Climate Change and Environmental Issues

Anthropocene

Time where human activity has become the main force shaping our planet’s climate and ecosystems

UN Environment Programme

First global conference was held in 1972, further creating the organization

Sustainable development

Environment and development must go hand in hand

1992 Earth Summit

In Rio brought together nations to discuss sustainable development and agreements like Agenda 21

Liberal Approach

International cooperation establishes governance regimes to regulate transboundary environmental problems and sustain the global commons

Realist Approach

Discussion of international environmental cooperation often neglects this despite the clearly reflected struggle to national and organizations advantage

Precautionary Principle

When human activities may lead to threats of serious and irreversible damage to the environment that scientifically plausible but uncertain, actions shall be taken to avoid or diminish that threat

UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)

Held to bring together political leaders, diplomats, scientists, etc. for a massive effort to focus on the impact of human socio-economic activities on the environment

Aarhus Convention

Created to empower the role of citizens and civil society organizations in environmental matters and is founded on the principles of participative democracy

20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2011-2020)

To promote effective implementation of action on biodiversity by all parties as well as providing a flexible framework for the establishment of national and regional strategic plan for biodiversity

17 Sustainable Development Goals (2030)

Provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet

2015 Paris Agreement

Legally binding international treaty on climate change, adopted by 196 parties at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, France on December 12, 2015

Capacity Building

Process of developing and strengthening the shills, instincts, abilities, processes, and resources that organizations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in a fast-changing world

UNFCCC

Depend on the willingness of wealthy countries to fully fund not only mitigation but adaptation activities as well

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES)

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platforms for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

Tragedy of the Commons

Conflict between individual and the collective interest and rationality in the use of property that is held in common

-       Enforcement of regimes can be difficult

The Montreal Protocol and Stratospheric Ozone Regime

Multilateral environment agreement that regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)

Enhanced Greenhouse Effects

Carbon dioxide increase

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)

44 small island developing states, key role in shaping climate agreements

Kyoto Protocol

Focused on developed countries, joint implementation, 5% reduction for developed countries

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC_

First global treaty to address climate change and the main purpose is to deter dangerous human interference

Realism

Hans J. Morganthau exemplified the neglect of environment “natural environment is only a fixed contextual factor or a constituent of national power”

Liberal Institutionalism

Unity through cooperative solutions

-       Centered around the attempt to understand the circumstances under which effective international cooperation such as the ozone regime

Marxist and Gramscian

Capitalist economic system is the primary culprit to the environmental problems

-       Neoliberal economic policies intensifies consumerism, relocation of industries to the south, and the thoughtless squandering of resources

Constructivism

Orthodox Perspective

Relationship between environmental change and armed conflict is an extension of the traditional thinking about national security

Arctic States

USA, Canada, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Russia

Snow Dragon

Polar Silk Road