Week 9 - Environmental Issues


Week 9 - Environmental Issues

 The effects of the current environmental issues we currently face as a global community could are potentially devastating and it is important that immediate action takes place both on an individual level and at a national level. Hardin's examination of the 'Tragedy of the Commons' theory is critical to understanding the nature of the environmental concerns our planet faces in that collective action on climate change and lowering carbon emissions is necessary to see a meaningful impact, thus individual freedoms must be sacrificed for the sake of mutual benefit as a community. This image of collective action on making a change to our influence on the environment is transferable across the spectrum, from a local community to the global community. An article by Dana Nuccitelli in the Guardian unpacks a number of instances where critics claim that insignificant impacts are seen by making environmentally conscious lifestyle choices is a symptom of the 'Tragedy of the Commons' problem, and that if widespread alterations are made to our carbon output then significant environmental damage can be mitigated. An example of this is the effect that simply switching to electric vehicles will have on total carbon emissions in the US, currently motor vehicles account for 30% of US carbon emissions. 

 References


Vogler, J. (2017) Chapter 24: Environmental Issues. In J. Baylis, S.Smith, and P. Owens, (Eds.) The Globalisation of World Politics: an introduction to international relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press

 Hardin, G. 1998. The Tragedy of the Commons. Science 162: 1243-1248.

 Nuccitelli, D. 2018. "Yes, EVs are green and global warming is raising sea levels", the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/may/21/yes-evs-are-green-and-global-warming-is-raising-sea-levels [Accessed 21 May 2018].

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