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Class 4 on Global Environmental Politics (on oceans and the commons)
The document discusses ocean challenges such as overfishing, rising sea levels, and pollution, emphasizing the need for a robust marine environmental governance framework. It highlights Elinor Ostrom's concept of polycentricity, which advocates for decentralized decision-making and the importance of local knowledge in addressing climate change. The document references the Salton Sea as a case study of environmental degradation within the context of the tragedy of the commons.
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Class 4 on Global Environmental Politics (on oceans and the commons)
- 1. Oceans & the commons InternationalUniversity in Geneva Dr. Joachim Monkelbaan
- 2. Contents today Ocean challenges Carboncycle SDG 14: life under water Marine environmental governance Case: Salton Sea Tragedy of the commons and common pool resources Elinor Ostrom: polycentricity
- 3. Ocean challenges • Overfishing(90+ %) • rising sea levels • bleaching/acidification • sea warming (93,4% of additional heat stored in oceans) • dead zones (eutrophication) • plastic waste
- 6. Marine environmental governance UNCLOS (into force1994): international and national legal marine framework needed in coastal countries for issues regarding their sovereignty, rights and responsibilities relevant to the management of the marine environment and its resources Includes global agreements on fisheries resources, safety of marine traffic, pollution control, biodiversity, climate change, and regional agreements High Seas Marine Protected Areas Blue Economy IMO, IOC, FAO, UNEP, UNCTAD, WTO, Oceana, regional orgs
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- 15. Video: the uselessSalton Sea • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwTEix9Mcgw
- 16. Garrett Hardin –Economist Authored essay in 1968 titled “The Tragedy of the Commons”. Focuses on: 1. environmental degradation 2. population growth 3. limited natural resources 4. privatization of land
- 17. What does commonsmean? A public resource available for private gain. What are some “commons” that you can think of?
- 19. Elinor Ostrom • Climatechange as a collective action problem • Traditionally top-down approach (externally enforced rules) suggested • But: weak empirical support for conventional theory of collective action • Behavioural aspects, knowledge, and trust are key + benefits of climate action at local level • In addition to the problem of waiting too long, ‘‘global solutions’’ negotiated at a global level, if not backed up by a variety of efforts at national, regional, and local levels, are not guaranteed to work well
- 20. Solution: polycentricity • Many centersof decision-making • Multiple governing authorities at differing scales • Each unit can make rules and norms • Take each other into account • Use local knowledge and learn from each other • Trial-and-error (innovation) and adaptation • “Polycentric systems are not a panacea!”
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Editor's Notes
- #2 Any thoughts over Christmas/NY/holidays?
- #4 when a body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients which induce excessive growth of algae.[2] This process may result in oxygen depletion of the water body.[3] One example is an "algal bloom" or great increase of phytoplankton in a water body as a response to increased levels of nutrients. Eutrophication is often induced by the discharge of nitrate or phosphate-containing detergents, fertilizers, or sewage into an aquatic system.
- #7 Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) w Arthur Dahl
- #9 Biggest lake in California Beach boys and Frank Sinatra vacationed here and went water skiing So popular that people bought from the air
- #12 Plots of land for 3000 USD Water evaporates and leaves salt and minerals behind; 30% more salty than Pacific Ocean
- #18 Air! No one owns the air-avail to all Water in oceans & rivers is avail to all. Fish of the sea avail to all. Hardin’s parable involves a pasture "open to all." He asks us to imagine the grazing of animals on a common ground. Individuals are motivated to add to their flocks to increase personal wealth. Solution = privatization or coercion, top-down prohibition Malthusian Hardin esp concerned with overpopulation, e.g. one child policy and coercion So does privatization lead to more or less exploitation of resources?
- #20 The term ‘‘collective action’’ refers to settings where decisions about costly actions are made independently but outcomes jointly affect everyone involved. Participants posited as maximizing short-term material benefits and making independent choices are not predicted to achieve the best outcome for everyone in long term. E.g. we will fish until left no fish in the ocean or emit GHGs until runaway climate change Implication: global agreement is not enough if not supported by multiple levels
- #21 Each unit = e.g. family, firm, local or national govt, region, international regime Example = when Trump out of Paris Climate Agt Still need a global agt, but complemented by polycentric approach There are no panaceas, however, for complex problems such as global warming.