U3 AOS1 Flashcards
When did Hungary join the EU? and when did victor Oberon become Prime Minister (for his iliberal democracy)
2003, 2010
How much does Hungary rely on the EU?
in 2018 EU funds made up 5% of their economy (∴ EU has more influence over Hungary which ∴ decreases their effective control. BUT it also enhances their EC bc more money)
What did Hungary do in 2015 to refugees? and what did they do in 2018? and what did the the EU do?
- Bc of the refugee migration crisis, they created a barrier to stop the influx.
The EU parl 2018 vote to invoke Art. 7 bc persistent breach of values (eg. Hungary vote no in EU plan to relocate refugees) (x work)
2017 and 2020 ECJ court rule against Hungary - they tried to created a law that made it illegal to help refugees or asylum seekers
In Nov 2021 the ECJ rule that is violates EU law. (decrease legitimacy and EC)
What are the four freedoms of the EU?
Free movement of people, goods, capital, services
What did Hungary do to LGBTQ+ in April 2020 and June 2021? What did the EU do in response?
they made laws restricting their rights (ending the legal recognition of trans people) (banning LGBTQ+ from being in school education)
the EU in July 2021 voted for urgent legislation to be undertaken for Hungary + issue an infringement notice
(challenge to legit + theoretical threat to EC + increase international scrutiny )
The Rule of Law situation with the EU and Hungary?
The EU legislates for a connection between EU payments to states and how effective rule of law is in that country.
July 2021 EU parl call on chancellor to freeze covid repayments bc lack of transparency and independent judiciary
suspend lockdown payments (challenge legit + EC)
Hungary propose 17 reforms hw/ not enough and the Eu require 27 more (threat to EC)
What policies do states not have control over in the EU?
trade policy (x have trade agreements as an individual state), agriculture, fisheries, subsidies
Why did the UK want to leave the EU?
it had concerns about migration it could not address due to the EU and wanted to implement more subsidies and could not. Also couldn’t fully control its spending, such as required to spend £8 bil on EU
Key parts of Brexit negotiation process?
the EU was 6x bigger than UK
transition period: UK had to obey EU laws but had no representation (lose E.C)
Northern Ireland remains a part of the UK customs territory, while enforcing the EU Customs Code. NI remains in the EU single market and accordingly applies the necessary regulations and checks.
How has the EU challenged recognised borders?
NI dispute in Brexit
Schengen Area ( x passports bw borders )
How many states are part of the Eurozone?
19/27
What areas do states remain in control over in the EU?
health, education, welfare and foreign affairs, defence
How many states are part of the Schengen Area
22 EU states of the 27 European states
in what ways is sov. enhanced or not threatened in the EU?
- representative: equal influence
- upward transfer of sov
- states remain master of treaties
- get greater representation and tf legitimacy on global stage eg. G7 or G20
- more access to trade globally eg. big FTA with other states eg. Mercosur or w, China, UK, Japan
Important stuff about R2P? and its challenge to sov? Gives UN power? how successful?
- It has the the theoretical challenge to sov as it has redefined it as a responsibility and not a right.
- Theoretically gives the UN power to intervene in states domestic affairs if unable/unwilling to protect population from gross abuses of HR (which helps achieve aim for world peace)
- has not been enacted in the past 10 years
Info about Myanmar UN/ R2P case study?
brought up 12 times since Feb 2021 in the UNSC, no UNSC res passed, bc threat of veto from China + Russia (national interest since trading partner) mean no actions
pos: UNGA call for states to stop selling arms to Myanmar, the US, UK and EU have issued unilateral sanctions
Info about Yemen? (UN / R2P case study)
UNSC did give a 2015 arms embargo (UNSC res. 2216) + it was extended in 2022
Stockholm 2018 agreement for ceasefire
the GEE which was transparency and accountability, accuse world powers as involved in the war crimes, and tf not renewed in 2021 and tf a spike in deaths after
Info about Tigray? (UN / R2P case study)
UNSC call for a ceasefire but x urgent actions (eg. x sanctions, x embargos, and was not discussed until a year after violent escalation occured) bc threat of China
The govt incited violence and tf UN not achieve aims
Info about NDC’s (UN case study + multilateral res + effective control)
review every 5 years (enhanced transperancy framework, NDC’s are legally bound to be reviewed)
Positive: 23 states increased their NDC target before cop26
2° target: creates tangible accountability
- the existential threat: the multilateral res increases the E.C of states such as Kiribati to protect population
Negative: but x requirements for what is on it to achieve the 1.5° tf lack of action
9-states were in-line with the 2° limit
not binding
post-cop26: only 5 states stronger targets
What are Amnesty International aims (in australia for refugees) and how have they tried to achieve it?
