Climate change has always been an important and popular subject of discussions and arguments. There is no doubt that the issue is of great significance for the whole humankind. Climate change is an urgent problem though not all people recognize that fact. Alternations in weather patterns have already influenced people’s ways of life. The problem is that these changes are global and, consequently, cannot be easily seen and understood by other individuals.
The role of the global community should be crucial in addressing these concerns. Governments of all states have the power to monitor the activity that influences the condition of the environment. The current initiatives of many countries to become environmentally friendly leave a lot to be desired.
Nevertheless, global organizations aim at establishing the worldwide program to slow down the negative consequences of climate change, such as global warming. In the following paper, two articles devoted to the topic of recent negotiations about climate change will be used for the evaluation of the current condition of the international collaboration concerning the issue.
It should be noted that articles demonstrate the problem from two perspectives. The first article is entitled “Why Negotiators at Paris Climate Talks are Tossing the Kyoto Model.” The author of the article dwells on the reasons for the failure of the Kyoto model to slow down global warming. It is obvious that the article does criticize the US’ refusal to participate in such programs.
The following sentence proves that statement: “The US Senate refused to ratify the Kyoto treaty, so the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter didn’t have skin in the game” (Joyce par. 5) The second article is “Guide to Paris Climate Talks: Halftime Notes.” The important thing is that this source provides reasons for the US’ non-participation in the initiative.
Climate change may be regarded as a fundamental problem of international relations for several reasons. First, climate change is a global issue. It affects all countries and their governments, regardless of their role in global politics. Also, the activity of one country influences the condition of the environment worldwide. Consequently, there is a need to collaborate to address such an issue.
Otherwise, there will be no point in taking any measures. This need for collaboration is a basis for the second reason to consider climate change as a fundamental problem of international relations. Joyce cites the words of Valli Moosa, a former negotiator from South Africa, that demonstrate the problem: “You actually cannot have a meaningful agreement without China and the United States being a part of it” (par. 4).
In my opinion, the non-participation of the major greenhouse gas emitters in the world makes the aim of negotiations useless. It has been already mentioned that collaboration is a crucial factor for the successful implementation of such programs. Without major participants, positive outcomes cannot be achieved. This second reason also represents climate change as a fundamental problem of international relations.
According to the information provided in articles, the US does not support the Kyoto treaty. It is also very unlikely that the US will become a participant of current agreements as well. Needham explains that the foreign policy of every country depends on its domestic politics. The author takes the United States’ foreign policy concerning climate change as an example.
The US practices the policy of non-participation despite being the largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world. This position of the US can be explained either using a hegemonic stability theory or a domestic politics argument. In my opinion, the US position can be better explained with the help of a realist version of hegemonic stability theory. Thus, the US is considered to be a hegemon in current global politics.
Consequently, its activity predetermines the development and implementation of climate-related initiatives in the world. The US may behave in a way that is the most advantageous for the state. The domestic politics, such as the need for a supermajority approval of international treaties, reflects the US aim to assert its interests with the help of its superiority.
I have both optimistic and pessimistic estimations concerning the world’s ability to address climate problems. I believe that the US will become a participant in climate change treaties in the near future. According to Needham, it is more likely that the US may approve the international treaties in a few years (par. 16).
It may happen when the new President and Members of Congress will be elected. However, I doubt that this participation will lead to the substantial slowing down of greenhouse gases emission. No drastic changes can be made unless there is another method of receiving the same outcomes in environmentally friendly ways.
Although the Paris negotiations emphasize the need to convince many governments in the possible efficiency of “low-carbon” economies, such intention requires time and resources. Most countries will continue following the same models of economies as far as they bring necessary wealth and prosperity to the state.
Works Cited
Joyce, Christopher. Why Negotiators at Paris Climate Talks are Tossing the Kyoto Model. 2015. Web.
Needham, Judith. Guide to Paris Climate Talks: Halftime Notes. 2015. Web.