Category: Conservation of Forest

Should Ecosystem Services be Given Monetary Value? Essay

Ecosystem services are ecological characteristics, functions, or processes that indirectly or directly contribute to human wellbeing and benefits such as food and materials that people derive from ecosystems (Constanza,1997). They are characterised by their amenities, goods, physicalities, or services (Everard, 2017). Created by living organisms interacting within their environment, ecosystems provide both conditions and processes that sustain life. Thus, they are essential to our existence despite being taken for granted. Natural capital, stock that yields service flow over time, interacts with manufactured and human capital, enabling flow to human well-being (Constanza, 2017). This essay will argue that the social and environmental impacts of monetary valuations mean it is unsustainable to implement monetary values on ecosystem services.

It has been argued that ecosystem service valuation is impractical as environmental aesthetics, ecological assets, and human life are invaluable (Constanza, 1997). However, we implicitly assess ecosystem service’s values whenever we use, protect, or degrade the environment. For example, someone may appreciate a display in a museum, and so they value it, albeit not necessarily in monetary terms (Constanza, 2017). Hence, the critical consideration should be whether the valuation of these services is accurate enough to be environmentally and socially beneficial. For instance, provisioning goods such as timber, have a price, but there is no repercussion for the deforestation that occurs. We explicitly value these goods, yet the services generating them typically have no market value (Constanza, 1997). Thus, revealing the perception of natural capital as a free good which single-handedly leads to the over-exploitation of natural assets in the short term (Lant, 2008). Additionally, the ecosystem’s location is significant in determining the distribution of goods and services, as well as those available. Locations alter perceptions of nature and ecosystem services; thus monetary valuations are not always adequate as they do not translate differences in perceptions (Koetse, 2015). For example, local people might pay more for an ecosystem service that provides recreational use, whereas people who live further away might be willing to pay less for the same service. Thus, monetary valuation is not adequate and does not provide a steady starting point for providing a value that different factions of society identify with.

An ideal method to include natural capital in decision-making would be to give local ecosystem services an accurate monetary value, reflecting the benefits delivered to society, and preserving our ecosystem services. Due to their encompassing nature, ecosystem services are not currently involved in policy making (Constanza, 2017). Thus, monetary valuation would provide a way in which ecosystem services could be implemented. However, too many challenges currently exist which prevent governments from executing monetary valuation in practice. Hence, ecosystem services are rarely included in decision making directly. These challenges include: identifying services on a local scale; measuring a precise value; protecting their future value (Constanza, 1997). The complexity of ecosystem services renders existing knowledge inadequate, and so we cannot impose a full economic regime when we do not understand the full extent of its consequences. Thus, as Constanza says, to do nothing would be a problem, but acting blindly is just as illogical as naively treating the earth’s resources as open access and infinite.

While market valuation uses market prices for values of tradable commodities, non-market focuses on social preferences (Miller, k., 2016). The market price method is a direct market valuation which uses values of products already on the market to estimate the value of ecosystem services, and so is easily applicable (Koetse et al, 2015). However, many services are not directly traded on markets. For those which are, subsidies and taxes distort the market, preventing the price from reflecting social and economic values accurately. The cost-based method estimates the value of an ecosystem service based on potential replacement, substitute, and damage costs if the ecosystem was not present (Koetse et al, 2015). If a wetland protects from flooding, then the benefits can be estimated by calculating the damages avoided. Likewise, the value of a wetland acting as a natural reservoir can be estimated by calculating the cost to construct and maintain an artificial reservoir of a similar size. However, this method fails to produce a precise measure of economic value by assuming that the service must be worth the exact cost of replacement. Therefore, the value is likely to be underestimated, and so the practicality of direct market valuation is undermined. The centralisation of limited factors and disregard for non-marketable aspects of ecosystems is problematic and would make this valuation ineffective and an irresponsible choice.

