This document is a revision summary for the Global Governance side of the Global Systems and Global Governance topic in AQA A-level Geography. It includes case study detail.
Global governance – the emergence and developing role of norms, laws and institutions in
regulating and reproducing global systems
Refers to ways in which global affairs affecting the whole world are managed.
International relations are generally decided by state govs and co-operation is negotiated between
countries which agree to abide by similar rules given in treaties or international law
Global governance has become increasingly important for achieving env and economic sustainability.
Can be through laws, rules and regulation to manage global systems e.g. trade
In recent years global governance has focused on:
Reducing env issues
Trade and investment inequalities
Reduction of poverty
Human rights violations
Civil conflict
Financial instability
NGOs and global governance
Non-governmental organisations have expanded their scope from local and national settings
to have increasingly become international organisations.
Have emerged as a global force to:
Democratise decision making e.g. persuade govs to consider bottom-up approaches
Protect human rights
Provide essential services to the most needy
There is a distinction made between operational and advocacy NGOs. Both are funded by
charitable donations but some also receive money from govs or businesses:
Operational NGOs- provide frontline support services for needy e.g. Oxfam, and raise money
for each project they undertake
Advocacy NGOs – focus on campaigns to raise awareness to gain support for a cause e.g.
Greenpeace, derive money from donations and sometime membership subscriptions
They are becoming more and more important in development – provide voice for the poor
of the world
NGOs are emerging who are not tied to any gov interests e.g. Greenpeace, Amnesty
International
Case study: Greenpeace
Established in 1971
Independent NGO
A movement to protect the natural world and its funding allows it to take its infamous
confrontational approach towards govs and corporations.
Their mission is to promote radical changes and new solutions for how we live on this planet
to protect it – protect biodiversity, prevent pollution, end all nuclear threats, promote
peace, global disarmament and non-violence.
Their strategies:
Investigation and exposition of the perpetrators of env destruction – use fieldwork, satellite
imagery etc for evidence, has lab are Uni of Exeter
Documenting – investigative journalism
, Lobbying – persuading those in power e.g. Greenpeace played a role in govs banning some
microplastics in the UK, they also play a role in international agreements such as COPs and
have a consultive status with the UN and economic and social council
Exerting consumer pressure and mobilising individuals to take peaceful direct action
(ecotage) – fleets of ships allow Greenpeace to witness events, discouraging perpetrators.
Success of plastic straw campaign.
Successes
Since their Antarctica campaign – Holland and Barret announced removal of krill-based
products from their stores and integrating this into their ethos
Adoption of ban on toxic waste exports to less developed countries
Moratorium on commercial whaling
UN convention providing for better management of world fisheries
A southern ocean whale sanctuary
50-year moratorium on mineral exploitation in Antarctica
Bans on dumping at sea of radioactive and industrial waste and disused oil installations
End to large-scale driftnet fishing on the high-seas.
A current campaign – against Dove’s greenwashing
Had a campaign against shell and they staged a ‘sit in’ on one of Shell’s oil transporters –
Shell is now suing them.
Criticisms
Took a firm anti-GMO (genetically modified organisms) stance and 170 Nobel Laureates sign
a letter urging them to change their stance
Has an internal authoritarian structure – local groups have little autonomy
Supports phasing out DDT (a pesticide) – their campaign to close the last major DDT factory
in India would make malaria eradication more difficult for poorer countries, the ban may
have killed 20 million children
Have conflict with indigenous populations – told youngsters not to eat whale or seal and
stopped trade of sealskin which is what Inuit have done for centuries.
Key players in global governance – agencies
Case study: United Nations
Considering how it promotes growth and stability but may exacerbate inequalities and
injustices.
Millennial development goals (pre-UNDP 2015)
8 goals to be reached between 1990 and 2015
Ranged from halving extreme poverty rates to halting HIV/AIDS spread
Goal 1: halve proportion of population earning less than $1.25 a day
This was a success fell from 1.9 billion to 836 million, the goal was met five years ahead
Goal 3: promote gender equality and empowerment of women
For every 100 boys in southern Asia 74 girls went to school in 1990s now is 103 for every
100
Almost every parliament has seen at least two times as many women since 1990
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