User:Narendra.lsu

Narendra Paramanand
I am currently a graduate student in the Department of Environmental Science at Louisiana State University. I received my undergraduate degree in economics from Baruch College, CUNY. My research interest is in the field of environmental economics. Specifically, I am interested in the use of incentives and cost-benefit analysis in decision making. My thesis works is looking at the Sulfur Dioxide trading program that was created under title IV of the Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990. Specifically, I am looking at the program's ability to provide dynamic incentives in light of the recent crash in permit prices.
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My previous research, though not related to my current degree, has been working on the physiological ecology of oysters and clams in the New York harbor area.

Currently, I am working to update content on selected pages on Wikipedia as a class project for Conservation Biology. The class is working under the direction of Campus Ambassador Becky J. Carmichael.

Sustainability and Poverty
A major hurdle to achieve sustainability is the alleviation of poverty. It has been widely acknowledged that poverty is one source of environmental degradation. Such acknowledgment has been made by the Brundtland Commission report Our Common Future and the Millennium Development Goals. According to the Brundtland report, “poverty is a major cause and effect of global environmental problems. It is therefore futile to attempt to deal with environmental problems without a broader perspective that encompasses the factors underlying world poverty and international inequality.”  Individuals living in poverty then to rely heavily on the ecosystem as a source for basic needs (such as nutrition and medicine) and general well-being. As population growth continues to increase, increasing pressure is being placed on the ecosystem to provide these basic essentials. According to the UN Population Fund, high fertility and poverty have been strongly correlated, and the world’s poorest countries also have the highest fertility and population growth rates.