— by Olena Zhabyko —
In Hayley Stevenson’s book Global Environmental Politics: Problems, Policy, and Practice, the author describes the real problem of humanity’s impact on the environment. The questions are also raised: what affects it all, why these problems arise at this time, and how they relate to political approaches. In this book, the reader will be able to find out for himself how various practices and theories are used in practice. Stevenson shows that responsibility for problems belongs to multilateral diplomacy as to consumer-focused campaigns.
The author felt wrath because of injustice. After attending the Friends of the Earth conference, she made a conclusion for herself that now those people who cause minimal damage to the environment are more worried and do more than those who have brought the environmental problems to a deplorable state. This book perfectly shows and disputes the fact that everyone must be responsible, no matter what kind of person you are, and that every small step and action towards correcting or at least stopping pollution, climate change, and so on, is the path to the continued existence of the planet. The facts that the author brings up in this book regarding the situation that at the moment the environmental law is not active, can be confirmed by a lot of literature about this problem, for example, the book “Effective Forms of Environmental Diplomacy” written by Leila Nicolas and Elie Kallab. In both books, we can be convinced that the law is not working because there are no special punishments for non-compliance, and also no one can force any country to act one way or another. The biggest problem is that now everyone has the economy in the foreground, not the situation of the environment. Everything will change at the moment when a threat to existence and life appears.
The book is so easily written that it is intended not only for students who are studying the discipline of global environmental politics or climate change but also for people who are simply concerned about the situation in environmental problems. After reading, any reader will make a conclusion for himself about why these problems arise, and how political actions influence them. The book is very accessible to everyone because it does not require strong knowledge in such areas for instance: economics, politics, physics, and chemistry, because the basics will be enough for understanding. Also, at the end of each chapter, there are questions for discussion, which will help the reader independently stimulate further research.
To write this work, the author used a huge bibliography, which includes: various articles from magazines, book chapters, materials taken from news portals, as well as various videos.
The textbook is divided into two parts, in the first part the reader will find why environmental problems arise, and in the second part the various approaches of international societies and communities are described on how to respond to important present environmental problems.
The phrase “Humans are just one of the 8 million species that occupy the earth (UNEP 2011), but our collective impact on the planet has been far greater than any other species” in the introduction shows us the purpose of the book, to stimulate reader for some actions or at least to some reflections.
Hayley Stevenson divided her work so that the Chapters in the first part (2-4) introduce the reader to various thinkers and professors in the field of the environment. Their works and thoughts help to find arguments about the fact that the decay of the environment is due to the weakness of the political communities or in other words governments, poverty, capitalism, economic growth, and low development. Each argument can be supported; however, weaknesses can be found which require a deeper and more detailed analysis. Accordingly, from each argument some solution to this problem emerges, this could be: population control, poverty reduction in countries, joint merger of institutions, and so on.
This part also provides examples of the work of different scientists, as well as their views on certain problems, as well as options for resolving them. Which in turn causes, in most cases, counter-arguments from the author and consideration of other types of work with environmental problems. For example, Garrett Hardin believes that people are selfish and that privatization is the only way out, because if you give people free access to resources, then they will simply run out. While Stevenson, in turn, provides counterarguments and shows that decentralized government can lead the world to a more productive outcome.
Additionally, the discussion of two principles is present here, such as overpopulation and poverty as the main pushers of environmental problems. Here we already see the emergence of such a scientist as Thomas Malthus, who argues that it is all because of the high population on the planet and that the Earth is simply not able to accommodate so many people.
An interesting ending to the first part of the book is the problem of how capitalism entails bad consequences for the environment. The famous philosopher Karl Marx, who himself was not an environmental activist, while his theory helps to understand the nature of environmental crises. His Marxist theory, in turn, did not allow people to unite to achieve a common goal, because, in turn, it divided people into laborers and consumers, thereby destroying their original nature of cooperation.
In the second part of the book, the reader is able to understand the deeper approaches of international societies in solving problems with environmental crises. From this part of the book, each chapter is assigned to each individual problem and its solution. The perception of problems and their solutions in this form and order allows us to deepen our understanding of certain environmental problems, as well as the variety of approaches that are taken in resolving them. It will be possible to see how various organizations, and states, unite to easily solve common problems and achieve the same goal, such as the present issue of sustainable development.
