Environmentalism The Second Wave Mass movements and globalization

Environmentalism: The Second Wave Mass movements and globalization POLS 384, Lec. 5 1

Prehistory of Global Environmental Politics F Growth in trade > expanded scope of probs. – Ex: 1954 Conv. for Prevention of Oil Pollution u. Desire for “level playing field” u. Role of NGOs: bird protection societies u. Role of technical experts u. Revised through amendments F Economic expansion – 4 -fold from 1960 -1990 POLS 384, Lec. 5 2

The Rise of Environmentalism as a Mass Movement F Early roots – Romanticism: distrust of technology – Conservationism: end of frontier F 1960 s – Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962) u U. S. bestseller, published in 15 countries – Atmospheric Test Ban Treaty (1963) – Vietnam War – Torrey Canyon oil spill (1967) POLS 384, Lec. 5 3

The First Wave of the Second Wave (1965 -79) 1965 -1970: Membership in ENGOs quadrupled – New U. S. ENGOs: EDF; NRDC – New intl. ENGOs: FOE; Greenpeace, WWF F Earth Day: April 22, 1970 – 20 million people participated F US EPA established December, 1970 – Bipartisan support F Focus: industrialized countries, pollution and wildlife issues F Environmental agencies set up in ICs F POLS 384, Lec. 5 4

Second Wave Environmentalism F Growth of affluence > nonmaterial values (? ) F Visible and dramatic disasters F Counter-cultural rebellion F “Shrinking planet” – Economic & cultural interdependence – View of earth from space POLS 384, Lec. 5 5

The Third World Challenge F Is environmentalism a new form of imperialism? – Population vs. consumption – Is there a “right” to development? F Must affluence precede environmentalism? – Poor people’s environmentalism u Chipko F Are movement, Brazilian rubber tappers the exploitation of people & nature separable? – Human rights & environment POLS 384, Lec. 5 6

Internationalizing the Environment F U. N. Conference on the Human Environment – The Stockholm Declaration (1972) – Soft law – 26 principles as the basis for future agreements u F Mostly vague, reflecting North-South conflict Principle 21 Sovereign states have right to exploit their own resources, and responsibility not to cause environmental damage to other states – Cited in many treaties since – DCs emphasize first clause; IC emphasize second POLS 384, Lec. 5 7

The Institutional Outcome: UNEP F Concerns: sovereignty, turf of other UN agencies F Headquarters in Nairobi F Plays a “catalytic and coordinating role” – Negotiating forum for many treaties – Helps disseminate scientific information – Close ties to NGOs FA weak international organization (IO) – Why? POLS 384, Lec. 5 8