Alternatively, indirect market valuation could be used, such as the travel cost method. Using observations of visitor spending, this estimates the economic benefits provided by a recreational site (Koetse, 2015). The travel expenses that people incur to visit the site represent the implicit price of access to the site, and therefore how much value that ecosystem service must hold. While this is simple and experience-based, it is subject to inaccuracy. For instance, someone who cherishes the site may live near it, and so have cheap travel costs, meaning that this great personal value is not accounted for (Koetse, 2015).

Contrastingly, contingent valuation, a non-market valuation, is based on people’s willingness-to-pay (WTP), or willingness-to-accept (WTA) for an ecosystem service (Everard, 2017). In the Philippines, WTP was used to determine the expense that divers were willing to entail to dive in a marine sanctuary. The results demonstrated a positive WTP among divers with estimated annual revenues ranging between $0.85-1 million on Mactan Island (Arin, 2002). Applicable to any ecosystem and for any good or service, this method appears optimal. However, responses are subjective and theoretical, so may not reflect true behaviour. Additionally, it assumes that the public have enough knowledge about the given ecosystem service to be able to give a price reflecting the true value, which is unlikely, and so limits the application of contingent valuation to ecosystem services.

Ecosystems provide provisional services, which are the material benefits obtained from ecosystems. Water is essential to our survival; however it is distributed unevenly, leading to water scarcity in populous or arid regions. Water scarcity, a natural and human-made phenomenon, is amplifying due to growing global populations and water privatisation (UNDESA, 2014). Privatisation creates inequalities in water accessibility, leaving the poor and minorities struggling with limited or no access to clean water. Conflicts arise in relation to what the water is used for, and by whom it is used. For example, Northern Chile has an arid climate and faces water scarcity due to the proximity of the cold Humboldt current brining dry air to the region (Madaleno, 2017). The Northern territories are rich in minerals, and therefore are exploited by private businesses and mining companies. The 1981 Water Code separated water from land ownership, permitting an undemocratic use of water (Madaleno, 2017). This code has therefore prioritised the fast return of business, favouring the urbanised areas to the scattered rural populations, as well as to the ecosystems that depend on water. Therefore, monetisation of ecosystems and the services they provide, have both social and environmental outcomes which diminish cultures and leads to inevitable inequalities increasing between groups.

Understanding ecosystem services and their valuation helps inform effective policies and natural capital management. Payments for ecosystem services (PES), payments to landowners to provide or protect ecosystem services, contain an implicit recognition of ecosystem service’s values (Constanza, 2017). Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD ) is a popular PES scheme. Guyana, with 18.4 million hectares of forest, is a leading REDD country funded by Norway to preserve forests from further degradation caused by commercial practices such as mining and logging (Goslee, 2020). These schemes create incentives to protect ecosystem services by using valuation to express their worth. However, complexity about policy impacts and uncertainty of who owns or should pay for the services, and for how long, causes complications (Guerry, 2015). For example, in the Scottish National Policy Framework for Goose Management scheme concern has arisen among farmers that once geese populations have been restored, they will be left to deal with destruction caused by these geese without any compensation (Nsoh, 2013). Additionally, PES schemes risk forcing nature to be seen solely through an economical lens, rather than as a common heritage to be cherished. PES may also create perverse incentives and discourage natural phenomena. If someone is paid based on their forest cover, they are likely to use harmful chemicals to speed-up the process and plant monoculture forests which are less beneficial than natural forests. Therefore, without proper supervision and conservation of ecosystem services, monetary valuation can have negative outcomes, and so is unwarranted without a careful, integrated approach (Ferraro, 2011).

