Impact of Globalization On Climate Change

Impact of Globalization on climate change
Globalization
The term globalization arise in early 80’s, there is no specific definition of globalization, but I
have referred to three different American author’s for the definition of globalization,
• The Lexus and the Olive Tree, understanding Globalization

T.L. Friedman (2000) :
• Globalization is a global political-economical system which allows the

movement of people, information, capital and goods (capitalism)
• The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order

Samuel P. Huntington (1996):
• He examines the political-economical system that was established after the

end of the cold war and argues that the main confrontation that will take
place on a global scale is that of “Clashes of Civilizations“
• The End of History and the Last Man

Francis Fukuyama (1993):
• Globalization is a global political-economical system of a global society of

liberal republics (capitalistic economies),with mutual respect and co-
dependence
After understanding what globalization is, lets take a look at different time lapse of globalization,
there are two certain periods of globalizaiton
• First period of Globalization: (~1860 -1914): the first period is categorized from mid
19th to beginning of first world war, first phase was dominated by british pound, its navy
and culture, most of the first phase was build around falling transportation costs as new
ways of transportations were introduced, the key technologies were railroad, steamship
and automobile.
• Second period of Globalization: (1990 - ): the second period is after the fall of
U.S.S.R and end of cold war, America rose as the new power dominating others by its
dollar, military power and culture, the second phase is still going on and is focused
around falling telecommunication costs with introduction of internet and other key
technologies as microchips, satellites and fiber optics.
• Differences:
“The first era of globalization shrank the world from a size “large” to a size “medium”, this era
of globalization is shrinking the world from a size “medium” to a size “small”.
Climate change
To understand what climate change its important to understand that earth has limits, its finite
when it comes to production of resources and supporting of a certain amount population.
Drivers for climate change
Environmental change has resulted from:

1) massive population increase: both from increased consumption of earth’s resources and
our ecological footprint (straining earth’s carrying capacity)
2) rapid technological innovation: permits massive extraction and exploitation of
resources
3) an explosion in energy use: 1 & 2 facilitate energy use, complemented by elite discourse
promoting consumptive behavior
4) economic integration: promoted through globalization (Fordism) led to mass
consumerism and the “growth imperative”
10 drivers of environmental degradation

1) Population increase :
2) Affluence:
3) Technology:
4) Poverty (1/2 world lives less than $2/day):
5) Market failure:
6) Policy/political failure:
7) Economic growth (scale/rate):
8) Nature of economic system:
9) Culture and values (US):
10) Forces of globalization:

Global environment concerns
1. Ozone Depletion: ’87 Montreal Protocol
2. Climate Change: ’92 FCCC (at Rio)
3. Desertification: ’94 Conv Combat Desert
4. Deforestation: None
5. Biodiversity Loss: ’92 CBD (at Rio)
6. Population Growth: None—Plan at Cairo ’94
7. Freshwater Sources: Conv on Non-Navigable Uses of Int’l Watercourses—not in effect
8. Marine Environment Degradation: UNCLOS
9. Toxification: Basel Convention int’l toxic waste- Stockholm Convention (’00) on

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
10. Acid Rain: Conv on Long-Range TB Air Pollution (EU)
• Top 20% in world income consume 85% of its wealth and produce 90% of its waste
• Simple Explanation: Although environmental problems are not new in themselves,

industrialization and rapid population growth, technology have greatly increased the scale
and intensity of the over-exploitations of natural resources and environmental
degradation, generating a wide range of urgent international and global problems.
Impact of Globalization
 By increasing GHG emissions
 Globalization promotes CO2 emissions from transport: As critical drivers of

globalization, transport systems have multiplied alongside international trade.
Emissions from road transport (mainly cars and Lorries) are of course very high,
but more so within national borders. But the opening of some regional areas (such
as the suppression of border controls among European Union countries) has given
a strong boost to road freight transport. Despite some encouraging recent
alternatives such as piggybacking (transporting Lorries by train for part of the
journey), transnational road transport is an important source of CO2 emissions.
 Globalization indirectly promotes CO2 emissions linked to industrial activity

