Chapter 6: Environment and Natural Resources
Environmental Concerns in Global Politics:
Environmental issues like deforestation, water depletion, and pollution have become significant concerns globally.
The 1992 Earth Summit brought these concerns to the forefront of world politics.
Environmental degradation affects biodiversity and threatens human health (e.g., the ozone layer depletion and coastal pollution).
These issues are now seen as deeply political because they involve power dynamics over who is responsible for environmental harm and who pays the price.
Global Commons and Shared Responsibility:
Global commons include resources like the atmosphere, oceans, and outer space that no single country owns, but everyone shares.
There have been international agreements like the 1959 Antarctic Treaty and 1987 Montreal Protocol to protect these commons.
A key principle from the Rio Earth Summit (1992) is "common but differentiated responsibilities," which means that while all countries are responsible for protecting the environment, developed countries (who caused more harm in the past) should take greater responsibility.
India's Environmental Stand:
India signed the Kyoto Protocol in 2002 but was exempt from its requirements since developing countries like India and China contributed less to historical pollution.
India argues that developed countries should take on most of the burden for curbing emissions, as their industrialization caused most of the environmental damage.
India's policies include clean energy initiatives like the National Auto-fuel Policy, Energy Conservation Act (2001), and Electricity Act (2003) to reduce environmental harm.
Environmental Movements:
Environmental activism has become one of the most powerful global social movements, advocating for issues like forest conservation and river protection.
Movements like the Chipko Movement in India are based on non-violence and environmental protection.
There are differences between forest movements in the Global South (where people live in forests) and the Global North (where forests are viewed as wilderness areas to be protected from human interaction).
Resource Geopolitics:
Geopolitics around resources like oil and water is a major source of conflict, especially in regions like West Asia and Central Asia.
Oil is a key factor in global political struggles, with regions like the Gulf holding most of the world’s reserves.
Water conflicts have also become a significant issue, with disputes between countries over shared rivers, as seen in conflicts involving Israel, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq.
Indigenous People and Environmental Rights:
Indigenous peoples face threats to their land and survival due to environmental degradation and development projects.
Indigenous movements demand recognition and rights to their ancestral lands, which are crucial for their survival.
In India, Scheduled Tribes make up about 8% of the population and have faced displacement due to development, despite constitutional protections.
