1
Q
According to Jared Diamond, can states adapt to meet environmental challenges, or why do states collapse?
A
- Failure to anticipate, lack of awareness/understanding.
- Failure to perceive, any change can be a slow change/when we don’t see the problem.
- Rational bad behaviour, we find excuses for how we treat the environment (Tragedy of the Commons).
- Disastrous values, irrational behaviour (embracing consumption, reliance on fossil fuels, modernity vs. environment). – We’re not willing to give up capitalist economic system.
- Other irrational failures (short-term focus, psychological failures – not able to think about immediate threats/visualise problems we create).
- Unsuccessful solutions, we’re nearing point where we cannot solve the problems of climate change, too little too late? – We still have time.
2
Q
What are the four categories of environmental world views?
A
- Market liberals
- Bioenvironmentalists
- Institutionalists
- Social greens
3
Q
What are the environmental world views of Market Liberals?
A
- Scientific developments and advances (experiments/endorsement).
- Humans dominate, nature is resource to satisfy human needs.
- Emphasis on economic growth, neoliberal capitalism will generate higher income, after which people will care about the environment.
4
Q
What are the environmental world views of Institutionalists?
A
- Stronger global norms/institutions to tackle problems, informed consumers.
- Long-term perspective, legitimate/strong state leadership, reformist approach; need to reform capitalist economy
- Get rich more slowly, sustainable development.
- E.g. ‘The Green State’, Montreal Protocol 1987.
5
Q
What was the main idea of the book ‘The Green State’?
A
- Reformist view/institutionalists
- Relying on states to act as green states.
- Importance of education, democratic practices.
- Ecological modernisation, ecocitizens, ecomultilateralism.
- Transnational dialogue, and eco in character
- States as go-between, provider of public goods.
6
Q
What are the similar views of Bioenvironmentalists and Social Greens?
A
- Critique economic globalisation and neoliberalism.
- We’re reaching the ‘carrying capacity’, unsustainable.
- Focus on Tragedy of the Commons, problematise it.
- Decentralisation, more power for local level.
- Raise awareness among people and civil society, transnational environmental activist group.
- Critical views
7
Q
What is the idea of a ‘deep ecology’?
A
- Complex interrelationship of all beings, whereby all organisms are dependent on the health of all ecosystems.
- Humankind is simply one being in an interconnected natural environment. (Note: opposite to what market liberals argue, that human kind dominates)
8
Q
To what extent are the bioenvironmentalists different from the Social Greens?
A
Bio:
- ‘Limits to growth.’ The problems we’re facing is the result of overpopulation.
- Population control is main focus.
- [There are] too many people + economic growth = environmental disaster.
9
Q
To what extent are the Social Greens different from the Bioenvironmentalists?
A
- Overconsumption rather than overpopulation. This world can manage the amount of people living on this planet.
- Empower marginalized people.
- Emphasize indigenous/local knowledge.
- Reject the anarchical structure of IR. Propose local, ecocentric communities.
- Communal living, communal approaches to life.
10
Q
What are critiques on Social Greens?
A
- Parochial, unrealistic, local focus not global.
- Running away to a commune to escape a global problem.
- Unrealistic to expect people to change their lifestyle.
11
Q
What is Peter Newell’s idea on climate capitalism?
A
How to enable economic growth without relying on fossil fuels? Neoliberal capitalism to blame for climate crisis.
Critiques of carbon economy:
- ‘Carbon colonialism’ – tendency to regard global south as a sink for emissions of global north.
- Carbon trading not reducing.
- Lack of regulation. E.g. link you can click for compensating for emission when flying, forced removal of people form their lands.
We need:
- Better governance, regulation, transparency & fairness of carbon markets.
- Promote renewable energy and sustainable development.
- Stringent environmental standards and certification.
12
Q
Is meaningful cooperation possible?
A
- Reluctance to accept legally binding rules.
- Problem of realizing cooperation over collective goods.
- Division between developed and developing world.
- Emphasis in the developing world in the right to develop.
States & firms are more interested in their own interests than global commons
13
Q
Were the Paris Climate Accords a success?
A
Success
- Diplomatic success.
- Legally binding, international treaty.
- Powerful mobilizer, more mobilisation for changed, normative power.
- Emphasized decarbonization, new energy = cheap & viable.
Failure
- Didn’t address climate crisis, 2 degree C is inaccurate and misses key points.
- Is about creating provisions are facilitative.
- Not providing any progress on ‘liability or compensation.’
- Obstruction by US, using its power to undermine alternatives.
14
Q
Can only radical action tackle climate change?
A
Yes
- Dangerous delays; should not delay more
- Myth of ‘easy’ solutions; there are no easy solutions
- Economic restructuring; market capitalism needs to be restructured
- Post material society; having enough and not more
No
- Exaggerated fears
- Adapt to change; climate change brings new opportunities
- Market solutions; consumers ask for more environmental approaches, and corporations will deliver
- Human ingenuity; power to create new solutions
15
Q
What are “water wars”?
A
- population growth in 3rd world
- stress on natural resources
- conflict and environmental refugees
16
Q
What are the problems of the Third World Threats?
A
- Globalisation of labour and export of environmental degradation
- Participation in global economy benefits few at the expense of many
- Rationale for intervention and status quo
In reality (Barnett 2000):
- Environmental degradation and social disturbance
- Conflict does not equal violence
