Global Governance (booklet 3)

Question 1

What is global governance?

Answer 1

Global governance is about influencing behaviour through principles and norms, the exchange of information and provision of assistance. This will help regulate and reproduce global systems.

Question 2

Why is global economic governance becoming increasingly important with greater interdependance?

Answer 2

Increased flows e.g. of capital, people, goods
Global commons
TNCs becoming more powerful
Trade markets

Question 3

What are some examples of good governance?

Answer 3

Managing and enabling - usually stakeholders see the benefit to themselves or the wider community. E.g. Antarctic Treaty

Question 4

What are some examples of bad governance?

Answer 4

Frustrating: making processes difficult and slowing them down
Blocking: when a leader actively does not want global governance to work
E.g. Russia cyber attack

Question 5

What are the gaps in global governance?

Answer 5

Jurisdictional gap
Incentive gap
Participation gap

Question 6

What is the jurisdictional gap?

Answer 6

Gap between the increasing need for global governance in many areas e.g. water security, with power or jurisdiction to take action.
E.g. too many agencies involved in environmental governance but no agencies dealing with food security.

Question 7

What is the incentive gap?

Answer 7

Gap between need for international co-oporation and motivation to undertake it.

Question 8

What is the participation gap?

Answer 8

Governance is still primarily the affair of governments. Smaller scale groups aren’t usually involved, this is being improved with global communications.

Question 9

What are the key challenges associated with global governance?

Answer 9

Tension between internationalisation (free trade) and nationalising (BREXIT)

Actors who block or frustrate management (Russia cyber attacks)

Lack of knowledge (climate change)

Issues with relying upon a “normative vision”

Legitimacy of policies

Regulation/Compliance

Question 10

What does the term ‘wicked’ problems mean?

Answer 10

Trans-boundary, complex, multiple geographies/temporalities, and often highly disputed in terms of their definition, scope, intensity, and potential solutions/responses.

Question 11

What are some of the main goals of the UN?

Answer 11

Maintain world peace and security
Long term humanitarian and development assistance
Eradicate and prevent human hunger 
Develop friendly relations 
Poverty reduction

Question 12

What are some of the achievements of the UN?

Answer 12

The Milllenium Development Goals have lifted over 1 billion people out of poverty

Montreal protocol on CFCs - Ozone layer set to recover by 2050-2070

Sustainable development goals

Question 13

What are some of the weaknesses of the UN?

Answer 13

Beurocratic - lots of procedures make it difficult
Undemocratic - represents few
Weak and ineffective - powerful military states have ignored UN opinion e.g. Rwanda

Question 14

How has WTO promoted growth and sustainability?

Answer 14

Commitment to liberalising trade
Combating exploitative practices used by some TNCs
Against protectionism

Question 15

How has WTO demonstrated injustices and inequalities?

Answer 15

Poor countries have limited access to rich markets
Poor countries cannot compete
Dominated by rich countries

Question 16

How have the World Summits (sustainable development, climate change etc) promoted growth and sustainability?

Answer 16

Setting out of Agenda 21:
summits held to reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainable development, and assess progress on SDGs.
WWSD direct action to meet difficult challenges
187 countries combine pledges to work together
Rich countries help developing countries to adapt

Question 17

How are there inequalities and injustices involved in the World Summits?

Answer 17

Some countries decide to leave

Some countries don’t accept as they think it will limit their development.

Question 18

How has Agenda 21 promoted growth and stability?

Answer 18

A global ‘blueprint’ for sustainable development.
Top down approach trying to encourage a bottom up approach.
Influencing the actions of individuals
Each local authority in the UK has a local Agenda 21 strategy in line with UN objectives.

Question 19

How has Agenda 21 encompassed some inequalities and injustices?

Answer 19

In practice, it is still top down.
Seen as an attack on personal liberties
Considerable opposition by some groups in the USA.

Question 20

How have NGOs promoted growth and sustainability?

Answer 20

Democratic decision making, protect human rights, provide essential services
Operational and advocacy NGOs.
Becoming more important in supporting development.
Often the only coordinated organisations to provide a voice to the poor world
Don’t tie themselves to a government.
Becoming increasingly ‘international’ organisations

Question 21

What are the global commons?

Answer 21

The Global Commons refers to areas that lie outside the political reach of any nation state i.e. ‘supra-national spaces’.

Question 22

What are the four global commons according to UNEP?

Answer 22

Ocean/High Seas
Atmosphere
Space
Antarctica.

Question 23

What is the principle of common heritage of mankind?

Answer 23

Some places belong to all humanity, and the resources there are for everyone’s use and benefit.

Question 24

Why might management of the global commons become more difficult in the future?

Answer 24

People might want to exploit them
Tourism
Development in science and technology make access easier, a greater scarcity of resources means they put under pressure.

Question 25

What is the geography of Antarctica?

