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The Third World in International Environmental Politics

Historical Context

Examples

Toxic waste “trade”

Ozone

Climate

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Background Factors What is the “Third World?” Legacy of colonialism

– Distrust of and dependency on North– Weak states, strong desire for sovereignty– Weak technical infrastructure– Class schism: elites and masses

Commodity-based economies– Cash crops, timber, minerals– IC’s control markets, prices– “Shadow ecologies” of the North

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… background factors

Cold War: G77 & Nonaligned Movement– Post-Cold War: Death of Third World?

• No: Third World as identity Dependent on investment, aid, and loans

– Vulnerability to globalized markets– UN aid goal: 0.7% of IC’s GDP

• U.S. = 0.1%– World Bank, IMF controlled by North

External debt– “Crisis” of early 80s is worse now– Many DCs pay more interest on debt than they receive in aid

Ecological debt

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Segue into International Law

Sources – Customary – General principles of state law– Formal agreement

• Soft law: nonbinding codes & guidelines• Treaty: binding only on parties

International law becomes national law– Some states require separate legislation

Compliance high– reciprocity, predictability, mobilizing shame

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The Basic Formula

Stages of international law– Agenda setting and pre-treaty negotiations

• Science advisors, Prep Committees– Adoption of finalized text– Signing– Ratification– Entry into force

Framework Conventions and Protocols– States proceed incrementally from general

principles to specific obligations

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The Third World in Environmental Treaties Basel Convention on Toxic Waste Trade (1989)

– DCs wanted ban: a matter of safety & principle– U.S. opposed ban for ideological reasons– Result: “Prior informed consent” regime– Calls for eventual self-sufficiency in toxic waste disposal– Early 90s: Greenpeace exposé– 110 countries have ratified

• Nonratifying signatories: US, Afghanistan & Haiti– African states unite DCs around outright ban

• By 1994, 100 countries joined ban 1995: Basel Ban Amendment bans all hazardous

waste exports from IC’s to DCs– Landmark treaty for env’tal justice & cost internalization– 60 countries have ratified– Entry into force requires ratification by 3/4 of signatories

» www.basel.int

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Source: Basel Action Network

Source: Basel Action Network

Lec 7, POL S 384 8Lagos, Nigeria Source: Basel Action Network

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The New e-Waste Problem Hyper-growth in IT: “churn & burn” model

– 70% of heavy metals in landfills from IT The solution: “recycling” to Africa & Asia

– Nearly all is junk NGO efforts

– Market-based & consumer solutions • Responsible recyclers: www.e-Stewards.org • Reduce toxicity

– EPA’s Electronic Product Guide: www.epeat.net– Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics

Lessons – DCs can be a forceful coalition, especially with NGO support– Importance of political symbolism– Some issues are more amenable to treaties than others– “Away” is a place… and people live there

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The Third World in Past Treaties

Montreal Protocol on Stratospheric Ozone (1987)

• ICs cut CFCs 50% by 2000• DCs could increase for 10 years

– 1990: CFC phaseout by 2000 Multilateral Ozone Fund

• A big precedent• ICs fund DC transition to substitutes• U.S. insisted: “this is not a precedent”

Concern: climate change Lesson: If ICs want DC compliance, they must fund

transitional technologies

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Convergent Third World Interests on Climate Change

Shared vulnerability & concern for equity >

Common but differentiated responsibility– ICs must act first

Sustainable Development– Right to development > DC GHG emissions will

increase DCs: ICs must fund transition in DCs

– Additionality: new aid added to existing Technology transfer from ICs to DCs

– Renewable energy

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Divergent Third World Views

Diverse perspectives– Rapid industrializers: India, China, Brazil, Mexico

• China: nearly half of DC GHG emissions– OPEC– Small Island States

“Fourth World”– 6,000 nationalities in 192 countries

• 15% of world’s pop. claims rights to 25% of land– Human rights/ environment connection– Indigenous peoples & forest sinks– Skeptical of state sovereignty, growth imperative