Factors Determining the Uneven Impact of Environmental Degradation

2008-2009 Niger Delta Oil Spills and Shell's Settlement

Browneville: A Model of Firm-Citizen Conflict over Pollution

Applying the Angela-Bruno Conflict Model to Environmental Issues

Bunker Hill Company: Conflict Over Industrial Lead Pollution

A community is considering a public fireworks display. The demand for viewing the display can be represented by a straight line. The maximum willingness to pay for any individual is $20. At a price of $0, a total of 2,000 people would watch the display. What is the total social benefit generated by the fireworks display?

The Greenfield Manufacturing Plant

A corporation proposes building a new factory that will create hundreds of local jobs and generate significant tax revenue for a town. However, the factory's operations will also release pollutants into the air, with the negative health effects expected to be most severe in a residential neighborhood located downwind from the site. The corporation's owners and primary investors do not live in the affected area. Which of the following statements best analyzes the fundamental source of the social conflict described?

Conflict Over a Coastal Economy

Downstream Pollution Conflict

A large agricultural firm uses a potent pesticide that significantly increases its crop yield and profits. However, runoff from the fields contaminates a downstream river, causing a sharp decline in the fish population, which is the primary livelihood for a small fishing community. The firm's owners do not live in the region. A mediator proposes several solutions to resolve the conflict. Which of the following proposed solutions is LEAST likely to be effective because it fails to address the fundamental conflict of interest between the two parties?

In a typical environmental conflict arising from industrial pollution, different groups experience the economic and environmental impacts unevenly. Match each stakeholder group with the description that best represents their position or the effects they experience.

A city government is considering a proposal to build a large waste incinerator in a low-income neighborhood. Proponents argue that the project will generate affordable energy for the entire city and create jobs. Opponents, primarily residents of the neighborhood, are concerned about air pollution and potential health risks. A city official, in a public hearing, states: "This project is a net positive for our community because the total economic benefits, such as cheaper energy and new jobs, are projected to be greater than the total estimated costs of the environmental impact." From the perspective of social conflict over environmental quality, why is this official's argument potentially flawed?

A social conflict over pollution is resolved if a company demonstrates that the total monetary value of the economic benefits from its factory (e.g., jobs, products) is greater than the total monetary cost of the environmental damage it causes.

The Great River Dam Project

Conflict Over a Coastal Economy