Linking Science and Technology to Society's Environmental Goals

Where should the United States focus its long-term efforts to improve the nation's environment? What are the nation's most important environmental issues? What role should science and technology play in addressing these issues? Linking Science and Technology to Society's Environmental Goals provides the current thinking and answers to these questions.Based on input from a range of experts and interested individuals, including representatives of industry, government, academia, environmental organizations, and Native American communities, this book urges policymakers to:Use social science and risk assessment to guide decision-making.Monitor environmental changes in a more thorough, consistent, and coordinated manner.Reduce the adverse impact of chemicals on the environment.Move away from the use of fossil fuels.Adopt an environmental approach to engineering that reduces the use of natural resources.Substantially increase our understanding of the relationship between population and consumption.This book will be of special interest to policymakers in government and industry; environmental scientists, engineers, and advocates; and faculty, students, and researchers.Table of ContentsFront MatterPart I: Committee ReportSummarySociety's Environmental GoalsUse Social Science and Risk Assessment to Make Better Societal ChoicesFocus on Monitoring to Build Better Understanding of Our Ecological SystemsReduce the Adverse Impacts of Chemicals in the EnvironmentDevelop Environmental Options for the Energy SystemUse a Systems Engineering and Ecological Approach to Reduce Resource UseImprove Understanding of the Relationship Between Population and Consumption as a Means to Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Population GrowthSet Environmental Goals Via Rates and Directions of ChangeBibliographyPart II: Commissioned PapersNational Environmental Goals: Implementing the Laws, Visions of the Future, and ResearchMeasurement of Environmental Quality in the United StatesAttitudes Toward the Environment Twenty-Five Years After Earth DayEnvironmental Goals and Science Policy: A Review of Selected CountriesCan States Make a Market for Environmental Goals?Setting Environmental Goals: The View from Industry. A Review of Practices from the 1960sStatus of Ecological Knowledge Related to Policy Decision-Making Needs in the Area ofThe Federal Budget and Environmental PrioritiesPart III: Keynote Addresses and PresentationsD. James Baker, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationThomas Grumbly, U.S. Department of EnergyBarry Gold, U.S. Department of the InteriorHarlan Watson, House Committee on ScienceDavid Garman, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural ResourcesJohn Wise and Peter Truitt, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyJudith Espinosa and Peggy Duxbury, President's Council onGilbert S. Omenn, University of WashingtonPart IV: AppendixesA Committee Member and Staff Biographical InformationB Forum AgendaC Forum ParticipantsD Summary of Responses to Call for CommentsE Respondents to Call for CommentsF Summary of Breakout-Group DiscussionsG Detecting Changes in Time and SpaceH Contents and Executive Summary of a Report of the Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and GovernmentIndex