POL 357
How often does the European council meet?
4 times unless the president convenes under urgent issues
What is Stratospheric ozone?
6 to 30 miles above earth, contains a layer of ozone gas that protects living organisms from harmful ultraviolet radiation (UV-b) from the sun
Who is in the European Commission?
A team of commissioners (1 from each EU country)
What is the Montreal Protocol?
An international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of a number of substances responsible for ozone depletion.
If overgrazing is a problem in a commons, why don't the herdsmen stop adding animals?
Because they have no reason too, they will continue to make a profit from adding animals
What is an example of a country that is a leader on climate change policy?
Brazil
What is missing from the materials economy
Environmental and humanitarian impacts
What is the lowest-common denominator problem
Every other country needs to lower their expectations because they have to "suck up" to whatever country they need the most economically. This creates less strict policy
What was Martin Khor's perception of the Rio+20?
He believed the conference had too high expectations in the first place but it was a good first step in future relations and outcomes would come after the conference.
What are the strengths of the MEA system
Issue-specific Regimes, multiple institutions, Specialization, flexibility
what is the MEA system?
Multilateral Environmental Agreements
Does the UN security Council have a mandate to discuss climate change?
NO
Who has the rights to the resource in Torbel Switzerland and how are those rights determined?
Natural born males who are a part of the alp association
What does the Counsel of the European Union do?(Council of Ministers)
Negotiates and adopts EU laws as well as develops the EU's foreign and security policy
How is global pollution a problem of affluence?
Overuse, and lifestyle
What are impacts of Ozone depletion?
Skin cancer, increased cataracts
How does the EU make law?
The Commission proposes new laws and the Parliament and Council adopt these laws
What does the European parliament represent?
The EU citizens
Who elects the European Council president?
The European Council for 2.5 year term (once renewable)
How is global pollution a problem of poverty?
They lack knowledge and infrastructure.
What is the first mandate of the World Commission of Dams?
To review the development effectiveness of Dams.
What is an example of a country that is laggard on climate change policy?
US
Does the European council pass laws?
Yes with European Parliament
Can the Council of the EU pass laws?
Yes with the European Parliament
What is technological optimism?
belief that technological developments generally lead to good
Why was the World Commission of Dams created?
by the World Bank and IUCN to review the development effectiveness of Dams
What is planned obsolecense?
engineering a product to fail at a certain time so you want to buy another one
What are the environmental and humanitarian impacts associated with Extractive industries?
environmental impacts are taking something out that cannot be replaced, and humanitarian impacts includes long hours with low pay
Can the European Commission make Laws?
no, only propose
What are the three characteristics shared by the most successful dams?
1) Comprehensive approach to integrating social environmental and economic dimensions of development 2) Create greater levels of transparency 3) resulted in increased levels of confidence in the ability of nation and communities to meet their future water/energy needs
what is the first major summit?
1972 - UN Conference on the Human Environment - Stockholm, Sweden
What are the four major summits?
1972 - UN Conference on the Human Environment - Stockholm, Sweden 1992 - UN Conference on Environment and Development - Rio, Brazil 2002 - World Summit on Sustainable Development -Johannesburg, South Africa 2012 - UN Conference on Sustainable Development - Rio, Brazil
what is the second major summit?
1992 - UN Conference on Environment and Development - Rio, Brazil
what is the third major summit?
2002 - World Summit on Sustainable Development -Johannesburg, South Africa
What is the fourth major summit?
2012 - UN Conference on Sustainable Development - Rio, Brazil (GPB pg4)
What is the Composition of the European Commission?
28 Commissioners including a president, 7 vice presidents, and 20 Commissioners in charge of portfolios
How many members are in the European Parliament?
751 members
What was the Marrakesh Accords
A continuance of the kyoto protocol with specific rules with funding and penalties
What are common-pool resources? (Ostrom)
A type of good consisting of a natural or human-made resources system, whose size or characteristics makes it unable to exclude potential users from obtaining benefits from its use (non-excludable) and one person use subtracts from overall quality
What made the ozone regime so successful?
Advancing scientific Knowledge, Economic costs and benefits of Ozone depletion substances, Specific characteristics of the ozone issue(could be called "ozone hole"), UNEP
What are the 3 types of commodity chains?
Agricultural commodities, extractive industries, and finished consumer goods
What does the organizational structure look like of the Torbel Switzerland common pool resource?
All the people who have a stake in the land vote on rules and regulations, and elect officials
What did the adjustment provision in the Montreal Protocol do?
Allows for the continual reduction of chemicals guided by scientific understanding
What was Martin Khors Perception on the Rio+20 Outcome document
Although it may have been vague, there was progress because all the countries were able to agree to the document
Is global pollution mainly a problem of poverty or a problem of affluence?
Both, poverty rendered nations don't have access to smarter solutions while affluence nations over use their resources.
What depletes Ozone?
CFC's and HCFC's breaks the oxygen bond and creates a chain reaction
What is the European Council?
Compromises EU leaders, the European Commission president and a president deciding on the EU's overall direction and political Priorities
What did the first mandate of the World Commission of Dams Find?
Dams brought a significant benefit to the public along with a large cost.
Is climate change a security threat?
Depends on how it is framed: It causes Ecological stresses and resource scarcity, economic stresses and social unrest and political stresses.
Who were some of the stake holders in the debates/controversies over big dams?
Developing nations, Narmada valley people (india), businesses in construction, Government of India
What is the European Parliament?
Directly-elected EU body with legislative, supervisory, and budgetary responsibilities
Who is the president of the counsel of the European Union?(Council of Ministers)
Each EU country holds the presidency on a 6-month rotating basis
Explain "permanent sovereignty over natural resources"
Every state has right to sovereignty over their natural resources
What is the principle of common but differentiated responsibility?
Everyone takes a different part of the solution depending on resources and money.
What is the materials economy?
Extraction, Production, Distribution, Consumption, Disposal
What are 3/4 multilateral environmental agreements that provided the foundation for the international climate change regime?
FCCC, Kyoto Protocol, Marrakesh Accord, Cancun Agreements/Copenhagen Accord
What are the 7 policy principals found by the second mandate of the world commission of Dams?
Gain public agreements, conduct a comprehensive options assessment, address existing dams, Sustain rivers and livelihoods, recognize entitlements and share benefits, ensure compliance, share rivers for peace development and security
Who is in the counsel of the European Union?(Council of Ministers)
Government ministers from each EU country
What is the resource curse?
Having lucrative natural resources, which can hurt a country's economic development because the government is corrupt and does not make it fair to others
What was Mark Halle's perception of the 2012 Rio Summit?
He believed it was a failure "hopelessly stuck in the mud" wasting both time and money. He thought it just seemed like being a trial run for the olympics
What did Mark Halle think of the Rio+20 outcome document?
He believed that it didn't do anything and it was just an easy way out to say that they accomplished something
What is the polluter-pays principle?
If you polluted, you pay to fix it
What is perceived obsolescence?
Influenced to make you think you need to buy the newer better one
How have global environmental politics changed since the 1972 global summit in Stockholm?
International political context, public awareness, scientific understanding, environmental treaties, NGO Growth (especially in the north vs the south), treaty growth. However problems are still problems.
What is the problem of consumption?
It pushes the negative effects of consumption on those who are less advantaged. ex Deforestation of the amazon, china imports, child labor in indonesia
What was the Kyoto Protocol?
It set specific obligations consistent with the guidelines set in the FCCC with specific targets and flexible mechanisms
What was the framework convention on climate change(FCCC)?
It was basic architecture to address global climate change, including a precautionary principal, and common but differentiated responsibility
Who was on the World Commission of Dams?
Kader Asmal(leader), and other people on all sides of the debate. (CEO of a manufacture of Dam turbines, leader of militant protest group, leading expert on the social and resettlement issue)
What are some procedural obstacles to effective global environment
Lowest common denominator, scientific complexity, economic and political interests, unequal adjustment costs, time horizon(it'll be my kids problem)
What is Hardin's argument about the Tragedy of the Commons?
Mankind is all pursuing their best interest in the commons and we are over-using/ populating common resources which will cause ruin to all
In what ways is an open pasture a tragedy of the commons? (hardin)
Mankind is pursuing monetary interest in over-using common resources
What is sustainable development?
Meeting the needs of the present with out compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.
What were the cancun agreements/copenhagen accord?
New rules and institutions to actually deal with climate change with more clear targets and goals for 2010-2020.
do you agree that technological optimism is a bad thing?
No, there is technology available that does begin to save this planet
In what ways do the north and south view environmental issues differently?
North wants to fix long-term problems (Pollution of affluence), South sees pollution as the North's fault and want's to continue developing
What does the "social embeddedness of consumption" mean?
People consume based on social pressures. ie "you'll be uncool if you don't buy this product"
According to Hardin, what is the 'pollution problem?'
People pollute all they want becasue they are not receiving all the negatives of their actions but rather partial reproductions
What solutions to environmental issues does Hardin advocate
Population control redefinition of property rights
What is the European Commission?
Promotes the general interest of the EU by proposing and enforcing legislation (includes EU budget)
What is "Spaceship earth"?
Spaceship earth is planet earth, it is the earth that we live on
What is the Counsel of the European Union?(Council of Ministers)
The Voice of EU member governments to adopt EU laws and coordinate EU policies
What was the case study about of the people in Torbel Switzerland?
The governing of the common pool resource of forests and grazing rights
What are systemic obstacles to effective global environmental policy?
The international political system (anarchy), Global political and ecological systems(environment has no boundary), Global legal systems (sovereignty)
What is the precautionary principle?
The introduction of a new product or process which has disputed or unknown effects should be resisted until scientific evidence proves otherwise
What is global environmental governance?
The sum of organizations, rules, procedures, and norms that regulate global policy (aka there is no central government authority)
What treaty named the institutions of the EU?
The treaty of Lisbon
What are the environmental and humanitarian impacts associated with Agricultural commodities?
There are significant land changes, pesticides, and health problems. Humanitarian impacts include long hours with low pay
What do the authors mean by "global equilibrium?"
There is a point at which all life on earth can live in harmony both protecting its resources and advancing life
What does it mean to say that "earth is finite"?
There is not an infinite amount of resources on this planet, and once it has been used up, it's gone
What type of operational rules govern Torbel Switzerlands common pool resource?
There were only allowed the amount of cows that you could take care of in the winter, and not following these rules created large fines
What are nongovernmental organizations?
They are lobbyist or companies, who influence decisions during conference of parties or other meetings
What is wrong with the traditional understanding of commodity chains?
They don't consider where the raw material came from and each stage has it's own commodity chain (aka consumption happens at every stage and it becomes untrackable)
What was the second mandate of the world commission of Dams?
To develop internationally acceptable criteria for the planning/decommissioning of dams
What are the weaknesses of the current MEA system?
Too many MEA's exist(redundancy), Conflicting agendas, Small countries unable to afford travel, lots of costs for participating parties
Explain "mutual coercion mutually agreed upon"?
Two parties agreeing on a cost that one party has to pay (parking passes)
Can the European Parliament pass laws?
Yes with the Council of the EU based on European Commission proposals
What are Intergovernmental Organizations?
groups created by treaties to serve particular policy ends
What is the world commission on dams?
it is comprised of 12 commissioners to review performance of current dams and make recommendations regarding future water and energy projects
How is the number of Members of the parliament decided?
it is proportionate to its population
What are the three international norms.
recognition of human rights, rights to development, right to a healthy environment
