Climate Change 2

Question 1

What is the UNFCCC and when was it formed?

Answer 1

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Formed at 1992 Earth Summit Rio

Question 2

How many nations signed Kyoto with binding targets?

Answer 2

39

Question 3

What was Hardin’s proposed solution in one sentance?

Answer 3

“Either SOCIALISM or PRIVATISM of free enterprise”

Question 4

What has been the effect of Socialism with regard to land policy?

Answer 4

In RUS and CHI there has been more degradation from STATE-OWNED AGRICULTURE COLLECTIVES than a traditional group-property regime

Question 5

What is the problem with measuring a number of the resources examined in climate change?

Answer 5

Stocks of fish, oil, gas etc are very hard to measure accurately

Question 6

What are CPRs?

Answer 6

• Common Pool Resources
• Resource systems
• Includes natural and man-made resources

Question 7

What are the 2 distinct elements to solving CPR problems?

Answer 7

1. Restricting access

2. Creating incentives

Question 8

Why is it predicted that resource users are led inevitably to destroy CPRs?

Answer 8

Model is that all individuals are selfish, norm-free and maximisers of short-run results.
Model is not supported in field research or laboratory experiments

Question 9

When did the political environmental movement start to appear?

Answer 9

Late 70s/early 80s out of the failure of traditional LW parties to show environmental concerns

Question 10

What is a traditional complaint made by environmental groups about LW parties?

Answer 10

• LW parties tend to more open to environmental demands, esp when in opposition
• Tend to be no better at when in government

Question 11

What does Neumayer find as an effect of LW/Green parliamentary strength air pollution?

Answer 11

A strong LW/green presence leads to lower levels of air pollution

Question 12

Did Neumayer find that the level of corporatism affected air pollution levels?

Answer 12

• No

- Neumayer believes it is probably a myth that corporatism is good for the environment

Question 13

Why does Payne believe that Democracies have a positive impact on the environment?

Answer 13

• Believes that their citizens are better informed due to FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
• Able to express concerns more through FREEDOM OF SPEECH
• This facilitates environmental interests - FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

Question 14

Why does Desai believe that democracies are not necessarily keen to protect the environment?

Answer 14

DESAI:

• Democracy dependent on ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• As such may prioritise economic growth and prosperity over environmental protection

Question 15

How to democracies respond to treaty agreements?

Answer 15

Democracies are more likely to sign environmental treaties.

However, the results take a long time to appear

Question 16

What does Neumayer find the effect of democracies on environmental commitments is?

Answer 16

• Democracies are keen to make environmental commitments

- This does NOT often translate into environmental OUTCOMES

Question 17

What did Hardin say that his work should have been called?

Answer 17

“The Tragedy of the Unregulated Commons”

Use of commons frequently misunderstood

Question 18

Who did Hardin take the title of his essay from?

Answer 18

William Forster Lloyd
Victorian Economist
Article was on the actual overuse of common land

Question 19

Which US party is supportive of action on climate change?

Answer 19

In practice neither as regional issues trump international environmental concerns

Question 20

What evidence in recent years is there that even the Democrats have only a limited interest in Climate Change?

Answer 20

Barrack Obama wished to place climate change on the agenda but was able to achieve very little even with a majority in both houses until the mid-term elections in 2010