The Political Economy of the Environment

Flashcards about the political economy of the environment.

What is Environmental Economics?

Focuses on incorporating environmental factors into classical economic models and believes environmental problems can be addressed through market mechanisms.

What is Ecological Economics?

Takes a broader, more holistic approach, viewing the economy as a subsystem of the environment and emphasizing biophysical constraints.

What do environmental economists advocate for?

Internalizing externalities through policies.

Name market-based solutions used in Environmental Economics.

Carbon tax, cap-and-trade systems, and subsidies for sustainable practices.

What do ecological economists propose based on planetary boundaries?

Proposing limits to resource extraction.

What alternative policies to perpetual economic expansion do ecological economists suggest?

Degrowth or steady-state economy.

What is GDP?

A measure of economic well-being often criticized by ecological economists.

Name alternatives to GDP mentioned in the lecture.

Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) and Human Development Index (HDI).

What is sustainable development?

Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

What are the three pillars of sustainable development?

Economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection.

Why is understanding the historical context of environmental issues important?

Understanding how economic and political forces have shaped environmental policy.

When was early human impact on environment?

Before the Industrial Revolution

What time period defines the industrial revolution & early environmental concerns?

1750s-1900s

What time period describes the rise of modern environmentalism?

1940s-1970s

During what time frame did global environmental governance emerge?

1980s-2000s

What year was the Johannesburg Summit held?

2002

What factors contributed to the collapse of the Mayan civilization?

Deforestation and soil degradation.

Name traditional environmental management practices in indigenous cultures.

Rotational farming and sacred forests.

What Ecological Economics principles are aligned with traditional environmental management practices?

Recognizing natural limits and sustainability principles in resource use.

What factors led to surging pollution levels during the Industrial Revolution?

Rapid technological advancements, urbanization, and population growth.

What caused severe air pollution in major cities during the Industrial Revolution?

Burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil).

What early conservation efforts emerged during the Industrial Revolution?

National parks and wildlife protection laws.

Why did sanitation movements and public health regulations rise during the Industrial Revolution?

To combat industrial pollution.

In what year was Yellowstone National Park established?

1872

Which school of economic thought is aligned with pollution policies during the Industrial Revolution?

Regulating pollution while allowing economic growth.

When did concerns about pollution and environmental degradation gain global attention?

After World War II

In what year did the UN hold the first Biosphere Conference?

1968

When was Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring published?

1962

When did environmental NGOs such as WWF and Greenpeace emerge?

1961 & 1971

What did the 1972 Stockholm Conference introduce?

The concept of sustainable development and emphasized global cooperation through the creation of UNEP.

When was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created?

1970

What approach to environmental issues is associated with Environmental Economics?

Using policy mechanisms and market incentives to reduce emissions and pollution.

When was the Rio Earth Summit held?

1992

What blueprint for sustainable development was introduced at the Rio Earth Summit?

Agenda 21.

When did the Kyoto Protocol become the first legally binding international agreement on CO₂ emissions?

1997

When was the Johannesburg Summit held?

2002

What did the Johannesburg Summit highlight?

The unequal effects of environmental degradation.

When was the Paris agreement signed?

2015

What role was played in integrating environmental concerns into business practices?

The role of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

What shift is observed regarding sustainability?

From growth vs sustainability to growth for sustainability

What shift is observed regarding markets?

From states and regulation to markets and liberalization

What shift is observed regarding politics?

From politics to technocracy

What Environmental Economics principles apply to energy policy?

Market-based instruments to achieve sustainability.

What Ecological Economics principles apply to energy policy?

Biodiversity, fair access, and systemic change in consumption.

What approach was taken to improve water access and management at the Johannesburg Summit?

Promotion of public-private partnerships within government-regulated frameworks.

What was the emphasis on energy policy at the Johannesburg Summit?

Diversifying global energy supply by incorporating renewable energy sources.

What specific health-related actions were taken at the Johannesburg Summit?

Reaffirmed the fight against HIV/AIDS and supported states' rights to interpret trade agreements.

What agricultural actions were taken at the Johannesburg Summit?

Pushed for WTO negotiations on market access.

What biodiversity actions were taken at the Johannesburg Summit?

Called for an international regime to ensure equitable sharing of genetic resource benefits.

What climate change actions were taken at the Johannesburg Summit?

Urged countries to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and commit to greenhouse gas reduction.

What actions related to poverty and consumption were taken at the Johannesburg Summit?