The inevitability of a shortage of natural resources is one of the most tragic problems nowadays, which thereby leads to conflicts. Any state wants to leave its inhabitants without resources, which in turn leads in some cases to war. An excellent example would be “Water Wars”. The topic opens up about how international cooperation and the creation of multilateral institutions are now flourishing to reduce the level of pollution or at least leave the level of environmental problems at the same position. Stevenson shows that since 1980, sustainable development has become a center for discussion. Over the years, states have been participating in various summits to set goals, and principles and discuss what has already been done. After reading, the outcome is that there is a strong difference between promises and actions.
The exploration of the emergence of diverse non-state actors such as businesses, NGOs, and community groups that have become influential players alongside states in addressing climate issues. Unlike in the past, where the UN played a central role, now numerous actors actively contribute to shaping climate initiatives. This includes various “government climate experiments” like carbon markets, emissions trading, information networks, and greenhouse gas reduction programs.
Speaking about the impact of finance and its magnitude on preventing environmental crises, the increasing prevalence of financial commitments in international negotiations between the global North and South is highlighted. The book examines different forms of financial assistance between affluent and developing nations. Deforestation emerges as a key concern, causing tension between developed and developing states.
Particular attention is paid to the issue of excessive consumption. Additionally, delving into the problem of luxury consumption, specifically the acquisition of new phones and clothing. This section thoroughly examines the concept of individual responsibility regarding consumptive behavior and explores how international societies are making efforts to alter these negative habits. Readers are presented with various arguments both in favor of and against this concept, allowing them to form their own perspectives after reading.
The issue of hazardous waste is unveiled, shedding light on the role of these perilous substances in contemporary production, their significance, and their impact on human health. Efforts by international communities to regulate the production, usage, and export of these hazardous elements have been ongoing for a considerable period. However, the textbook examines whether the limited success achieved in controlling these substances results in environmental inequality or is merely a consequence of legitimate trade.
Last but not least, is the representation of the significance of protests and social movements in addressing environmental issues. Illustration of how people involved in social movements strive to establish and advocate for more equitable and sustainable approaches to agriculture. Furthermore, the exploration of alternative practices like agroecology and localized food production, allows readers to assess the suitability of these methods for current times and the nutritional requirements of the population.
The last chapter summarizes and concludes everything that was described in the book. It describes the effectiveness and responsibility of actions, negotiations, people, and international communities in response to environmental problems, over-consumption, and the distribution of international harm. It points out the strengths and weaknesses of the reactions that were given as examples in the books. All signs considered, further proposals are being put forward on how to act to deal with environmental problems even more effectively, as well as on opportunities for even greater cooperation between states to achieve a common goal and establish a fairer distribution of responsibility and damage on the planet.
After reading this book, first of all, I made a lot of conclusions for myself, that environmental problems do not originate from some large-scale problems, but for example the purchase of some useless new phone or because of a couple of newfangled clothes, The material is presented so simply that it will be understandable to absolutely everyone. Moreover, the division of the book makes it possible to easily navigate by chapters. This work by Stevenson is very important for today’s generation because every person should take care of the environment and take at least small steps to reduce harm, as the author called “self-responsibility”. Stevenson is currently entering into a dispute that this or that person or state must bear different types of responsibility, on the contrary, the author convenes everyone for a more justified distribution. The lives of future generations depend on actions now. Hayley Stevenson allows readers to gain a detailed understanding of how various political communities and organizations react seriously to problems in one situation, and in others, they just try to pretend that there are no problems or simply promise some action.
No one can live on Earth without thinking about environmental issues, in such a way, this book will be an excellent guide through this topic because now it comes first, if there is no stable environment, then there will be no place to exist for humanity.
References
- Book drop S1E6: Global Environmental Politics: Problems, Policy and Practice (2018) YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtdReBSkMvI (Accessed: 07 January 2024).
- An interview with Hayley Stevenson, author of Global Environmental Politics (2017) YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIs_MYbtgsk (Accessed: 07 January 2024).
- Stevenson, H. (2019a) Global Environmental Politics: Problems, Policy and Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Nicolas, L. and Kallab, E. (2021) Effective forms of environmental diplomacy. London: Routledge.
