Essay Example on Green Theory: A Framework for International Cooperation on Environmental Issues

Introduction

Green theory in international relations is a theoretical framework that focuses on the need for international cooperation on environmental matters (Tienhaara & Downie, 2019). The increase in industries in many countries in the 20th led to pollution and other ecological problems. Consequently, in the 1960s, there was an increased acknowledgement of global ecological crises that arose from the based on the idea that humans are self-interested beings, who overexploit shared resources freshwater, fish, and land (Tienhaara & Downie, 2019). In the 1970s, the United Nations Conference was held to deliberate on the matter, and in the 1980s, green public policies and green political parties began to emerge (Tienhaara & Downie, 2019). In the 1990s, the international relations (IR) increased recognition of the natural environment by the International Relations (IR), resulting in the rise of critical environmental questions that required both practical and theoretical attention. The mounting evidence that human activities were causing destruction impacts the global climate, presenting both ecological and security problems. Green theory in international relations is critical in researching, understanding, and solving various issues related to global climate change occurring because of human activities across the world.

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The Problem of Climate Change

Climate change is one of the most severe challenges that have threatened human economic, social, and political systems. In climate change, the uncertainties and risks are severe, the economics provocative, the science overwhelmed, the stakes are enormous, the politics complicated, the impacts shocking, the psychology puzzling, and the interactions with other non-environmental and environmental issues running in multiple directions (Tauber, 2020). The current social problem-solving mechanism was not meant to solve such an interlinked set of problems of this complexity, scale, and severity. Using standard problem-solving methodologies has failed to address the issues that continue to intensify as they manifest (Harris, 2018). For example, the intensity and frequency of climate change effects such as species loss, floods, heat stress, and drought continue to increase, causing far-reaching consequences such as death to humanity (Di Falco & Sharma, 2018). The most promising way to avoid and reverse climate change is through applying the green theory ideas of international efforts and cooperation.

Ecocentrism and Decentralization in Green Theory

Ecological thoughts address not only the interest of humanity in nature but also the interest in nature itself. Green theory theoretical knowledge and practical measures capture this orientation in terms of political agency and value. The model uses the critical theory approach, where the environmental issues are used to arouse queries concerning relations among and between groups of people and another in the context of community and collective decision-making (Tauber, 2020). These relationships raise the question on the boundaries of the political community on matters related to the environment because environmental issues often transcend a country's jurisdiction (Tienhaara & Downie, 2019). In addressing climate change, the question arises on the level of political community that should take part in seeking a solution. According to green theory, the answers to these questions are in the alternate perspective on political cooperation achieved from environmental relationships.

The green theory moves beyond political ecology and environmentalism by radically challenging the existing economic, social, and governmental organisations. It particularly critiques the mainstream liberal assumptions, especially those going beyond existing political boundaries (Harris, 2018). The distinctive characteristic of the theory is its use of coherent moral vision, independent of governmental agency or practices. For instance, a green morality implies that the production of materials should be limited to the needed for the preservation of non-human nature (Tienhaara & Downie, 2019). Such moral principle limits people the liberty to consume as much as they can get. The need to restrict traditional freedom is an indication that green theory puts nature before people. As a result, a green approach is ecocentric, with ecocentrism being the central concept that dictates its framework.

The concept of ecocentrism or ecology-centred is a contrast of human-centred thought. The idea, however, does not ignore human desires and needs; instead, it incorporates them with a broader ecological perspective. The concept prioritises a healthy ecosystem since they fundamental to the health and wellbeing of human beings. This distinction between anthropocentric and ecocentric approach plays a critical role in the in green theory framework (Lynch et al., 2019). The holistic ecocentric view means an indictment of the division between international and domestic politics since the geographical borders between countries do not match with environments. For instance, water and air pollution and climate change cross borders and populations, implying that people are ecologically interconnected (Lynch et al., 2019). These impacts help green theorists and countries to collectively understand and solve global and transboundary environmental problems by setting aside their independent national interests.