Monetisation indirectly leads to deterritorialization of indigenous populations. The Amazon is home to indigenous groups, including some of the world’s last uncontacted people living in voluntary isolation (Finer, 2008). Involving ecosystem goods such as oil, in the global market, means natural capital is exploited excessively. While large, outsider companies are economically benefitted, the indigenous groups living there are unlikely to economically gain. 180 oil and gas blocks cover 688,000 km2 of the Western Amazon (figure 1). The majority of these overlap with indigenous territories and are leased to companies, meaning that it is currently being done despite the indigenous people who are unable to have their say or to protest. This inequality in ability to speak out and be heard, as well as the monetary valuations, widens the inequality gap further. Resulting in the indigenous groups facing challenges, such as water pollution from oil spills (Finer, 2008). Pollution leads to infertile soils, so local groups will have to relocate in order to grow food. Also pollution brings diseases that the locals are not equipped to deal with. Development projects in Rondônia, one of the most deforested areas in Amazonia, has forcefully driven many indigenous groups of their land (Maruyama, 1998). These projects led to the building of dams for hydroelectric power, which have flooded many homes. Such as those of the Arara group, whose village was flooded by the building of Samuel Dam. Monetary valuation of ecosystem services can therefore lead to further exploitation of these ecosystems, as well as have dire consequences for indigenous groups that depend on these ecosystems that they live in harmony with. Hence, it is not ethical or feasible to implement monetisation of ecosystem services.

While monetary valuation of ecosystem services is an ideal way to involve natural capital more directly in decision-making, it is too inefficient and inaccurate to do so on its own. Nature is too valuable and subjective to put a price on and is inherently entangled with every aspect of life (Constanza, 2017). Therefore monetary valuation has inevitable impacts, both socially and environmentally. Thus, it is too destructive to do while not enough research has been undertaken to make valuation sustainable for all aspects of life.

Analysis of Background of Fair Trade and Pillars of Sustainability

Fair trade is defined as when third-world countries pay producers in third-world states a fair price for their work. It is when the price is paid for products that give producers enough to offer life’s basics like food, education, and healthcare. How fair trade works is essential as the identity in understanding the benefits of purchasing appropriate trade products. It is critical to know how the system works and how it affects both ends of the scale. The benefits of fair trade are so many, as discussed here below ((Naylor 2017, p.816-835). Fairtrade works on a model of the least price. Having a bond benefits farmers and producers of products like coffee and fair trade bananas to increase their pay, lowering the risk of scarcity, and upturning the security of their jobs and household income.

Background of Fairtrade and what it aims to achieve in terms of Elkington’s (2001)’s three pillars of sustainability.

The fair trade movement has undergone numerous modifications since its early days after World War II. The first formal Fair Trade shop opened its doors in 1958 in the USA. Fairtrade is a model innate out of a need to produce equality for farmers, growers, and producers in third-world countries. Fairtrade strives to ensure that fairer terms of trade between buyers and farmers have been achieved (Lernoud and Willer, 2017, p.143-148). They further offer protection for workers’ rights and offer producers a framework for building farms and organizations that will thrive. Among the primary purposes of Fairtrade standards is to guarantee those producers get prices that shield their regular, sustainable production costs. Offer extra Fairtrade Premium that can be capitalized in projects that will boost social, economic, and eco-friendly development. It further hints to allow pre-financing for producers who need it. Provide mechanisms for long-term trading partnerships and assist more considerable producer control over the trading process.

Sustainability is usually viewed as an objective of companies, nonprofits, and management in the past decades. However, quantifying the grade to which a society is being sustainable or pursuing sustainable development can be challenging. Fairtrade through John Ellington’s stove to measuring sustainability has been achieved. This involves the triple bottom line. The three principles sound in the process includes the economic measures where the economic variable is supposed to be a variable that works with the bottom line and the flow of money, with specific examples being personal income and job growth. The second pillar is the Environmental measures, where the environmental variables signify natural resources’ capacities and replicate possible encouragements on their viability (Mason and Doherty, 2016, p.451-469). The social standards have some social dimensions applied by fair trade in various regions and include but are not limited to education, equity, and social resources access.

Contribution of a Fairtrade organization to long-term global sustainability.

Fairtrade, through its efforts, ensures that it has long-lasting plans that contribute to global sustainability. There is a Fairtrade Least price that is a safety net for almost 1.7 million agriculturalists and employees in more than 75 states, safeguarding them from unpredictable marketplaces and making sure that they can improve their justifiable production costs to accomplish the objective. A good example is the coffee farmers affected by the global price crash; this ensures that poverty-related cases have been eradicated (Wang and Chen, 2019, p.66-72). The fair trade Access fund has been millions of dollars to date, benefitting small-scale farmers in 18 states leading to the end of hunger and attaining food security, and refining nutrition while upholding justifiable agriculture. It also supports some smallholder’s associations like the Zawadi Women coffee farmers.

