Global Governance & The commons Flashcards
Global Systems & Global Governance
What is global governance?
Global governance regulates global economic and political systems by setting up, monitoring and enforcing rules.
How do international institutions promote growth and instablility?
1= Countries abiding by a common set of rules allows stability because countries know how others will act, reducing potential conflict.
2= WTO promotes global trade through rules, leading to stable economic growth as trade is predictable.
3= WHO combats world epidemics helping to increase social stablility.
What are some issues with the current system of global governance?
1= Countries sign up to international institutions voluntarily.
2= Can be hard to enforce rules (e.g. China in 2016 were not sanctioned for illegal China Sea activity due to their importance).
What inequalities and injustices can global institutions create?
1= Conditions for loans to developing countries normally benefit developed countries.
2= Economic groups such as the G7 do not encourage equality.
3= Members of the UN security council can veto resolutions for their own political advantage.
When was the United Nations set up?
1945
What are the aims of the UN?
1= Global peace & security
2= Cooperation to solve problems
3= Freindly relations between nations
4= Settle conflicts & bring us together
Give two examples of where the UN promoted growth & stability.
1= Millenium/Sustainable Development Goals - Helped to reduce key global issues such as poverty and education rates.
2= UN peacekeeping missions help to end wars.
Give two ways in which the UN creates inequalities & injustices.
1= Developed countries hold the most power over decisions.
2= UN peacekeepers failed to protect 8000 Bosnain people in Srebrenica who where massacred by Serbians.
What are the global commons?
The global commons are areas that aren’t owned by any one country or organisation - they belong to everybody.
What are the four global commons?
1= Antartica
2= The high seas
3= Earth’s atmosphere
4= Outer Space
Countries and organisations may feel that they can exploit the global commons without dealing with the consequences, as the costs of exploiting the global commons are felt by everybody. This is known as…
“The tradegy of the commons”
What two factors are increasing the demand for resources?
1= Industrialisation
2= Development
What impact does technology have on the commons?
Technology has made it easier to get to areas like the high seas, Antartica or outer space that were reletively inaccesible before, making them vunerable to exploitation.
What pressures does the commons face?
1= The high seas have become a victim of overfishing affecting the food chain.
2= Atmospheric pollution is causing climate change.
3= Carbon dioxide causes acidification of the oceans.
How much area does Antartica cover?
14 million km^2
What percentage of Earth’s fresh water does Antartica hold?
70%
What is the average temperature in Antartica?
-49°C
What effect does the cold temperature have on the ecosystem of Antartica?
The lack of water, warmth and sunlight in Antartica means that the terrestrial (land) eosystem is very fragile - it is easilly damaged and takes a long time to recover.
What are the four main threats to Antartica?
1= Climate Change
2= Fishing & Mining
3= Search for Minerals
4= Tourism & Research
In the past five decades, areas along the west coast of Antartica have warmed by as much as ___°C
3°C
What is an example of a terrestrial species which has declined due to melting of the ice?
Adelie Penguins, which were adapted to sea ice, have begun to decline as ice has melted. However they have been replaced with different species which are more adapted to open sea conditions.
What is an example of a marine species which has declined due to melting of the ice?
Antartic krill have declined by about 80% since the 1970s as the sea ice has melted. This affects the whole ecosystem as other animals, such as penguins or whales, rely on krill as a food source.
How much is global sea levels rising per year?
3mm a year since the 1990s.
Explain the positive feedback loop regarding acidification of the oceans.
When carbon dioxide in the air reacts with saltwater it creates carbonic acis, which depleats the amount of calcium carbonate in the water. This can be devastating to Antartica’s plankton, which use calcium carbonate to form their shells.
Why is overfishing a threat to Antartica?
Overfishing can lead to the extinction of species such as Patagonian toothfish. Reduced populations of different species have knock-on effects to other species in the food chain.
What governance is in place to protect Antartica from the threat of fishing and whaling?
1= There are legal limits on how much fish can be caught per year for it to remain sustainable
2= Whaling ban & moratorium in the 20th century.
How may globalisation affect the threat of mineral extraction?
So far, mining in Antartica is currently banned, but as of yet, it is too far to transport machinery from any other landmass, as well as the climate and landscape and climate making it hard. Globalisation is making this threat more accessible.
What is the threat of tourism to Antartica?
Tourism increases shipping and air travel to Antartica, leading to water and air pollution. Boats could also hit icebergs, causing fuel spills and mass damage to the ecosystem. Tourists can also disturb the breeding of Penguins and threatening the ecosystem.
What internation law helps to protect Antartica?
The Antartic Treaty (1959) is an agreement about how to sustainably manage Antartica’s ecosystems, signed by 53 countries.
What does the Antartic Treaty say?
1= No army bases or weapons allowed in Antartica.
2= Countries should cooperate on sceintific research.
3= Individuals cannot make a claim to it’s land.
What is some drawbacks of the Antartic Treaty?
1= There is no system to ensure all countries abide by the rules.
2= All countries must reach a consensus over decisions, meaning decision making can be slow and difficult.
Name two global institutions which govern Antartica.
1= United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
2= International Whaling Commission (IWC)
What does the IWC do?
The IWC is responsible for regulating whaling and ensuring their population is at a sustainable level. In 1994, they set up a whale sanctuary in the Southern Ocean. They are also responsible for the creation of the whaling moratorium in 1982.
What is a drawback of the IWC?
However, some countries, such as Japan, still conduct ‘sceintific whaling’ without restriction.
What does the UNEP do?
UNEP is responsible for reporting activity in Antartica to the UN. The Antartic programme is run by the CCAMLR, which aims to stop illegal fishing and conserving the Antartic ecosystem.
What is a drawback of the UNEP?
Effectiveness is limited by individual countries protecting their own interests - it took the CCAMLR five years to negotiate the marine protection area.
What is one key NGO involved in the protection of Antartica?
The Antartic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC).
Why was ASOC formed?
ASOC was formed because a group of NGO’s were concerned that some countries were planning to make it legal to search for oil, gas and minerals in Antartica.
What does ASOC do?
ASOC monitors environmental changes in Antartica and checks whether countries are sticking to the rules. They also monitor the effects that climate change is having on Antartica.
How does the governance of Antartica affect the rest of the world?
1= Monitoring of melting ice has informed efforts to combat climate change - affects peoples daily lives e.g. using renewable energy.
2= Governance allows greater sceintific exploration of Antartica in collaboration.
3= Global governance allows tourists to visit Antartica securely. Globalisation and increasing incomes worldwide is making this more accessible.
