chapter 6: environmental global governance Flashcards
Commons: What are the global commons?
-Global resources that are shared among nation states. No government owns them.
-High seas.
-Atmosphere.
-Polar regions.
-Outer-space.
Commons: Give some stats about the damage done to the global commons.
-BP oil spill in 2010 was the world worst oil disaster, and caused damage up to the Gulf of Mexico, affecting 176,000km^2 of ocean.
-Up to 12m tonnes of plastic enter our seas a year.
-Sec-Gen Ban Ki-moon called the break down of the ozone layer the, “major overriding environmental issue of our time.”
-There are 6.5m deaths a year from air pollution.
-Russia relies on polar regions for nearly 20% of supplies, and the US department of Energy suggests that 13% of undiscovered oil reserves are under polar regions.
-2013, NASA estimated that there are 6,000 tonnes of human-generated debris in space.
Commons: Give some stats about the rising effects of climate change.
-Greenhouse gases were increasing by as much as 35% in the 1980s.
-C02 emissions make up 63% of global warming, and methane makes up 19%.
-IPCC estimates that temps have risen 1°C since pre-industrial levels.
-Gueterres said thst 70% of the most climate vulnerable countries are also the most politically & economically fragile.
-Sea levels could rise by as much as 60cm by the end of the decade.
-UN estimated that extreme weather conditions claimed 1.2m lives and economic losses of $3tr.
-Over the past 10 years, arctic ice pack has reduced in size by 10,000km^2
Commons: What is global civil society? What are the key environmental challenges that the world faces? Why is climate change a COLLECTIVE dilema?
-Individual actors who are not part of the government.
-Climate change, deforestation, protecting marine environments, global energy, and protecting biodiversity.
-Every state contributes to the problem, and every state is affected by it. This means that every state must play a role in solving it.
-It is also different from other collective dilemas, as all states are affected by it, and must tackle it.
Commons: What is the UNFCCC? UN Convention on the Laws of the Seas? Antarctic Treaty System?
-UNFCCC: Established a process through which international treaties have been agreed to protect the atmosphere.
-UNCLOS: Laws that prevent the pollution of the seas and limit states’ territorial waters. States have a responsibility to prevent pollution of the territorial waters.
-ATS: Various environmental protections for the region, including dedicating Antarctica solely to scientific research.
Commons: What is the tragedy of the commons?
-The challange that global politics is made up of self-interested states, competing for economic power & natural resources.
-States will harm environmental commons if it is in their interest, instead of protecting them
-Coined by Garrett Hardin, 1968.
Commons: What is the pessimistic view of the Tragedy of the commons?
-States will continue to act in their own self-interest, and so the global commons will continue to be exploited.
-States are reluctant to make national economic output uncompetitive.
-States’ national interest & environmental interests rarely align. They largely don’t want to slow economic progress, by moving away from fossil fuels) in the name of environmentalism.
Commons: What is the slightly less pessimistic view about the commons?
-India & China are both increasingly waking up to the reality of climate change, as air pollution accounts for around 1m deaths a year in both states.
-The immediate impacts of air pollution have become a large issue, with protests increasing in both India & China.
-Recent climate agreements have ensured that states at different levels of development take equal steps to change, with the Paris agreement guaranteeing aid.
-States have also increasingly agreed that the risk of natural disasters have an immediate impact on human life, leading to India joining Paris in 2016.
-Overall, 175 states have signed up to the Paris Accord.
Commons: What are some of the potential harmful effects of climate change?
-Rising sea levels could lead to the total disappearance of some small island states completely disappearing, led to the emergence of the Alliance of Small Island States.
-Increase in global poverty, and decrease in food security. In poorer countries, the impact of natural disasters is 20-30x larger than industrialised countries. Extreme weather events claimed the lives of 1.2m lives & economic losses of $3tr.
-Antonio Gueterres has also made a link between climate change and conflict, with 70% of the most climate vulnerable countries as some ofthe most politically and economically fragile.
Non-State: Give some examples of the actions & impacts of individuals.
-David Attenborough released the “A Life On Our Planet.” documentary in 2020, highlighting the impact of climate change on vulnerable species.
-Greta Thunberg has also become a prominent campaigner, speaking at UN summits & leading global protests.
-This has allowed the issue to reach a global audience, and documentaries have been watched by millions.
Non-State: Give some examples of the actions & impacts of pressure groups.
-Groups, like Extinction Rebellion & Just Stop Oil, focus on disruptive action, like Sit-ins, in city centres.
-This has generated media coverage, and they have quickly grown to prominence.
-This has enabled a campaign for citizen-led politics to grow.
Non-State: Give some examples of national laws & their impacts.
-They can tackle the immediate, harmful impacts of climate change. The UK’s Clean Air Act, 1956, has required companies to reduce their emissions.
-UK’s taxes on petrol in the 1990s introduced taxes for harmful environmental behaviours.
-This allows states to take action without relying on the international system to also comply.
Non-State: Gives some examples of the actions & impacts of NGOs.
-Greenpeace, created in 1969, combines direct action with UN involvement (through ECOSOC).
-GP raises £8m a year from priavte donations, and has taken action, like dropping a “boulder barrier” off the UK coastline in 2021.
-The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF, 1961) focuses on advocacy by raising awareness.
-WWF has led to the reduction of illegal poaching in many African countries, and increase in the number of blue whales, to pre-whaling numbers.
Non-State: Give some examples of the actions & impacts of IGOs.
-Provides neutral forums for states to discuss climate action.
-The UNFCCC has provided a consistent forum since 1992.
-This has led to other IGOs also expanding into environmental matters, with the EU introducing regulations on air & water quality.
