week 2: intro to the field II

Question 1

What are the 3 ways to disrupt carbon lock-in?

Answer 1

1. Decarbonization requires action from all actors on all scales.
2. Proliferation of experiments and initiatives
   - we dont know the effects of initiatives when it first starts
   - need for carbon disclosure projects
3. Reinforced by the decentralized approach of the Paris Agreement
   - voluntary
   - more responsibility on more emitting countries to reduce emissions

Question 2

What are the 4 different environmental perspectives?

Answer 2

1. Market liberals
2. Institutionalists
3. Bioenvironmentalists
4. Social greens

Question 3

Describe market liberals in terms of:

1. Focus
2. Global environmental crisis
3. Cause of a problem
4. Impact of globalization
5. The way forward

Answer 3

1. Economies
2. No. Some problems, but modern science/technology and money are improving the global environment.
3. Poverty and weak economic growth.
4. Fostering economic growth, a source of progress that will improve the environment in the long run.
5. Promote growth, alleviate poverty and enhance efficiency, best pursued with globalization. Market-based incentives to encourage clean technology.

Question 4

Describe institutionalists in terms of:

1. Focus
2. Global environmental crisis
3. Cause of a problem
4. Impact of globalization
5. The way forward

Answer 4

1. Institutions
2. Not yet. Potential for crisis unless we act now to enhance state capacity and improve the effectiveness of regimes and global institutions.
3. Weak institutions and inadequate global cooperation to correct environmental failures, underdevelopment, and bad effects of state sovereignty.
4. Enhancing opportunities for cooperation. Guided globalization enhances human welfare.
5. Harness globalization and promote strong global institutions, norms and regimes that manage the global environment and distribute technology and funds more effectively to developing countries. Build state capacity. Employ precautionary principle.

Question 5

Describe bioenvironmentalists in terms of:

1. Focus
2. Global environmental crisis
3. Cause of a problem
4. Impact of globalization
5. The way forward

Answer 5

1. Ecosystems
2. Yes. Near or beyond earth’s carrying capacity. Ecological crisis threatens human survival.
3. Human instinct to overfill ecological space, as seen by overpopulation, excessive economic growth, and overconsumption.
4. Driving unsustainable growth, trade, investment, and debt. Accelerating depletion of natural resources and filling of sinks.
5. Create a new global economy within limits to growth. Limit population growth and reduce consumption. Internalize the value of nonhuman life into institutions and policies. Agree to collective coercion (e.g., some advocate world government) to control greed, exploitation, and reproduction.

Question 6

Describe social greens terms of:

1. Focus
2. Global environmental crisis
3. Cause of a problem
4. Impact of globalization
5. The way forward

Answer 6

1. Justice
2. Yes. Social injustice at both local and global levels feeds environmental crisis.
3. Large-scale industrial life (some say global capitalism), which feeds exploitation (of labor, women, indigenous peoples, the poor, and the environment) and grossly unequal patterns of consumption.
4. Accelerating exploitation, inequalities, and ecological injustice while concurrently eroding local community autonomy.
5. Reject industrialism (and/or capitalism) and reverse economic globalization. Restore local community autonomy and empower those whose voices have been marginalized. Promote ecological justice and local and indigenous knowledge systems.