Environment and Natural Resources

Introduction

This chapter examines the growing significance of environmental issues in world politics, the challenges of sustainable development, and the global governance of natural resources.

1. Environmental Concerns in Global Politics

Emergence as Global Issue:

Gained prominence since 1970s
UN Conference on Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972)
Rio Earth Summit (1992)
Paris Agreement (2015)

Key Environmental Problems:

Issue	Causes	Impacts
Climate Change	Greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation	Rising temperatures, extreme weather, sea level rise
Biodiversity Loss	Habitat destruction, pollution, overexploitation	Species extinction, ecosystem collapse
Water Scarcity	Overuse, pollution, climate change	Health crises, conflicts, agricultural failure
Pollution	Industrial waste, plastics, chemicals	Health problems, ecosystem damage

2. Global Environmental Agreements

Major International Agreements:

Montreal Protocol (1987): Phasing out ozone-depleting substances
UNFCCC (1992): Framework for climate change action
Kyoto Protocol (1997): Binding emissions targets for developed nations
Paris Agreement (2015): Global climate pact with national commitments
CITES: Regulates wildlife trade to protect endangered species

Case Study: Paris Agreement

Adopted in 2015, entered force in 2016
Aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
US withdrawal (2017) and re-entry (2021)
India's commitments: 40% non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030

3. Resource Geopolitics

What is Resource Geopolitics?

Resource geopolitics refers to the strategic competition between nations over access to and control of vital natural resources.

Key Resources and Conflicts:

Oil: Middle East conflicts, OPEC influence
Water: Transboundary river disputes (Nile, Indus, Mekong)
Minerals: Rare earth elements competition
Fisheries: Overfishing and maritime disputes

India's Resource Challenges:

Energy security and import dependence
Water disputes with neighbors (Indus, Brahmaputra)
Land degradation and soil erosion
Forest conservation vs development needs

4. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR)

Principle of CBDR:

The CBDR principle, established in the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, recognizes that:

All nations share responsibility for environmental protection (common)
Developed countries should take greater responsibility due to:
- Their historical emissions
- Greater financial and technological capabilities
- Higher per capita resource consumption

Application in Climate Agreements:

Kyoto Protocol (1997): Only developed countries had binding targets
Paris Agreement (2015): All countries contribute, but flexibility for developing nations
Climate finance: $100 billion/year pledge from developed to developing countries

Controversies:

Developed nations argue emerging economies (China, India) should do more
Developing nations emphasize "right to develop" and historical responsibility
Debates over measurement of responsibilities and contributions

5. Sustainable Development

Concept:

"Development that meets present needs without compromising future generations" (Brundtland Report, 1987)
Balances economic growth, social inclusion, environmental protection

Approaches:

Approach	Focus	Examples
Green Technology	Clean energy, efficiency	Solar power, electric vehicles
Circular Economy	Reduce, reuse, recycle	Waste management systems
Conservation	Protecting ecosystems	National parks, wildlife reserves
International Cooperation	Global solutions	Climate funds, technology transfer

6. India's Environmental Policies

Key Initiatives:

National Action Plan on Climate Change (2008)
International Solar Alliance (2015)
Swachh Bharat Mission (Clean India)
National Mission for Green India
Faster Adoption of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme

Challenges:

Balancing development and conservation
Air pollution in cities
Groundwater depletion
Waste management

Key Terms

Anthropocene: New geological age marked by human impact on Earth
Carbon Footprint: Total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an entity
Common but Differentiated Responsibilities: Climate action principle recognizing differing national capabilities
Ecological Footprint: Measure of human demand on nature
Greenwashing: Deceptive environmental claims by corporations

7. Important Questions

Explain how environmental issues have become important in global politics.
Analyze the significance of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
What is sustainable development? Discuss India's approach to it.
Examine the geopolitics of oil and water resources with examples.
Critically evaluate India's environmental policies and their implementation.
Explain the concept of resource geopolitics with suitable examples.
What is the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities? How has it influenced global climate agreements?

Environment and Natural Resources - Class 12 Political Science