Proposed a global solidarity fund and ten-year programs promoting sustainable consumption and production.

Which does Rio +20 summit reflect, ecological economics or environmental economics?

Market solutions.

What is the Green Economy based on?

The monetary quantification of exosystemic services.

What did Rio +20 accomplish?

“overcoming” of trade-off between economic and sustainability

What did Stockholm+50 aim towards?

accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What is the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC)?

A hypothesized relationship between environmental degradation and economic development.

According to the EKC theory, what happens to pollution as an economy develops?

Pollution initially increases as an economy grows but eventually decreases once a certain level of wealth is reached.

To what school of economic thought is the EKC closely linked?

Assuming market forces and policy interventions will lead to sustainability.

Why might some economies fail to reach the pollution declining point according to EKC criticisms?

Institutional weaknesses and governance failures.

What key factors does the EKC model exclude according to its critics?

The integrity of ecological systems and the risk of irreversible environmental damage.

For which pollutant does the EKC fail to explain the trend of rising emissions in developed nations?

CO₂ emissions.

How might countries achieve lower domestic emissions without reducing overall pollution?

Outsourcing pollution-intensive industries to developing nations.

What trend in consumption was observed between 1960 and 2000?

Consumption quadrupled, despite only doubling population.

What percentage of global private consumption comes from the wealthiest 20% of the population?

75%

What percentage of the world’s wealth is held by the richest 1%?

50%

How does inequality manifest in resource use and labor exploitation according to EKC critiques?

Rich countries protect their markets; poor ones suffer environmental and labor abuses.

How do transnational corporations (TNCs) contribute to environmental issues according to EKC critiques?

Relocate to avoid regulations and apply double standards.

What is the optimistic view of globalization's impact on the environment?

Growth brings cleaner production and technologies.

How does global trade contribute to environmental improvement according to the optimistic view?

Global trade improves resource allocation and incentivizes efficiency.

How can market instruments address environmental problems according to the optimistic view?

Market instruments like carbon pricing can fix problems.

What trend in environmental quality is observed in richer nations according to the optimistic view?

Environmental quality improves over time in richer nations.

What reflects the optimistic belief for environmental progress?

Technological progress and green innovation.

What is the pessimistic view of globalization's impact on the environment?

Globalization fuels overconsumption, depletes resources.

How do rich countries contribute to environmental injustice according to the pessimistic view?

Rich countries externalize costs to poorer regions.

How does globalization affect environmental justice according to the pessimistic view?

Globalization increases environmental injustice.

What does the pessimistic view argue regarding technological solutions to environmental problems?

Environmental degradation outpaces technological fixes.

What are the potential consequences of current economic models according to the pessimistic view?

Irreversible damage to ecosystems and biodiversity loss.

What does the pessimistic view argue regarding sustainability?

Current economic models are inherently unsustainable.

What is required for effective policy according to the lecture?

Combining incentives for green growth and recognition of environmental limits.

What is required for future sustainability?

Stronger global governance, fairer trade systems, and local action grounded in ecological awareness.

What principle relates to technology and enviornmental sustainability?

Jevons paradox

What is another name for Jevons Paradox?

The rebound effect

What can lead to local action grounded in ecological awareness?

Fairer trade systems

Instead of a greener economy, what may global economic integration be leading to?

Relocating environmental costs to unseen corners of the world.

What outpaces many technological fixes?

Environmental degradation

In what countires were WWF and Greenpeace created?

Switzerland and Canada

The concept of sustainable development is tied to environmental economics or ecological economics?

Environmental economics

How many heads of state pariticpated in the Johannesburg Summit?

10 heads of state

WHat approach to Environmental Economics align to environmental policy?

Market based approach

What must be recognized when making environmental policy?

Ecological limits

What relationship is being displayed in the Kuznets curve?

Environmental degredation vs economic developement

The optimist view reflects what type of advancement?

Technological progress

What is the definition of Economic Growth vs __?

Sustainability

What is the shift in States and Regulations to __?

Markets and Liberalization

How can economic incentives align with ecological sustainability?

Economic Incentives

What promotes a more sustainable consumption rate?

Global Solidarity Fund

What public-private partnership reform can help achieve sustainability?

Trade Reforms

What requires sustainable global governance?

Environmental awareness

What shifts from politics to technocracy?

Market liberalization

What did countries ratify during the climate change agreement?

Kyoto Protocol