kegley chapter 14

Chapter 14: Population,

Resources, and Global

Environmental Politics

Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Transnational Crime Global Drug Trade ($300 billion per year) Money Laundering “Conflict Diamonds” Endangered species Stolen Automobiles Piracy of Copyrighted Materials The Arms Trade Terrorism

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International Enforcement

Interpol Combating Drug Smuggling

• U.S. Plan Columbia

Combating Money Laundering• Financial Action Task Force

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The Spread of Disease

Long history• Bubonic plague• 1918 flu• Polio

SARS: 2003 H1N1 (swine flu)

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Efforts to Fight Disease World Health Organization (WHO) USAID

• HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment• Fighting infectious diseases such as

malaria, tuberculosis, and polio• Maternal and children’s healthcare• Family planning• Strengthening health systems

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Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning 6

NGOs in International Health

The International Red Cross and Crescent

Medecins sans Frontiers (MSF) The Gates Foundation


The Agenda HIV/AIDS Malaria Tuberculosis (TB) Treating a new flu pandemic

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Ecopolitics The global commons: The physical and

organic characteristics and resources of the entire planet—the air in the atmosphere and conditions on land and sea—on which human life depends and which is the common heritage of all humanity.

Carrying capacity: The maximum number of humans and living species that can be supported by a given territory.

Politics of scarcity: Scarce resources can undermine security and lead to military conflict.

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Global Environmental Problems

Depletion of the ozone layer Global warming Biodiversity loss Overpopulation Oil shortages

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The Tragedy of the Commons

An example of what can happen with shared resources: land, fish, air.

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International Environmental Collaboration Is Difficult

Conflict with existing agreements Competing priorities Equity Scientific uncertainty

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The Kyoto Protocol Limits greenhouse gases Includes provisions for emissions

trading• Problems:

• Some feel it is too restrictive• Others feel it is too weak

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Other International Agreements

The Montreal Protocol • Reduce the production and use of gases that

deplete the ozone layer

The Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) • Limit the dumping of land-based pollution into

the Mediterranean Sea

The Convention on Biological Diversity• The conservation of biological diversity, the

sustainable use of components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

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Ecopolitics Environmental security:

Environmental threats can be as important as military threats

Sustainable development: Economic growth that does not deplete the resources needed to maintain growth

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Climate Change Greenhouse effect

• CO2, methane

• World temperature to rise 2–12ºF by 2100 unless action is taken

Possible effects of global warming• Rising sea levels• Warmer winters and more severe hot spells• Increased rainfall in areas prone to flooding;

dryer drought-prone regions• The disappearance of entire ecosystems• Increases in tropical disease• Increased hunger and water shortages

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Rising Average Global Temperatures at the Earth’s Surface Since 1867

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Global Warming, Climatic Catastrophes, and Mass Suffering

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Ozone Depletion and Protections

Emergence of an international regime Montreal Protocol 1987

• Strong scientific evidence and• Active NGO epistemic community

Can this translate to other issues?• Mountains

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The Ecopolitics of Forests and Biodiversity

Biodiversity: The variety of plant and animal species living in the earth’s diverse ecosystems

Deforestation • 1992 Earth Summit

Desertification

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Loss of Forest and Ground to Deserts

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Biodiversity Genetic diversity, species diversity,

and ecosystem diversity 14 percent of the world’s species are

threatened with extinction Most likely to affect the Global

South Role of MNCs

• Enclosure movement

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Locating Biodiversity Bastions and Endangered Biodiversity Hot Spots

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Sources of the Ecological Threats to the Global Commons

Tragedy of the commons• Rationally self-interested behavior may

have a destructive collective impact• Overgrazing of animals on the village

green• Applies to human behavior and

ecological systems

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The Globalization of Planetary Dangers

IPCC Report 2007• Human activity is the main cause of

global warming

Climate Change• U.S. and China major sources of CO2• Burning coal also causes acid rain

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Touring Trends of the Greenhouse

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The Global Politics of Energy Supplies and Consumption

Oil is being used faster than it’s being discovered

OPEC countries control oil supply• Cartel

Oil and natural gas located in politically unstable regions

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Toward Sustainability?

Global solutions• Converting to renewable sources for

energy• International treaties for environmental

protection • Free trade?• “Green” corporations

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Phasing Out Fossil Fuels? The Potential for Renewable Energy to Supply to World’s Energy Needs by the Year 2100

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The Number of International Environmental Treaties Since 1921: Protecting the Global Commons?

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Toward Sustainability? Local solutions

• California state laws• EPA• An Inconvenient Truth

• Change a light bulb.• Recycle more.• Use less hot water.• Drive less.• Conserve electricity.

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Measuring National Commitments to Environmental Sustainability

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kegley chapter 14

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