Answer 25

Southern Hemisphere
Large circumpolar body of water
Antarctic convergence
97% covered by ice
Average height of 2300m above sea level (thickness of ice sheets gives it its height)
Average temperature = -49 degrees celcius
Average wind speed of 50mph.
Surrounding sea temperatures are warmer than the land.

Question 26

What is the Antarctic Convergence?

Answer 26

A curve continuously circling Antarctica where cold northward flowing waters meet the relatively warmer water of the Sub-Antarctic. The cold waters sink beneath the warmer waters. This gives rise to the circumpolar current.

Question 27

What is the Circumpolar Current?

Answer 27

Biggest and strongest current
Cold
Clockwise direction 
Driven by prevailing westerly winds
Forms a natural boundary between warm waters of Indian Ocean and the cold waters of Antarctic, keeping the Antarctic frozen.

Question 28

What factors effects climate across Antarctica?

Answer 28

Distance inland 
Elevation 
Topography 
Season 
Latitude 
Climate change

Question 29

How is climate change effecting the Antarctica?

Answer 29

(The Eastern side is increasing) The Western side is losing a significant amount of land ice and not gaining any sea ice.
West: very sensitive to small rise in temperature, ocean temperatures are also increasing. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is warming faster than the rest of the ocean. As ice shelves break up it is increasing the flow of glaciers behind the. Distribution of penguin colonies has changed.
East: no significant loss of sea and land ice because:
- more rain and snow from climate change are layering the southern ocean.
- storms freshening local water (decrease salt) which raises the temperature needed for sea ice to form.

Question 30

How is fishing and whaling effecting Antarctica?

Answer 30

Main products are oil, and whalebone (baleen) meat.
In 1965 whale populations dramatically declines due to over-killing.
Japan has continued to hunt whales inside the sanctuary. Fishing has now replaced whaling in the area. There is an overexploitation of fish, particularly Krill. This is bad as krill underpin the entire food web of the Southern Ocean. Unsustainable fishing practices could have catastrophic impacts on the Antarctic ecosystem.
Direct destruction of marine habitats by ships and fishing gear.
Ships contaminate waters by dumping waste and killing organisms.

Question 31

How is the search for mineral resources affecting Antarctica?

Answer 31

Mining is completely banned by the Antarctic Treaty
Future demand for resources will put pressure on vast mineral reserves.
Any sizeable deposits are rare and not economically viable to mine.

Question 32

How is tourism and scientific research affecting Antarctica?

Answer 32

The summer tourist season coincides with the peak wildlife breeding seasons.
Over-flying by flight planes and helicopters can cause stress to some penguin colonies.
The unique legal status of Antarctica makes it difficult to enforce any code of behaviour difficult.
Although waste is very minimal, waste includes: exhaust fumes, waste disposable and construction.

Question 33

What is UNEP? (United Nations Environment Programme)

Answer 33

Implemented CCAMLR (convention and conservation of Antarctic Marine Resources). This was adapted due to concerns about krill catches. Aim to concern marine life.
Aim to conserve the whole ecosystem, as krill effect other species.
They address IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing.

Question 34

What is the International Whaling Commission?

Answer 34

Provide the proper conservation of whale stocks. They set up complete protection of certain species, designed whale sanctuaries, limit the number of whales, closed seasons, and prohibition of the fishing of calves.

Question 35

What is the Antarctic Treaty?

Answer 35

Signed due to disputes over ownership of Antarctica.
Signed by 12 nations, garenteed research rights to all nations. Stipulates that it should be used peacefully and coperatively with no nuclear activity.

Question 36

What is the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty?

Answer 36

Protection against mineral exploitation. Designates Antarctica as a natural reserve.
Established a committe for Environmental protection, responsible for advice, inspection and reporting.

Question 37

What is the IWC Whaling Moratorium?

Answer 37

Decided there should be a pause in commercial whaling on all stocks from 1985/6. The moratorium is binding on all members of the IWC, except for Russia.

Question 38

What is ASOC? (NGO=Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition)

Answer 38

A group of 30 different NGOs from around the world under 1 umbrella group. E.g. Greenpeace and WWF.
They negotiated the first ‘ecosystem as a whole’ treaty on fishing and blocking proposed mineral mining.
They have been granted observer status in the ATS so can attend annual meetings.

Question 39

What is SCAR? (NGO= Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research)

Answer 39

Inter-disciplinary committee of the ICSU. Role is to initiate, develop and co-ordinate the scientific research.
Advisory capacity to the ATCM.

Question 40

What is IAATO?

Answer 40

Manage the tourism at Antarctica, having annual meetings to discuss the management. Schemes in place to keep any damage to an absolute minimal.
100 Antarctica-bound outfitters are voluntary members.
Established appropriate procedures that ensure safe and environmentally sound private-sector travel.