Global Environmental
Problems
17.32 Environmental Politics
1
International Environmental Politics
• Environmental policy is about what government
•
•
does and does not do to address environmental
problems
Environmental politics is the clash of values &
interests that occurs in the course of
formulating and implementing policy
What does this suggest about international
environmental politics and policy?
17.32 Environmental Politics
2
“Third Generation” Issues
• Global in Scale
• Long-term in Scope
• Significant Scientific Uncertainty
• Large Economic Stakes
• Complex Institutional Management
17.32 Environmental Politics
3
Global Environmental Problems
• Climate Change
• Ozone Depletion
• Biodiversity Loss
• Ocean Exhaustion
17.32 Environmental Politics
4
WHY NOT IMPOSE INTERNATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS?
• Sovereignty
• No Supra-National Authority
– U.N.
– World Court
17.32 Environmental Politics
5
Ozone, CFCs, and Montreal
• Why was it possible to construct an international
regime to respond to Ozone Depletion
– Immediate scope and tangibility of the problem
– Small set of CFC producers
• Industry interested in product change
– Relatively Low Cost to Industry
• No net economic impact on states
– Developed-Developing states rift healed by funding
17.32 Environmental Politics
6
Global Climate Fluctuations
17.32 Environmental Politics
7
Kyoto Treaty
• Treaty Text
• GHG Emissions Reductions
–
–
1990 target year
Industrial Countries = 5% reduction from 1990
emissions levels by 2012
• US = 7%
• European Union = 8%
• Japan = 6%
• Emissions trading allowed
– Industrializing Countries = voluntary reductions
17.32 Environmental Politics
8
US GHG “Problem”
• 90% of US GHG emissions = fossil fuel
combustion
• US reduction strategy must involve
– Energy efficiency/conservation
– Removing subsides from fossil fuel
extraction/production
• (~ $100 billion/year)
– Develop alternative energy sources
17.32 Environmental Politics
9
Policy Problem
• Convincing the government there is a
problem
• Devising an effective course of action
• Getting other governments to do likewise
17.32 Environmental Politics
10
Bush CO2 Plan
CO2 MT per $ million
300
250
200
150
CO2/GDP
100
50
0
1985
1995
2005
2015
Year
17.32 Environmental Politics
11
Bush CO2 Plan
CO2 MT per $ million
300
250
200
CO2/GDP
Bush
150
100
50
0
1985
1995
2005
2015
Year
17.32 Environmental Politics
12
CO2 MT Emissions
Bush CO2 Plan
2,000
1,900
1,800
1,700
1,600
1,500
1,400
1,300
1,200
1,100
1,000
1985
CO2
Bush
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
Year
17.32 Environmental Politics
13
Biodiversity Loss
• Continental-Scale Ecosystem Destruction
– Human Population Growth
– Economic Development
• Mining, forestry, agriculture
• Ebola virus killing off African primates
• Climate Change
17.32 Environmental Politics
14
Biodiversity Loss
• Consumptive Use
• Bio-Homogenization
– Economic Globalization
– Alien Invasions
• Fungus decimating amphibian populations
• West Nile Virus decimating bird populations
– Plus dozens of other species
• Sudden Oak Death Syndrome
• Wooly Adelgid
17.32 Environmental Politics
15
Ocean Exhaustion
• Consumption
– Collapsing Fish Populations
– “collateral damage
• Leatherback turtles
• Pollution
– Eutrophication
• Dying Coral reefs
– Toxins, Viruses, Bacteria
• Sea otter decline
• Habitat destruction
–
–
Bottom trawling
Coastal wetlands
17.32 Environmental Politics
16