1 The Environment: Global Warming Politics of Everyday Life POL771

2 Global Warming Today, global warming looms in many people’s minds as one of the biggest threats facing the planet Issues about the environment affect us in our everyday lives Virtually all environmental issues are linked to the dynamics of globalized political and economic processes

3 The Greenhouse Effect Joseph Fourier, French physicist, theorised 1827 the earth’s atmosphere acts like the glass of a plant-breeder’s hothouse Man-made emissions account for just under 4% of all greenhouse gases Glaciers of the last ice-age were triggered by a fall of two degrees C in the average summer temperature around 115,000 years ago

4 Useful Terms OECD member states (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Global commons (Resources shared by the international community) Annex 1 nations Annex 1 Expert Group Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): a group of scientists who present policy options on the environment

5 Environmental Awareness In the 60s international concern about preservation of the natural environment rapidly developed Carson, Rachel (1962) Silent Spring In the 70s international environmental politics matured further, and Green movements, environmental and industrial NGOs, international organisations became key actors in environmental politics

6 The Stockholm Conference 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm 1972 Established the principles for further development of international responses to trans-national environmental problems Common Heritage of Mankind – whereby common resources should be collectively managed and preserved UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

7 World Commission on Environment UN established a World Commission on Environment and Development Chaired by Gro Harlem Brundtland, who promoted the concept of, ‘Sustainable development’ – considers long term implications in our decisions, and gives equal weight to environmental, social and economic dimensions of development

8 1992, the spirit of Rio Since Rio, political processes have linked issues of development and environment and the contested notion of sustainable development Dominance of G8 nation states Southern nations often lack international attention and funding Any treaty is likely to set national or regional limits to the release of CO2, the chief suspect in any global warming

9 Consequences of change? CO2 is also an inevitable by-product of burning fuels – coal, oil and natural gas – that make an industrial way of life possible Rich countries might have to change their comfortable existences in order to consume less energy Developing countries, trying to enrich their lives might see their own aspirations confounded

10 The Kyoto Protocol is an amendment to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, an international treaty on global warming 141 countries have ratified the agreement, agreeing to reduce emissions of CO2 Negotiated in Kyoto 1997 Came into force on 16 th Feb 2005 If implemented will reduce average global temperature by 0.02 and 0.28 degrees C by 2050

11 Kyoto Protocol In recognition of differential capacities and forms of energy stocks, not all nations have the same targets for reducing emissions For example, the EU as a whole has a target of 8% below 1990 levels Norway is allowed to increase emissions by 1%

12 Kyoto; a divide JUSCANZ nations insist developing countries limit emissions and want opportunities to develop alternate approaches EU argued for serious cuts Poorer nations appealed to the principle of justice OPEC nations opposed any moves viewed as a threat to their economies

13 Opposition to Kyoto Two major countries opposed to the treaty are the USA and Australia Sceptics argue that Kyoto is a scheme to cut the growth of the industrial democracies, or to transfer wealth to the third world in what they claim is a global socialism initiative In 2000 the US announced its withdrawal from the process

14 Why would the US not ratify? Perceptions of national interest Division of powers in the political system requires any international convention to be agreed by Senate Reluctance on the part of US citizens to stop their high consumption Energy production and motoring lobbies – known as the Global Climate Coalition, form an extremely successful lobbying organisation at domestic and international levels

15 Search for a just solution Southern nations demand an equal share of global atmospheric commons The Global Commons Institute has developed a plan, ‘contraction and convergence’ Every person should have an equal emission quota All emissions quotas are marketable

16 Latest news on greenhouse emissions Research carried out by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reveals a new high of CO2 emissions The new figures are likely to be a powerful tool in the battle to convince the United States, the world’s biggest polluter, that it urgently needs to join efforts to slow down emissions