Though the environment can have some controversy, a large majority of Americans feel that the government should do more to protect it. There are three reasons why this topic is so controversial. 1) Every governmental policy has some people that are happy with the outcome, and some that are not. 2) Many environmental issues are made with scientific uncertainty, and 3) much environmental policy takes form in entrepreneurial politics, causing the problems with having to help the decision makers overcome strong, emotional appeals for the political advantages of the client groups that oppose change. Environmental policy is shaped by the unique features of American politics. Environmental policy in the US is much more adversarial than in European nations. Another problem is that what is done depends on each state. For example, though there are universal national air quality standards, how those standards are achieved is up to the individualized states. Federalism reinforces adversarial politics. The separation of power guarantees that anyone who wants to wield power over environmental policy can have that opportunity. Controversies over controlling pollution from stationary sources take the form of entrepreneurial politics, while politics that intent to reduce air pollution caused by automobiles involves majorities politics.
Entrepreneurial politics created the environmental movement. The emerging environmental movement created the holiday of Earth Day, which was first celebrated on April 22nd, 1970, to celebrate its beginning. In 1970, President Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), while Congress made the Clean Air Act tighter and passed the Water Quality Improvement Act. Global Warming is the idea that gasses produced by people when they burn fossil fuel, get trapped in the atmosphere and cause the earth’s temperature to rise. The theories behind global warming are very controversial and have the scientific community divided over the...