International Cooperation in Managing Climate Change: Successes and Failures
Keywords:
International Cooperation, Climate Governance, SustainabilityAbstract
Climate change represents one of the most pressing global challenges, necessitating robust international cooperation to mitigate its impacts and adapt to evolving environmental conditions. This paper evaluates the successes and failures of international efforts to address climate change, focusing on landmark agreements, institutional mechanisms, and emerging challenges. Through an analysis of major initiatives like the Paris Agreement and the Montreal Protocol, the paper highlights key achievements in fostering global consensus, financing climate actions, and promoting renewable energy transitions. Conversely, it examines persistent failures, including unequal burden-sharing, insufficient implementation of commitments, and political resistance that undermine collective progress. Drawing from case studies and theoretical frameworks, this study identifies patterns of effective cooperation and recurring obstacles, offering actionable recommendations to enhance future global governance on climate issues. The findings underscore the importance of equitable and inclusive approaches to ensure sustainability and resilience in the face of climate change.
References
Andersen, S. O., and Sarma, K. M., 2002. Protecting the Ozone Layer: The United Nations History. Earthscan Publications.
Bang, G. and Schreurs, M. A., 2020. America First Versus Clean Energy: The Influence of Populism on US Climate Policy. Environmental Politics, 29(5), pp. 784-806.
Barnett, J. and Campbell, J., 2010. Climate Change and Small Island States: Power, Knowledge and the South Pacific. Earthscan.
Biermann, F., 2007. Earth System Governance: A New Paradigm for Global Environmental Change. Earth System Governance Project.
Chan, S., van Asselt, H., Hale, T., Abbott, K., and Beisheim, M., 2018. Exploring Non-State and Subnational Contributions to Global Climate Governance. Global Environmental Change, 48, pp. 1-10.
Climate Action Tracker, 2022. Global Emissions Progress Report. Available at: https://climateactiontracker.org [Accessed 22 December 2024].
Depledge, J., 2005. The Organization of Global Negotiations: Constructing the Climate Change Regime. Earthscan.
Dimitrov, R. S., 2019. The Paris Agreement: Behind Closed Doors. Global Environmental Politics, 19(4), pp. 39-61.
Dubash, N. K. and Ghosh, S., 2020. National Action and Global Climate Goals: India’s Role in International Climate Negotiations. Environmental Politics, 29(5), pp. 760-783.
Dupont, C., Oberthür, S., and Tosun, J., 2021. EU Climate Policy: Regional Integration and the Pursuit of Ambitious Targets. European Journal of International Relations, 27(3), pp. 645-662.
European Commission, 2021. The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Available at: https://ec.europa.eu [Accessed 22 December 2024].
Falkner, R., 2016. The Paris Agreement and the New Logic of International Climate Politics. International Affairs, 92(5), pp. 1107-1125.
Government of India, 2021. India’s Renewable Energy Targets and Achievements. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Available at: https://mnre.gov.in [Accessed 22 December 2024].
Hale, T., 2018. Catalytic Cooperation: The Paris Agreement and Climate Action by Cities, Businesses, and NGOs. Global Environmental Politics, 18(3), pp. 12-22.
IEA, 2021. China's Role in the Global Renewable Energy Market. International Energy Agency. Available at: https://www.iea.org [Accessed 22 December 2024].
Lockwood, M., 2018. Right-Wing Populism and the Climate Change Agenda: Exploring the Linkages. Environmental Politics, 27(4), pp. 712-732.
Roberts, J. T. and Huq, S., 2015. Coming Full Circle: The Loss and Damage Mechanism Under the UNFCCC. Climate Policy, 15(6), pp. 761-769.
Stadelmann, M., Michaelowa, A., and Roberts, J. T., 2013. Equity and Feasibility in the Green Climate Fund: Status and Future Prospects. Climate Policy, 13(6), pp. 731-746.
UNEP, 2021. UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2021. United Nations Environment Programme. Available at: https://www.unep.org [Accessed 22 December 2024].
Zhang, Y., Pan, M., and Li, S., 2021. China’s Path to Carbon Neutrality by 2060: Challenges and Opportunities. Energy Policy, 150, pp. 112-121.