Governing the Tragedy of Global Commons
International Accords on Energy and Climate Change
Nations have committed to different environmental preservation treaties over the years with varied success. The first treaty was the Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987. The treaty required all parties to cease producing substances that damage the ozone layer (Maizland, 2021). The Montreal Protocol was highly successful as it helped countries cut the production of substances that destroy the ozone layer by 99%.
Another notable treaty is the Kyoto Protocol. The treaty was adopted in 1997 and enforced in 2005. All signatory countries were required to cut carbon emissions by a yearly 5% based on the 1990 levels (Maizland, 2021). However, the treaty did not achieve much as major carbon emitters as India, China, and the US withdrew. With the largest energy users out, not much was achieved from the Kyoto Protocol.
The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, is the current treaty in the fight against climate change. Signatories must set emission reduction targets- Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). NDCs seek to retain warming below 2°C below pre-industrial levels (Maizland, 2021). Also, the Paris Agreement seeks to achieve zero net emissions in the second part of the Century. Countries meet every five years to take stock of compliance with the agreement.
Limiting GGEs as a Public Goods Failure
Efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions are a public goods failure since they do not directly cost emitters. Instead, it is the developing countries that pay the ultimate price. Since the effects of greenhouse gas emissions are external to the emitters, the decision to curb them is ethical and not economical (Bowen et al., 2014). The market fails since there is no incentive to reduce emissions. Developed nations, therefore, are likely to overproduce greenhouse gases.
Countries need to transition from fossil fuels and adopt reliable green energy technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, China has significant deposits of rare earth elements (REEs) necessary to clean energy. The shift to using REEs will displace reliance on fossil fuels. Also, investing in renewable power and fuels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The USA and China are the global leaders in adopting renewable energy sources.
References
Bowen, A., Dietz, S., & Hicks, N. (2014, March 21). Why do economists describe climate change as a market failure? Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/explainers/why-do-economists-describe-climate-change-as-a-market-failure/
Maizland, L. (2021, November 17). Global Climate Agreements: Successes and Failures. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/paris-global-climate-change-agreements
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Question 
Global warming and climate change are global problems with many actors contributing to the drivers of the energy-climate dilemma. The climate’s energy balance is a global public good that no one political actor is accountable to preserve, yet all require it. The ‘tragedy of the commons’ is a central concept in international relations and is relevant to energy use and climate change. It is difficult to get agreement on limiting or ending the use of energy which is necessary to the economy, military power, political influence, etc. to preserve balance in some environmental systems. It has happened in the past, as with the Montreal Protocol limiting chlorofluorocarbons’ damage to the ozone layer, but climate change affects many more actors and the self-interest of many powerful entities across the whole planet.
Governing the Tragedy of Global Commons
Engage
As you consider these aspects of climate governance, respond to the questions below using as much information as you can marshal to make your evaluation.
In your initial post, please respond to the following questions:
- In your review of international accords on energy and climate, how successful do you find international agreements on limiting greenhouse gases?
- In your view, is the current state of international agreement on limiting greenhouse gas emissions a tragic public goods failure? Of the optimistic solutions put forward by any authors (like the IEA Net Zero report) you have read, which do you find most likely to succeed? What would you advise to curb emissions and where do you see positive change coming from?
Your initial post should be at least 250 words and must substantively integrate the assigned readings with proper APA style formatting. Your initial post is due by Thursday at 11:59 pm ET. Your responses are due by Sunday at 11:59 pm ET.