60
In chapter 1 two principles of environmental management were noted: prudence
and stewardship. Standards, monitoring, and the other
approaches covered in this
chapter are crucial for pursuing those principles. They are vital for meaningful
evaluation on which to base forward planning and policy decisions, for law making
and enforcement,
for effective implementation, co-ordination, and for avoiding
unwanted impacts. The establishment of widely applicable scientific standards has
been one of the most important achievements of western civilization (‘standards
of behaviour’ —ethics—have been discussed earlier, pp. 22–24).
Monitoring,
modelling, auditing and environmental management systems help ensure ongoing
objectives are set and met, check progress and warn of problems and opportunities.
Put crudely, standards are benchmarks and the other things discussed in this chapter
are concerned with understanding what is happening,
checking and stock-taking,
using those benchmarks.
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: 
