We often adopt reductive and quick fix approaches towards solving environmental problems. In the process we invite many new problems to solve one. We should consider the entire (eco)system approach, not just components of the systems in isolation from each other but the whole because the simple summation of the parts does not make the whole. We should take a holistic view of the environmental systems. The components of an ecosystem are interconnected, interdependent and interactive, causing multiple interactions among themselves to make an organic whole.
I expect RG to become a platform for some inspiring, thought provoking and enriching interaction on the above issue (with real life examples).
Dear Jayanta,
I totally agree. Moreover, I also expect the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to become a platform for systemic approaches to solve environmental problems.
The traditional environment protection approach is related to the endangered media soil, water and air. Methods for the standardized assessment of environmental quality make use of biological and/or physico-chemical monitoring of the different environmental media. In 1971 standardization agencies all over the world started to face environmental issues by establishing dedicated committees on “Air Quality”, “Water Quality”, and later “Soil Quality” within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The objectives of standardization related to air quality characterization are focused on emission testing, workplace atmospheres, ambient air, indoor air, and in particular on measurement methods for air pollutants as well as meteorological parameters (International Organization for Standardization, 2005a). The standardized assessment of water quality resorts to the chemical methods including the investigation of sum-parameters and single analytes as well as the biological methods including toxicity and biodegradability (International Organization for Standardization, 2004). Standardization in the field of soil quality resorts to the measurement of potential contaminants, the description of methods for cleaning polluted soils, and the guidance for human and ecotoxicological risk assessment. Moreover, guidance for the description of soil degradation related to local and diffuse contamination, erosion, loss of organic matter, acidification, risk of landslides, loss of biodiversity, salinization, desertification, sealing, and compaction is also specified by international standards (International Organization for Standardization, 2014).
To date, the media-related environment protection approach is complemented by the causal approach and the vital approach. On the one hand, the substance-specific causal approach assures that the handling of specific substances is regulated due to their ecological risk potential. On the other hand, the vital approach serves the direct prevention of adverse impacts that are mediated by the environment (soil, water, air) to human beings, animals, plants, and inanimate objects. Hence, state-of-the-art environmental quality assessment makes also use of directly investigating the subject of protection by means of epidemiology, toxicology, biomonitoring, and material testing. To a certain extent, this situation is also reflected by the establishment of other groups of environmental experts within ISO focusing on, e.g., “Environmental Management” and “Sustainable Development in Communities”. (International Organization for Standardization, 2005b, 2013), However, the systemic environmental quality assessment including detection of relationships and trends in adverse impacts mediated by the environment to organisms, ecosystems, and inanimate objects is not covered by comprehensive standard methods.
For further reading please check the attached link.
Best,
Sascha
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231017304405
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