IR and the Environment

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  • Created by: becky.65
  • Created on: 27-11-19 14:09
What is the effect of biodiversity loss?
200 species are going extinct every day and 1 million species may be pushed to extinction in decades
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Why is biodiversity loss negative?
Nature is valuable for human survival and wellbeing; loss of resilience; monetary value, value of ecosystem services is $33 trillion a year; in the UK people are having to hand pollinate which is very costly
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What is the effect of deforestation?
In 2019 one football pitch of the Amazon rainforest is cleared every minute for farming, livestock, palm oil plantations and mining which drives land-based biodiversity loss
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What is the effect of soil erosion?
Unsustainable agriculture, deforestation and urban expansion means we have lost 50% of the topsoil which means without this we can't grow food
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What is the effect of air pollution?
91% of the world's population breathes in air deemed 'unsafe' which leads to cancers, strokes, heart disease and stunts children's growth. It leads to 7 million premature deaths per year
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What is the effect of plastic pollution?
8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean every year -> The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Microplastic is being found in a highest concentration in the deep ocean
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What is the effect of water scarcity?
Overexploitation, pollution, and climate change are all contributing to increasing pressure. Cape Town, Mexico City, Cairo, Tokyo, Jakarta, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Bangalore, Melbourne, and London are all facing risks of running out of water in decades
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What is the effect of climate change?
It causes biodiversity loss, deforestation, soil erosion, air pollution, plastic pollution, water scarcity
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Why is the Environment relevant for IR?
The environment is the foundation upon which all life rests. It is the stage upon which politics plays out. It underpins all conflicts and cooperation so it cannot be a side issue to high politics
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What is the Global Environmental Governance?
The sum of organisations, policy instruments, financing mechanisms, rules, procedures and norms that regulate the processes of global environmental protection.
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Why do we need the Global Environmental Governance?
Problems transcend national borders; action taken in one country can have knock-on effects on others; Environment problems need global mobilisation of fund as no country has enough resource on its own
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What has been the shift in focus on the Environment?
From 'environment' to 'sustainable development' indicating the growing recognition of the political nature of environmental issues as environmental and economic development are intertwined
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How do realists perceive environmental issues?
Marginally. If acknowledged, the environment is seen as a natural resource that can be leveraged for power
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How do liberal institutionalists perceive environmental issues?
Joint gains derived from cooperation and the effectiveness of 'environmental regimes' and international law
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How do constructivists perceive environmental issues?
Focus on how shared norms can drive change
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How are environmental issues seen as foundational?
All of the UN's 17 main goals for 2030 are embedded in the environment, these goals are not achievable without fixing the environment
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From the perspective of IR, how has the Environment as an issue transformed in the last 5 decades?
There has been success; new organisations and institutions have been built; knowledge has been strengthened and technology advanced and there has been unprecedented multilateral cooperation
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From an environmentalist perspective how has the Environment as an issue transformed in the last 5 decades?
It has not been successful. Current efforts are too slow and too weak to address the many issues we face
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How does different timeframes make environmental issues different than other IR issues?
Many issues develop over long periods of time. Conflicts with electoral cycles as any policy's effects aren't immediate so they can't show results to get funding. Coordination over multi-faceted issues also takes a long time
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How does conflicting interests and incentives make environmental issues different than other IR issues?
Many issues affect low-income countries more than those with power so those with influence don't act; addressing issues conflict with short-term economic interests and issues require enormous financial resources
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How does having no clearly defined responsibility make environmental issues different than other IR issues?
There is no direct perpetrator to blame and issues go beyond state sovereignty into the 'global commons' so it is not clear who is responsible for the issues
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What is the tragedy of the commons?
A situation where individual users, acting independently according to their own self-interest, behave contrary to the common good of all users, by depleting or spoiling that resource i.e the global common
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What is the 'securitization' of an issue?
The successful process of labelling an issue a security issue (an existential threat) and results in the transformation of the way of dealing with it (legitimises the use of force or extraordinary measures)
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How has climate change been securitised?
Stiglitz claimed climate change is our third world war; in 2014 the IPCC concluded that ‘climate change and climate variability pose risks to human security; we speak of a climate crisis
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What are the benefits of securitising the environment?
It raises its political profile and might inspire action
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What are the possible drawbacks of securitising the environment?
It might justify the use of violence and implies a shift in the military and police dealing with the issue
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Why is biodiversity loss negative?

Back

Nature is valuable for human survival and wellbeing; loss of resilience; monetary value, value of ecosystem services is $33 trillion a year; in the UK people are having to hand pollinate which is very costly

Card 3

Front

What is the effect of deforestation?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is the effect of soil erosion?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is the effect of air pollution?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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