The Politics of Climate Change: Environmental Dynamics in International Affairs

by Harris; Paul G.

• ISBN13: 9780415486460
• ISBN10: 0415486467
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-08-17
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Climate change is now a mainstream part of the international political agenda. It has become clear that it is not solely a technical issue, to be resolved by scientists, but a political issue with political implications at all levels of global governance. Indeed, some may argue that few long-term problems in international affairs are more important than this one. The purpose of this book is to reveal and apply some of the latest thinking on the implications of climate change for international affairs, and to explore how various proposals for tackling climate change will affect interstate relations in coming years. Chapters by scholars of international relations, international political economy and international law contribute to current discussions of climate change, doing so in way that is accessible to students, stakeholders, government officials and informed laypersons. Some questions considered in the book include the following: How has the discussion of climate change affected interstate relations? How does this problem, and how do environmental issues more generally, challenge international relations theory? How do international climate politics influence domestic politics, and vice-versa? How would climate change or action taken to tackle it affect the balance of power or balance of influence? Is climate change a matter of international security or international justice'¬ ;or both'¬ ;and how does the answer to this question affect policy responses of governments? Which states are likely to benefit or suffer from the various proposals to address climate change? What are the legal, ethical and political implications of the uneven distribution of the impacts of climate change? This book was previously published as a special issue of the Cambridge Review of International Affairs.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Glacial Politics of Climate Change

Dynamics of Climate Politics

A Climate of Obstinacy: Symbolic politics in Australian and Canadian policy

The Climate Regime and Domestic Politics: the Case of Russia

The Construction of China's Climate Politics: Transnational NGOs and the Spiral Model of International Relations

Is Climate Change Changing the EU?: The second image reversed in climate politics

Linking as leverage: Emissions trading and the politics of climate change

Domestic Incentives and Climate Politics: International Public Goods in Two-Level Games

Security, Justice and Equity in Climate Politics

Environmental Security and Climate Change: Analyzing the Discourse

Securitizing Climate Change: International Legal Implications and Obstacles

Inequality in Global Climate Policy: Breaking the North-South Impasse

Greenhouse Development Rights: Towards an equitable framework for global climate policy

Conclusion: Constructing the Climate Regime

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