1 POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

2 Introduction Focus:  the environmental challenge to modern political ideologies: solutions offered by Political ideologies. The green thinking- environmentalists - and their alternative solutions.

3 Political ideologies: Definition: Ideologies: A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a political, economic, or other system. (The American Heritage Dictionary). Theories presenting different views of the reality Importance: Shape perceptions of social reality. have significant consequences for the society. draw out strong levels of individual and collective commitment.

4 Environmental Challenges to the modern Ideologies: 1 st Challenge  Environmentally sustainable economic growth: political ideologies Scientific knowledge and technology to produce economic growth. modern political ideologies  maximize technological progress and economic growth based on free market and planning.

5 Two problems with this approach - First  Complexity of environmental problems and  Irreversibility of some environmental changes Complexity: uncertain knowledge of causes and effects: Today ’ s weather The effect of carbon dioxide emissions over the next 50 years. Irreversibility, e.g., fossil fuels.  Applying the “ Precautionary Principle ” as a guide to environmental policy: PP: proposed changes should not have unacceptable environmental consequences: guilty until proven innocent.

6  Second Problem: Environmentally Harmless economic growth. How?  Incorporating environmental consequences of economic activity and decision-making. Two problems with this approach- Second

7 Global Environmental Problems and National Policies: 2 nd Challenge  National economic activities and decisions global Environmental problems  e.g., Chernobyl nuclear accident in  a potential gap between the national organization the global environmental problems.

8 Human Values and the Natural Environment: 3 rd Challenge  Modern political ideologies and the non- human nature. Recognizing the natural limits of what we can do socially and politically:  Consequences of Exceeding these limits nature strikes back. climate change is no longer a naturally-driven phenomena. effects are unpredictable risks (and benefits) are less localized and less calculable. social behaviors shaping the nature the complex interaction of the natural and the social lead to a more uncertain environment.

9 POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES ’ RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS-1 Making the economy Environmentally sustainable.  Approaching the environmental problems produced by economic activity

10 Making the economy Environmentally sustainable.  Liberal thinkers: Environmental resources have no  property rights  price or value  or, both. Solutions: market-based  privatization Then allow market to operate.

11 Making the economy Environmentally sustainable.  Social democratic thinkers: Problems are not a result of market failure or the inefficient provision of public goods. Environmental resources cannot or should not be owned or valued.  Solutions Democracy  Democratic decision making in the public sphere.

12 Making the economy Environmentally sustainable.  The Conservative traditions:  skeptical of both the market and democracy  skeptical about change in the environment  solution Conserve the nature and tradition that we already have.

13  Environmental Globalization and the politics of the nation-state. POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES ’ RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS-2

14 Environmental Globalization and the politics of the nation-state Environmental problems: Global. Political decision-making: National. International environmental problems:  transnational externalities arising from environmental interdependence. One state can inflict harm upon another, e.g., Chernobyl nuclear accident in Ukraine.

15 How can this be avoided?  the Bargaining Process: The polluter (e.g., Ukraine) is compensated and paid to improve the safety of its nuclear reactors.  Shared Problem Reciprocal externalities: both polluters and polluted share costs and effects: e.g., the global warming. International Cooperation?  Both can help reduce the environmental problems even with the absence of a centralized world authority. Environmental Globalization and the politics of the nation-state

16  Environmental Globalization Solution: Supra-national Power?  Centralized world authority. Environmental Globalization and the politics of the nation-state

17 GREEN THINKING AS AN ALTERNATIVE: Ecologism Green thinking = Ecologism:  Ideas that seek to focus on the relationship between human beings and natural environment. Origin of Ecologism  It derived from a combination of a biological understanding  our place in the natural world, and a physical understanding  the ultimate limits of energy and time in our economic activities.

18 Green politics  A respect for the earth and its creatures  Social justice for everyone, including future generation.  A rejection of materialism, industrialism, and instrumental rationality.  Protection of the environment  Personal growth and spiritual development  Participatory democracy  Self-reliance and decentralized communities. GREEN THINKING AS AN ALTERNATIVE: Ecologism

19 Radical Environmentalism Challenging the instrumental use of the natural world. There is an intrinsic value in non-human nature. Rejection of anthropocentrism  the idea of human-centered approach: being the center of the universe.

20 An interesting question posed by GT? Liberals and Social democrats environmental problems can be solved by a combination of democracy and markets.  But how democratic decision making solve the problems of meeting the internists of those that cannot participate in the debate? Animals, forests, not-yet born generations, etc.