1. Theme “Major Challenges to Contemporary World”
DG 13.
Global Environmental
Problems
April 25th
, 2015
Anna A. Dekalchuk,
Lecturer at the Department of Applied Politics,
Higher School of Economics – St. Petersburg

2. DG outline
1. 8-minute test
1. Globalization and environment
1. History
1. Functions of int. env. regimes
1. Climate change
1. IR theory

3. 1. Multiple Choice Test
8 minutes, 10 questions, only
one correct answer per question

4. 2.
Beautiful map of the world:
this is the way we think about
countries

5. 2. Unusual picture
Map of the world in proportion to carbon
emissions
What does this map tell us about our
world?

6. 2. Globalization and environment
-
Sharing of knowledge and influential presence
of NGOs in global environmental politics.
Free trade results in generating greater
income for poorer countries (via exports of
basic goods to developed-country markets).
There is a belief that increase in levels of
affluence in poorer countries results in local
environmental improvements.
Opening up of markets can increase efficiency
and reduce pollution.
How does globalization influence
environment?
Stimulation of ever-rising levels of consumption
=> increase in emissions of effluences and waste
gases.
Free trade results in disrupting of local ecologies
and livelihoods (by relocation of industry and
population movement away from the land).
Doubt about the statement that globalization
does not lead to a ‘race to the bottom’ in
environmental standards.
+

7. 2.
Inseparable link between
global environmental
governance and local and
regional actions
What is the difference between
government and governance?
Globalization and environment

8. 3.
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y

9. 3.
A word about whales

10. 3.

11. 4. Functions of int. env. cooperation
What is international regime?
Governing the commons
tragedy of the commons &
collective action problem
+ free rider problem
Scientific understanding
don’t forget that research needs
funding => role of state and
private sector?
Norm creation
such as:
binding and non-binding
international law
(Principle 21, Agenda 21),
Precautionary principle,
‘Prior informed consent’
principle.
Capacity building
through , e.g.:
Global Environment
Facility (GEF).

12. 4. Tragedy of the commons
Garrett Hardin
(1915-2003)
American ecologist who wrote
about the tragedy of the
commons (1968)
Elinor Ostrom
(1933-2012)
neoinstitutional theory,
“Governing the Commons: The Evolution of
Institutions for Collective Action” (1990)

13. 5 Climate change
Climate change: moving from
low politics to high politics
1992 – UN Framework
Convention on Climate
Change (Rio)
1997 – Kyoto Protocol
Principle of common but
differentiated responsibility –
what is it about?
Free rider problem – what is
it about?
2009 – CoP in Copenhagen
2012 – Doha Conference
(prolonged till 2020, 2015 – a
new efficient document)

14. 5.
Meet Al Gore
None like it hot!
Climate change

15. 6. IR theory and environment
Ole Waever
Securitization of
environment
Peter Haas
Epistemic communities
and environmental
governance
Stephen
Krasner
International
regimes