Key Terms

Anthropocene

The human epoch defined by the impacts human activity has had on the environment.

The Great Acceleration

Acceleration of human activity leading to environmental change, began in 1950.

Civil Society

The voluntary associations that exist outside the state and market.

United Nations Environmental Program

UN environmental agency aimed at raising awareness of changes from the great acceleration.

Actors in Global Environmental Politics

Main participants include states, scientists, civil society, and businesses.

Policy Effectiveness

How effective is the proposed solution for mitigating a problem.

Policy Equitability

How equitable is the solution in terms of distributing responsibility and risk.

Tragedy of the Commons

The depletion of a resource when individuals act independently in their own self-interest.

Privatization

Bringing natural resources under control of market forces.

Socialization

Bringing natural resources under the control of the state.

Commons

Resources that are not exclusively owned by any person(s).

Global Commons

Resources like oceans, atmosphere, outer space, that are shared globally.

Ecological Imperialism

Environmental degradation understood in context of inequalities between core and periphery countries.

Sustainable Capitalism

Expanding the idea of capital to include ecological resources for sustainable development.

Closed Loop Production

Production method where waste is used as a resource without by-products.

Demographic Transition

The transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops.

Neo-Malthusianism

The belief that population growth is the main cause of environmental problems.

Environmental Governance

Processes of decision making regarding environmental and ecological resources.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum human population size that Earth's ecosystem can sustain sustainably.

Overconsumption

Increased levels of consumption in capitalist societies that impact environmental health.

Racism

Action or structure that subordinates individuals or groups based on race or ethnicity.

Patriarchy

The social, political, and moral primacy of men over women and other groups.

Eco Feminism

The connection between patriarchal domination and environmental exploitation.

Neoliberalism

The belief that minimal state intervention fosters innovation and efficiency.

Population Control

Efforts to regulate population growth through education and access to birth control.