Interpret the Evidence and Put It in Context

1. Why did George W. Bush oppose the Kyoto protocol (Document 29.1)? What issues does he prioritize in stating his administration’s environmental plans? How does he envision the United States working with the rest of the world to reduce emissions?

2. According to Lester Brown, what new environmental challenges do the United States and the world face (Document 29.2)? How has globalization altered the nature of environmental challenges? How does Brown link the potential for food shortages with national security?

3. According to the findings section of the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Environmental Justice Act of 2007, what environmental problems do Americans face (Document 29.3)? How do people of color and the poor suffer disproportionately?

4. How does Barack Obama link the environment to the economy (Document 29.4)? According to Obama, what role should government play in environmental issues? Would George W. Bush disagree with Obama’s ideas? Why or why not?

5. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, how has the climate changed in the past century (Document 29.5)? How has climate change accelerated in more recent years? How does this data support or refute the arguments of the authors of the other documents?

1. How is environmental policy connected to other political issues? What factors must government consider when fashioning environmental policy?