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The history of environmental
protection
With the rapid rise of global warming and
increase in devastating natural disasters, the subject of
environmental issues and protection has permeated the news and media
over the last decade. However, despite only coming into mainstream
consciousness in recent years, it is no new phenomenon.
Environmental protection holds a rich history, with extensive
efforts to preserve nature and reduce the human impact on it being
made across the world by environmental movements since the 1960s,
with legislation being put in place as early as the late 1800s in
African countries such as Tanzania. The dedication of these groups
has contributed heavily to public awareness of these issues and has
helped pressure governments to take necessary action to protect the
environment and, subsequently, improve and preserve the world we
live in.
As aforementioned, the earliest environmental protection efforts on
record took place in the African country of Tanzania during
Germany's thirty five year occupation of East Africa that came to an
end in 1919. Laws restricting activities such as hunting, firewood
collection and cattle grazing were put in place to conserve its many
forests and wildlife, and by 1948, Serengeti, its first national
park initially centered on the preservation of wild cats, was
opened. Tanzania now boasts a vast and ever growing network of
protected areas, among which lie seven national parks, and its
government focus heavily on further protecting its environment with
the implementation of The National Environment Policy.
Australia, a country home to the largest barrier reef in the world,
concocted its first National Park in 1879, though it wasn't until
the 1960s that it really began to make progress environmentally. The
United Nations' mammoth international environmental programs
educated people in Australia and brought about public awareness,
rallying support for more government regulation which was somewhat
lacking and flaky up until the 1972 formation of the Australian
Environmental Council. It now ranks as one of the world's most
environmentally friendly countries.
Another country with a rich environmental past is Mexico,
unsurprising given that it is home to 20,000 different species of
animal and holds over 10% of the world's biodiversity. Its
government implemented legislation helping to protect and preserve
the land as early as 1940 and has expanded on this over the decades.
Environmental pressure groups have contributed greatly to these
successes throughout history and continue to fight for the
preservation of nature today. Activist groups like Greenpeace have
campaigned for environmental protection for over four decades,
making a difference globally through protests, campaigns,
expeditions and direct action. Their campaigns exposing
environmental injustices such as seal pup massacres and whaling as
far back as 1970 have achieved laudable results, transforming laws
and attitudes worldwide.
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