Domestic Political Factors Affecting Foreign Environmental Policy

Since the beginning of International Relations and foreign policy, especially in the United States, environmental issues have not been its top priority. this problem has gained much momentum sense the environmental movements of the sixties and the passing of landmark pieces of policy. From domestic policy decisions of the Clean Air and Water Acts to the international ban on CFC’s, environmental policy has showed a degree of promise and precedence. Many critics of past and current mitigation efforts have pointed out that our current efforts are much too slow and International Protocols and not lived up to their projections. In order for climate policy to be successful it must appertain to three distinct criteria; It must be adopted broadly, have the ability to stay in place indefinitely, and it needs to have incentives to reduce emissions that make it beneficial for firms and the public sector to invest (McKibbin 2006, 9). According to some it will be motivation, not feasibility as to the deciding factor of whether or not we are successful in mitigating and adapting to climate change (Jamieson 2013, 466).

Throughout the middle of the twentieth century, until now, there has been debate over the existence of climate change. Climate change is the increase of earth’s inclusive temperature of the atmosphere, and the side effects caused by rising temperatures. Climate change is caused by many reasons: burning of fossil fuels, agriculture, landfills, and deforestation. Climate change is mainly caused by greenhouse gases and humans. The effects of climate change are detrimental to earth; the effects have lead to stronger and more intense hurricanes, a rise in temperature, and the melting of glaciers(“Global Climate Change: Effects”).

In this research paper, I will discuss what climate change is and what causes it. I will also describe how the political and scientific communities differ on the topic. Next, I will discuss the causal chain of climate change starting with the Industrial Revolution until today. After that I will cover the differing beliefs of Democrats and Republicans, and what each party is doing in regards to climate change. Lastly, I will cover what is being done by businesses, governments, and individuals in the world to combat climate change, and provide possible solutions, including the use of renewable energies to solve this problem.

The development of the climate change issue to where it is today has been made up of two parts: greenhouse gas outputs and the political alignment. Throughout the years of energy production, the output of a primary greenhouse gas, CO2, has continually increased making climate change an ever more pertinent issue. This is despite progression from wood to coal to oil to now

There is no policy issue with such complex distribution of costs and benefits as climate change, making really problematic to assign responsibilities among the parties involved. As a result, we observed a huge implementation and accountability gap that accumulated throughout the past negotiations2. The crucial long-term global governance ended up compromised by the shortsighted political and sectorial administrative systems, always tending to consider only immediate national interests.

Human activities have a notable impact on climate change. The consequences of changing the natural atmospheric greenhouse are difficult to predict. Scientists say that climate change is a strong threat to humanity and there are a number of reasons why this threat has arisen . For example, burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and risers sea levels. Very important for humanity, scientific organizations such as the National Academy of Science, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the World Meteorological Association (WMO) noted that the climate is changing because of mankind that poses a threat and needs to be resolved. National Academy of Science urges that “The need for urgent action to address climate change is now indisputable.”(WWF, n.d.)

Climate change is an environmental and business issue that has gained more and more attention from society nowadays. The meaning of it seems to be not as easy as its name indicates which is merely a difference in climate. NASA (2011) reports, “Climate change, therefore, is a change in the typical or average weather of a region or city… Climate change is also a change in Earth 's overall climate. This could be a change in Earth 's average temperature, for example.” Therefore, climate change in our world has various effects in our life, which, for example, like extreme weather, global warming, higher sea-level and etc., do really affect our daily life and production process. Understanding what the climate change is, and why these changes

Climate change is defined as a change in the Earth’s usual temperature or general weather. Climate change is occurring all over the world, and whether people think it is a problem or not, climate change is affecting the world politically, socially, economically, and geographically. Some of the natural causes include Earth’s orbital change, volcanic eruptions, and continental drift. Not only is it natural causes that initiates the climate change, but it is also perpetuated by human activity such as deforestation, traffic, and the energy industry.

Climate changes usually happens slowly in time but the past experience have shown that climate change can happen within a short time. This has become real and is a huge problem. Climate change refers to change in temperature. It can be either warming or cooling. Whereas global warming refers to an expansion in normal worldwide temperatures which leads to climate change. The reports show that the 12 warmest years comes after 1998. According to a survey in 2008, US have contributed 25 percent of greenhouse emission in the world. Climate changes can cause the formation of glaciers and can lead to the freeze of rivers and all. It has caused deaths of millions of people. It can lead to extinction of plants and some animals which would in turn affect the environment in a bad manner. Preventing the climate change and global warming is not something that can be done individually. Whereas there are a lot of ways in which the governments and business can curb this wicked problem.