Fairtrade standards contribute to sustainability by advocating for gender fairness and women and girls’ authorization by fighting all forms of discrimination and advocating for parental leave. Lot is achieved, aiming for the future by having gender leadership schools that facilitate seed funding for women enterprises through the fair trade premium. Inequalities are also a long-lasting project that honest trade endeavors to achieve ((Mook, and Overdevest, 2018, p.269-280). The organizations strive to ensure that youths and migrant employees in rural societies are well-fortified and more self-assured to participate in decision-making in their companies and farms. Among those fair trade has helped is the Haitian migrant banana workers in the Dominion Republic. Goal 13 on the workable development of fair trade is to combat climate change and its impacts on employees and farmers who take part as front liners on climate risks.

Fairtrade sponsors climate-resilient farming through its ideals and plans to safeguard the environment and biodiversity. More and more farmers are harvesting freshwater, planting shade trees, swapping to biogas and green energy sources, and capitalizing on combined pest management, organic fertilizers, and dynamic agroforestry. The Fairtrade Climate Standard is the first to report inequities in the carbon market and ensure a fair financial return for the producers. Fairtrade has established inclusive institutions that are accountable in their internal administrations ((Cater, Collins, and Beal, 2017, p.185-201). Fairtrade remains the only world ethical label, 50 percent maintained and run by farmers and workers alone. Fairtrade allows rural communities to have an investment and develop other world objectives of sustainable growth. Since the SDGs were launched in 2015, many financial resources have been channeled to fund schools and hospitals and ensure safe and clean drinking water. The trade leads to benefits for the environment since it contributes entirely to the ground. The concept of fair trade encourages fairness as those who produce their products have to control them, and they work in good, safe, secure environments. They cannot be subjected to discrimination or prejudice.

Some advantages and disadvantages are related to fair trade. Among the advantages are that fair trade offers an excellent wage system in place. Society gets some extended benefits that exceed just basic needs. Fait trade allows some small business owners to become internationally competitive. Organic techniques applied by fair trade create some suitable products. Under fair trade, products are offered with an assured minimum price no matter what happens. Multiple products are always available (Schenk, 2019, P.397-423). There exists no perfect system, and therefore, flaws are always there. Among the disadvantages related to the discourse is that producers’ slight responsibility, is that significant purchasers are not usually concerned with the fair trade ideal. The standard of society’s development continues to diminish over the years. There is no drive to form better capabilities.

Fairtrade supports climate-resilient agriculture through its standards and courses to guard the environment and biodiversity. They make their resolutions on spending the Fairtrade Premium, whether refining output or addressing their community’s sustainable development priorities. Fairtrade exists as the only organization adhering to ethical standards working on both ends of the supply chain towards goal 12 on workable consumption and invention forms. At one end, producer societies are supported to adhere to the organization’s environmental and social standards (including no GMO and no child or forced labor. On the other end, buyers and sellers are held responsible through the Fairtrade Trader Standard, which shields clear contracts, fair prices, frankness about finding and market predictions, pre-financing for producers, and agreement with environmental labor law.

Fairtrade has established ways of fighting climate change and its influences on farmers and employees at the vanguard of weather risks. A substantial number of farmers harvest rainwater, plant shade trees, switch to biogas and renewable energy sources, and invest in cohesive pest management, organic fertilizers, and vibrant agroforestry (Ruggeri and Corsi, 2019, P.118-191). The Fairtrade Climate Standard is the first to address disparities in the carbon market and guarantee a reasonable monetary return for the producers.

Compare fairtrade with at least one other VEP and critically discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Voluntary Environmental Programs and their role in facilitating environmental sustainability – is it a short-term temporary approach or a proper solution to the problems we face?

