International agreements and how green Flashcards
What does COP 21 commit the UK to
The COP21 commits the UK with the aim to lower global warming to 1.5C, but it is not binding
What does COP 21 implies the Conservative’s greenness
The Conservative Party committed to some soft deal globally,rather than taking a leading role in reducing global warming.
Individual pledges of COP 21
• Lacks credibility
Individual pledges to reduce carbon emission and the climate finance elements of the deal reflects the agreement lacks credibility
• US might be leaving!
Why the Conservative can be considered green
• EU regulations
By committing the country to international agreements on top of all other EU regulations shows that the Conservative Party’s environmental policies could be considered as green
What were the new sets of targets in 2014 from the EU
All 28 member states have accepted emission targets for 2030 at a similar level with the UK agreed to cut emission level by 40% compared with 1990 levels by 2030.
Environmental downside of HS2
• Green belt land
HS2 will be built on 250 acres of green belt land
Environmental downside of HS2
• Affecting natural beauty
a £500m tunnel will be built through the Chiltern Hills affecting an area of outstanding natural beauty, and about 60 properties on the proposed phrase 1 route are likely to experience levels of noise, which will qualify for noise insulation under the NOise Insulation Regulations.
Positives green aspects of HS2
• Air and road trips
HS2 will remove millions of air and road trips onto rail. It will open up space on the existing rail network for freight, taking hundreds of HGBs per hour off the road
Positives green aspects of HS2
• Planning trees
The Conservative Party promised to plan 2 million trees along the proposed route between London and the West Midland.
Positives green aspects of HS2
• Cut carbon emission
It is estimated that £4.5 million air trips and 9 million road trips a year will ship onto rail, helping the government to cut carbon emission, and thus meeting the global target
What is right wing reformist thinking?
Environmental degradation can be tackled without the need for major state intervention, and leave to market forces
What is the left wing (e.g. Green) radical thinking?
• Global capitalism
They see global capitalism as the primary reason for environmental degradation.
What is the left wing (e.g. Green) radical thinking?
• Economic growth
The sate purse the national interest of economic growth and importance of making money over environmental concern
What does the EU 202020 do?
EU Climate Change 202020 package 2007 set new targets for 20% of energy to come from renewable sources and carbon emissions to be reduced by 20% by 2020
How much does the ETS cost the UK?
In the UK, more than 700 UK based energy incentive installations participate in the EU ETS
What does the EU Landfill Directive require?
It requires members to reduce landfill waste by 50% by 2013, and 65% by 2020
EU New Targets in 201
• The 2030 agreement
The 2030 agreement allowed states to choose how to meet the targets therefore not binding them automatically to renewables
Example of the Landfill Directive
• Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Council has been fined £6million, which was equivalent as four times of their subsidies for local bus services.
Government spending on environment
• Cuts in development
Cuts to environment department equal 57% in real terms over course of two parliaments
Government spending on environment
• Defra
Defra was hit by one of the largest cuts to its operating costs during the Coaliton
UK’s response to the EU Landfill Directive
The Government’s Waste Strategy 2000 is the framework for improving the management of waste and responding to the EU Landfill Directive
The nature of climate change
• Co-operation
Climate change is a global problem and requires co-operation between large numbers of countries
What are the difficulties in meeting international agreement?
• Hard to balance
Ministers and local councils often find it hard to balance the situation when government tries to cut spending but being sanctioned by failing to meet the target at the same time
Controversies of the EU Landfill tax
• Liverpool
Liverpool County Council is spending £20million a year on landfill tax while hundreds of residents have no recycling facilities