and consumption: the growth in cross-border trade and investment in turn
fostered industrial activity. This is often a major source of GHG emissions, as in
the case of electricity generation, which still largely involves burning coal, oil and
derivates. The intensification of globalization, then, accentuated the greenhouse
effect and global warming. For decades, developed countries – the pioneers of
global industrialization – were the world’s biggest polluters, responsible for the
lion’s share of GHG emissions. Today, the United States is responsible for around
20% of global GHG emissions
 Globalization encourages deforestation: Deforestation is an indirect but very

significant cause of the greenhouse effect. Clearing and logging reduce the
volume of CO2 that plants convert into oxygen. This translates into an equivalent
increase in the volume of CO2 in the atmosphere and thus adds to the greenhouse
effect. And burning the cleared wood releases vast quantities of CO2. In total,
estimated emissions from deforestation represent some 20% of the increased
concentration of GHG in the atmosphere. Between 1990 and 2005, the world lost
3% of its forests. Some 200 km2 of forest land, twice the size of Paris –
disappears each day.
 By impoverishing biodiversity A large number of species have become extinct

in recent decades. Again, the link between the extinction of some species and
globalization is indirect. Human activities (particularly industry, because of its
pollution of ecosystems), urban sprawl, farms and mining – which displace
certain species – are not in and of themselves the result of globalization. But
globalization implies the multiplication of distribution channels, creating new
needs and new demand for products that are used around the world. It accentuates
industrialization and the quest for and exploitation of new lands, subsoil and
resources, thus weakening many ecosystems.
Contribution of emission From major economies of world
How could globalization help
 The globalization of trade and research also applies in green tech
 The willingness of countries around the world to cooperate in the negotiation of treaties
to address this global problem is a positive example of globalization
 Example
 In late 2008, US venture capital funds had invested close to USD 2.8 billion in green
technologies, despite difficult market conditions. Between July and September 2008, total
venture capital invested in solar energy amounted to USD 1.5 billion.
 Brasilia has promised to reduce by 70% the impact of clearing the Amazonian rainforest
by 2018.
Some of the treaties

 The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
 The International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP)
 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
 The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, also known as APP
 European Union REACH programme
Conclusion
 Concluding, I would quote Brende Gillespie, Head EPI of OECD Environment directorate “As a
growth-stimulating factor, globalization impacts on the environment. At the same time, thanks
to globalised information and knowledge, the public is considerably more aware of ecological
issues and this has generated greater mobilization. Theoretically, resources can be used more
rationally because of increased Trade and investment. But for the moment, it seems that
globalization's negative environmental effects are more apparent. For example, increased
pollution linked to transport immediately comes to mind.”
 There are positive and negative impacts of globalization, but there is need of governments,
corporations and individual level contribution to make globalization to have positive impact of
climate change.

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Impact of Globalization on climate change

• The Lexus and the Olive Tree, understanding Globalization

• Globalization is a global political-economical system which allows the

• The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order

• He examines the political-economical system that was established after the

• The End of History and the Last Man

• Globalization is a global political-economical system of a global society of

Drivers for climate change

Environmental change has resulted from:

10 drivers of environmental degradation

4) Poverty (1/2 world lives less than $2/day):

7) Economic growth (scale/rate):

8) Nature of economic system:

9) Culture and values (US):

10) Forces of globalization:

2. Climate Change: ’92 FCCC (at Rio)

3. Desertification: ’94 Conv Combat Desert

5. Biodiversity Loss: ’92 CBD (at Rio)

6. Population Growth: None—Plan at Cairo ’94

7. Freshwater Sources: Conv on Non-Navigable Uses of Int’l Watercourses—not in effect

8. Marine Environment Degradation: UNCLOS

9. Toxification: Basel Convention int’l toxic waste- Stockholm Convention (’00) on

10. Acid Rain: Conv on Long-Range TB Air Pollution (EU)

• Simple Explanation: Although environmental problems are not new in themselves,

 Globalization promotes CO2 emissions from transport: As critical drivers of

 Globalization indirectly promotes CO2 emissions linked to industrial activity

 Globalization encourages deforestation: Deforestation is an indirect but very

 By impoverishing biodiversity A large number of species have become extinct

Some of the treaties

 The International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP)

 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

 European Union REACH programme

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