Fairtrade takes a different approach from many other VEP that focuses on a system that is long-term and yields sustainable decent livelihoods for all the stakeholders. Fairtrade has continued to set some social, environmental, and economic standards that progressively raise the bar in various sectors. Compare to Rainforest; Fairtrade is doing better and realizing its goals effectively and efficiently. The most significant difference between fair trade and Rainforest is high in the paid price of products. A good example is a guarantee that Fairtrade makes $ 1.21 (65p) per pound of green coffee beans ((Bhavsar, Diallo, and ‘like, 2021, p.124). The Rain forest Alliance guarantees no minimum price on the products and leaves the sellers and buyers hanging with no anticipation of the costs.

Rainforest Alliance permits small entities a helpful entry point onto the ethical market since there is no 100% RA certification and further offers entities an opportunity to become more honest in the future if they want to be. The Fairtrade mark does not in any way afford ways in which companies can join the ethical market. Fairtrade is offering a new sourcing program that allows products to contain only Fairtrade agreements.

Voluntary environmental programs are initiatives meant to advance the environment by reassuring, moderately than assigning, companies and other establishments to implement ecologically caring measures. The creativities through Fairtrade help firms to be able to enhance their reputation with a wide range of constituents. The plans lead states to have similar ways to deal with any challenge and new industries, occasionally with more all-inclusive tactics than the media-specific, end-of-pipe focus of most current laws. On the other side of the book, voluntary plans are inadequate by the absence of clear price or controlling indications to push changes in company or purchaser action or inspire demand for domestic know-how. ‘Free riding,’ where some companies avoid making any effort while others willingly address a problem and keep more directives at bay, may be an issue in some cases (Dragusanu, Giovannucci, and Nunn, 2018,p.276). Debatably, a volunteer method may change considerably from the principal contaminators- that may be both the source of more production and more low-cost release reductions- to cleaner firms that emit less and have already taken substantial action. Some in the eco-friendly community see voluntary programs as a disruption from the real work of taking compulsory action.

Wide-ranging work has been done on the enthusiasm for firms to contribute; doing so may help pre-empt the danger of rule, affect future administration, improve stakeholder affairs, or gain practical benefit. EPs can have difficulty establishing their credibility with consumers, who may be skeptical about the label’s significance. Furthermore, consumers end up buying less polluting products without buying more from eco-friendly businesses. With this in mind, VEPs needs to engage with customers and establish their reputation to ensure that the system works as planned. (Meemken et al, 2019, 635-642) Fair Trade efforts on Voluntary Environmental programs are long-term to transform communities positively. The issues of climate, equality and better working conditions, wages for workers, and reasonable market prices for products produced go a long way in simply transforming a state and leaving an indelible mark. The approach thus set a trajectory that is followed and turns the challenges encountered into opportunities.

Conclusion

Fairtrade has contributed significantly to sustainable development through various actions and continues to be in the lead on ensuring that fairness, equity, and equality have been achieved for sellers, buyers, and other concerned stakeholders. While playing the role of leadership, Fairtrade has been supporting and offering a challenge to governments and commercial entities in connecting farmers and employees with buyers who can purchase their products. Fairtrade enables farmers’ groups to develop and establish more substantial businesses while encouraging democracy, accountability, and administrative efficiency.

Environment conservation is a fundamental concept well appreciated by fair trade. Fairtrade calls upon small-scale farmers and large-scale farmers to adhere to environmental conservation measures. The access to essential service opportunities brought about by Fairtrade enables farmers and communities to benefit from grants that lead to the eradication of poverty. Voluntary environmental initiatives are so important since they ensure that buyers and consumers buy less polluting products. The creativities involved in VEP aids entities in implementation.

Starbucks and its Marketing Strategies

Starbucks has become a force to be reckoned with over the years in the coffee industry, providing a name for itself firstly in the United States and soon branching internationally. In this age, it would come across very hard to find someone who has not even heard of the brand Starbucks in their entire life. How is it possible for a small business to grow so rapidly and to even earn the recognition of the world? The way how Starbucks market themselves plays a very important role in how they are well renowned company today. Starbucks is well known for their ability of creating and capturing customer values. This study will talk about how Starbucks manage to grab the attention of the world through every single cup of coffee they put out.