The traditional international relations theories focusing on the states make it difficult to address environmental issues. The concept of sovereignty poses a significant challenge in identifying and solving ecological factors whose impacts go beyond a country's border. The idea of independence neither provides a trustworthy framework for human wellbeing or identity nor political control. Instead, it is essential to focus on the concept of 'global' as an alternative principle of dealing with environmental issues (Lynch et al., 2019). The notions of sovereignty raise the question of whether the concepts of nationalities because of political boundaries are relevant to people's lives or should be recanted for a more ecologically friendly way of referring to people's way of life with their environment (Tauber, 2020). A shift will entail a more global than local environment ethics. Besides, it supports peoples' perspective on the need for political structures such as governments, the level, or their developments (Di Falco & Sharma, 2018). For instance, the centralised global political systems dealing with environmental matters could be promoted or develop several decentralised, interconnected, or even anarchical local structures to emerge depending on the circumstances that appear.

Decentralisation is the second most critical concept in green theory. It is the transfer of decision-making and authority from central to local bodies of governance, characterised by some attractive features, such as democratic accountability and self-determination. The advantages of decentralisation lie in the fact small communities rely more on the immediate local resources and therefore are more interested in protecting their environment (Tienhaara & Downie, 2019). Such local communities consider the natural environment and the resulting relationship between them in less effective terms by looking at it as their home, thus helping them to protect it against excessive exploitation (Harris, 2018). Traditional IR theories focus on the transformation of the world's political activities without considering the need for a change in ecological factors.

For instance, the idea of 'bioregionalism' in which the society is organised based on the ecological factors instead of political jurisdiction, raising fascinating issues of history, science, space, and culture in an environmental context. In this case, people's sense of identity is derived from their immediate environment tan from nationality, thus promoting inheritance of understanding and knowledge from our local environment than political factors (Lynch et al., 2019). The weakness of using a decentralisation governance structure in handling environmental issues is the fact that the strategy is too exclusively local, thus minimizing the chances of global cooperation. As a result, it might reproduce the same problems caused by the sovereign-state model. Decentralization and ecocentrism are critical in solving global warming as a result of climate change.

Decentralization and Ecocentrism on Global Warming because of Climate Change

Climate change is currently a major environmental problem of the century caused by destructive human activities. Green theory helps people to develop insight on the long-term ecological values of the environment instead of short-term human interests. Governments typically pursue these social interests through technological investments; however, there is no technical solution to climate change induced by human activities (Harris, 2018). The pollution caused by industries has led to global warming, a phenomena that have negatively impacted the society. As a result of global warming, has led to increased average temperatures and temperature extremes, weather extremes, ocean acidification, migration of animals towards north poles, acidification of oceans and rise of sea level among others.

In green theory on international relations, there is no pressure in an environment at the expense of development, regardless of the cost. This idea is not least since some nations are still developing and blaming developed countries for the adverse climate change resulting in a scenario where actors are not willing to incur global costs.The main cause of global warming is the increase in industrialization and other economic activities in different countries. Most of these economic activities are not eco-friendly. The adoption of ecocentrism principles, however have a great impacts on reversing global warming. The main cause of global warming in the increase of greenhouse gases on the atmosphere (Lynch et al., 2019). These greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The carbon dioxide, however, is the major contributor of global warming in the society. The adoption of ecocentrism on matters associated with global warming involve abandoning human activities that produce carbon dioxide. The greatest emitters of carbon dioxide is the use of fossil fuel to generate energy for electricity and means of transport. The rate of global warming will subdue is people adopt alternative ecofriendly source of electricity and means of transport. For example, electricity should be generated from renewable sources such as water and wind instead of using fossil fuel (Lynch et al., 2019). Secondly, the transport industry should adopt the use of alternative source of energy such as using solar powered vehicles, electric cars, electric trains, and even the use of bicycles when necessary. These practices are eco-friendly because they do not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The other cause of global warming is the centralization of decision making on matters affecting globalization. As a result, many people perceive the cause of global warming as a result of activities by other countries but not them. Besides, due to the centralization of global matters associated with global warming, the sector has been left to experts to identify the solution. The decentralisation of climate-related matters will allow within their localities to adopt eco-friendly measures (Lynch et al., 2019). For example, will adopt energy preserving measures to limit overdependence of fuel-generated electricity. Since air pollution is more intense within the locality, residence should be making efforts within their locality to reduce pollution for motor vehicles, which are...