There are many international problems today regarding environment and resources. These include global warming, ozone depletion, exploiting rain forests and the ocean, and other pollution, and of all these problems, managing the ocean is likely the most challenging and urgent one. This is because of the lack of ownership of the high seas, or non-territorial waters. In this part of the ocean, it is impossible to restrict people from fishing or dumping wastes. The UN has attempted to privatize oceans for individual states, but these so called exclusive economic zones only extend 200 miles of the coast of the states; Most of the sea still remains as global commons. Problems such as the global warming might also seem unsolvable, yet managing the sea is much more urgent in a way that the world seafood population will go completely instinct before 2050 if over-fishing continues in the same rate.
Still, global warming remains another problem that has caused evident climate changes. The globe's average temperature is rising rapidly, the arctic Ice is melting, and hurricanes are appearing more and more frequently. If the globe continues to warm, climate in different regions will deviate from its normal behaviors and a large part of the world will be immersed by rising sea level. Why don't states take actions against global warming? Similar to the problem of managing the ocean, it is very difficult for states to privatize the atmosphere. Even though they were able to privatize the 'space' above their country, they still can't privatize the 'air' in it, which flows around regardless of borders.
Still, there were successful examples in dealing with the global commons, such as the ozone depletion. The ozone layer is a high layer of air in the atmosphere that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. However, there was a chemical used in refrigerators and aerosol sprays called CFCs that opened a hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica. The harmful rays has a possibly immediate danger of killing vegetation, and there were many alternatives to refrigeration technologies, so states cooperated together in banning CFCs through the Montreal Protocol, and the success was immediate and tangible. the hole in the ozone layer shrank.
However, it is not as easy with global warming. The cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect, which is the increase in gases, mainly CO2, that absorbs heat from the sun and causes earth's temperature to rise. The industries that emit CO2 do have alternatives, but these cost a lot more. In addition, the benefits, which is a more moderate climate, is not as tangible compared to a shrinking ozone hole. Even more, there is a large number of actors that are affiliated with CO2 emissions around the globe, and this increases the possibility of free riders. As a result, few states cooperated in many important greenhouse gas emission agreements.
After looking at the problems of ocean management and global warming, can international society really manage its resources? Is it possible for collective interests to overcome national interests? The answer is yes. Even if many problems seem to remain unsolved, with constant effort and increase in awareness, solutions are always possible. Just recently, in November 12, 2014, US and China signed a Carbon Deal. US promised to cut CO2 emissions by 26% by 2025, while China promised to start cutting Carbon emission by 2030. This might not be a lot, but it is an agreement made after 20 years of negotiation, and it marks the start of the world's two largest CO2 emission countries' intention to start cutting CO2 emissions. Also, in December 14, 2014, there was another Climate Change deal made in Lima, Peru. Many called it very weak, but it was successful in making the richer countries support the poorer countries that are hurt from rising temperature. The deal further called for a global climate agreement by 2015 in Paris. These are all signs of gradual improvements in the international cooperation of managing resources with difficult 'tragedy of the commons' problems such as combating global warming.
Still, global warming remains another problem that has caused evident climate changes. The globe's average temperature is rising rapidly, the arctic Ice is melting, and hurricanes are appearing more and more frequently. If the globe continues to warm, climate in different regions will deviate from its normal behaviors and a large part of the world will be immersed by rising sea level. Why don't states take actions against global warming? Similar to the problem of managing the ocean, it is very difficult for states to privatize the atmosphere. Even though they were able to privatize the 'space' above their country, they still can't privatize the 'air' in it, which flows around regardless of borders.
Still, there were successful examples in dealing with the global commons, such as the ozone depletion. The ozone layer is a high layer of air in the atmosphere that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. However, there was a chemical used in refrigerators and aerosol sprays called CFCs that opened a hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica. The harmful rays has a possibly immediate danger of killing vegetation, and there were many alternatives to refrigeration technologies, so states cooperated together in banning CFCs through the Montreal Protocol, and the success was immediate and tangible. the hole in the ozone layer shrank.
However, it is not as easy with global warming. The cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect, which is the increase in gases, mainly CO2, that absorbs heat from the sun and causes earth's temperature to rise. The industries that emit CO2 do have alternatives, but these cost a lot more. In addition, the benefits, which is a more moderate climate, is not as tangible compared to a shrinking ozone hole. Even more, there is a large number of actors that are affiliated with CO2 emissions around the globe, and this increases the possibility of free riders. As a result, few states cooperated in many important greenhouse gas emission agreements.
After looking at the problems of ocean management and global warming, can international society really manage its resources? Is it possible for collective interests to overcome national interests? The answer is yes. Even if many problems seem to remain unsolved, with constant effort and increase in awareness, solutions are always possible. Just recently, in November 12, 2014, US and China signed a Carbon Deal. US promised to cut CO2 emissions by 26% by 2025, while China promised to start cutting Carbon emission by 2030. This might not be a lot, but it is an agreement made after 20 years of negotiation, and it marks the start of the world's two largest CO2 emission countries' intention to start cutting CO2 emissions. Also, in December 14, 2014, there was another Climate Change deal made in Lima, Peru. Many called it very weak, but it was successful in making the richer countries support the poorer countries that are hurt from rising temperature. The deal further called for a global climate agreement by 2015 in Paris. These are all signs of gradual improvements in the international cooperation of managing resources with difficult 'tragedy of the commons' problems such as combating global warming.