Stop offshore detention: campaign aus govt
Stop policy of boat push backs:
Increase humanitarian intake of refugees to 30,000: My New Neighbour campaign
How successful was Amnesty international?
the ACT legislative assembly and some local councils have supported increasing community sponsored refugee programs
Dec 2021: 4 years after campaign, the federal govt decrease cost for aus community program from $100,000 to $8000
2019: medvac law, hw was repealed in December 2019.
hw/ still have a cap
and no substantial policy change
eg. nothing done for offshore detention
Catholic Church actions for Climate Change (positive)
- met with the biggest oil companies (shell, BP) and they gave a statement calling for govt action to deal w CC
- June 2015 papal encyclical Laudato Si: influenced outcome of Paris Agreement and said to have influenced Poland to sign up to Paris (bc very catholic)
-church divested in fossil fuel
Catholic Church actions for Climate Change (negative)
- met with Trump in 2017 to urge him not leave Paris Agreement but did anyway
- in lead up to COP27: urged for more ambitious: but they fell short
Catholic Church and Refugees (negative):
- after Italy dropped Mare Nostrum they tried to influence EU, hw/ not predominantly catholic so x happen
- no major global shift in attitudes
Catholic Church and Refugees (positive):
- Urged every parish to take in a refugee family. Obama used this to justify increasing the US quota for refugees (enhance legitimacy of their policies)
- influenced the Italian govt to adopt Mare Nostrum (bc very catholic) which was search and rescue
What actions did China take over the Senkaku islands?
Nov 2013: China announce Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) requiring aircraft to identify themselves, report plans, and obey instructions (E.C)
Have tried to assert military control: in 2021 they sailed the coast guard for 332 days through the area
Have asserted Chinese laws + regulation on Japanese fishing boats
What actions did Japan take over the Senkaku islands?
coastguard has played ‘cat and mouse’ with 300 chinese fishing boats
Built new milit bases nearby
Japan demands China withdraw on the basis of UNCLOS (China has ignored)
Japan has x recognised existence of any dispute
What has the US done over the Senkaku islands?
Nov 2013: Flown two B-52 bombers on ‘normal’ training missions
VP Joe Biden reassure Japan of “unwavering support”
US Defence Secretary reaffirm the islands fall under the US-Japan-Mutual-Defence Treaty
(undermine China sov. used hard power, intimidation, to decrease legitimacy)
How many UN members signed up to the Paris Agreement and how many ratified?
195
191
Has Germany taken substantial action for Net Zero goal?
2019 Climate Change Law: legally binding targets of reducing emissions 65% below 1990 levels. By 2020 their emissions have dropped 41% below 1990 levels
Has the US taken substantial action for Net Zero goal? (displays the weakness of the Net Zero target)
in Obama’s presidency, the Clean Power Plan which would have cut GG from power 30% below 2005 levels.
Hw/ never implemented: net zero simply reduces political pressure, and easy to commit to since leader can get out office and not see it through
Has Canada taken substantial action for Net Zero goal?
2021 Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability: enshrines 2030 target into law
Of the 132 states with Net Zero targets, how many have enshrined them into legislation?
And how many of the ten largest emitters how many have legislation?
And how many states of the G20 have acceptable Net Zero targets?
(this all an example of weakness)
12
3
6
did COP27 achieve one of the UN’s aims?
it established the loss and damage fund
this achieves the UN’s aim of helping those most impacted by Climate Change
UN Paris and Power
when Aus did x update NDC target, Climate Action tracker condemned them
When US re-join Paris in 2021, they eliminated all fossil fuel subsidies, regain legitimacy and lead by example (eg. Biden host 2021 April Climate Summit)
What is an example of the weakness of Paris Climate agreement?
an example of the failures of Net Zero?
