290
Politics of Climate Change
Abstract Submissions Closed
RC24 Environment and Society (host committee)
Language: English
Session Type: Oral
Human-caused climate change is perhaps the most threatening ecological problem human societies have faced in modern times, yet despite ample warnings from the scientific community little progress has been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming and abnormal climatic conditions. A key reason is that climate change and GHG reduction policies have become the subject of considerable political conflict, particularly in the USA and some other advanced nations such as Australia and Canada, but increasingly elsewhere as well. Not only has progress toward GHG emission reductions been stalled in many of these nations, but their inaction has hampered international progress as well.
This session will examine the diverse aspects of climate change politics that have led to the current stalemate in dealing with rising GHG emissions: Partisan and ideological polarization over climate change among both mass publics and political elites (e.g., legislatures and parliaments); the impact of growing populist and nationalist parties in many parts of the world on climate change policy-making; the success of organized denial efforts in promoting climate change skepticism among both the general public and policy-makers; the impact of public opinion, media and political elites on policy-making; and political divides between North and South nations that hinder international cooperation; among other topics. Analyses of climate change politics in Latin American are particularly welcome.