EM410Introduction to Global

Environmental Policy & Politics

Unit 1

Unit 1 Seminar Agenda

• Introductions

• Syllabus and course outcomes

• Course organization and assignments

• Environmental issues: national to global

• Economic growth vs. environmental protection

• Challenges

• Assignment #1 preview

My Background

• B.S. in Agricultural Economics, M.A. in Economics, Ph.D. in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

• 15 years teaching at the university level

• Professional experience in both private and public sectors in organic agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, biofuels, & sustainable development

• Other interests

Contact information

• Office hours will be Monday & Thursday from 7:00pm to 8:00pm ET or by appointment

• E-mail me anytime

• Use of the “Live” tab and appropriate chat room

• AIM – eohara@hawaii.rr.com

Syllabus for EM410

• You can find the syllabus in 2 places

–Syllabus link and doc-sharing

• Recommend you print out a hard copy! Your syllabus is your course contract

Expectations of All Students in EM 410

• Submit assignments ON TIME– Max of 5% per week will be deducted on ALL late work– No late assignments accepted after 3 weeks from due date – No late assignment accepted after Unit 7 closes

• Academic integrity is a core value of the University

• What is plagiarism?– Rules of thumb….

What is Plagiarism…..

…failing to give credit to your sources of information.

Plagiarism applies to discussion posts and written assignments. Avoid plagiarism and write safely by:

(1) Use in-text citations after quotations and summaries;

(2) Use quotation marks to denote a direct quote;

(3) Paraphrasing means rewording the information from your source using 80% of your own language and no more than 20% language from the source. You still must use an in-text citation.

Support Systems at Kaplan

• The Writing Center

• Your Advisor

• Student Tech Support

866-522-7747

Course Outcomes

• Course Outcomes: Upon successfully completing this course, you will be able to:

• EM410-1 Analyze global environmental governance and its interrelationship to national policy decision-making.

• EM410-2 Evaluate the historical development of global environmental organizations and treaties.

• EM410-3 Assess how the global environment is affected by national policies and international economic trends.

General Course Setup

• 9 Discussion Boards (DB) – 25 pts each– Units 1-4 include a current events discussion– Unit 7 is the ONLY Unit in which there is only 1 topic– Unit 10 DB reflects on readings and the course (ungraded)

• 9 seminars (10 pts each)– Units 1-7 and Unit 9 – Unit 8 is the Mock Summit and is worth 20 pts

• 3 major papers– Due in Unit 3, Unit 5, and Unit 9

• Mock Summit written assignment due Unit 8 (75 pts)

Success Tips

• Always be looking ahead, check out Academic Tools

• Attend all seminars

• Posts in DB should be early and often– Looking for posts on 3-5 days for full points

• Submit assignments ON TIME!

• USE THE GRADING RUBRICS!

• Do the reading, do the key term games

• Ask questions…I am here!

Summary of Unit 1 Outcomes

1. Learn why environmental issues are global issues, as opposed to national issues as they were 40 years ago at the birth of the environmental movement;

2. Understand the interrelatedness of economic growth and pressures on the environment, and the tensions created in balancing economic prosperity with environmental protection; and

3. Identify tensions between the economic, environmental, and political agendas of sovereign nations of and international organizations.

Global Environmental Governance

Appendix 1:The International EnvironmentalGovernance (IEG) RegionalForum for Civil Society and Regional Consultative Meeting (RCM) for Asia and the PacificNov. 27-30, Sydney AustraliaUnited Nations EnvironmentalProgramme & the University ofNew South Wales

Globalization

• The shift toward a more integrated and interdependent world economy

• Two components:–The globalization of markets–The globalization of production

Globalization of Production

• Vizio flat panel TV is – designed in a small office in California– assembled in Mexico– From

• panels made in South Korea

• electronic components made in China

• microprocessors made in the U.S.

• Globalization of production has historically been about manufacturing

• Increasingly companies are using modern communications to outsource service activities to low-cost nations

Globalization of Markets

• In the past, each country had its own companies in many industries and its own products

• Today, we all know:– Nintendo– Starbucks– Coca-Cola– Ikea– McDonald’s – Samsung

Driving Factors of Globalization

• Two factors underlie globalization

– “Decline in barriers to the free flow of goods, services, and capital” that has occurred since the end of World War II

– Technological change

• During the 1920s and ‘30s, many of nations erected formidable barriers to international trade and foreign direct investment

• Advanced industrial nations of the West committed themselves after World War II to removing barriers to the free flow of goods, services, and capital between nations.

Some Effects of Globalization

• Led to an increase in communication and sharing of ideas

• Via technology and the media, we have been able to see the affects of our local actions on a global scale

• Events in the 1970s such as Earth Day and the UN Conference on the Human Environment give bigger coverage of the issues

Economic Interrelatedness

• Does globalization harm or help the environment?

• Harms: – “Race-to-the-bottom” hypothesis: Countries open to trade and

investment adopt weaker environmental regulations, out of fear of a loss in competitiveness

• Helps: – “Gains from trade” hypothesis: Trade leads to growth– As people get wealthier, they demand and receive a better

environment

Economic Interrelatedness

• From an environmental perspective, what one country does to make goods/money/etc., can have an impact on other countries– For example, smelting of iron in China for cars produced in

Korea or Mexico– Pollution created in China, affects neighbors/world

• Any other examples you can think of?

Tensions

• A balancing act of differing interests as represented by public, private and non-profit sectors

• North vs. South discussion in your reading

• Difference between the developed, developing and undeveloped countries– Motivations– Desired outcomes

• Who wins? Is there ever really a true winner?

• Are international organizations effective?

Any Questions so far?

1st Assignment Description – Due end of Unit #3

• Not due until the end of Unit 3• The readings, discussions, and seminars in Units 1 and 2 will

prepare you to complete this Assignment. You may also do additional research or reading, if you wish, but you are not required to do so.

• Imagine that a localized "hole" in the ozone layer has recently been discovered above a certain region of the planet. The region consists of several nations and spans two continents. Some of the nations in the region, as well as one global environmental organization, have agreed on the need for a plan to control depletion of the ozone layer above the region.

1st Assignment Description – Due end of Unit #3

• In a paper of 4-5 pages, compare and contrast the major characteristics of the decision making process of (a) the global environmental organization and (b) nations in formulating programs and policies to address the problem. Point out:

1. The inherent tensions between the global and national environmental governance schemes, and their causes;

2. The key distinctions regarding the types of policy tools available, who is bound by the policies and programs created, and the benefits and limitations of each; and

3. The ways in which global environmental governance and national policy decision making work harmoniously together.

1st Assignment Description – Due end of Unit #3

• Length should be 4 - 5 pages

• Viewpoint and purpose should be clearly established and sustained

• Assignment should follow the conventions of Standard American English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.).

• Writing should be well ordered, logical and unified, as well as original and insightful

• Your work should display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics

• Appropriate citation style should be followed

• Submit your paper to the Dropbox by the end of Unit 3.

• Consult the grading rubric to assist in preparation

• That’s it for tonight!

• Next office hours are Thursday 7:00 - 8:00 PM ET in the chat room under the “Live” tab in the classroom

• E-mail me if you have any questions

• Mahalo!