Transcript Environmental and Demographic Factors in IR

Environmental and
Demographic Factors in
IR
PO 325: International Politics
The Environment in IR
• We have seen that economic
development is the primary concern
for many states in the international
system
• However, the actions of both
developed and developing countries
generates externalities that can harm
global environmental conditions
• Several scientists have claimed that, if
countries are not careful, the
environment will be utterly destroyed
The Decline of the Global Environment
• In their quest to develop, states have
grievously polluted several
environmental systems
• Pollution
– Atmospheric pollution (acid rain)
– Water pollution (industry, sewage, fertilizers)
– Toxic and nuclear wastes and accidents (Chernobyl)
• Destruction of Ecosystems
– Endangerment of animal life (evolutionary
interference)
– Ruination of rain forests through development and of
oceans through pollution (oxygen production)
The Diminution of Natural Resources
• In their quest to develop, states have
vastly depleted natural resources
• Energy Depletion
– Overconsumption of petroleum
resources (exhaustion by end of 21st
Century)
• Mineral Depletion and Land Erosion
– Social displacement
– Diminution of arable land
• Potable Water
– Overuse results in shortages,
problems for fisheries
Conservation Regimes
• In a concerted effort to conserve
resources and the environment,
several international regimes have
been established
– Pollution: Kyoto Protocol (FF
emissions)
– Environmental Conservation:
(UNEP, International Whaling
Commission)
• Some limited successes, but such
programs are normally characterized
by failure. Why?
Why is Conservation Difficult? The Tragedy
of the Commons
• British sheep-grazing example
• Problem of common goods – if
resource is shared and volume of
production is key, there exists an
incentive to over-extract, thereby
depleting common resource
• In other words, short-term relative
gains interests overshadow long-term
absolute gains concerns
The Tragedy of the Commons Illustrated:
Kyoto
• Proposed in 1997 to reduce fossil fuel
emissions
• Advantage to highly populated nations
(emissions levels much lower per capita)
• However, China and India are developing
nations – free ride “loophole”
• US refused to sign
– Loophole allows development of economic
competitors while US is hamstrung
– Allows potential political competitors to get
stronger via development while US
stagnates (security externalities)
Avoiding the Tragedy
Dangerously: Eliminating the
“Commons”
• The problems associated with
depletion of shared resources leads
states to seek ownership
• This raises conflicts of interest between
states, and can result in armed conflict
over finite resources (Examples;
Middle East water, Spratly Islands)
Demography and IR
• World population is at its highest level
and continues to grow, placing further
stress on resources
• Certain policies have been
implemented to control population.
However, each is bound in
controversy
– Birth control education
– State-imposed family planning
(China)