Environmental Politics and Policy Flashcards
What did the IPPC report find
- IPPC report had found that we have globally reached the point of no return with little chance of keeping the world from warming by 1.5 Celsius
- 1.5 Celsius would have a great impact on humanity being able to handle: crop failure, heatwave, extinction, flooding
Who is responsible for CO2 emmisions?
- Annual CO2 emissions have been contributed consistently by the United States since the 1930’s and whilst not the biggest contributor of emissions (that is China) it has a higher per capita emission than China and India
How do countries like China and India defend its CO2 emmisions
- Countries like China and India argue that their developmental stage should be taken into account as western nations had built their economies with very few environmental constraints
So is it fair to put them under strict conditions which will damage their economy whilst others had been able to do so without it?
Outline the aims of 2015 Paris Climate Agreement
- Signed in April 2016 (effective from November 2016)
- Aims:
Holding increase in global average temperature to <2C above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C
Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change
and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development
Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development
Outline the criticisms of 2015 Paris Climate Agreement
- However, there is no real enforcement mechanism rather countries report their contribution to mitigate global warming suggesting a name and shame method
BUT
- It is increasingly being used in climate litigation: with countries legal battles where government is being held accountable for not taking adequate steps to meet this climate agreement
Will the Paris Agreement work?
- If the Paris Agreement is followed it would get us to a 2.6C of warming by the end of the century which would need a radical transformation of economy to get to <2.1C
Give examples of environmental policies that would reduce CO2 emissions
Emissions standards (e.g. for cars, production, etc.)
Carbon taxes “Cap and trade” schemes
Investment in clean energy (e.g. wind, solar, water)
Banning deforestation / investing in tree planting – requires the right trees to be planted in the right places to trap the greenhouse gasses
Give examples of environmental policies that would reduce the negative impact humans have had on the planet
Water and air pollution standards
Recycling regulations
Packaging and waste disposal regulations
Chemical usage regulations
Biodiversity protection (e.g. preservation of fish stocks)
Organic farming subsidies
Explain the Tragedy of the Commons - (Hardin 1968)
- A theory to explain why we don’t unilaterally protect the environment
- It is rooted in this medieval idea of common land (land of common usage where anyone’s animal could graze), which was found to have degraded faster than private land
- This is because common land is a public good, and is depleted by private actions since people benefits from it while the damage is shared by the entire group
- Suggests the commons can only be protected by collective institutions to restrict private usage
We need global standards, global enforcement, and global government as we can’t relay on individuals as they are likely to take advantage - There is a difference between our individual and collective incentives, which leads to us being in a suboptimal equilibrium as there is always an incentive to use common land
Outline Ostrom 1990s study that addresses way to prevent the tragedy of the commons
- Looked at the theory and evidence of how local community’s preserve common pool resources
- Identified 8 design principles of stable local common pool
Clearly defined boundaries (exclusion of external parties)
Common rules adapted to local conditions
All resource appropriators participate in decision-making
Monitoring accountable to resource appropriators
Sanctions for resource appropriators who violate rules – PARIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT FOLLOW THIS PRINCIPLE
Cheap conflict resolution mechanisms
Self-determination of local communities to set own rules
Larger common-pool resource problems require multiple layers of nested enterprises (with small local CPRs at the base)
What is the delaware effect - 1955
- Market competition leads to a race-to-the-bottom in regulatory standards (a “Delaware effect”)
So competition between regulatory jurisdictions (US/EU etc) forces states to reduce regulatory burdens on businesses to attract investments
This leads to convergence on low standards
What is the california effect - vogel 1995
- Market competition leads to a race-to-the-top in regulatory standards (a “California effect”)
If states with the largest markets set high environmental standards, then producers in other states are forced to meet these standards to gain access to these markets,
Allows politicians to enforce environmental policies without fear of pushback from big industry’s
Leads to convergence on high standards
Case study - California effect
Reach directive went into effect in 2007 which regulated the production and distribution of chemicals, manufacturers were upset at first but because Europe was the largest market in the world for these chemicals at that time there was a convergence on higher standards on these higher standards
What is the EPI
EPI score – environmental performance index which looks at how well a country is doing in terms of climate policies
The relationship between EPI and GDP per capita
Looking at the relations between a countries GDP per capita and its EPI score had found that richer countries tended to have better environmental policies (Denmark & UK)
