build better policies for better lives.
- Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
- Externalities: Costs or benefits that affect a party who did not choose to incur that cost or benefit.
Application
The Polluter Pays Principle is applied to encourage manufacturers and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and minimize the environmental impact of their operations. It is often used as a regulatory approach to remediate environmental harm and deter future pollution. The principle is also used to determine who is responsible for paying for environmental cleanups.
Criticism
Critics of the Polluter Pays Principle argue that it can be difficult to accurately assign costs to pollution, particularly in cases where pollution is widespread or its effects are not immediately apparent. There are also concerns that the principle may be used to justify the continued pollution of the environment, as long as the polluter is willing and able to pay for it.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Polluter pays principle
- Wikipedia's article - Polluter pays principle
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski