Assessing Green

Diplomacy

POL S 422 1
 Success & failure in green
diplomacy
Toxic Waste Trade
Whaling

Acid Rain

CITES

Ozone Depletion

Climate Change

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 Lessons Learned
Lead states/laggard states
Importance of nonstate actors
Importance of organizational structure
Importance of symbolic politics
Least common denominator
Strengths of convention/protocol
Allows incremental progress
Works well for simple issues
Weaknesses of convention/protocol
Works less well for complex issues
Role of U.S.
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 Institutional Problems
Weakness of UNEP
Physical & political isolation
Under-funded
Dominant economic institutions downplay
environment
WTO, World Bank, IMF
Business
A World Environment Organization?
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 Three Alternative Futures
Business-as-usual
Liberal environmentalism
Fortress World
Rich protect themselves
Securitizing energy
Global Transformation
Addresses the intertwined dimensions of the
global problematique
Inequity, violent conflict, environmental
degradation
Evidence for all three
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Liberal environmentalism
Business-as-usual
Proliferation of agreements & institutions
Hundreds of treaties since Stockholm,
yet environmental conditions worsen
Green diplomacy embedded in ideology of
growth
Voluntary initiatives emphasized over
binding commitments

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Capitalism, Globalization and
Ecology
Market logic
Economic efficiency: cheap labor &
materials
Market expansion: growth imperative
Profit motive: short time horizon
Ex: Banking industry & renewable energy

Pro-free trade argument

Trade increases GNP; wealth promotes
environment
Anti-free trade argument
Shadow ecologies; race to the bottom; time
frame
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 Darker Green: A Global
Green Deal
Based upon common but differentiated
responsibility
North would supply funds & technology to
enable South to leapfrog into sustainable
development
EX: Per capita emissions approach to
GHGs
What would it take??

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Green Politics Beyond the State
Subnational initiatives
States, cities, neighborhoods
Voluntary & Type-2 Initiatives
Pew Center on Global Climate Change; ISO 14001;
Forestry Stewardship Council; Marine Stewardship
Council
Green investment
Climate & insurance industry
Earth Charter
Declaration of Interdependence
Exemplary mobilization
City Repair
Global Ecovillage movement
Lifestyle politics

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 Addressing the Root Causes
What underlies I= PAT?
What are the causes of exponential
growth?
Social structures

Culture & values

Is there a role for the average citizen in

green diplomacy?

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