PS 3480, Environmental Politics, April 20, 2009
Climate Change
Climate Change as a Wicked Policy Problem
a. The Bush Administration and Climate Change
Massachusetts v. EPA (2007)
b. State and local initiatives
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006
c. The Obama administration
The Waxman / Markey bill, 2009
The Obama budget
The EPA declares CO2 a threat to human health, April 17, 2009
Discussion: Should American governments act unilaterally to deal with Climate Change?
If American governments should be doing more, how can you get them to do more?
International Problems & Problem Solving
1. The Problem of Cooperation among sovereign nations
2. The complexity of International Environmental Issues
a. size
b. diversity
c. interconnectedness
d. Example: The Mediterranean Sea
3. South against North: The Charges
- Green Imperialism
- Resources
- Dependency
- Racism
4. Tools for Influencing Sovereign Nations
a. Force
b. Authority
c. Incentives -The World Bank
The International Monetary Fundd. Mutual Consent - Treaties and Agreements
5. Tools for achieving Mutual Consent
Database of International River Basin Treaties and Compacts
a. Conferences
b. Declarations
c. Conventions
d. Protocols
6. The Process of International Problem-Solving
a. Defning the Issue
b. Fact-Finding
c. Bargaining on Outcomes
d. Ensuring enforcement of the agreement
(usually requires an international organization)
7. Implementation of International Action
a. International Government Organizations
Example: United Nations Environment Programme
b. Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)