Global Environmental Politics Problems, Policy and Practice

About this book

Concern about humanity's impact on the planet has never been greater, but what are the drivers of environmental change? This wide-ranging introductory textbook outlines the competing explanations of why environmental problems occur and examines the different political approaches taken to address them. Adopting a case study approach, Hayley Stevenson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of how theories and concepts are applied in practice. Diverse perspectives on a variety of contemporary environmental challenges, from climate change to hazardous waste, as well as various responses, from multilateral diplomacy to consumer-focused campaigns, provide students with an in-depth understanding of the merits and limitations of different forms of political action. Refined on the basis of classroom feedback, features include textboxes, key points, a glossary of key terms, questions, further reading suggestions and supplementary online resources. This lively book is an essential resource for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate courses on global environmental politics and environmental policy.

Contents

List of acronyms
List of figures
Preface

1. Global politics and the environment

Part I. Why Do Environmental Problems Occur?:
2. The tragedy of the commons
3. Population and poverty
4. Capitalism

Part II. Responding to Global Environmental Problems:
5. Conflict and securitisation - water
6. Multilateral diplomacy - sustainable development
7. Transnational governance experiments - climate change
8. Aid and finance - deforestation
9. Individualising responsibility - unsustainable consumption
10. Problem displacement - hazardous substances
11. Resistance and localisation - unsustainable agriculture
12. Appraising global environmental governance

Bibliography
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Hayley Stevenson is Reader in Politics and International Relations at the University of Sheffield. She is the author of Institutionalizing Unsustainability: The Paradox of Global Climate Governance (2012), Democratizing Global Climate Governance (with John S. Dryzek, Cambridge, 2014) and co-editor of Traditions and Trends in Global Environmental Politics: International Relations and the Earth (with Olaf Corry, forthcoming).