Why have the relatively successful attempts to govern the world’s production of Chlorofluorocarbons not been duplicated in other areas of global environmental protection?

Abstract

Climate change due to global warming is but one of many issues confronting countries that they cannot successfully deal with on their own. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain why international attempts by governments and institutions to forestall climate change by regulating and reducing greenhouse gas emissions have not been successful. The question is answered through an empirical study of the international politics of regulating chemicals which lead to ozone depletion and comparing this with the politics surrounding CO2 emissions. Part I reviews the world‘s growing awareness of global environmental issues and the relatively successful attempts which have been made to govern the production of chlorofluorocarbons. Part II examines the growing influence of environmental NGOs on government‘s response to concerns about environmental degradation and the unsuccessful attempts by states to prevent climate change by reducing their carbon gas emissions. Part III compares and contrasts the politics of ozone depletion with the political complexity of the problem of climate change brought on by global warming and analyzes alternative strategies for regulating the production of greenhouse gas emissions and reducing deforestation. The Conclusions section then offers suggestions on how greenhouse gas emissions might be regulated by governments in the near term (utilizing existing laws and treaties), and even more effectively in the future, by developing new international environmental governance and regulation regimes.