Firstly, Starbucks exhibits the capability to be able to understand the marketplace as well as customers’ needs and wants. During the formation of the company, Starbucks main goal was to provide coffee beans and equipment to the public, however they shifted in to the café industry due to fact that Howard Schultz saw the need of high quality premium coffee to be more accessible to those in the United States. Cafes in Seattle at the time also lack café with conducive environments to accommodate various human activities including socializing and studying. Hence, Starbucks was reformed to cater to the need of a comfortable hang out environment and the lack of high-grade coffee mixes in the area. In terms of market offerings, Starbucks not only offers premium coffee and a peaceful surrounding but also focuses on other entities that make their market. Some of them include other products (pastries, food and non-caffeinated beverages) as well as their excellent customer service. Starbucks is a leading example in balancing the attention they give in to their coffee and the attention they give to their customers. The company ensures the customers get the best experience after every visit, even if it is for a short stop to get a morning cup of joe.

Secondly, Starbucks has designed a Customer-Driven Marketing Management. Starbucks’s targeted audience is middle and upper-class men and woman who can afford Starbuck’s high pricing in everyday consumption. The company practices monosegment positioning which involves of building a business directly catering to only a single market segment (Mullins, 2004), in this case middle and upper-class customers. However, the company also practices adaptive and standby positioning techniques for more flexibility in the case of the downfall in their in-coffee sales. This can be seen by how Starbucks does not only provide only in-house brewed coffee but recently also bottled coffee, aiming for the packaged drinks industry as well. Starbucks has done this to overcome the inconvenience of lining up in their stores for a cup of coffee for its busy customers as well as to meet the high demands of coffee in areas where Starbucks outlets are not available.

Starbuck’s value proposition focuses on 3 aspects; producing high quality coffee by working directly with suppliers and growers, customer intimacy and an environment of the store that makes customers stay (Alsitrawi, 2016). The company has well off achieved all three of these goals in their business.

In terms of marketing management orientations, Starbucks maintains its holistic production concept in line with its societal marketing concept. According to Starbucks’s official website, the company ‘ethically sources coffee through responsible purchasing practices, farmer loans and forest conservation programs’ in preparing their coffee. Their natural production concept as well as societal marketing concept by being mindful of the environment is what attracts customers to choose their coffee over other premium coffee brands. Customers are attracted to the idea that them buying a cup of coffee from Starbucks can help achieve their role in contributing to the wellness of the environment.

As most successful companies do, Starbucks follows the marketing mix and changes the mix from time to time in response to competition or economy instability (Greenspan, 2019). The marketing mix consists of the 3Ps’ which are product, place, price and promotion. In terms of products as mentioned earlier, Starbucks does not only offer drinks but pastries and food. Starbucks also has their own merchandise line which is always a crowd puller. Place wise, all these items are all sold in store or can be bought from retailers or through the Starbucks mobile application, Starbucks Reward. Starbucks however follows a premium pricing strategy, taking advantage of the perspective of correlation most people tend to which is ‘higher price, higher value’ (Greenspan, 2019). The aspects of promotion relate on communication approaches to promote the firm and the products sold by the firm. In the case of Starbucks, the company relies on interpersonal interactions and advertising. Starbuck’s promotional mix consist of word-of-mouth marketing, advertising, sales promotions and public relations (Greenspan, 2019). As a company that prioritizes customers satisfaction, the company highly relies on word of mouth. Advertising and sales promotions are done within the media; on televisions, newspapers and on their media pages. According to Greenspan, Starbucks relies less on public relations due to fear of backlash, a trauma from the Race Together event in 2015 (Greenspan, 2019).

Starbucks’s customers relationship management is highly regarded. Starbucks consumers undergo what is commonly known as the ‘Starbucks Experience’ in which the company promises an excellent and memorable service from the moment you enter the store’s doors. Starbucks employees are trained to greet their customers the moment they walk in with genuine smile (Lam, 2013). They intimately connect with their customers without going too far off their place. The firm places customer service as its priority especially after Howard took over the company as his dreams was to achieve an Italian café style of serving coffee (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2016). Starbucks also has the flexibility of drink choices to provide for wide ranges of consumers with their in-store trained barista. A small but impactful action that the company also takes in to practice is the writing the names of the consumers on to each cup of coffee they make, The idea of personalization and customization of drinks helps market the coffee chain to greater heights as it becomes more widely accepted and more attractive to other groups which could need specific dietary requirements or specifications.

