Environmental Politics
This course addresses both the analytical and empirical components of international environmental politics. Sessions
are designed to link the analytical and conceptual discussion (the study of actors, power, interests, institutions, ideas,
etc.) with the presentation of specific international negotiations, conferences, and regimes.
Evaluation
One short essay + Presentation: 15%. Each student will write a 1000 words essay on the topic of one lecture session. Essays and
topics will be assigned at the beginning of the course. Students who have been allocated a session are expected to lead the debate
in that session by posing questions and otherwise contributing actively to the discussion. 5 slides should be enough for the
presentation. The essay should critic the readings and put them in relation with other readings.
Preparation for debate + 3 Quizzes at the end of the pathway+elective seminars: 10%
3 Note cards and participation: 25% (15+10)
Final exam: 50%
Recommended Reading: Olaf Corry & Hayley Stevenson, Global Environmental Politics: International Relation and Earth
Session 1 / Lecture 1 – Presentation
*Political ecology is the study of the relationships between political, economic and social factors with
environmental issues and changes.
*Environmental Politics is the study of political theories and ideas related to the environment. The
examination of the environmental stances of both mainstream political parties and environmental social
movements, and the analysis of public policymaking and implementation affecting the environment, at
multiple geo-political levels.
Session 2 / Lecture 2 - Emergence and evolution of international environmental
politics (elective + pathway) 04/03
This session revises the agenda, actors and consequences of the 4 big UN conferences on the environment,
namely the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972), the UN Conference on
Environment and Development (Rio, 1992), the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg,
2002) and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20, 2012), under the understanding that
they are (particularly the first two of them) good illustrations of different phases in international
environmental politics.
Advances in International Environmental Politics, Betsill et al (eds) (2014), chapter 2 by Dimitris
Stevis, pp. 13-44.
Introduction
The text traces the development of International Environmental Politics (IEP) by international relations (IR)
scholars since World War II across four distinct periods. The periods are as follows:
1. Mid-1940s to mid-1960s:
Limited explicit IEP scholarship.
Debates over population and resources influence IEP.
2. Mid-1960s to late 1970s:
Main lines of research emerge, influenced by non-IR global environmental research.
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, 3. Late 1970s to mid-1990s:
IR decisively engages with IEP, but there's a lull in direct IEP research.
Sustainable development's construction and political shifts impact research.
Launch of journals like Global Environmental Change, International Environmental Affairs,
and Environmental Politics.
4. Mid-1990s to the present:
Explosion in IEP with the launch of more explicitly IEP journals.
The analysis of each period includes: Broader political dynamics, Deployment of IR perspectives and
addressing global inequalities, Treatment of relations between nature and people.
Research areas explored include political economy, governance, security, sustainable development,
effectiveness, transparency, justice, and more. The influence of various theoretical perspectives in these
areas is discussed.
Environmental politics is both about nature and about people. As one examines IEP it is possible to place
research into four sets of world- views based on the relationship between nature and people :
- Instrumental/Resource IEP: research sees the environment as a resource to be allocated or a problem that
needs to be solved largely to avoid or mitigate tensions among people.
- Environmentalist IEP: focuses on harms and benefits, in the process recognizing that the environment does
have its own dynamics and value, albeit from an anthropocentric point of view.
- Bioenvironmentalists: Bioenvironmentalists bring in nature, whether because they feel that there are
natural limits to what it can absorb or because they extend some ‘standing’ to it. In the case of
bioenvironmentalists, in Clapp’s and Dauvergne’s scheme, the emphasis is more on nature.
- Social Environmentalists (social greens): the goal is to fuse society and nature
The goal is to determine whether IR perspectives have internalized the environment over time or if non-IR
perspectives have enriched the field, contributing to the "greening" of IR theory.
From the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s: Hidden origins
This section explores the hidden origins of International Environmental Politics (IEP) from the mid-1940s to
the mid-1960s, recognizing the 1960s as a pivotal moment in environmental politics. The focus is on
understanding the intellectual foundations and key features of IEP during this formative period.
1. Global Terms and Influences (Pre-1960s):
IEP before the 1960s framed environmental issues in decisively global terms.
Influences include the global ends and means of American politics and the resource and
naturalist legacies of colonial empires (cold and destructive manner of exploiting natural
resources).
Notable events: Transboundary and transnational issues, nuclear testing, nuclear
catastrophes like Nagasaki (how to manage these destructive weapons?)
2. Substantive Focus of IEP (Mid-1940s to Mid-1960s):
Main areas of focus were on the extraction or use of resources, implications of population
increases on resources, and technological promises.
Researchers predominantly from natural or physical sciences, natural resource economics,
and geopolitical analysis.
Notable figures: Osborn, Vogt, Sprout and Sprout.
3. Scarcity Narratives and Evolution (Mid-1940s to Mid-1960s):
Grand narrative of the era centered around scarcities due to increasing human population.
Three versions of 'scarcity' employed: absolute scarcity, conjunctural scarcities, and relative
scarcities.