states contributions are not binding
politically encouraged as opposed to legally bound
“name and shame” for accountability, with no enforcement mechanism
For the first time in 2020 the Amazon became a net emitter as opposed to a net absorber. Bolsonaro signed 195 executive orders to dismantle environment legislation whilst still pledged to Net Zero
IMF case study: Argentina
the loan and conditions
2018: IMF lend $50bil
condition: reduce budget deficit by 4.4% by increasing taxes, reducing government spending, cut no. of government ministries by half, cap salaries of public servants, cut health and edu program
IMF case study: Argentina
the results of the 2018 loan
Increased inflation, 3 consecutive years of negative econ growth, protests and strikes, poverty increase by 50%, teachers lost 3.2% of income
What did the IMF do to fix the issues it created in Argentina
2020: new plan
results: 1.7mil jobs, 35% increase in investment, reduce deficit by 3.5%, econ growth 10% in 2021
IMF case study: Pakistan
issue
IMF actions
issues: 48 year high of inflation, Pakistanis struggle to afford basic food, govt on brink of bakruptcy, debt issue
2023: IMF negotiate bail-out (despite Pakistan not wanting to, but x other option)
originally: IMF refuse bc over two dozen broken deals w Pakistan
conditions: tax raises, subsidies reductions (fuel)
IMF case study: COVID-19
IMF responses:
Emergency Funding for Developing states: Rapid Credit Facility (approved 98 states loans) For Developed states: short term liquidity line
Grants for debt relief: 29 poorest/most vulnerable states
Call for bilateral debt relief: G20 agree to suspend repayments … 73 states given relief
gave policy advice, capacity development (100 states given advice)
urged green recovery plans
IMF and power
economic power: $1tril
diplomatic power: influenced the G20
multilateral power: in the joint response
Why are the IMF’s actions not in line with their aims?
many times their conditions require austerity: which fuels poverty and inequality, which does not achieve the aim of improving employment
IMF case study: COVID-19 - vaccines
aim
actions
result
aim: guarantee adequate health supplies through fair distribution
IMF urge advanced economies to share $1bil doses of vaccine to developing states
result: 75% vaccination rate of advanced economies by August 2022, and only 20% in Sub-Saharan Africa
by 2023 15% of low-income states in debt distress
advanced economies projected losses: 11% vs developing states projected to lose 20%
Cultural power of the Catholic Church
1.3bil members: 17.4% of world population, lay people in every country
the holy see has diplomatic relations with 183 states
has a sovereign state, the Vatican
observer status in UN
extensive media coverage: 18.8mil twitter followers
Forbes List of most Powerful People (the Pope):
2015: 4th, 2016: 5th, 2018: 6th
“spiritual leader”
Economic power of the Catholic Church:
wealth is impossible to calculate
American Catholic Church: $170bil annual spending
Catholic Church and refugees:
2013: Pope Francis first visit outside of Rome, was to mediterranean island to honour drowned refugees
prompted italian govt to do Mare Nostrum (one of the most successful search and rescue policies): saved 150,800 refugee lives
Aug 2015: calls for every parish to house refugees
Hw:
minimal global shift in refugee attitude
openly hostile Slovakian monks to refugee hosting
Amnesty International
influence
aims
role
7mil members, a presence in 150+ countries
aim: to end grave abuses of HR
role: campaigning, lobbying, social media, raising awareness, obtain info and publish
Amnesty International
power
funded by membership. independent of governments and pol organisations, which gives it legitimacy.
consultive status in the UN: legitimacy
power from ability to spread information: google news search for them: 44 pages of results + raising public opinion
TNC’s: PMI aims
- to mee expectations of adult smokers by offering innovative tobacco products
- to reduce harm caused by tobacco products by supporting effective evidence based regulation and by developing products with the potential to decrease the risk of tobacco related diseases
- be a responsible corporate citizen w highest degree of integrity
2019: “delivering a smoke free transformation”
Catholic Church aims:
to further the beliefs of the catholic church:
1. compassion for marginalised people
2. peace and security
3. comprehensive environmental program
TNC: PMI roles
product development, marketing, lobbying, research and development
TNC: PMI lack of power
- PMI try to challenge Aus, Norway, Urugay, UK plain packaging laws but failed
- 10 states have banned sale of heated tobacco products + 22 states regulate sale (Hw/ 27 states ban e-cigs and 55 regulate)
- WHO found IQOS contains 8x nicotine than they claim
- no political or diplomatic or cultural power
TNC: PMI power
- used econ power (spent $4.5 bil) on research and development
- in America its sales are increasing exponentially
- effectively threatened togo into not introducing plain packaging laws
TNC: PMI advertisment shit
foundation for a smoke free world
unsmoke your mind campaign