Starbucks uses a wide variety of Customer Relationship tools in order to keep in touch with their consumers and to maintain consumer loyalty. Social media is one of the big key players in customer relationship for the company. The firm manages all types of social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc…) in other to keep in contact with its consumers. The platform also allows the company to advertise and put their brand out to potential consumers. Starbucks handles their social media well by updating frequently about latest promotions, new drinks and additional information such as community service reports and merchandise details The social platform has also given a chance for consumers to voice out their opinions on their experience in Starbucks and the drinks they have consumed. A good example can be seen when they make polls on Instagram stories in order to gather information on crowd favourites. The company would also ask for the consumers comments and opinions on new drinks.

In terms of maintaining customer loyalty, Starbucks has designed a program called the Starbucks Reward Program. The reward program allows members to collect rewards, receive discounts and freebies, giving members more reasons to choose the brand over other brands.

Role of Print Media in Coverage of Environment Issues

Abstract

Media has been considered as fourth pillar of democracy, where everyone has right to expression. With its vast reach, mass media is called ‘ the magic multiplier’ which demonstrates its powerful impact. Because mass media is a platform to highlight social, political, cultural, global issues alongside the voices of common people to attract the attention of governing body towards the matters at hand, media also plays role of a awareness agent. It is a tool in the hands of both people and organizations to discuss the issues of high importance. UN also lays great emphasis on the utility of mass media to spread awareness about development plans, SDG and programs. Since the heavy industrialization and development in past century has posed a threat to the ecosystem of our planet, the whole world has awaked from its deep sleep. UN has laid sustainable development goals to the signatory countries to achieve Environment eco-harmony by reducing pollution, plastic waste, and emission of CO2 etc. In this direction, UN has clearly pointed at media in spreading awareness about the need of sustainable development, preservation of forests and eco-system. It lays heavy responsibility on the shoulders of mass media to plays its role of ‘magic multiplier’. This paper will analyze the role of Print Media in spreading awareness of environmental issues by doing qualitative analysis of the national dailies. To complete this study, content analysis will be done of two national dailies in English and Hindi language following a Comparative analysis of the both.

INTRODUCTION

Environment degradation has been the hot topic since last century. The first two decades of the twenty century have seen great violation and excessive use of natural resources resulting in depletion of environment on earth followed by extreme de-forestation to accommodate the increasing industry and population. This violent use of natural resources resulted in climate change and global warming issues which are not a threat to one single nation but to whole earth and habitat on earth. This wrath is faced by human kind along with other species existing on earth and water. The increased emission of CO2 and other green house gases has resulted in increase in earth temperature resulting in the melting of glaciers. The increased pollution has contaminated not only the soil but the air and water also. Seeing the degrading condition of environment, the UN (United Nations) has come up with certain resolutions for the protection and conservation of the environment. The countries are encouraged to shift towards green energy rather than relying on fossil fuels. Right to a safe, healthy and ecologically-balanced environment has been added into Human Rights by UN. UN has put great focus on the use of media for the use of spreading awareness about it among people. Citizens of earth can make great contribution in the conservation of environment by minimizing the use of products and services which are hazardous to nature. It has been seen that people are not aware about the environment issues and the causes of it. In this regard, media need to take up the education role to spread awareness and contribute in the conservation of the environment.

Media is known as a communication tool which caters to various needs and demands of the people like information, entertainment, awareness etc. Media as a whole includes newspapers, magazines, billboards, TV, radio, new media, telephone etc. With the advancement of technology, role and face media has changes. It has reached to even the remote areas of nation where there was no source of information few years back. With the advent of new media and internet, the reach of other media has multiplied. Today, if one is travelling can watch TV or listen to radio or even read newspaper on the go with the help of over the top services. Media reach increases the participation of people in media and thus enables communication. Media can play a vital role in conservation of environment and environment communication. Media has maximum reach to people and thus can spread awareness about the crisis earth is facing. It can pass on the versatile type of information with the help of news, articles, features and photographs in case of print and documentaries, bulletins and special shows in case of radio and TV.