Global climate change is real, it has noticeable effects on the environment. Climate change in the earth is caused by numerous activities. When climate change happens; temperatures can rise tremendously. Rapid warming notice nowadays is uncommon in the history of our planet. The rising temperatures will have great effects on the plant’s climate patterns and on all living things. When temperatures increase, different adjustments can occur on earth. For example, it can cause droughts, floods, air pollution, as well as extreme heat waves. Oceans are also experiencing changes: oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, glaciers are melting, and sea levels are rising. As these adjustments will occur in the future, it will cause challenges to our society and environment.

One of the greatest threats to humankind present in the 21st century is climate change. Human behavior, especially since industrial revolution led “over 600 thousand tons of carbon to be emitted into the atmosphere from fossil fuels” which thus enhanced greenhouse affects, and alters the natural cycle of global warming and cooling. The consequence of such alteration has devastating effects globally as drastic “temperature increases experienced in the recent years are causing widespread damages” . Effects of climate change not only helps deteriorate the biome as “quarter of all species could be pushed to extinction by 2050” , but also poses a large threat to “living conditions and challenges existing patterns of energy use and security” Given that climate change is one of the most pressing issues experienced in the modern era “there has been little progress in the United Nations (UN) led climate negotiations” . The reason as to why states cannot come to a consensus on international climate change policy is because states reside in an anarchic international system in which states are by nature: conflictual, self-interested and focused on attaining relative gain as shown through neo-realist theory. In ability for states to negotiate a climate change action plan will be shown through states’ pursuit of relative gains in the Kyoto Protocol, the role of economic growth in terms of relative gains, and climate change lag/ state’s personal agendas, which have led to numerous

In fact, both China and India’s emissions increased dramatically as well as the United States is ranked as the largest emitter per capita in the world. The absence of these three countries made treaty not as successful. Furthermore, the system was relatively less flexible, which could be another reason the Kyoto Protocol failed. Less flexibility is based on the concept of strictly binding commitments that would lead countries offering conservative promises that ultimately have no real impacts on combating emissions. In contrast, the nations approached with a new style of the treaty that aligns with their self-interests made deeper cooperation.

Climate change is the acceleration in regular surface temperatures on Earth. Even small increments in Earth’s temperature provoked by climate change can have serious effects. The Earth’s median temperature has gone up 1.4 ºF over the past century and is awaited to rise as much as 11.5 ºF over the next (Banerjee, 2015). That might not look like a lot, but the average temperature during the last ice Age was about 4 ºF lower than it is today. The climate of the planet is constantly changing. This change is not something new; it is a very old concept, perhaps since the birth of the universe. The factors or deduction for the climate change can be split into two sides. One side is of the opinion that this is a natural course that will and has to develop, whereas the other side believes that the change has taken place because of the human activities on the earth. Climate change is induced by man’s carelessness and lack of interest. We need to make a change in order to provide a safe environment for future generations.

In response to the threat climate change poses, the Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty adopted by the UNFCC in the year 1997, which entered into force in 2005 [3]. In particular, the protocol hopes to legally compel ratifying and industrialized countries into lowering global warming through the reduction of six greenhouse gases that affect it. Quantifiable targets included reducing collective emissions by 5.2% compared to 1990 levels, with each country having a “common, but differentiated” responsibility that was based on their contribution to global emissions (see Appendix A) [3]. Each country’s target had to be met with either national measures or the following three flexibility mechanisms that would

Within The United States the Clinton administration was silent and the Bush administration actively hostile towards the Kyoto Protocol. This was because, The Kyoto Protocol allowed China, India and other rapidly modernizing economies to use primarily carbon-spewing coal-fired power plants so they could hurtle into the 21st century with early 20th century power sources. The Kyoto Protocol recognized that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity. The Protocol placed a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities." China then made a deliberate choice to lag the world in energy efficiency since it has been so eager to just have more energy. Al Gore soon made himself a spokesman for the Kyoto Protocol and a middleman to help diffuse the tension between The United States and China. He said “that neither the United States nor China should be allowed to blame the other, or anyone else, for the failure of each nation to do its part. Gore's nation has the practical responsibility to lead the way.” One day short of Kyoto's 10th anniversary (December 10th, 2007), Al Gore presented the correct three-word prescription: "We must act." Global agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol that limit, and start to reduce, carbon dioxide emissions are essential, and won't work without full American