Preserving the Animal Kingdom and the Earth's Untamed Realms in Unison
In the 1960s and 1970s, bipartisan environmental action was a cornerstone of American politics, driven by a rising public awareness and concern about pollution and conservation. This period marked a significant shift in the nation's approach to the environment, as key legislative milestones like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970, and the Clean Water Act of 1972, were all enacted with strong bipartisan Congressional support [1][2].
This era was characterized by a broad consensus on the importance of conserving natural resources and controlling pollution, reflecting a time when environmental action wasn't a political wedge issue; it was common sense. The movement gained momentum as the environment became more personal, with people witnessing the effects of pollution, smog, and contamination in their daily lives [3].
However, as environmental issues became more closely linked with broader political ideologies and economic interests, the landscape began to change. By the 1990s and 2000s, partisan divides grew sharper, with Republicans generally opposing regulatory measures like EPA greenhouse gas rules and climate legislation, while Democrats typically supported stronger environmental protections [3].
Economic concerns, particularly related to fossil fuel industries, energy policy, and regulatory costs, deepened these divisions. Political leaders sometimes framed environmental regulations as either necessary protections or as burdensome government overreach, contributing to the polarization seen today [3][4].
Despite the partisan divides, bipartisan efforts persist in specific areas where environmental goals align with economic or regional interests. For instance, senators from both parties recently introduced legislation like the Forest Bioeconomy Act to promote sustainable forest research [5].
The long history of environmentalism in the United States can be traced back to influential figures like Henry David Thoreau, John D. Rockefeller, and Theodore Roosevelt, who carried the environmental mission into the early 20th century [6]. The movement was a national call to action to prioritize the health and well-being of the planet and ourselves, a call that continues to resonate today.
References:
[1] National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Environmental_Policy_Act
[2] Environmental Protection Agency - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Protection_Agency
[3] Climate change in the United States - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_in_the_United_States
[4] Partisan polarization - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partisan_polarization
[5] Forest Bioeconomy Act of 2021 - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Bioeconomy_Act_of_2021
[6] History of the environmental movement in the United States - Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_environmental_movement_in_the_United_States
- The shift in the 1960s and 1970s towards environmental science and policy-and-legislation was driven by a shared understanding of the importance of conserving natural resources and controlling pollution, a period when these concerns were not confined to politics, but recognized as general-news and common sense.
- As climate-change began to intertwine with broader political ideologies and economic interests, policy and legislation related to environmental science faced increased partisan divisions, with debates over greenhouse gas rules, climate legislation, and regulatory costs adding to the political polarization of the 1990s and 2000s.
- While partisan divides persist in many areas of environmental-science policy-and-legislation, there are instances of bipartisan efforts, as demonstrated by recent senatorial legislation like the Forest Bioeconomy Act, which promotes sustainable forest research in the interest of both the environment and regional economies.