Print media is the oldest form of media adopted by people. Even in the era of digital media, print has kept the pace with the changes in the arena of communication. Additionally, the print media carries a legacy of authenticity and credibility since centuries which plays a great role in the behavior change of readers after reading the news or information. People read the paper first thing in the morning with their tea which reflects the importance of paper in day to day life of a reader. Coverage of the news related to the hazards or conservation of environment results in awareness of the people about the issues. Mass media conducts research on environment issues that brings insight in the issue and creates greater impact on reader. Often it is seen that people are not aware how their daily activities are affecting the environment and when media informs about it, they feel responsible on individual level for the climate issues and tend shift towards sustainable lifestyle in harmony with the ecology of the planet. This paper is focused on studying the coverage given to climate issues and environment conservation by the selected newspapers: The Hindu, The Tribune and Dainik Jagran. The selected papers are of national level and have larger circulation thus have vast reach to the people which could have wider impact of the information shared by the media.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Saikia, R. (2017). states that the activities related to environment awareness run by the media and anti-environment degradation clubs and organizations have been unsuccessful. Not only rural population but also the urban people remained unaware about the destruction of environment and its protection. The main cause for environment crisis faced by country lies in the lack of proper management and utilization of natural resources. To achieve the objectives and goals for environment protection, people need to be aware about the environment crisis and media can be the best medium for it. Media has indispensible role to play in spreading awareness and sensitizing people for the environment crisis.

Kiplimo, K. G. & Dr. Obiri, J. (2015). discussed that media can play vital role in educating people about the issues of global warming and climate change. It is the responsibility of individuals to conserve and protect their environment and media can play a vital role in taking up education of environment and spreading it to people. Apart from policy framing, media needs to unfold education and embrace teaching role. The environment content needs to be projected in right and flawless manner by explaining the causes and effect of climate issues and suggest the action to taken to curb the same.

Kapoor, N. (2011). explained that mass media has not been successfully used for spreading the awareness about environment issues which hindered the adoption of advance farming technologies by respondents. It is high time for mass media to develop effective communication strategy to bring awareness and extension of advance techniques in the area of agriculture among the people of Shringverpur village, in Allahabad district. In order to aware the locals about the conservation of natural resources, effective policies and communication plans are required. In this scenario, the media has crucial role to play for science communication and in bridging the gap between people and science.

Kaur, A. & Dr Chahal, H. S. (2018) described that social media uses has strong relation with environment awareness. The respondents agreed to the idea of sharing and exchange of information of such portals. They have an urge to information and this increases their level of understanding about environment issues and they also want to contribute in the same.

Sypsas , A. , Tsitsanoudis, N.M. & Dromantiene, L. (n.d.). found their study that modern living has great impact on the ecology of earth. The issues of climate change and global warming have been prime topics for discussion throughout the decades. To combat that the policy makers need to frame the policies to aware and educate people about the gravity of the issues along with individual responsibility towards the environment conservation. Digital media specifically [lays key role in spreading awareness and establishing eco-friendly lifestyle. Due the maximum use of digital media by youth, the educational organizations need to create curriculum which cater to the demanding needs of information about environment crisis.

CONCLUSION

In the nutshell, the study found that environment news are often covered as an event story when any disaster or activity take place in that area. The coverage is very low to single news per day on average during the time of sampling. However, the dailies of both the languages (English & Hindi) give equal importance to the environment issues and follow similar angles. The lack of educative role of media in spreading awareness about environment issues is felt. Most of the coverage of the issues is in the form of reporting an incident which lacks in emotional appeal and involvement of the readers in conserving the environment. Lastly, the study suggests that coverage of success stories and educative content is need of the hour for media to play its effective role in opinion making.

REFERENCES

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