It is too early to tell whether the Rio Plus 20 conference has been a success or failure. Assessing its impact rests on the question of whether or not political actors are able to build from the conference.
Obama’s successes have come when he has followed the policies of the Bush administration. His failures have come when he has attempted to implement his own initiatives.
The path to a more effective international climate politics is paved by transition to low carbon economies that reflect the true costs of greenhouse emissions.
The green economy is not just a current “buzz concept”. It represents a profound change in perceptions. Sadly, the opportunity to lock in a paradigm shift in international policy was lost at Rio+20.
IR scholars rarely have access to real-time “insider” data on climate summits, though it is telling that virtually all of the world leaders make claims that we would have expected.
Dalby’s book provides an inspiring conceptual framework to deal with environmental security. Whilst worthy of further study, it is built on a restricted perception of reality.
There is an emerging synergy between cyberspace and sustainability as they converge on the global policy agenda.
Predicting the range of future challenges is no easy matter, but it is a necessary part of how military organizations prepare, invest in platforms and weapon systems, conduct training, and concentrate their forces.
One of the dominant themes of this entire literature is that physical exposure is not destiny. Governance and political dynamics are as, if not more, important in explaining whether or not environmental shocks, scarcity, and abundance lead to conflict.
While knowledge about the impact of climate change on the role of militaries is scant, planning for a future with climate change has begun.
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