环境伦理与生态工法

Environmental Ethics and Ecological Engineering Method

环境伦理是探讨如何适当关怀、重视,并履行我们保护自然环境之责的理论与实务做法,亦可称为环境道德(env ironm en ta lm ora ls)。早在几千年前的中国,道家与儒家基本思想已有明确的启示,强调天地自然和谐对人类存的重要,强调人类做为万物之灵必须尊重生命的永恒意义。20世纪初,欧洲地区拜工业发展之赐,社会经济骤然起飞,但在提升物质生活的丰富度之余,却也因各项需求接踵而至,必须大量开发自然资源以因应社会发展的步调,但是随着森林野地的过度开发利用,大规模的灾害因而接二连三发生,包括雪崩、山崩、洪泛等。1938年德国Se ifert首先提出近自然河溪整治的概念,将自然景观生态的精神及手法,融入河溪治理工法之中,因而激活了尔后生态工程学门开端。而事实证明,唯有不违反大自然的运行规则,以生态系为环境管理之基本单元的原则,方是根本解决之道,因此人类展开各种利用或遵循生态特质之技术的研究与研讨。“生态工法”是以生态学为基础的应用概念,是将生物学及地域生态学的知识活用于构造物的建设或保全上的技术。生态工法主要是利用水、土石、植物等自然性素材为基础,建造能达成自然保全或改善景观机能的构造物,其功能有助于复原被破坏的自然环境,同时对地域景观的改善也有帮助。生态工法的推展开启了工程界和保育界之间的对话机制,已从过去的概念或理想,走向实务的运用,政府并将之列入重大研究与议题之中,相信未来定对台湾环境品质的提升,定有更正向的助益。

It is estimated that at least fifty thousand species go extinct each year,and three fourths of the world＇s bird and a quarter of the world＇s mammalian species face extinction. This rate of extinction could be accelerated by rapid climate change. Global change is being accelerated by increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, an increase which humankind has significantly contributed to, especially by the industrial scale burning of both fossil fuels and tropical rainforest. With respect to habitat loss, the expansion of human settlement and agriculture has led to the massive destruction of natural habitats and ecosystems such as tropical and temperate rainforests, freshwater lakes and streams, coral reefs, and coastal mangroves. Environmental ethical philosophies belonging to this approach hence have the task of showing how humankind can gain such a sense of the intrinsic value of nature. A successful foundation for environmental ethics has to fulfill two tasks. First, it has to be able to explain how humankind＇s relationship with Nature has degraded to the environmental crisis we face today. Second, it has to explain how humankind＇s relationship with Nature can be improved to one of respect. Historically, environmental problems have arisen primarily because of inappropriate decisions and a lack of understanding of the impact of these decisions upon the environment. New approaches must be developed and solid technological developments and engineering must function together in an integrated manner in order for social, economic and environmental benefits to be realized. Ecological engineering method is an example of such an integrated approach. Ecological engineering practices can help conserve and restore the environment through the integration of engineering and ecological principles. An ecologically sound approach to engineering takes into account that nature responds systematically, continuously and cumulatively. Ecological engineering operates within the natural system rather than infringing on or overcoming it. Solutions are developed to be as flexible and forgiving as possible, thus avoiding drastic and irreversible consequences when something goes wrong. To support such an approach, it is important to acquire knowledge and understanding about the dynamics of ecosystems and their particular vulnerabilities. Ecological engineering method applications also emphasize understanding of the entire ecosystem rather than components of the system in isolation from one another.