Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

It encompasses both existing laws related to the environment and the absence of regulations preventing environmentally harmful practices. This includes the lack of legal measures to effectively punish those who violate environmental laws, particularly individuals in positions of power such as public officials and private corporations. Essentially, these legal causes are aspects that fall under the government’s control. Environmental crimes cover a wide range of violations that result in harm befalling the environment and human life, from errors at the administrative or record keeping level to the actual illegal dumping of pollutants into the environment.

EXAMPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS:

• RA 7942 also known as Philippine Mining Act of 1995                         

• RA 9513 also known as Renewable Energy Act of 2008

• RA 8749 also known as Clean Air Act of 1999

• RA 9729 also known as Climate Change Act of 2009

It refers to the economic systems and social structures of the human person. These systems and structures impact the distribution of resources, money and power in a community and around the world. Such causes include overpopulation, leading to competition for finite resources and subsequently contributing to resource depletion. Additionally, poverty plays a role, people living in poverty often experience hunger and food insecurity, which leads to over-exploitation of natural resources. For example, trees are frequently harvested to turn into charcoal, a product that can be sold for quick cash. This can lead to deforestation, air pollution, and other unsustainable practices that have a negative impact on the environment. They may also be more likely to engage in activities that are harmful to the environment, such as burning wood for fuel or dumping waste into rivers and streams. These activities can have long-term negative impacts on the environment, including air and water pollution, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity.

It refer to the beliefs and values held by humans about nature that allow them or make it permissible for them to cause damages to the natural environment. 

Examples of these beliefs are the following; that natural resources are there simply for human consumption or to satisfy human interests; that only humans can be recipients of moral duties; that natural resources are inexhaustible or are unlimited, and that we are only responsible for those parts of nature that are owned by humans or governed by property rights of humans. 

Our environment encompasses the physical surroundings and the characteristics of the place we inhabit. It extends to the broader natural world, including land, sea, and atmosphere. Human interaction with the environment has been a continuous process since the earliest days of humanity. For instance, over centuries, people have cleared forests by cutting them down to make space for agriculture, thereby modifying the environment. Conversely, the environment also exerts various influences on us. An uncomplicated illustration is how we adapt our clothing choices in response to hot or cold weather. In this section, we will explore some of the ways in which humans impact their environment and, reciprocally, how the environment affects us, encompassing both positive and negative aspects.