Logic of absolute scarcity evolved into the 'limits to growth' narrative in subsequent periods.
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, Emergence of criticism by 'cornucopians' and the development of the logic of relative scarcity.
*Absolute Scarcity: A situation where the available resources are insufficient to meet the basic needs of a
population, resulting in a fundamental lack of essential goods and services.
*Conjunctural Scarcities: Short-term scarcities arising from specific, often temporary, conditions or events
that disrupt the regular availability of resources.
*Relative Scarcities: Scarcities that are context-dependent, where the perception of scarcity is influenced by
social, economic, or environmental factors. Relative scarcities are relative to the demand and expectations
within a given context.
4. Influence of Classical Realist Geopolitics:
Classical realist geopolitics, influencing both IR and non-IR scholars, was a prominent
perspective.
Concerns over the relations between nature and people were geopolitical, despite
incorporating ecological principles like 'carrying capacity.'
*Carrying Capacity: This principle refers to the maximum population size that a specific environment or
ecosystem can sustainably support over the long term. It is determined by factors such as the availability of
resources like food, water, and space, as well as the ecosystem's capacity to handle waste products. When a
population exceeds the carrying capacity, it may lead to resource depletion, environmental degradation, and
a decline in the overall health of the ecosystem. Understanding and managing carrying capacity are crucial
for sustainable ecological systems and biodiversity conservation.
5. Debates on Common Property Resources and Governance (Mid-1940s to Mid-1960s):
Attention given to debates on the most appropriate management of common property
resources (private or public, domestic or international).
Origins of the study of governance and public choice institutionalism.
Some references to governance by international organizations, but no focus on non-
governmental organizations.
6. Promise of Science and Technology:
Emphasis on the promise of science and technology in early accounts : “techno-saviors”
Transition in the early 1960s towards addressing the perils of unregulated technology, shaped
by social and natural scientists.
From the mid-1960s to late 1970s: The origins of IEP
1. Globalization of Environmental Politics (1960s-1970s):
Environmental politics gained prominence during this period.
Increasing framing of the environment as a global issue.
Southern countries, particularly Latin American nations, asserted themselves in global
environmental agendas through the United Nations.
Events and conferences: UNESCO’s Biosphere Conference (1968), 1972 Stockholm
Conference on the Human Environment.
2. Expansion of IEP (1960s-1970s):
Emergence of IR scholars in IEP alongside non-IR scholars.
Growth in IEP research in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Scandinavia, and
continental Europe.
Notable journals and works: International Journal (1972/1973), Kay and Skolnikoff (1972),
Shields and Ott (1974).
3. Narratives of Limits and Scarcities:
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, Prominent narratives of limits and scarcities during this period.
Challenges to these narratives with the rise of ideas later termed 'sustainable development.'
4. Integration of Environment and Development:
Alternative views emerging, connecting environment and development.
Founex Report (1972) on Development and Environment.
Introduction of global equity issues into global environmental debate.
The Stockholm conference highlighted the challenge of merging environment and
development.
5. Divergent Views on Development and Growth:
Developmentalists and pro-growth neoliberal supporters largely prioritized growth.
Early voices advocating ecological concatenations of environmental and economic policies,
exemplified by Ignacy Sachs' 'ecodevelopment.'
6. Diverse Worldviews Influencing IEP:
Geopolitical, environmentalist, bioenvironmentalist, and social environmentalist worldviews
contesting for influence.
Formation of the Environmental Studies Section of the International Studies Association (ISA)
as a pivotal development marking the rise of IEP as a recognized subfield.
7. Research on Economic Processes and Governance:
Research on the impacts of the Green Revolution on the South.
Emergence of a reflexive approach to science and technology.
Growing attention to economic processes, especially by economists.
8. Theoretical Entrances for IR Scholars:
Geopolitical thought continued to engage the environment.
Organizational thinking and questions of governance examined.
Initial application of institutional thinking to the environment by Ruggie and Young toward
the end of the period.
9. Limited Attention to Actors and Equity Issues:
Limited attention to the impacts of corporations on the international environment.
Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) and limited research on Environmental Non-
Governmental Organizations (ENGOs).
Questions of equity and social power placed on the agenda but not extensively engaged by
IEP scholars.
10. Contested Theoretical Direction:
Theoretical direction contested between geopolitics, environmentalism,
bioenvironmentalism, and social environmentalism.
Clearer lineages to present concerns in areas such as governance, political economy,
environmental conflict and peace, sustainable development, technology, and the role of non-
state actors.
From the late 1970s to the mid-1990s: Institutions to the rescue?
This section covers the period from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, highlighting key developments in
International Environmental Politics (IEP). Key points include:
1. Global Political Shifts (1970s-1980s):
Transition from embedded liberalism to global neoliberalism in the 1970s.
Victory of neoliberals in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 1980s.
Rise of major southern economies influencing global political economy.
Dissolution of the Soviet Union, end of the Cold War, and economic liberalization in China and
Russia contributing to liberal globalization.
2. Contested Environmental Politics (1970s-1990s):
Contested nature of global environmental politics during the period.
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